FAFSA Question. Urgent

karko2525

Does anyone know which law schools require parent information on the fafsa form ? I know it varies from school to school, but I can't seem to find this information for some schools... Is it best to just fill out the parental portion regardless? Technically, we're considered independent when applying to professional schools but it sounds like some schools need the information for grants ?

kkole444

Hello I was under the impression we could be a dependent until age 26 and it that status goes off of whether our parents claim us on there taxes or not. I went to graduate school(age 22) not professional and I was considered a dependent. Sorry I don't have an exact answer.

karko2525

@kkole444 huh that’s interesting. I’m 24 and considered independent now so I’m just unsure on what to do. I know some schools require parent information but I can’t seem to find it on their website. But thank you for your help!

VerdantZephyr

@karko2525 I have no idea. Being mid-30's I really didn't want to fill out the information, but called my parents up and after cajoling them did anyway. I think it is useful for certain scholarships. FAFSA specifically mentions professional programs like law as the programs you should submit it for. They also only allow ten schools to be submitted, which is another hiccup. I am still waiting to hear from 12 schools.

Being that they are retired in their 70's with no real income besides social security I figured it might help me anyway. Certainly couldn't hurt.

karko2525

@VerdantZephyr yeah, I figured it's probably best to include parent information anyway just in case. Mine are still working so I'm wondering if it will hurt my chances for aid 😕 in addition, I'm still waiting to hear back from 8-9 schools so I feel your frustration. This cycle is so slow. Hopefully we both get answers soon! Thanks for your help

sarakimmel

From the LSAC site:

All graduate and professional school students are considered financially independent of their parents for the purposes of determining federal aid eligibility. This means that for the purpose of applying for federal aid (including federal student loans), submission of parental information is not required.
Law schools, however, may require parental financial information for institutional grants and scholarships. You should be aware that the law schools have specific policies and procedures regarding independent status for the allocation of institutional funds. These guidelines will vary by school. You should investigate those guidelines for all the schools you are interested in attending.

I would call the admissions office of any schools to which you are applying to inquire, just to cover your bases.