Institutional Aid

[HereForToHelp]

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SDN,

I'm over 26-years old and independent. My parents are married and haven't claimed me as a dependent on their taxes for a long time. I've been accepted to an MD program and have taken the following steps below for financial aid from the government:

• Submitted FAFSA
• Submitted MPN for Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)
• Submitted MPN for Federal Direct GradPlus Loans

I think I may be able to qualify for institutional aid. The MD program provided me a document for both of my parents to sign to be considered for this type of aid. One of parents, who works, agreed to sign the document. My other parent, who has been unemployed for several years, refused to sign the document.

Question 1: Has anyone successfully applied for institutional aid with only one parent signature when both parents were living? (I was hoping to submit paperwork to the MD school with an additional letter I would write to explain why I could only secure one parent signature.)

Question 2: Would I be correct to think that I could still get federal loans without tax information from both of my parents submitted to the MD program?

Thanks for any help.

 

[gyngyn]

You are eligible for federal loans no matter what your parents do or sign.

 

[LizzyM]

I consider this the "Love Story" clause. Schools don't care if your billionaire parent has disowned you, they expect that you will have their financial support if your parents are financially able to provide it. Why should they beg donors for scholarship money and give it to the offspring of a billionaire? (Not suggesting that your parents are billionaires but you see what the optic can be when families have the means but want to shift the burden to philanthropists.)

 

[HereForToHelp]

SDN,

Here's some more information about my family. I'd appreciate it if anybody could provide feedback.

Parent R: Has not disowned me. Has agreed to sign all forms from the MD program for institutional aid. They have provided me with signed tax forms they have filed separately. (My parents are married but do not file taxes together; they live together though.)

Parent S: Has disowned me. They have not worked for the past few years and have not filed taxes.

My parents are not rich. Neither one of them entered high school. Parent S does not speak English. My parents also completed a bankruptcy several years ago. I'm not sure if the MD program would allow me to be considered for institutional aid. Would it help if I draft a letter that Parent R and I sign together to explain Parent S's income history.

PS, I'm sorry for the Parent R and Parent S format I used in this message. I'm just trying to stay as anonymous as possible.