Cost of Undergrad will probably cost $160,000... Advice please...

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>Hi I am a Canadian senior living in the US. I pretty much applied to my local state schools and they marked me as an international student. So instead of paying the in-state cost of attendance (COA) that I was prepared to pay, I have to pay the out of state one. So pretty much most of the undergrad schools I have been accepted to are costing about $40,000 - $43,000 per year... That's the final price... No FAFSA, no scholarships, nothing. </p>

<p>Going back to Canada is not an option for me because of a family issue that I really don't want to get into a public forum. And because of the same reason, my parents can't help me financially and I have to pay for undergrad somehow by myself. I am thinking loans, but (serious question... I really don't know)can I take about $160,000 loan? Does anyone have any other alternatives?</p>

<p>So my question to all of you good folk on CC is that is there anything I can do to decrease the COA or get more money or pretty much any other alternate option?</p>

<p>PS, I was thinking about doing pre-med, so I put this topic here. But I don't know anymore... </p>

<p>Thanks in advance!!</p>

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<p>“can I take about $160,000 loan?”
NO. No bank or institution is going to lend a 18 yr old $160,000.
I strongly suggest you somehow find a way to go to a Canadian college. It will cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars less than any college here is the US. Or you can work in the US , perhaps go to a CC and try to apply for US citizenship. There aren’t any great options for you unless you are a tip top student and can land a merit scholarship at one of the few US colleges that offer them to international students. But you best bet is to go to a college in Canada.</p>

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<p>You can also try asking your question in the Financial Aid forum.</p>

<p>But basically, you have a serious problem and may not be able to attend college this fall.</p>

<p>I am not surprised that despite attending a US school, you were classified as an international student. Your classification largely depends on your citizenship status and that of your parents. While a few states will grant you in-state status if you graduate from high school in that state, it appears your home isn’t one of those. </p>

<p>Because you’re not a citizen or permanent resident, you are not eligible for federal aid (FAFSA). And it appears you did not qualify for merit aid at your state U–again not surprising. Most public U’s don’t have much to offer, esp to OOS/international applicants.</p>

<p>As for loans…you will NOT be able to take out anywhere close to $160,000 in loans. In fact, unless you have a credit-worthy US co-signer, you won’t be able to take out any loans at all. Would your parents be willing to co-sign for you?</p>

<p>Did you apply to any private colleges where your stats might garner you some merit aid? While it’s late and many deadlines for scholarships have already passed, they may be some still open.</p>

<p>You need to look specifically at schools where your stats place you in the top 25%, or more likely the top 5% of applicants, to get significant merit aid. While you may be able to get a merit award to cover your tuition and fees, you will still have R&B costs. Merit awards are seldom large enough to cover your full COA.</p>

<p>Are your parents willing to provide ANY financial assistance? Because until you are 24, you will be considered a dependent student and colleges will require your parents’ financial info, with your aid being dependent upon their income and assets, not yours.</p>

<p>Since you’re not willing to return to Canada for college–which would be your best option financially-- you have very few other avenues.</p>

<p>What is your visa status? If you are here on a student or dependent family member visa, then your ability to get a job in the US is severely restricted. You will not be able to work and go to school part-time. In fact, depending on your visa status, your eligibility to remain in the US may end when you graduate from high school.</p>

<p>Assuming your visa status can be worked out:</p>

<p>Is there a college near your home that you might be able to commute to? That would eliminated R&B costs.</p>

<p>Would you be willing to attend a community college for the first 2 years? The per-credit charge is lower and most accredited CCs have articulation agreements with in-state universities. (Means your credits will transfer to the state university system.)</p>

<p>Would you be willing to work part-time and attend college part-time? (Again it depends on your visa status.)</p>

<p>Would it be possible for you to take a gap year and reapply for Fall 2013 to a different set of colleges, esp those where you might receive significant merit aid? (You may need to leave the US during the gap year–again depending upon your visa status.)</p>

<p>P.S. International students–even though they attend college in the US–are extremely unlikely to be accepted at US medical schools. Many schools will not even consider international applicants. If you really want to be doctor, your very best option is to return to Canada and go to college there.</p>

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<p>@WayOutWestMom, those are some interesting points. </p>

<p>Do you know of any last-minute college scholarship deadlines before December 31?</p>

