Ok well that is an exaggeration and a terrible analogy at that.
SAT:
CR: 740
Math: 720
Writing: 800
GPA UW 3.5
Boston College upper quartile
Math 760+
Critical Reading 730+
No one cares about the Writing
Your scores are above average for BC, but since you’re really not in the upper quartile, I wouldn’t say that your scores are far higher than the range at BC.
The difference between a 760 and 720 in Math is one problem: negligible. But it does not matter in this instance, a minor point.
I guess my qualms would be going to UMASS Boston and not having the advising or care I might get at BC. Also I feel like I would not get into ivy med schools ( if I want to do research) or have any chance for that if I go to UMB.
Again my other fright would be changing my premed status at UMB and realizing I could have done better at BC.
I turned down BC because it was not affordable. I chose living at home and attending Stonehill on a full-tuition scholarship. Somehow, even with a degree from a school few people have heard of (especially in the South, where I moved after graduation) I have managed to have a great career. And I fully appreciate how much easier the first years out of school were without any debt.
It’s impossible to go back and do a controlled double-blind study on what my life would have been like if I chose BC, but if you’re thinking med school, you really don’t want to take on debt. I do think you will need to be more assertive about seeking out advising and mentorship at UMass Boston than you would at BC, but it’s all about what you make of those 4 years.
Do you have any other options? There’s such a range of schools between BC (which is notorious for not being affordable) and UMass Boston.
Isn’t UMassB where the med school is?
You need to talk to your parents about how BC will get paid. Right now, you have a gap.
Whose debt is that student debt that you mentioned? Did your parents take Plus loans for your siblings? Who is supposed to pay that back? your sibs or your parents.
The med school is in Worcestor.
Given that I will take the 22000 fed loan (5500 a year) and work study of 2400, I only have 4346 to pay off a year. I applied for outside scholarships, so I think that will reduce that for me.
Right now I think my parents cosigned loans but most of my siblings are still paying them off. My dad can not cosign anymore loans and for the brother right older than me, my sister had to cosign the loan because my dad had reached the limit (don’t ask me what this means, this is what my dad told me). Further, my parents spend more than they make a year. Again, I don’t know how that works …
What’s the point of reducing loans because MED school if later I will have to pay a lot of loans anyways?
Their award technically leaves a 15000 gap. The award is 40700 (THEY DID NOT INCLUDE LOANS IN THEIR AWARD AT ALL) and their defined cost of attendance is 55396 for commuter. I took away some costs I would not have to pay like health care and it came out to be 50170. Still, technically a gap of 10000 without loans and (again) 4500 ish with all loans maxed out. So TECHNICALLY they did not meet my need because they don’t consider loans part of their aid…
The main reason I posted on this thread is to see if I should talk to BC about giving me more aid. Would this help?
You have no financial safety net for BC. If anything goes wrong, you’re stuck. A student in your situation is better off taking the college where costs are covered.
I can’t think of any reason NOT to talk to them about more aid. The worst they can do is say no.
Yes, they did meet your need. Your need is not the total cost of a BC education. There is an expected family contribution, meaning a contribution from the student and parents. Your need is the cost of attendance minus that expected family contribution. You have to expect that some of YOUR money and/or YOUR PARENTS’ money is going to pay some of the cost.
And yes, federal loans are part of the aid.
Is there something wrong with my addition in post 8? It still looks to me like BC met your need…esoecially if you add in a Direct Loan. You have to include your family contribution in the total too. Schools do not give need based aid for the family contribution.
If you are $3500 short without loans…take the Direct Loans…all $5500 of them for your freshman year.
I’m still not sure why you don’t think they met your need. Your parent debt is not a reason for increased need based aid…it’s not.
Check my new post, with Direct Loans maxed out I have 4500 left to pay…
Also, my main question is whether BC will consider a different EFC if we talk to them… The EFC of the FAFSA according to my parents does not realistically depict what my family can afford…
Sure, talk to them. You have nothing to lose. Many people get EFC of $10k or even $30k and they just don’t have that money saved to cover that. That doesn’t mean the EFC is wrong. The fafsa formula is just that, a general formula.
