FAFSA! DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!?

Question

My brother and I are currently going to college. We just finished our first semester and are about to go into our second. I want to drop out and go to the military because college just isn't for me. My mom told me that if I do that it would cause problems financially because the EFC is lower and it improves how much federal aid we receive. We have a sister that is going to college in another year and a half.

I don't know what to do now. We are going to community college so it's a lot cheaper and by the time my brother goes to a university my younger sister should be in college already. So at this point the EFC should be lowered again and they should receive federal aid.

But another problem comes in. Within these next couple year my dad is said to get a promotion in his work. My mom said that that would cause another problem with fafsa and that won't let my siblings receive aid.

So my plan was to join the military in a couple months and for my brother to just take out loans while he's in community college (about $2,500/semester). Then my sister goes to a university and does FAFSA along with my brother when they are both in universities.

Another problem is that its MY life and I should be able to do what I want with it, right? But my mom told me I HAVE to go to college and get my bachelor's before joining so that it helps them financially.

Sorry if this is unorganized, I'm kind of stressed out about what I need to do. I spaced everything out to try and help.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

You and your siblings are adults. You all can do whatever you please.

If you want to join the military, they will definitely take care of you as best they can (food, housing, medical care, etc.). They will also provide training for many skills that can easily provide job opportunities once you leave the military. Companies love hiring Veterans.

What effect it has on your siblings is irrelevant. If they want to go to college, they need to pay for it. If they are eligible for Federal grants, wonderful. If your family earns too much money for them to qualify for grants, then they will need to apply for scholarships or borrow the money. If they do not want to do either of those things, then they can get a job and/or drop out until they can afford it.

nancy · Answer

Your mother is correct that the number in college does have a significant effect on the calculation of the EFC, the number that determines eligibility for grant aid.  When that calculation is done, the EFC is divided by the number of students in college.  So, your brother's EFC is half of what it would be if you weren't in college.  The lower the EFC, the higher your eligibility for grant aid so your being in college may very well be affecting whether your brother is eligible for grant aid.  However, you might want to check what that EFC would be.    If your brother's EFC would be 0 even if you weren't included in the number in college, then whether you are included or not won't make any difference.  If it's below 5000, then your brother will still be eligible for a partial Pell grant and, at most community colleges, any other grant aid that he would have received if you were included.  If it's above 5,000 then he won't be eligible for the Pell, but he can still take loans that would cover the cost of most community colleges.  I can sympathize with your parents because putting several students through college can be a huge burden.  However, it is a burden that parents and the student involved should be shouldering.  You aren't responsible for paying for your brother's education, and asking you to make your life's decisions on whether or not your brother will receive grant aid is not fair.  If you feel guilty about it, I suppose you could offer to repay your parents for whatever difference in aid your choice will cause.  But, you may want to give college a little bit longer before you make your decision.   Many students have trouble adjusting to it and feel very discouraged after the first semester.   I would recommend that you give it one more semester to see whether you settle in.   You might find that you actually start to enjoy it and won't mind staying.  .

drip · Answer

The financial aid and EFS may change if you drop out. It depends on the colleges you all attend. Dropping out and entering the military may not cause that much of a difference.

You need to do what is best for you. Students who are forced into college typically do not do well. 
YOU will be the one paying off all your student loans. If you don’t want to keep on going to college and have more and more student loans. Quit. Joining the military is an excellent option.

skylark · Answer

It is your life, and you should be able to do what you will with it. However, having a degree will help you vastly if ever you decide to leave the military. Even if it's a two-year degree, your salary will be better, and you'll have more options open to you. Another alternative to consider is the Air Force Academy or some other military school - West Point, I believe, is another. It is admirable to want to serve your country, but think of your own future outside of the military. Yet another thing to consider is that your brother can try to apply for scholarships to help out the household. Best of luck to you and your family.

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FAFSA! DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!?

4 Answers