|
| Divorced or
Separated Parents |
 |
An Overview
Pomona College recognizes that financial
complications may arise in meeting educational costs when
parents are divorced or separated.
Pomona believes, however, that parental responsibility for
educational costs does not cease upon divorce or separation.
The College expects that both natural parents (even when
divorced or separated) will provide funds for educational
expenses based on their ability to contribute from their
income and assets. Both natural parents will be expected to
submit financial information and to provide assistance for
the student’s college expenses based on their ability,
rather than their willingness, to contribute.
Applying for Financial Aid
By federal law, the student applicant, his/her custodial
natural parent, and stepparent (if the custodial parent has
remarried) must complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal assistance. The
FAFSA contains instructions to help the applicant determine
who is the custodial parent, if that status is not clear.
To apply for Pomona College grant assistance, the student
applicant, his/her custodial natural parent, and stepparent
(if the custodial parent has remarried) must complete the
FAFSA and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE
Application. Applicants who report on the PROFILE form that
their biological or adoptive parents are separated, divorced
or were never married will receive an email from the College
Scholarship Service requesting their non-custodial parent
complete the electronic Non-Custodial Parent Profile
Application. This application is separate from the PROFILE
filed by the applicant and the custodial parent. The income
and assets of both parents are considered, in light of all
extra expenses their special situations may require. In its
review, the College strives to be neither too demanding nor
too lenient. Our concern is with relative fairness from one
applicant to another.
Special Circumstances
In a limited number of special cases, the following criteria
are considered to evaluate requests to waive the
requirements for non-custodial parent information. Meeting
one or more of these criteria does not automatically qualify
students for a waiver; a combination of these criteria must
be present for Pomona to consider waiving the requirement.
Independent third party documentation may be requested to
support requests for waivers. The criteria considered in the
combination are:
- Can the non-custodial parent be located? If not,
documentation of unsuccessful attempts to contact the
non-custodial parent is required to support a request for
waiver, e.g., copies of court records or requests for
assistance from state or local government agencies;
- Has the non-custodial parent made child support payments
recently and consistently? If not, a statement to that
effect and/or documentation of unsuccessful attempts to
obtain child support payments is required to support a
request for waiver;
- Did the divorce or separation take place so long ago that
it is unreasonable to expect a contribution from the
non-custodial parent? If the divorce or separation took
place more than 10 years ago, and if other criteria for
waiver are met (e.g., lack of child support payments), it is
possible that the requirement for non-custodial parent
information will be waived.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick Links |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Explore Pomona's Web |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Find It |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Search |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
