"Special Circumstances" and "Unusual Circumstances": What's the Difference?
Special Circumstances: refers to the current financial situation (i.e. loss of job, high medical expenses, etc.) of the student, parent, and/or student's spouse.
Unusual Circumstances: commonly referred to as a "Dependency Override". Refers to adjusting a student's dependency status based on a unique situation (i.e. incarceration, parental abandonment, human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, etc.).