Congratulations on getting that resolved! What a relief that must be. Since you have some time to prepare now, I'd also recommend having your daughter take a full-length practice test under timed conditions to get a baseline score. This will help identify which areas need the most focus. The official College Board practice tests are free and the closest thing to the actual test format. Also, make sure she gets a good night's sleep before the test - I've seen too many students sabotage themselves by staying up late cramming the night before. Best of luck to her!

So glad you got this sorted out! As someone who went through the National Merit process with my daughter a few years ago, I just wanted to add that prep really does make a difference. Beyond the practice tests everyone mentioned, consider having her focus on vocabulary - the reading section can trip up even strong students with unfamiliar words. Also, if she's aiming for National Merit, she'll need to score in roughly the top 1% for your state (the cutoff varies by state each year). Don't stress too much about the exact number though - just have her do her best! The experience of taking the PSAT will also help her when she takes the actual SAT later.

For anyone dealing with these kinds of special circumstances, documenting the "unusual nature" of the situation is critical. Financial aid officers have told me they look for: 1. Evidence of abandonment/neglect by biological parents 2. Impossibility (not just difficulty) in obtaining parental information 3. Evidence the student is self-supporting or supported by someone else 4. Letters from professionals (not family friends) who can verify the situation Also, very important: dependency overrides must be renewed EACH YEAR. Don't assume it carries over automatically.

Just wanted to add that you might also want to contact the colleges directly to ask about their specific dependency override policies. Some schools are much more generous with these than others, and it could factor into her final college decision. I've heard that some private schools with large endowments are particularly flexible with special circumstances like this. Also, make sure to ask each financial aid office about their timeline - some process these overrides much faster than others, which could be important given those early priority deadlines you mentioned. Good luck!

Update for anyone following this thread: The Department of Education just released their contingency plan for the potential shutdown. They've confirmed that Pell Grant disbursements WILL continue as scheduled. The document states that approximately 96% of their financial aid staff would be exempt from furlough specifically to ensure critical operations like disbursements continue. However, they also noted that customer service operations would be limited, and processing of new FAFSA applications could face delays. If you have a pending application or are dealing with verification, that's where you might see the biggest impact.

As someone who's been through multiple government shutdown scares while depending on Pell Grants, I can confirm what others have said - the grants themselves are usually protected. What really helped me was creating a backup plan early on. I talked to my financial aid office about emergency aid options, looked into payment plan extensions, and even researched local emergency funds for students. Also, if you're really worried about the timing, some schools will let you defer certain deadlines if you can show that federal aid delays are the cause. The key is being proactive and communicating with your school's financial aid office rather than waiting to see what happens. They deal with these situations regularly and usually have protocols in place. Don't let the anxiety consume you - I know it's scary when your entire education depends on that funding, but the system is designed to keep critical programs like Pell running even during political chaos.

It really is an outdated approach. I feel like the system was designed for how families worked in the 1980s or something, not today's reality. Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps knowing I'm not alone in this struggle at least.

I'm going through something similar right now and it's incredibly frustrating! One thing that might help - have you looked into your state's financial aid programs? Some states have their own grants and scholarships that use different criteria than FAFSA. Also, if you're in a healthcare program with clinical rotations, check if your school has any emergency aid funds or profession-specific scholarships. Many nursing/medical programs have small grants specifically for students in financial hardship that don't go through the normal FAFSA process. Another option to explore: some employers (even part-time ones like your coffee shop) offer tuition assistance programs. It might be worth asking HR if they have any educational benefits you're not aware of. Even a small amount could help bridge the gap while you're fighting this dependency status battle. Keep pushing on the Professional Judgment route that others mentioned - that really seems like your best shot given the circumstances. The whole system is so broken for students like us who are truly independent but don't fit their narrow definitions.

quick question: are ur twins going to the same school? if yes some colleges have special twin scholarships! my friend's twins got half off at [redacted] university just for being twins lol

Just wanted to add that you should also check the specific deadlines for each school your twins are applying to! Even though you'll be filling out federal FAFSA forms, many colleges have their own priority deadlines for institutional aid that can be earlier than the federal deadline. With twins applying to different schools, you'll want to make a calendar of all the important dates so you don't miss any opportunities for additional grants or scholarships. Also, some schools require CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA, so double-check those requirements too. You're doing great navigating all this!