Is their any way around fafsa qiudelines?

Question

i am 21 years old. i am not married and have no children. i have not spoken to my family in 5 years due to a really really bad childhood. but i cannot declare myself as an independent until i am 25. is there any other way for me to get help with paying for school other then going to my father for his financial information?

Answer 1

Unless you can make a case and prove abandonment by your family then you are going to be subject to the same rules concerning the dependency test that everyone else is.  Take some time to speak with your financial aid office about what it would take to consider you independent.  It only happens on a case by case basis and is difficult to do, but not knowing the full details of your history it is difficult to say yes or no.