I got into nine colleges but I’m really focused on about five of them. When I got my financial aid awards, the amount I would take out in loans is way too high. My parents are divorced, and my EFC is 0. I want to be a veterinarian, so graduate school is required (more debt there). So I don’t want to start out with myself being in a lot of debt. These are estimated loan totals: UMass Amherst $28,000/year. UConn $28,000/year. URI $16,000/year. UNH $8,000/year. It’s pretty clear UNH is the best option but I was not entirely in love with the school. What should I do?
If you want to be a vet (which is more competitive than being a doctor), you want/need no debt.
UNH.
Fall in love with UNH. Honestly. Research the school and all it has to offer. Try to meet some incoming freshmen. If you can, go hang out on campus. Check out nearby restaurants, clubs, music venues - the types of places you’ll be hanging out in once you’re there. It may be hard at first, but keep in mind you’re saving yourself a fortune, and a great deal of hassle/stress, by going there instead of going to schools that cost up to $80,000 more. Eighty thousand!
My biggest thing was that UMass invited me to their honors college and UNH didn’t
I wouldn’t pay an extra $80,000 to be in the honors college. Can you get into the honors college an UNH later? What are the real benefits of being in the honors college? Those benefits vary greatly from school to school; at some schools they’re valuable, at others they are not at all. I don’t think any of them would be worth $80,000 to me.
@“beth’s mom” I could get into UNH’s honors college after the first semester or year I think. At UMass, the honors college provides smaller classes and better dorms. They also offer research and internship opportunities but UNH has that within the department.
Be aware that you pay extra at UMass for the honors college – I think it’s about 2k. It’s a good program, with snazzy new dorms in a central location, but as has been said, almost definitely not worth 80k more.
What are your net costs at these colleges…in other words, how much are you being asked to pay annually?
All of the loan figures (except UNH) are significantly more than you can borrow on your own. UNH is offering you more than the standard student loan ($5,500 freshman year), so you need to check that out carefully. They may be suggesting that your parents take out a loan. All of this means that the only place that is remotely close to being affordable is UNH.
You will not be the only student in your pre-vet program at UNH who ended up there because of money. Go there. Do well. Don’t look back.
@Pheebers the program is only $600 extra a year for fees. @thumper1 by net costs do you mean out of pocket without loans? @happymomof1 it included the federal subsidized, unsubsidized, and Perkins. No parent plus loan was stated. Out of pocket cost was $2,600
Are any of the “not relevant” schools asking you to borrow less (or nothing)?
Try calling UNH admissions and also emailing the director of admissions and let them know you were offered honors at other peer universities and would like to be considered for their honors program. I know a student that got into BC honors this way. Good Luck! UNH is a great school.
I know you stated these loan totals to be yearly but your EFC is zero? Did you mean over the course of four years? Or possibly you are not in-state for any of the schools? Anyways, if it is yearly I’m not sure how you would get loans in the amounts necessary, including UNH. As a freshman you are eligible for $5500 in student loans and if your parents are divorced and the EFC is right, it would appear at first glance that a parent plus loan might be out of reach as well?
http://admissions.unh.edu/pre-veterinary-program-information-session
They have some information sessions coming up at UNH, see if you can still register and are able to attend the one on April 6th!
And plan to work this summer to make some money to possibly reduce the loans.
Bio and Chem courses are huge lecture courses and weed-out courses, you don’t need to be in honors college to satisfy pre-vet requirements, your GPA and major related experiences will matter more.
And Umass has low tuition, but high fees and honors college requires an extra fee to attend I believe, not a good option for you if it costs that much.
What’s the net cost of these schools (tuition + room & board + fees - grants + scholarships)?
Can your parents contribute anything at all? You can only borrow ~$5500/year, so if you work summers and earn ~$3k, you could probably make UNH work IF your net cost is ~$8k or close to it. If the $8k loan is in addition to the $5500 federal student loan and your parents can’t pay any/much, this school is likely unaffordable for you.
Some honors colleges have a core of classes you have to take, often more liberal arts/humanities focused which might not always fit in with a pre professional program that is very science heavy.
My parents can’t contribute anything. The loans listed are: Federal Perkins Loan $2,000; Direct Subsidized Loan $3,500; Direct Unsubsidized Loan $2,000. When I take the financial aid offered amount and subtract it from the tuition and room and board, it is about $3,000.
Also I live in Rhode Island. When looking at loan totals, I have been sort of disregarding who would be taking out the loan. I’m more concerned about the total cost because, for example, if my mom takes out a parent plus loan or any alternate loan, I would be giving her the monthly payment since she can’t afford it. So either way, the money is “coming from me”. @austinmshauri
@alexandrasara, When you say the loans are ~$8k, you’re including the $2k Perkins loan and the $5500 guaranteed federal student loan ($3500 + $2k), correct? So the $3k you mention in post #17 is what you were gapped; in other words, this college will cost you $11k year?
If your mom is low income, she likely can’t borrow for you and it’s probably a bad idea if she does. Interest would just be accruing and loans would be in her name. If anything ever happened to you, she’d be stuck paying the bills.
You could work summers and probably earn $3k, so if your total gap is only $8k you could make that work. If the gap is $11k, that’s too much. Can you commute to a 4-year school or start at a cc?