Income Reduction

The FAFSA collects information about a family's income and assets from the previous year. For most people this information is a good predictor of the current year's income, since most people do not experience wide swings in income from year to year.

If, however, a family's income in the current year will be significantly different (more than 20 percent) from last year's, the family should notify the Financial Aid Office in writing, including all available documentation. Reductions in income that are caused by involuntary job loss, unusually high unreimbursed medical expenses, separation, divorce, death of a wage earner, or the like will be considered.

If a family's circumstances meet these criteria, the University will calculate the financial aid award based upon the estimated current year figures for the fall semester. At the end of the fall semester the family will be required to provide documentation (such as final pay stub, or an estimated return) for evaluation of the spring semester's award.

Unfortunately, the University is not able to consider reductions in income due to voluntary job changes, back taxes owed, high consumer debt, multiple mortgages, employment bonuses received in the previous year, overtime, self-employment losses, fluctuations in income from commission sales, or discretionary purchases.

Divorce or Separation

When a married student or parent separates from or divorces his/her spouse subsequent to the filing of the financial aid application, the custodial parent should notify the Financial Aid Office in writing. In the case of separation or divorce, the Financial Aid Office is permitted to discuss the student's record only with the custodial parent.

Death

Sadly, the University occasionally is called upon to assist a student whose parent or spouse has died subsequent to the filing of the financial aid application. Should this occur, the Financial Aid Office should be contacted immediately, and it will offer every assistance possible.

Dependency Override

The Financial Aid Office is occasionally asked to re-evaluate a student's status due to the student's assertion that he or she should be considered independent of parental support.

Federal law sets the guidelines for dependency, and thus each student must first be evaluated against them. A dependent student is someone who is younger than 24, is not a veteran, is not a graduate or professional student, is not married, is not an orphan or ward of the court, or does not have legal dependents. An independent student is someone who is older than 24, a veteran, a graduate or professional student, married, or has legal dependents. (See the FAFSA.)

Federal and institutional policy is that the first responsibility for college costs is the student's and his/her family's; thus appeals are rarely granted. A student who wishes to be considered independent must write a letter of appeal to the Financial Aid Office. The letter must clearly state the reasons for appealing the dependency status. The student will be required to document his/her means of support as well as other items. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information.

Other Appeals

The Financial Aid office cannot consider proposals based on any circumstances other than those listed above. Regrettably, the University cannot reconsider the financial aid award in response to offers from competing institutions, or as a means of recognizing the student's academic or artistic achievement.