Navigating the Financial Aid Process with Special Circumstances

• Julie Wickstrom, Boston University, MA

• Rhiannon Carabajal Killian, YES Prep, TX

• Brendan Williams, uAspire, MA

Agenda

• Introduction of presenters & organizations

• Working w/ Higher Ed

• Why it is important

• Best Practices

• Concept of Dependency & Professional Judgement

• Special Circumstances• Legal Guardianship

• Difficult Family Situations

• Foster Care

• Students w/ Children

• Homeless Students

• Undocumented Students

• Open Discussion

A large non-profit urban research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs

15,906 undergrads

10 schools and colleges

12:1 student-to-faculty ratio

4 years of guaranteed housing

27 students per class, on average

500+ student organizations

YES Prep Public Schools –Public Charter Network in Houston, TX

Our Students

• Roughly 12,000 students in grades 6-12 across 16 campuses

• 85% econ. Disadvantaged

• 85% Hispanic/Latino ; 12% African-American

Our Mission

YES Prep exists in order to increase the number of students from underserved communities who graduate from college prepared to lead.

• 94% college matriculation rate

• 90% first-generation in family to attend college

Our Mission: uAspire works to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to – and through – a postsecondary education.

Our Vision: uAspire is committed to reaching the day when all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential by graduating from college, regardless of their families’ financial resources or college experience.

We distribute our expertise in college affordability via three impact models, each aimed at positively impacting the lives and educational dreams of students from low-income, first generation backgrounds and the environments in which they live.

To achieve student-centered impact, uAspire:

• Serves Students

• Trains Practitioners

• Impacts Systems

Working with Higher Ed

• Financial Aid is a critical & complex system

• Financial Aid Administrators (FAAs)are juggling multiple tasks• Handing out significant $$$

• Following institutional guidelines

• Responsible for complicated federal laws around financial aid

• Providing significant support to students

• Communicating with FAAs is key!

• FAAs can only work with the information they have!

Why It Is Important

• Students w/ special circumstances will face more hurdles throughout the financial aid process

• Not as straight forward and opportunities for additional $ or process can be unclear

• Have a confident counselor or advisor help guide can empower students for future years

JUNIOR YEAR - SEPT OCT - NOV DEC - FEB MAR - MAY

Identify Financial

Safety Schools

Submit CSS

PROFILE (if applicable)

Submit FAFSA

Review SAR &

Address Any Issues

Verification &

Institutional Forms

Analyze & Compare

Award Letters

Research and apply for scholarships

Register for FSA ID (Parents

too!)

Tuition Deposit

Due!

Senior Year Affordability Timeline

Change: 2017-2018

FAFSA is Available

as of Oct. 1

Identify high risk students early

Legal Guardianship Foster Care Homeless

Undocumented Students with

children

Collaborate & Communicate

Where do I start?

Provide ready made resources for counselors to use with students

FAFSA checklist

• Federal Tax form & W2 Forms

• Information about parent(s)

• Child support

• Net value – investments

• Untaxed benefits & workers compensation

• Veteran benefits

CSS Profile checklist

• Income and benefits

• Parent’s assets

• Parent expenses

• Info about siblings

• Info about noncustodial parent

• Family vehicles

• Special financial circumstances

Institutional Documentation Service Checklist

• Verification worksheets

• W-2s

• Tax Forms

• Non-tax filers statement

• Institution specific documents

Collaborate & Communicate

Where do I start?

Collaborate & Communicate

Where do I start? Best Practice Considerations

Ensure opportunity to discover special circumstances in Junior & Senior years

• Where do you capture and take notes from your conversations with students / families?

• Who on your campus might know about special circumstances?

Identify what is considered a special circumstance to students

• What would be a student friendly explanation o the circumstance and have students self-identify?

Communicate clearly with students & families

• What does differentiated communication and support look like?

• What systems currently exist for communicating with and empowering families?

Encourage relationship with financial aid office

• How can you set up systems or understandingsto get each other information more effectively?

Federal & Institutional Methodology

12

FED $$ Institutional $$

Professional Judgement

Federal Dependency & Financial AidA student is considered independent if s/he answers “yes” to one the prompts below:

• Is 24 years old as of January 1st

• Has a child or other dependent that receives more than half of their financial support

• Since age 13 -

• Had no living parent, even if they are now adopted; or

• Were in foster care, even if they are no longer in foster care today; or

• Were a dependent or ward of the court, even if they are no longer a dependent or ward of the court today.

