Professional Judgment (PJ) procedures for Review:

Dependency Overrides: Student must submit the FAFSA omitting parent information. The ISIR the school receives will be rejected and not have a valid EFC. Once financial aid staff becomes aware of the student’s situation, they will provide the student with the Dependency Override Petition form and explain the process. While completing the form, the student will explain the following:

• Present living situation/conditions and support
• Last time they lived with their parent(s)
• Last time they had contact with their parent(s)
• Last time parent(s) provided support.
• A written explanation describing the unusual circumstances or events that took place and the overall family situation which led to the student’s separation and estrangement from their parent(s).
• Supporting documentation and/or written statement from a third-party Professional or supporting documentation. Third-party professions may include social worker, therapist, psychologist, school counselor, or any third-party professional relevant to the student’s circumstance. Supporting documentation may include court or law enforcement documents, letters from a clergy member, documents from social services, etc. (relevant data/proof that explains the student’s special circumstance).
• Students who are unaccompanied and are either homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless will only need to provide documentation from a school Homeless Youth Liaison or shelter (Dependency Override Petition form will not be needed).

Student’s completing the Dependency Override Petition must have an extenuated circumstance for not providing parent information. Examples of extenuated circumstances include student parent(s) are incarcerated, parents’ whereabouts are unknown to student and the student is unable to contact them (and is verifiable), student has had been abandoned and neglected, student has left home due to an abusive family environment (and is verifiable), student is older than 21 but not yet 24 and is unaccompanied, and are either homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless (verified by the Homeless Youth Liaison or shelter). On a case-by-case basis, the Senior FA advisor may have a documented interview with a student who may be considered homeless for a dependency override. Documentation is stored in student’s file.

A student is considered homeless if he lacks fixed, regular, and adequate housing. This is broader than just living “on the street.” It includes: living with other people temporarily because he had nowhere else to go; in substandard housing (if it doesn’t meet local building codes or the utilities are turned off, it is generally not adequate); in emergency or transitional shelters, in motels, campgrounds, cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, or any public or private place not designed for humans to live in; in the school dormitory if the student would otherwise be homeless.

Once all documentation has been received, the Senior Financial Aid Advisor will make decisions on a case-by-case basis based on the information/documentation provided by the student.  On a case-by-case basis, the Senior Financial Aid Advisor may interview student regarding the information that was submitted for further documentation or ask for additional information. Once a decision is made, students are notified of the decision by email. (See below for steps for approvals)

Special Circumstances (for EFC Adjustment): Students must complete a FAFSA and have a valid EFC. Student must complete verification prior to having their Special Circumstance reviewed if they are selected for verification. Additionally, all conflicting information must be cleared prior to packaging student’s awards. Student can request a special circumstance if their income and/or their spouses or parent(s)’s income (dependent student’s) was significantly less for the current year than it was the previous year or if there were some other dramatic financial changes due to circumstances beyond the student’s or parent’s control.

Reasons for Special Circumstance Request: Student would be required to submit the Special Circumstance form with supporting documentation. Student may submit a special circumstance request if they have had a change in employment or became unemployed, have unusual medical or dental expense, have tuition expenses (private elementary/secondary), have one-time, lump-sum, pay-out, or income (bonus pay), or any other relevant special circumstance.

To complete the Special Circumstance request, the student must complete and submit the following to the SCC Financial Aid Office:

• Special Circumstance form
• Estimate Income and expenses for the current year.
• Project any income for the rest current calendar year
• Submit all supporting documentation. Supporting documents may include, but not limited to; recent/last pay stubs, relevant W2/wage statements, relevant tax returns, EDD statements, medical/dental bills, receipt of tuition paid/registration statements.
• Detailed written statement explaining the student and/or parent(s) situation.

Once all documentation has been received, the Senior Financial Aid Advisor. will make decisions on a case-by-case basis based on the information and supporting documentation provided by the student.  On a case-by-case basis, the Senior Financial Aid Advisor. may ask for additional information to support the special circumstance.  Because PJ situations are unique, specific required documentation may not be listed for each case. It is left to the discretion of the Senior Financial Aid Advisor. to select what is appropriate documentation.  When reviewing the special circumstance request, the Senior Financial Aid Advisor. will consider the income protection allowance (IPA) is included in the EFC calculation to account for modest living expenses.  Per the Application and Verification Guide, it is reasonable to assume that approximately 30% of the IPA is for food, 22% for housing, 9% for transportation expenses, 16% for clothing and personal care, 11% for medical care, and 12% for other family consumption.

Once a decision is made, students are notified of the decision by email. PJ decisions are final. PJ requests cannot be used to circumvent the law and regulations, or to waive general student federal aid eligibility requirements (https://studentaid.gov/resources/eligibility-text).

PJ Request Forms:

Dependency Override Petition and Special Circumstance forms can be requested from the FA office. The forms may also be given to the student at the Financial Aid Office or have it emailed to them.