You could get a job and save that $4500. Only half will be needed in September, and you might even shave some off that by buying used books or cutting your transportation expenses. You might also ask if the school has other loan sources for you (Perkins or a private loan through the school) if your parents don’t want to take the Plus loan ( no one WANTS to take the Plus loan). Years ago when I walked into the Catholic university admissions office, they handed me a list of scholaships from catholic parishes, Knights of Columbus chapters and other sources. They knew every little bit helped. If you are that close to the cost of BC, make it work. Don’t forget that the loans already included in your package are real, and consider them when comparing the cost to go to UMASS ($0) and the cost toBC ($0 plus any loans).
I guess the question for you is whether BC is worth the loans and maybe some long working hours this summer to come up with the $4500.
What debt do your parents have besides their home? You said that they have co-signed loans, but they’re not paying on those. Those are your siblings’ loans that your siblings will pay once they’re out of college.
You can talk to BC, but BC isn’t likely going to sympathize. It sounds like you have one or two siblings in college, so the family’s total EFC is about $12k-18k…yet they’re paying ZERO.
You said that your family spends more than it makes. That is the family’s problem. That isn’t BC’s problem. It’s not their job to help fund your family’s need to overspend.
Cost of Attendance ($50,176) minus Expected Family Contribution ($5,830) = Need ($44,346)
Need-Based Aid Available:
$38,300 grant
$2,400 work-study
$5,500 federal loan
$46,200 Total need-based aid available. This exceeds your need by nearly $2,000. Honestly, if BC only uses the FAFSA EFC of $5,830 instead of calculating their own, usually higher, EFC you’re catching a break.
Is your scholarship indexed to tuition, or is it a fixed amount for 4 years? BC tuition increased 4% last year(and 4% for each of the 3 previous years as well), nearly $2K each year. If your scholarship is a fixed amount, you could find yourself paying another $6-7K more for tuition by your 4th year. R and B etc, will also increase. Take a look at all 4 years of expenses before you decide. A scholarship which indexes with tuition(like full tuition from UMASS Boston) is a much better deal than a fixed amount each year.
There is an old saying:
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Your gift horse is the full ride to UMass-Boston.
You can go there and build up your bank account, which will come in handy if you truly are cut out for med school. You also likely will be able to earn a higher GPA than you would at BC, and a high GPA is almost a must for medical school.
So:
- Likely higher GPA
- No debt (or even some positive savings if you work...) vs. thousands in debt at BC -- more to spend on med school.
- And you'd still get to stay in Boston.
Now, if BC is so much more appealing to you, then go – you could make it work. It would just be harder financially and probably harder work to achieve that important GPA. (I see the appeal in BC though – I do.)
Either way, if you work hard you will be ok. Good luck!
Probably neither. If it’s a need-based grant, the amount depends on what the EFC is each year, as determined by information provided on FAFSA and Profile.
If you can make BC work financially go there. It is a much better school, and if you do not go to med school a BC degree will be much more helpful in terms of networking. BC has a very strong alumni network in Boston. UMass is probably the third ranked of the UMass schools after Amherst, and Lowell. It is a commuter school with no dorms which attracts primarily low income and often low stats students. (One of my degrees is from UMass Boston - none from BC).
To answer your main question, you should talk to BC’s FA folks. The EFC being discussed throughout this thread is from fafsa. The first question you should ask them is “what was the EFC they (BC) calculated for you” so you have that piece of the puzzle. Then once you have a clear understanding of that, then ask your other questions.
I agree with the other posters that you appear to be getting a very good package from BC.
But I also agree with the other posters encouraging you to be careful about taking on loans. The problem people get into is that they don’t look at the loan as if it’s money they need to pay. Just because you CAN take the loan doesn’t mean you should.
I think the majority of families think their EFC is more than they can afford, and in many cases it truly is.