Professional Judgement
A financial aid professional may exercise professional judgment and change elements in the federal need analysis to account for circumstances that he/she feels have not been adequately considered in the original FAFSA. In addition, a financial aid professional may increase the "Cost of Attendance" to account for extraordinary expenses a student might acquire while attending the University.
Please note that all correspondence from our office will be done by email. You are responsible for checking your UMMC Email Account. If you do not use your UMMC account, you should have your mail forwarded to an active account.
Conditions that may merit the use of Professional Judgment:
- Dependent Child Care: for children of independent students.
- Travel Expenses beyond those allowed in the student expense budget.
- Dependency Override: change your status from "dependent" to "independent.
- Educational Expenses: beyond those allowed in the student expense budget.
- Proof of Dependents: provide proof of support for your dependent(s), other than a spouse.
- Parent Attending College: include on FAFSA the parent is attending college at least half-time.
- Adjustment to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) due to loss of income or benefits, extraordinary medical or dental expenses, elementary or secondary school tuition for siblings.
- Foster Care: provide required proof that you were in foster care any time since you turned age 13.
- Ward of the Court: provide required proof that you were a ward of the court any time since you turned 13.
- Orphan: provide required proof that you were an orphan any time since you turned 13.
- Homeless/Risk of Being Homeless: provide required proof of your homeless/risk of being homeless status.
- Legal Guardianship: provide required proof that you are/were in legal guardianship.
- Emancipated Minor: provide required proof that you are/were an emancipated minor.