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So I just spent the last four hours filling out a financial aid application. Not only did they have me report all of my parents information even though I am married, but they had me (with all my omniscient powers) predict my parents income for the next year. I also had to attempt to gather financial information from my biological father, who I have very little contact with and have never received financial aid from. If you are an independent (with your own family) receiving no help from your parents why do law schools take parental income into consideration when awarding need based aid. Isn't it a little ridiculous?

Why did you have to? Doesn't grad school mean they consider you independent?

You are independent but almost all (if not all) law schools make you report the information anyhow as they use it to determine need-based aid.

...most schools make you. However, you only have to report your parents information if you want to be considered for need based aid.... I'm pretty sure everybody would appreciate need based aid though.

Oh. I didn't fill out any law school aid applications.

For FAFSA stuff you don't have to put your parents income. Some schools just use FAFSA information, others, like Davis for example, make you fill out their own special forms for aid. My parents make enough that I would be screwed for need based aid anyway for these schools so I just assume forfit that and go with whatever Federal aid I can get.

I'm also very unhappy about it as well. I'm 31 years old and have not had my mother give me anything above Christmas gifts since I left home for college, and I have to pester my mother, who does not speak a word of English and works 6 days a week, so she can pester my sister, who is a 2L at a law school near my mother, so they can fill out these ridiculous forms. I also hate having to fill out several forms that ask the same information.

singingvontrapp wrote:I'm also very unhappy about it as well. I'm 31 years old and have not had my mother give me anything above Christmas gifts since I left home for college, and I have to pester my mother, who does not speak a word of English and works 6 days a week, so she can pester my sister, who is a 2L at a law school near my mother, so they can fill out these ridiculous forms. I also hate having to fill out several forms that ask the same information.

I'm in the same boat. My parents make decent money but have not provided me with any financial support for years. And just because someone's parents make a certain amount of money on paper doesn't mean that they have a significant amount of cash just lying around to finance a law school education. Because of my parents income I am being denied need-based aid at at least one school even though I only made $5,500 last year.

This policy is unfair and ridiculous!

singingvontrapp wrote:I'm also very unhappy about it as well. I'm 31 years old and have not had my mother give me anything above Christmas gifts since I left home for college, and I have to pester my mother, who does not speak a word of English and works 6 days a week, so she can pester my sister, who is a 2L at a law school near my mother, so they can fill out these ridiculous forms. I also hate having to fill out several forms that ask the same information.

Uh wouldn't your mother have to do it for your sister anyhow? I finally convinced my parents to do it by talking about how they will have to do it for my brother.

Most schools don't do this. However almost ALL top schools do and most cut off at 29. I'd like to know what school that is requiring parental information for people over 30.