• Is legally married

• Serves in the Armed Forces or is a Veteran

• Has a legal guardian

• Is homeless and an unaccompanied youth, or at risk of becoming

• Is an emancipated minor

• Beginning a master’s or doctorate program

If none of the above applies, they are considered Dependent and must provide parental information on the FAFSA.

Special Circumstances

Legal Guardianship

FAFSA Dependency question: Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?

• A relationship certified by court order, in which the court appoints an individual other than a minor's parent to take care of the minor.

• If you think you have a student that is in a legal guardianship situation:

• Explore & confirm court issued legal guardianship.

• Ensure student can locate court documents stating guardianship.

• Colleges can and will verify this.

• Communicate with student and family early on

FAFSA: Student will be considered independent. Parental information will not be required.

CSS Profile: call each school to determine institutional policy on whose information will be required

Students w/ Children

FAFSA Dependency Question: Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2017?

• Student must be able to prove that they provide support either through the income they earn or the benefits that they receive for themselves and for child

• Colleges may determine this differently

• Students living with their own parents, not paying rent, may have a challenge proving independency status for some colleges due to the fact that they do not fully support themselves

• Support students by:

• helping them collect proof of support for child(ren) early in the process

• Identify schools that provide support (housing w/ children, daycare, etc.)

• Identifying circumstance specific scholarship opportunities

FAFSA: Students who provide more than 50% of child’s support should be considered independent but may need to prove this support.

CSS Profile: Students who provide more than 50% of child’s support should be considered independent but may need to prove this support.

Difficult Family Situations

There is no FAFSA dependency question around difficult family situations.

Examples of difficult family situations:

• Parent(s) refuse to provide financial info

• Students without parental support, but lack of official documentation

• Parent(s) live in another country

• Parents are undocumented

• Families claim $0 income

• How to support these students:

• Communicate clearly about what is needed from them and their families (if applicable) – use FSA documents to be more official

• Encourage them to communicate with colleges and ask questions early on in the process – understand requirements and build up proof if necessary

Foster Care

FAFSA Dependency Question: At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?

• Colleges and FAAs may require proof of meeting this dependency question

• Additional programs and supports will vary from state to state. Look into:

• Does my state have a Foster Child Tuition and Fee Waiver Program?

• Are there education and vocational training program vouchers?

• State or local scholarships available?

• Contact local agency for additional resources

FAFSA: Student will be considered independent if they meet the initial dependency question. Parental information will not be required.

CSS Profile: Call each school to determine institutional policy on whose information will be required

Homeless StudentsFAFSA Dependency Question: At any time on or after July 1, 2015, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

• Be aware of the need to create a paper trail – better to start sooner rather than later with Mckinney-Vento liaison

• Mckinney-Vento liaison can only make the determination for that first year in college. In subsequent years they will need someone else to make this determination – must speak with college about this

• Be aware of state policies aimed at supporting Homeless students:http://www.naehcy.org/legislation-and-policy/state-he-networks

FAFSA: If the student meets the requirements they will be considered independent and not required to provide parent info.

CSS Profile: Depending on the college. Call to see what information will be required to make the determination.

Undocumented StudentsUndocumented students are NOT eligible for federal aid, but depending on the state and institution financial aid may be available.

• How to best support undocumented student can vary widely by state and what opportunities are available

• Eligibility is constantly changing-keep watch for updates http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/undocumented-student-tuition-state-action.aspx

• Provide support for undocumented students by:

• Encouraging the search for scholarships early on

• Identifying undocumented student friendly schools

• Understanding state policies for aid

• Encouraging students to call or go to school website to figure what aid is available

• Start the convo around how to obtain permanent residency or citizenship

• Have info regarding pro bono legal services

FAFSA: Undocumented students should not complete, unless requested by college, and then complete paper app and mail to college. DACA students should check with college(s) before completing the FAFSA

CSS Profile: Should be completed regardless of the student’s status . Leave social security numbers blank for student and explain status under the special circumstances section

Open Discussion