I spent six years Active Duty as an enlisted troop when I joined the Active Reserves so I could finish college.
I was on my own with parents retired and had nothing but my old GI Bill and a low-paying job. My university made me apply for Pell Grants and the admissions office told me I had to include my parents income. I told the ignorant young woman I was not only an adult on my own but had six years of military under my belt in a duty that had me do more for my Country than she would ever do in her lifetime.
She got really ticked off and took my submission but I was turned down because I had a "scholarship" from the Government in the form of my $410 per month GI Bill.
That is ridiculous (to include your parents’ income when you’ve been on your own), but at least it was for a grant rather than a loan (even though you didn’t get it).
Young people today are very wary of college, and I don’t blame them; if you could earn enough to repay the loans or recapture your investment, your potential employer would be bringing foreigners in to take the job for less anyway...