2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial: Financial aid qualifications unfair
Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: Opinion
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"Everyone can use a hand from time to time. We are here to help you receive the aid you deserve!"
Those are words displayed on the home page of www.fafsa.com (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
When filing for financial aid, this statement doesn't seem to be true. Many students move out on their own with little or no help from their parents shortly after high school graduation.
Your parents can't claim you anymore, but you still have to claim their income on your financial aid forms. What do you have to do to be considered independent?
The Web site only gets more ridiculous when it lists the list of criteria set to determine if a student is independent.
Essentially, one must be 23 years of age, married, have children or other dependents receiving more than half of their support from the student, be enrolled as a graduate or doctoral student, be a veteran or member of the U.S. military or have been an orphan or ward of the court until the age of 18.
After listing the criteria, there is a paragraph that reads, "We understand that these rules may not make sense to you.
"Many students feel that they are independent because they have their own house or apartment, file their own taxes, or receive no support from their parents.
"Though the rules may seem unfair, the Department of Education is very rigid on this point and the correct information must be provided."
The part that doesn't quite add up is the part that reads, "the rules may seem unfair."
They only seem unfair because they are unfair.
If students under 23 haven't made the decisions in life to get married, have children or join the military and live on their own, why can't they claim their own income?
Why do they have to put their parents' income on the forms when their parents' financial situation affects them none whatsoever?
It's expensive for a student to live on his or her own. Rent, utilities, car payments, car insurance, gasoline and food costs can really add up. Unfortunately, most students are not receiving the financial aid they deserve.
The rules should be changed to make the disbursement of financial aid fair to everyone.
If it can be proven that students have been living independently of their parents, they should not have to be judged for financial aid according to their parents' income.
Those are words displayed on the home page of www.fafsa.com (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
When filing for financial aid, this statement doesn't seem to be true. Many students move out on their own with little or no help from their parents shortly after high school graduation.
Your parents can't claim you anymore, but you still have to claim their income on your financial aid forms. What do you have to do to be considered independent?
The Web site only gets more ridiculous when it lists the list of criteria set to determine if a student is independent.
Essentially, one must be 23 years of age, married, have children or other dependents receiving more than half of their support from the student, be enrolled as a graduate or doctoral student, be a veteran or member of the U.S. military or have been an orphan or ward of the court until the age of 18.
After listing the criteria, there is a paragraph that reads, "We understand that these rules may not make sense to you.
"Many students feel that they are independent because they have their own house or apartment, file their own taxes, or receive no support from their parents.
"Though the rules may seem unfair, the Department of Education is very rigid on this point and the correct information must be provided."
The part that doesn't quite add up is the part that reads, "the rules may seem unfair."
They only seem unfair because they are unfair.
If students under 23 haven't made the decisions in life to get married, have children or join the military and live on their own, why can't they claim their own income?
Why do they have to put their parents' income on the forms when their parents' financial situation affects them none whatsoever?
It's expensive for a student to live on his or her own. Rent, utilities, car payments, car insurance, gasoline and food costs can really add up. Unfortunately, most students are not receiving the financial aid they deserve.
The rules should be changed to make the disbursement of financial aid fair to everyone.
If it can be proven that students have been living independently of their parents, they should not have to be judged for financial aid according to their parents' income.
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