Btw, FA kids frequently do study abroad.
OP doesn’t live far from BC.
One important question is whether BC weeds out premeds. Or if UMass A does. That’s about more than having taken AP in hs.
Every school weeds out premeds, don’t they?
@lookingforward BC doesn’t necessarily, its more like many find the classes difficult so they drop. BC supports everyone who applies. They don’t purposely try to weed out premeds.
Some colleges are very supportive. Others can be brutal. You may want to check the premed forum. The issue isn’t tough classes that require focus. It can be expectations beyond the classroom/book learning. Often, when a college says it’s supportive or quotes a high percentage getting into med school, that’s after culling down the number.
Just as some have pointed out the $ considerations for med school, you want to understand the challenges of the path. It’s an element to consider.
@lookingforward I learned not to trust when colleges boast about their high acceptance rate into med schools, exactly for the same reason you just mentioned. Holy Cross controls who applies to medical schools, even advising students who don’t fit their “gold” standard to wait. Then, out of the very few who they even let apply, 80% of those gain admission. I know BC is supportive. I’ve spoken to many graduates who I personally know who strongly endorsed it.
Good.
Your family should be eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit - $2,500 each year for the first four years of college. To get the full credit you will need to pay $4,000 towards to cost of tuition, mandatory fees, and books and supplies. (Room & board, personal expenses, and transportation do not count.) A tax credit directly reduces the amount your parents pay in federal income taxes.
But because this student will have more in FA than just tuition and fees, paying tuition with cash and using the FA for non-qualified expenses will cause more tax for the student. Massachusetts may also tax this amount. The net to the family will not be $2500.
This can be a two edged sword. If BC supports all pre-meds’ medical school applications, does it give pre-meds a realistic assessment of their likelihood of being admitted? If not, then those with very low likelihood of admission may end up wasting a lot of time and money in futility.
Final Update!
I just committed to BC! They also gave us an extra $2000 after reviewing our financial situation for the last time. I am happy to say I will certainly take pride in attending this wonderful school, and make the most of it since BC truly respects and honors its students. They helped a lot with this whole process.
Unfortunately, BU rejected our FA appeal as well. I saw it coming, but figured that they would at least help a little bit. Also discovered that they base FA on stats as well (GPA and SATs) and not purely on need. Needless to say, I declined their offer of admission. We would have had to pay $30,000 at BU vs. $12k-$15k at BC. So I’m definitely taking the generous offer with thankfulness.
Finally, thanks to all of you as well for helping me out and giving some good advice.
EXCELLANT!
so glad this story has a happy ending!!
Congratulations!
Do update your thread to let us know how it all turned out.
But the BC offer is really good for you. 