Got into LSP; need to decide my fate in 11 days! Please help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
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<p>So yes, I got into LSP (instead of CAS pre-med) through ED. Now the question is should I do it or not?</p>

<p>I love NYU, I would call the office right now and say "accept".</p>

<p>The main reason of doubt is this: debt.</p>

<p>You see I'm really poor. Being immigrants from Ukraine we only earn around $33,000 a year (that's like half NYU tutition per year!) EFC is like 1,200-2,000</p>

<p>And I hear NYU's Financial Aid is bad. BAD.</p>

<p>Merit scholarships? I have 4.02 GPA, 1860 SAT [you're wondering how they even accepted me to LSP? Well probably my essay + ton of AP classes + 5 languages played a role]</p>

<p>Need-based scholarships? probably. Pell grant? probably also. But how much will that be added up? Less than 10,000?</p>

<p>Do you think I'll be able to eliminate at least half of the 60,000? Through NYU FA, Pell Grant, Scholarships? Even in this situation it'll still be 120,000 debt after 4 years!</p>

<p>My question to all of you is: is this worth the gamble?
People in another forum have been scaring me that if I have a huge undergrad loan, nobody's giving me a loan for med school as well... THAT'S what I'm really scared of!</p>

<p>Things to consider:
1. I need to decide this in 11 days.
2. I also applied to Rutgers University pre-med (I'm from NJ) probably getting in, but there might be a slight issue that I need to resolve tomorrow by calling Rutgers.
3. NYU didn't send me an estimate of FA package (they'll do that after I accept!)
4. I'll be at NYU next Wednesday for the LSP info session, planning to stop by the NYU FA office as well
5. If I reject the NYU offer now, fat chance they'll accept me to their med school later</p>

<p>Main issue: it true that if I have a high undergrad loan, I won't be able to get a loan for med school?
Reasons why I even applied in the first place: I love NYC and NYU; I thought that if I go to NYU pre-med I'll have a higher chance of being accepted to NYU med school or other prestigious school (vs Rutgers)</p>

<p>Please help me decide!!!</p>

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<p>I’m also from NJ. and sometimes I forget how awesome Rutgers is. It carries a pretty great name, as far as state schools go. More than half of my class (and I come from a pretty large school :wink: will end up going to Rutgers, which sort of makes me feel like its less special, but really its not less special. Do you know if you’re eligible for the honors program at RU?? That could realllllly help make your decision.</p>

<p>I’m actually essentially in the same situation as you. I applied ED to NYU with the hopes that I get enough money to attend (My parents are divorced, my mom makes probably around the same as your family, etc). If they don’t give me enough, my parents are REALLY pushing for me to attend Rutgers. What I would do is, first of all, DO NOT take yourself out of the running for Rutgers unless you can see numbers from NYU. Call them, BEG them, to see what they say about seeing what they’d give you. If they won’t show you until you “accept”, ask them how binding is binding. Tell them that you need to know how much they’re offering before you just blindly say yes. I know its sort of a risk, but like, in the end you either can or can’t afford to go to their school, bottom line. This is a legit question, but, what can they do to you if you literally can’t afford to go to their school after you’ve seen how much they give you and crunched the numbers? Maybe its worth it to approach it that way. Idk.</p>

<p>Also, if you reject NYU, I don’t think they’d hold it against you for med school. In the end, its a business and if you’re good enough to get into their med school and pay for it, i don’t see why they wouldn’t take your money same as everyone elses. Just sayin’ :)</p>

<p>Anyway, I hope it works out for you. This is just what I’d do in your position (God, I really hope I don’t get LSP’d now because EVERYTHING about my acceptance is reliant on how much $$$ they’re giving me :frowning: ) Good luck and I’m sure you’ll make the right decision for you in the end.</p>

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<p>k well i wouldnt take financial advice from me becuz my parents claim “i dont know anything about money” and “i spend too much” buuut lol ill give u other advice. if u dont go to nyu and thats where u really want to go…after all, u DID apply ED which kinda says somethin! then u must really want to go there, and i think ur pretty freaggin lucky to get in with those scores! considering i have the same scores as u basically. i have an 1800 with a 4.11 gpa. so if i got in, i would sooo go there and i wouldnt care wut my parents say even tho they dont want me to go there cuz its where IM going to be for FOUR years. so thats kinda the same thing for u…like ur gonna be there for FOUR years. and really, u shud WANT to be at the place ur going to be for college. this is kinda biased lol but i hope it helps! : /</p>

