@anotherrandomguy That’s it though. Just because there is a box of treats doesn’t mean you have any right to them. You are 20. You’ve been a legal adult for 2 years. Your older sibling is messed up. Your younger siblings are minors. What makes you think you should be the priority? Frankly, it’s not really natural for a parent to totally support 3 kids and not a 4th without some reason behind it. Maybe they are disturbed by a long history of entitlement or keep having to hear “but he’s getting more than me.” Maybe your brother’s situation scares them and see this as an opportunity to put you on the right track.
I’m sorry but it’s hard to take you seriously when we know kids with so much less and so completely grateful for a fraction of the support you are getting. We also know incredibly wealthy kids who are expected to contribute with student loans and working. They do so graciously. You just sound really young and emotional not far enough removed to give an unbiased account of all that is going on here.
OP- and be shrewd with your spreadsheet. If you spent time this summer tutoring and cleared $500, that doesn’t go in a column called “tutoring income”. It goes in one big pot called “Self Help” where every other nickel you have/could earn goes to show that you’re not looking for a hand-out, you’re looking for a longer pair of bootstraps. Show your grandfather a list of places you’ve applied for an on-campus job this semester- lab assistant which pays X per hour. If you can’t spare more than 8-10 hours a week on a paid job due to your studies and commuting, make a weekly calendar which shows when your midterms are, the chunks of time during the day where you can’t schedule anything because of professor’s office hours, review sessions, etc.
High net worth people know that the one investment which never fails to pay a dividend is investing in your own human capital. Show your grandfather that your non-classroom hours are spent investing in your academic success… he will respect the time commitment you are making to your studies if he sees a calendar plotted out.
If you have only completed two years of college…and only have an unsubsidzed loan, you currently have $5500 from freshman year, and $6500 from sophomore year for a total of $12,000, not $20,000.
And for the record…many medical schools will continue to require your parent information on the FAFSA…not that it matters because most medical school aid comes in the form of loans.
Here is what I would suggest. Just graduate and then get a job, and save some money. Then apply to medical school. Maybe do something like the Peace Corps or Teach for America when you finish undergrad.
It seems like your parents are not willing to help you out, which is unfortunate…but it’s the way it is.
Lots of undergrads take the full $27,000 in Direct Loans. You aren’t the only one.
At this point…spend as much time on campus as possible. Join some clubs. Participate in study groups. See if you can get a job on campus. In other words…go home to sleep.
OP, I’m very sympathetic but I do think @turtletime got it exactly right.
You have every right to feel cheated–both by the system and by your family situation–but life throws curves that are unfair. You CAN do well on your own, and medical schools will be impressed by that. Don’t apply immediately after senior year. Take a 1-year post-bac, or work for a year. Having the extra experience will put you in a stronger position when you are applying. Good luck. You’ll make a great physician.
“My grandparents are super rich (8 figure net worth)”
then ask them to help you. Tell them that college costs 30Xs more than it did when your Dad was in college.
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Thousands of students get into medical school graduating from “state schools”. It’s all about you and your academic record, not what school you went to. $20K is hardly “tons” of debt for someone who is of medical school caliber.
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Sounds like that is the debt for the first 2 years. Sounds like he’ll have twice that by the time he goes to med school. Someone going to med school should have no/little debt.
Did you get a merit scholarship for your state school? With your stats, you could have gotten a free ride or near free ride.
My son went to a state school and he’s now a 3rd year med student, so don’t worry, you won’t be held back because of your undergrad.
You have a right to be disappointed and angry but do not let bitterness control you. Find the commuter lounge and look for peers. Instead of looking at wealthy students whose parents foot the bill remember that plenty of students are struggling to pay their own way. Remember that in two years if you are accepted into medical school you can be free of them. At least your parents give you that car and a roof over your head- I know parents who kicked their kids to the curb a week after high school graduation.
@mom2collegekids
For four years, the total in Direct unsubsidized loans is $27,000…not double $20k.
For all we know, the parents will decide to pay back those loans. We don’t know. The payment for $27,000 in loans is about $300 a month.
This student is making a choice about applying to medical medical school now. If he thinks $27,000 in undergrad debt is a lot, he isn’t going to like his medical school debt…at…all. Since his parents aren’t helping him, he will need to take loans for all medical school costs including tuition, books, room, board, health insurance…the works. This could be in the $250,000 range. Makes $27,000 look small.
@anotherrandomguy You really won’t need to wait all those years to “show them.” Once you’re in med school, you will be on your own.
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I am able to graduate in 3 years due to my AP/IB credits, but I won't be able to apply to med school until the summer after my chronological junior year. Should I graduate and do a postbac, work a job (EMT, lab tech) for a year, or just do a minor?
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Get a job. You’re going to need it to pay for your med school apps and your interview trips.
Did you apply to any other schools between expensive ivy and reviled local State U?
We are also upper income and have son w similar profile as you. We wouldn’t even let him apply to ivy schools, because we didn’t think for a second that they were worth the fullpay cost.
He’s now at a school he loves, w a generous merit scholarship.