I am a college freshman at a top 10 private university that meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. I moved out of my biological parents' home at 16 and found myself a legal guardian (emancipation was a lengthy legal process that I wasn't sure I was up for) and never went back. I have now found (after living in several different homes) a family that I am really attached to. I attend school pretty far away, but I go back there for holidays and such. That is my home, and they are my family.
Unfortunately, my school does not see it as such. Because I did not get emancipated (I wish I had, in hindsight- appropriate financial aid would have been worth the headache), and my biological parents are still alive and in the United States, my school wants their financial information to calculate my EFC. I am already in a tremendous amount of debt after the first year of school for this reason (I applied early decision, not dreaming that my biological parent's income would be counted, so I was obligated to attend this year). I am considered independent automatically for the FAFSA, so I get good aid there, but it barely puts a dent in all of my tuition and fees.
The topic of adoption has come up before (I would *not* be getting adopted for aid purposes, this is just a side effect I am exploring), and I can't find anything on the internet, so I was wondering if anyone knew if adult adoption would affect my aid? For example, would I have to report my adoptive parents' income on the FAFSA? Would I be able to report my adoptive parents' income on the CSS profile instead of my biological parents'? My adoptive parents have two sons in college- would they report that they had another child in college for their financial aid forms?
The financial aid office here has been terribly unhelpful and inconsiderate of my circumstances when I've tried to explain before, so I'm hesitant to ask for clarification on this from them. If anyone could offer me any guidance, I'd really appreciate it!
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