Kind of a Long Complex Issue with my College

[OHRoadwarrior]

If mom is paying your bills, you are her dependent. If you pay your own bills, you are independent. Age is only a part of it.

 

[schaf85]

The commercials you have seen are for attorneys who will take cases on contingency (pay when you win) that they feel are (relatively) high-dollar, slam-dunk cases. Yours doesn't fall in to either category, which is why you will need to pay up front. You might find an attorney willing to spend a few minutes with you at no charge, but you have very little chance of finding one who will do it at no up-front cost. It was suggest that you speak with the college's ombudsman...I also suggest that.

I see. Thank you.

 

[schaf85]

I help with the bills. I just live with her. I am over 24 and when going on my FAFSA, I am considered independent since the past 2 years of college.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I would say it is up to your schools financial aid officer to make that determination. it sounds like I hit the nail on the head and you are only trying to circumvent the situation with a trailer in state, which mom is paying for, which you use during the school year. Where is your drivers license from?

 

[schaf85]

It depends on the FAFSA trust me. My license is from Nevada. I got it as soon as I moved here

 

[schaf85]

I would say it is up to your schools financial aid officer to make that determination. it sounds like I hit the nail on the head and you are only trying to circumvent the situation with a trailer in state, which mom is paying for, which you use during the school year. Where is your drivers license from?

I don't understand what you mean about the trailer. The requirements for residency are residing in nevada for a year and staying enrolled in school for a year. ID or drivers license is useful as well.

 

[Zigner]

The problem is that you KNEW of all the charges, deadlines, etc., yet you still went ahead with things. You KNEW you were being handled as a non-resident student when you dropped your class late. You KNEW you were being handled as a non-resident student when you added another class. You KNEW you were being treated as a non-resident when you went ahead and paid the extra money. These are all choices you made KNOWING you were being treated as a non-resident student.

And, I just caught that you said you are THIRTY years old. Your pleas of ignorance sound like that of a teenager, but I could have believed it even from a 24 year old. You really need to take charge of your own life and stop the woe-is-me act.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

At the point you reached age 24, you were no longer a dependent student.



Dependent Student

A student who does not meet any of the criteria for an independent student. An independent student is one of the following: at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

 

[schaf85]

I did NOT know dropping a class would still put me at attempted units. Being a non residency student it was almost impossible to know this would happen. I could not drop the class once I found out because then I'd owe even more money and wouldn't qualify for the loan. NONE of this would have happened if they did their job and didn't give me false information. What don't you understand about that? If she told me correct information, I would not have even needed to take a loan or deal with any of this since going over 6 credits is not a problem and I would have had enough funding to get me through the semester.

 

[schaf85]

The problem is that you KNEW of all the charges, deadlines, etc., yet you still went ahead with things. You KNEW you were being handled as a non-resident student when you dropped your class late. You KNEW you were being handled as a non-resident student when you added another class. You KNEW you were being treated as a non-resident when you went ahead and paid the extra money. These are all choices you made KNOWING you were being treated as a non-resident student.

And, I just caught that you said you are THIRTY years old. Your pleas of ignorance sound like that of a teenager, but I could have believed it even from a 24 year old. You really need to take charge of your own life and stop the woe-is-me act.

Ignorance? Nobody would have known this in the same situation. Oh you caught me huh? I just said I was 30 because I am 30. I went on my FAFSA and checked and I have been considered INDEPENDENT by the government since 2013. Why would I add a class knowing I'd go over 6 units? You'd have to be insane.

 

[schaf85]

I took 6 units. Dropped a class leaving me at 3, added another class which put me back at 6. According to them the dropped class is still 3 units. Could not have known such a thing. I thought dropping a class and paying it back would basically mean it's dropped. Gone. Wiped.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Ummm, every year, when you fill out the FAFSA it clearly laws out the guidelines. We have been doing it with our kids for years. Apparently you are not college material if you cannot understand basic contracts.

 

[Zigner]

Let's look at this from a different tack:

You reside in Nevada, but you attend school in California, right? What school are we talking about? Why do you feel that you qualify as a resident for tuition purposes?

 

[Ohiogal]

I don't I figured they'd get paid if I win. I don't know much about these things.

You are an idiot. Why should I work for free? You don't.

 

[schaf85]

I don't know if she looked at the computer and read it wrong but I remember her asking me if I lived with my parent and I said yes. She then said you are a dependent. I take responsibility for my mistakes but this wouldn't have happened if she had been knowledgeable and supplied me with correct information. Like I said, they hire students there and they don't know what they're doing. It's not like she said "we don't know, you'll have to check with your FAFSA if you are independent" or " let me check that for you". It's crazy.