No Child Left Behind My @#$

[Col Forbin]

It all is based on her being a dependent on her taxes. Most college students (and probably the case here) are still covered under their parents insurance until the age of 25, as long as they remain a full time student. That alone probably is having her listed as a dependent, and falling back to being based on parent income. If she is employed somewhere and has her own insurance, or provides her own independent insurance (such as Cobra), and her parents are not claiming her as a dependent on their taxes - she probably should have no problem appealing.

I went through a similar situation but backwards. I needed to stay a full time student in order to keep current insurance under my parents plan. You can imagine the hours I piled up being a full time student for almost for almost seven years - many classes I took was just to remain a full time student. Appalachian music is still the best class I ever had, my two bowling classes were a close second.

I was in the same boat in a sense as well - not wealthy enough to afford all of college, but didn't qualify for aide - had to get some student loans. The ONLY good thing about student loans, is that if she takes graduate courses while gainfully employed from the bachelors degree, even one a semester - you can get them deferred. I did this and was not required to make payments, however, I paid as much as could, when I could, and took a big chunk out of them.

[GeoFisher]

Also, there are some college tax credits, that her or her parents can take...but if she REALLY is on her own, and paying the bill herself, I'd MAKE sure she took them and not her parents...........

[bassin_bug]

I don't know if this will help in the young lady's case but, in my state, there are State Lottery Scholarships that students may apply for. They must have had good grades in high school and maintain good grades in college; if they don't they lose their scholarship.

Last week I heard of one of my husband's relatives who had a four-year scholarship from the State Lottery and went to college for two of those years. She thought it was more important to sling hash at the "greasy spoon cafe" and party than to study. She flunked, lost her scholarship, and was kicked out of college. I haven't heard if she will have to repay the money she wasted on the first two years.

Do you know if the person you mentioned has applied for a Pell Grant? I know a woman in Virginia whose husband makes around $70,000/year. She applied for and received a Pell Grant and graduated from nursing school; she is now an LPN. I'm sure she did more than a little bit of lying to get the grant which also paid an extra $1,200 cash at each renewal, to help out with other expenses which were not specified. Pell grants are for low income students who can't afford a college education; I think the woman in VA should have to pay back every dollar she received since she caused a deserving student to be denied an education.

Suggest that your friend check into State Lottery Scholarships and Pell Grants.

[kyfanatic]

Bug,the best I can tell a Pell Grant is based on the same criteria as a Student Loan.
This girl barely squeaked through high school from what I'm told,she graduated 2 years ago and moved out of her parents and lived on her own since.She files her own tax return,pays her own bills,but doesn't have Health Insurance they said,she works as a waitress at a Frisch Big Boy so I don't know if they offer insurance or not.
My neighbors asked me if I knew about it,but I've never had to deal with it as my son had a full ride academic scholarship and I had put up Educational IRA's and savings for my younger children.
I guess they want her to go get pregnant to be eligible,stupidest crap I ever heard of,as far as I'm concerned a child becomes an adult at age 18,they may not act like one,but a court of law will sure treat them like one.
The financial aid officer at the school told them they could try as her being independent,but she said ever time anyone did that they were denied by FAFSA or whatever Dept handles student aid.

[GeoFisher]

Bug,the best I can tell a Pell Grant is based on the same criteria as a Student Loan.
This girl barely squeaked through high school from what I'm told,she graduated 2 years ago and moved out of her parents and lived on her own since.She files her own tax return,pays her own bills,but doesn't have Health Insurance they said,she works as a waitress at a Frisch Big Boy so I don't know if they offer insurance or not.
My neighbors asked me if I knew about it,but I've never had to deal with it as my son had a full ride academic scholarship and I had put up Educational IRA's and savings for my younger children.
I guess they want her to go get pregnant to be eligible,stupidest crap I ever heard of,as far as I'm concerned a child becomes an adult at age 18,they may not act like one,but a court of law will sure treat them like one.
The financial aid officer at the school told them they could try as her being independent,but she said ever time anyone did that they were denied by FAFSA or whatever Dept handles student aid.

Another thing.........if she's a fulltime student, most campuses offer a pretty reasonable individual group insurance plan for their students......she might want to look into that.

Later,

Geo