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<p>I am not sure your status in Canada, but can you qualify for resident tuition there? Certainly paying in province COA would be better than OOS in the states. Could you apply to another province to avoid the problematic situation? McGill? UBC? UVic? Halifax? There are some good schools in Canada in diverse locations usually with low fees.</p>

<p>Another US option would be small privates with merit, but that would like still leave you with $20k annually- think Baylor, TCU, Chapman, Whitworth, and the like. Their sites should show you the combo of SAT/GPA which garners certain amounts of merit award.</p>

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<p>Look at the SUNY Schools in NY…Geneseo and Binghamton are always ranked at the top of the list of Best Buy schools as well as a few of the other SUNY schools. </p>

<p>[SUNY</a> Geneseo | SUNY Geneseo](<a href=“http://www.geneseo.edu%5DSUNY”>http://www.geneseo.edu)</p>

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<p>Since you can’t apply to schools in Canada, does that mean that you can’t apply to schools that are far from home.</p>

<p>What are your test scores and GPA?</p>

<p>Even if we can find you some schools that will give you a free tuition scholarship, you’d still have a hard time coming up with room, board and book money. Since you’re an int’l, you won’t be able to take out a Stafford loan. </p>

<p>To get a loan HERE, you need an American co-signer…not likely going to find and not a good idea anyway.</p>

<p>*my parents can’t help me financially and I have to pay for undergrad somehow by myself. *</p>

<p>Is your family low income? IF so, then you need to apply to the schools that meet need for int’ls. </p>

<p>If your family is not low income, then your options are limited.</p>

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<p>@mom2college, that’s exactly it; I am looking for schools nearby.</p>

<p>My SAT is in the low 2100 and UWGPA about 3.75, but class rank is within top 10%.</p>

<p>Frankly, because of my family crisis, I can’t really say what my family’s financial status would be (because it might change in the future). So would it be possible if you could give me options for both scenarios.</p>

<p>@everyone else,
Really any reduction in cost would be helpful even if it is about $20,000 per year. The SUNY seems promising. Thank you, Geneseograd.</p>

<p>Thank you so much for all the help everyone.</p>

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<p>*SAT I (breakdown): 2120 (750 M, 680 CR, 690 W)
ACT:
SAT II: 750 Math II, 730 Chem, 660 Bio M
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Dun’t know maybe a 3.75
*</p>

<p>With your stats, there probably are some schools that would give you a good merit scholarship, but not likely the ones that you’ve been applying to.</p>

<p>But, even with a good scholarship (say for free tuition), where would you come up with the other $10k-15k per year to pay for room, board, books, etc? As an int’l, you may be expected to show that you have all your funds in place.</p>

<p>If your parents are low income, then you’d need to apply to schools that meet need for int’ls. However, your stats are lowish for those since you’re an int’l.</p>

<p>If your parents have a decent income, but can’t contribute, then you’re in a sticky situation. You can’t take out a Stafford loan to supplement any good scholarship, you may not be able to work, and your parents can’t contribute anything.</p>

<p>You’ve applied to schools like UPitt, UPenn and UChicago. What are your geographical limitations?</p>

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<p>What schools of the ones I have been applying to are you referring to?</p>

<p>Because for the state schools, that’s where I don’t know what’s going to happen.</p>

<p>But with the reaches, I figured I might get a loan for the other 10k-15k, get a small job on the side (i.e. babysitting)… I really don’t know specifically at the moment. But I know it will be much better than if I attend my state schools.</p>

<p>Yeah… that’s where the problem lies. The schools that meet need for int’ls are mostly need-aware and very selective, so they are EXTREMELY iffy. And I think as of right now, I am in a situation between your two given financial scenarios. But after a year, a lot can happen…</p>

<p>Yeah, I got into Pitt (one of the schools that I was referring to the 160,000 dollar debt), Penn (likely rejection), and UChicago (I chose not to apply in the end, because it was too far and b/c of the grade deflation). But I can go around the New England area, with the boundaries probably not outside Ohio or Mason Dixie Line… But those are just estimates.</p>

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<p>I know Colgate in NY gives good aid to Canadians, but I don’t know what that would leave to pay.</p>

<p>You might read this thread for some ideas:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html?highlight=merit[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html?highlight=merit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I know that Baylor was mentioned in the forum. They give scholarship estimations based on SAT scores. Look into their site because they are pretty good with premed as well. Get in touch with them. If you can pay 10-20k, I think that is a good school for you.</p>