So many people are screwed by cutoffs and rules. My parents had assets on paper but were going through a messy divorce and bleeding cash; they refused to give m

So many people are screwed by cutoffs and rules. My parents had assets on paper but were going through a messy divorce and bleeding cash; they refused to give me anything at the time I was in need of tuition money. I got two jobs, but that didn't cover it. Many, many visits were made to the financial aid and advising offices -- every time the answer was the same. The only way out of the requirements is to prove you're fully alienated from your parents, and that's really hard to prove. But if you turn 24, poof, you magically no longer have parents and can get any loans / aid / whatever based on your own income. I get why the rules exist but still kind of feel like I got scammed, just due to the endless brainwashing kids get that you must graduate from college at any cost. (I ended up taking some 20%+ interest rate loans.)