What you need is an advocate, someone who can speak with you to your parents about the importance of higher education and proper planning.

You didn’t mention where you are in the US or the family’s financial situation, but I’m going to attach a directory. Inside is list of FREE federal programs though out the country who specialize in getting kids into college. Their counselors work with kids and their parents to go to whatever college they want to, despite the college that is listed as the “sponsoring” school.

Find your state and then locate the closest Upward Bound program. Call to see if they serve your area and can help you prepare for college. If you have no luck then look in your state section for a Talent Search, if none, then try EOC. If no luck, go to Gear Up. Each one of these programs is a different entity and may possibly have a location close to you. You may even be eligible to receive services from more than one program. Gear Up AND Upward Bound for example. E mail me if you have problems.

Your parents probably care a great deal about you. They also probably wish they could help you but they know nothing about this kind of thing. You say you want to “get out of poor living conditions” so I am guessing that they themselves are possibly uneducated and FAFSA or anything remotely related is like a foreign language to them!

So you need to depend upon yourself. You can throw up your hands, blame your parents for not helping, and stay in poor living conditions. Or you can do what it takes to go to the next level on your own. It will take work, and you will have to stop looking at your parents’ “failure” and start looking at yourself.

Do the hard work of contacting your guidance counselor, researching at the library, asking friends who have been through it. This is the time of life for you to prove to yourself that YOU are enough of a man to do it. Don’t get discouraged, quit, and look for someone to blame. You are the only one who can do it.

Sure, some kids are lucky and their parents help them a lot. But ten years from now, you’ll be a better man for learning at the ground level and building on it.

Last, begin to appreciate what your parents HAVE done for you. I bet there’s plenty.

Good luck!

Maybe your parents just don’t know much about it, so are unable to help you because they’ve never had to fill out those complictaed forms. I suggest asking your school counselor or another fiend of yours who is also going to college to help you get the right forms you will need and help you with filling them out. Another option is to ask a friend’s parents if they would look it over with you. If your parents haven’t helped you yet, they may not be the ones to ask. I suggest seeking other resources- friends, teachers, coaches, other adults you know. Just bring it up in conversation with someone you think may have been to college and be willing to help you. Hope this helps……

unhelpful parents

You are an adult now, act like one. They have completed their obligation to care for your every need. You say they are “unhelpful” have about the fact that you are ungrateful for all they have done thus far !!

Visit your guidance counselor at school. He or she should be able to offer advice or even help you personally.

WOW having to depend on yourself

GIT USED 2 IT!!!

I think your parents have done enough, you are a grown man help your self.You have the potential use it.

Print up the FAFSA and show them how time intensive and nosy it is…I’m sorry they suck so bad; I know the feeling.