Financial Aid

I went to the Financial Aid office today to discuss the new "at risk of being homeless" option on the FAFSA this year, and once again outline my situation. The woman at the counter ran down the list of criteria that would qualify me as independent, insisting that taxes had nothing to do with the entire process of determining my status. She came just short of calling me a liar when I said that I while I get along with my mother, she doesn't support me through school, and called her supervisor as if I had begun to throw a temper tantrum, "...Determining dependency status...yes, same thing; no, different student..."

I spoke with the supervisor who also came just short of calling me a liar when I pointed out the arbitrary definition of potentially-homeless and explained why I just might fit there. She said (despite the official document which states that "temporarily residing with people because you have no place else to go" is a determining factor) that because I had someone's permission--I had asked--to live here, I am not homeless. True. For anyone who lives with someone else because they have no other choice, I assume they asked permission. But it's not a matter of whether or not one has no place to live; it's plainly on the page in the words, "homeless or at risk of being homeless."

Despite this, I proposed another means of proof that I do not live with, nor do I receive tuition from, my mother. I brought up taxes, and she, like the other woman, said that they don't use the tax status. I mentioned bank statements, and she said parents would give money in cash. I suggested a notarized document signed by her (again proof that I could just, you know, live with her if I didn't live here and still go to FSU, since we get along), saying that she doesn't pay for my tuition and general expenses like my apartment, cell phone, electricity, daily necessities, food, etc. But the woman declined, saying that the only thing a notary does is confirm that the person whose name is on the document is the one who signs it. She specifically denied that signatures are legally-binding.

I began to say that I wasn't the only one with this situation, and that this ought to be taken seriously, but she interrupted after, "I'm not the only one," and proceeded to say, "You are the only one. You absolutely are the only one." I continued with the rest of what I was about to say, to which she replied that they simply accept that this is how the law is and move on with their lives.

Her only hope for me was to petition to my legislators. I thanked her for her time and left.

My problem is this:

Every year, I am required--by law--to lie on my Free Application for Federal Student Aid. I am obligated to say that I live six hours away with my mother(maybe I commute, or maybe she makes SO MUCH MONEY that I can just fly into class on my private jet which I'd be able to afford after just a few years of saving her "expected family contribution"), in spite of what every other legal document of mine reads, that she supplements my income so that I can go to college, regardless of my tax information which is also required for this application.

I'm sick of being told this is a battle that cannot be won. These standards were put into place because so many people were able to get money by cheating the system. Now, how many people actually DO get money? I'm interested in knowing, because I am financially responsible for myself; not my mother, not anyone else. I'm missing out on grants which would allow me to go through school without paying hardly anything--if that. If bank and tax statements aren't enough, and signatures aren't legally-binding (which I'm pretty sure they are), then this country is further contributing to the debt problem, especially because student loans cannot be eliminated with bankruptcy.

What hope is there?