Financial Aid Woes

Well, I've got financial aid troubles that are making it very difficult for me to attend school now. Apparently the federal government wants to know where my parents are and why don't they live with me. The financial aid office at my school basically said you can't get financial aid without your mom & dads tax returns. Well that'd be easy if I knew where they were! I've never met my dad before, never sent me a birthday card, never called or payed child support or anything. So... how do I get his tax return??? I've met mom a couple of times, but she doesn't live here so her tax returns don't work in my case. So what's a person eager for education to do? Well, my grandmother has raised me since birth, or shortly after so I can use her stuff right? Of course I can't. I need to file for an independence appeal. But now the gov't wants to know where they are and why don't they live with me. Sounds simple but now I gotta run around to all these different places to get letters that say mom & dad are just... out there. I can't believe they would hassle me like this just so I can get an education.