<p>I notice that Room and Board costs more in MS2 than in MS1. Is it usually the case? Does it mean that there is no summer break in the summer between MS2 and MS3?</p>
<p>I also have the feeling that, while the school may try to limit the amount of the accumulated debt for the student, they are more willing to increase "parent's contribution." It is not much difference than UG here.</p>
<p>Another question: DS just ordered a book for STEP-1 and likely plans to start the study during weekends in the summer between MS1 and MS2. Isn't it too early for that?</p>
<p>Tuition is the same for years MS1 and MS2 at D1’s school. Since she doesn’t live on campus, her food and housing cost are discretionary and not something the school bills for.</p>
<p>But at her school, there is no break between MS2 and MS3. The students finish classes in January, have 6 weeks to prep for Step 1, do a required research project, then start clinical rotations in April. No break.</p>
<p>And it’s not too early to start thinking about Step 1. D’s school open access to Qbank back in March. D and friends have already started reviewing.</p>
<p>Second, yeah you’ve got the basic idea for why tuition + COL changes by year. No break between M2 and M3 means that M3 is a “longer” year necessitating higher costs for room and board. Also, there’s the cost of Step I usually in the cost of attendance of M2. Similarly, the (significant) cost of Step II is incorporated into the M3 or M4 budget.</p>
<p>The tuition actually does not increase (much) if the inflation factor as determined by the school is taken into account.</p>
<p>I had a laugh when I read the statement “The increase in your parents’ contribution is a result of the increase of their total income.” They even do not bother to ask the students (or their parents) whether they need more loans. They just assume that the bank of Mom and Dad would take care of whatever extra that is needed. Maybe it is really not their job to take care of the portion that the parents are supposed to be responsible for as the parents should have had enough credits to get loans, if needed, without the help from the school. (Not intend to complain here as they still give us some break. Just think it is funny that in the eyes of the school, the parents and their young adult child, are still connected in their hips in terms of their finances.)</p>
<p>Thanks about the tips about STEP-1. $535 is budgeted for this test, including the travel to the test center.</p>
<p>I have a gut feeling that the road ahead in the next few years will be tougher for DS. A few years later, when DS looks back at his MS1, he may think he was in the paradise when he was an MS1. (He and several of his friends went to beach a few days ago in order to beat the heat. And he could still find time to cook occasionally in order to take care of his health. So his life seems to be still good so far. But he still declines our offer to transport one of our cars to him because “the parking cost would be too high.”)</p>
<p>Yeah just wait until Step 2 rolls around - I think it’s something like $1,700 for both parts of Step 2… not including travel and lodging to one of the five testing centers (LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta). It hurt handing over the credit card for that one :-O</p>
<p>Tuition at son’s school went up by $1000 for the year but that was not because of MS1 to MS2, it went up by $1K for all med students. The additional monies were just added to his scholie so it did not affect him, his is for tuition rather than a set dollar amount, so with tuition increase his scholie goes up by the same amount.</p>
<p>His rent is going down for him since he is getting a new roomate for this year and they will be paying more than the previous roomate. So he is a happy camper. He enjoyed his first year and is looking forward to the fall semester. The school budgets his rent in the COA to be $1250 per month and he is actually spending $300, so he has lowered the amount he needs in loans. His utilities run about $65 including water, trash, electric, cable and internet (per roomate) so not too much going out. The bus picks up outside his building and takes him to campus and around town for free with a student id. Only uses the car to come home occasionally and down the road to Sam’s club.</p>
<p>He can use the gym on campus and chapel thrill has plenty of cheap entertainment and eats. he does travel to visit his friends in NYC but has somewhere to stay, and gets to see all his buddies pretty regularly. He’ll be up there for the 4th, so he is having a great summer. His mentor says to enjoy it as he will be very busy from now on!</p>
<p>So money-wise it is actually turning out better then what he first anticipated, and that ALWAYS makes him happy!</p>
<p>Same tuition for me, although it is slightly higher because tuition at the university increased by 2%. So far it looks like the only additional expense will be Step 1 and whatever its prep is. We get 5 weeks off between M2 and M3, and M3 is slightly more expensive tuition-wise because it’s an entire year/there’s less summer. </p>
<p>At all state publics in our state 3rd and 4th year is the same as at privates and much higher than 1st and 2nd year. At privates (including D’s school), the cost is the same for all 4 years, despite of 2nd year being very short - starts in August, ends at the beginning of March, only 2 blocks. It sounds like it is different from state to state.</p>