<prompt> Human: So my parent has refused to pay for college. They have however, agreed to let me live at their house for free if I am attending college. My other option is to move out, pay 420-575 a month for a studio apartment, and get better FAFSA aid for not being a dependent. Please bear in mind that I have limited knowledge of how FAFSA works, I was told by a relative that they got nearly 100 paid for living on their own. Currently it estimates that It will give me about 1000 dollars. I make about 13k a year mostly part time. Another thing to note is that the apartment is about 5 minutes from where I work, whereas currently its upwards of an hour with traffic. Which would save 160 dollars a month between gas and insurance. So my question is which option is better?  <response>: Merely moving out does not make you independent for FAFSA purposes.The cost of attendance is usually higher for those students who do not live at home, which can lead to a marginally better financial aid package. Currently it estimates that It will give me about 1000 dollars.The FAFSA does not fully estimate financial aid packages. It gives you your expected family contribution, which is the amount that you are expected to contribute toward your education. 