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<p>btw what did u packet look like when u got it in the mail and when did u get it? any other info would definitely help! since i have the similar scores and applied to cas!! what major did u put? i put neuroscience : ]</p>

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<p>when is the LSP session according to your packet? Because if it’s next week this could mean that I’m not LSPed which would be kinda nice…</p>

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<p>Are they still mailing out LSPs?</p>

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<p>Yes, I’d say so, since people are continuing to receive them.</p>

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<p>But postmarked on what day? Monday? Tuesday? Last week?</p>

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<p>i recieved an LSP admit today, the header was dated December 9 (today it dec 8). so i assume they are still sending LSP acceptances. and the LSP info session is for december 16</p>

<p>@salvutich
i can’t answer your question on whether or not you would be denied loans for med school after attending nyu.
however, i would ask myself (if i were you) whether or not i wanted to be in debt such a large amount of money (160k). if you intend to go to medical school, why not go to the medical school of your dreams and accept that you need to make sacrifices during your undergraduate years. by no means should you “settle” when choose the college you will attend for the next for years… but ponder how much going to med school means to you. are you willing to NOT go to your dream school (nyu) in order to attend medical school?</p>

<p>another question you might ask; how long will it take to pay off these loans/debt?</p>

<p>like babygrl said, go to the college YOU want to go to, simply for your own sake. but decide which is more important med school or NYU…?</p>

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<p>My lsp was postmarked dec 5</p>

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<p>@Slavutich - if professional/grad school is in your future, it would be best to reduce your debt as much as possible</p>

<p>First, the majority of pre-health students don’t actually end up in med, dental, or vet school. they either change their minds, their gpa or mcats aren’t high enough, or they simply get rejected (acceptance rates are like 5%). But right now, we’re going to assume that’s where you’re headed - well 4 years of college, 4 years of med school, then 3-6 years of residency (residents are paid like $30k-$40k a year). You’ll be in a LOT of debt, and even state med schools are really expensive.</p>

<p>My advice: contact NYU’s Financial aid office NOW and find out about your package. It’s unfair they’re not telling you until after you make a choice, how ridiculous. Explain your situation, be polite but assertive and firm. Honestly, if you’re going to have over $20k in loans, I would pick a cheaper school. Rutgers is a strong public university, and you won’t have to bother with liberal studies requirements either.</p>

<p>I know right now you probably really want to go to nyu because you worked hard and don’t want to settle for a “safety school” but believe me, it makes little difference in the long run. Med schools hardly care where you went for undergrad. Work hard in college and you could end up in a top grad school.</p>

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<p>does anyone know how long mail takes to get from new york to cali from dec 5th? lol</p>

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<p>Here’s the thing. If the debt will really hinder you, don’t do NYU. People get into good med schools (IF they get into med school in the first place) from all kinds of Universities, as long as they have the GPA and the MCAT to back it up. Really. Honestly. </p>

<p>But med school debt is REAL, it’s a real problem. One of my parents declared BANKRUPTCY because they couldn’t pay their med school loans back. </p>

<p>I agree with Alix 1000%. Get your parents to call Financial Aid tomorrow, and tell them not to hang up until you get an officer on the phone and get an offer. Do not take no for an answer. Be polite but be FIRM and be persistent. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>If need be, have your school’s college counselor telephone the admissions department at NYU. Let your counselor explain your situation.</p>

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<p>you should think about applying to a CUNY University. They’re REALLY cheap, some of in actual manhattan, and most have a decent reputation. You’ll still be within Manhattan, therefore, you’ll be able to get all the internships as you would at NYU.</p>

<p>The only bad thing is that the dorms are extremely limited.</p>

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<p>@damon</p>

<p>if they’re in NJ, they would get an in-state discount at Rutgers. i don’t know if it would be worth it to do CUNY out of state, especially since the FA at the state school might be particularly generous considering their finances.</p>

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<p>Unfortunately, from what I’ve heard, Rutgers FA is less than generous. Just putting that out there. It’s still way cheaper, especially if you’re in-state, just don’t count on getting more money than the face value, especially not in anything besides loans</p>

<p>Unless of course you get into the Honors college. They give merit scholarships. And its not all that difficult to get into the Honors College. honestly, if you have the grades to get into NYU, you more than likely will get into the Honors College at Rutgers. :)</p>

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<p>ok… i don’t feel as bad for Gettin LSP…but idk what to do now…are we not going to know how much money their offering us?</p>