High school senior applying to NYU CAS [NJ resident, 3.97, 1530, parents require pre-med or pharmacy, and commuting from home]

[JayLab]

@DigitalDad

#1 subway from 34th Street leaves every 10 minutes, plus 40 minute ride, plus walks on both ends.

So about two hours, around 20 dollars. Does that sound reasonable?

[JayLab]

@ucscuuw

Have they talked to doctors recently? There are so many more professions where you could make a lot more money without going to college for more than a decade.

The doctors they talk to share their cultural views. My dentist recently told me to go med school, and told my dad I should go, even after I told them both I didn’t want to.

[JayLab]

@DigitalDad

It’ll become second nature. My daughter was/is doing that, no matter if on a commuter train, in an airline lounge, or during a flight. Just local bus/subway is pretty much unproductive time.

That does sound productive. I guess there’s a flip side to everything. And it’ll probably only be for undergraduate years that I commute by train.

[twogirls]

Keep in mind that you don’t know when your classes will be. Train schedules may change dramatically during off-peak times, etc. You may find that trains run more often during rush hour, but tickets will also cost more.

If your first class is at 11 (for example) you could arrive early and spend that time in the library.

[JayLab]

@ucbalumnus

Knowledge of data science / statistics will generally be useful.

Hence why I’m taking AP Statistics instead of AP Calc.

@ucbalumnus

A journalist on international topics may also want to learn relevant foreign languages, histories, and cultures, in addition to general political science and international relations matters.

I currently know Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish, although I still need practice for all three of them. I took AP US History and am taking AP US Government and Politics (my favorite class), though nothing international-related since my school doesn’t offer AP Comparative Gov’t and they introduced AP World History too late for me to take it. Anything else I should be doing in my senior year?
Maybe I should post another question about that, actually.

[Mjkacmom]

I agree with issue of timing, but I don’t think it costs more to take public transportation at busy times.

[twogirls]

Is the cost of a ticket from NJ to Manhattan (or someplace in NJ) the same regardless of what time of day you travel?

By me, it costs more to take the bus or train to the city during peak times.

[DigitalDad]

@thumper1

On $140,000 income? How?

Maybe all the parents needed to share with the student is what’s doable for them - and leave it at that (us too).

(There are many jobs, and in fact, many entire service industries, where there is a substantial cash component - which could cover household spending and even downpayments. I have more than one such example in my circle.)

[JayLab]

@AustenNut

For the purposes of helping people who don’t understand northern NJ geography well, here are the public transportation times from Middletown, NJ (a place in OP’s county that has good transportation connects…seemingly) to various colleges, using Monday, September 11 at 7:00AM as a departure time. I’ve bolded the ones that were less than 1h30m (though there are several colleges in the 1h30-1h40m zone). Schools are in alphabetical order.

This is super helpful, thanks!
Brookdale is actually really close to my home, so I probably won’t even need to take the train. Same goes to Monmouth. If I were to go to Rutgers, I’d probably go to NB because my parents think Newark is too dangerous.

@AustenNut

Lastly, I’d include Brookdale Community College (or whatever your local community college is) to see if your family would let you live your last two years on-campus if you spent your first two years at cc.

It’s really more about how far the school is. My brother went to med school in Michigan since it was one of the few that admitted him, so now he dorms (which costs extra). Like I said before, if it’s something that really matters to my parents, they’d let me live on-campus. Undergraduate- especially at a cc- is probably not up there.

[twogirls]

I am sorry to hear this. I cannot imagine going to medical school if you have no interest (hopefully it will not come to that).

[Catcherinthetoast]

I have spent 30 years commuting from either Bergen or Monmouth county NJ into various parts of NYC.

In my opinion what OP is considering on a daily basis given the post pandemic changes to frequency of schedules is not sustainable. There will be too many connections, gaps and wasted time getting from Monmouth to Union Square area.

The best alternative from Monmouth county is Atlantic Highlands or Rumson ferries into lower Manhattan but they are expensive.

I can offer alternative solutions but OP sounds determined to try it. I would suggest you make the trip on a Tuesday and Friday just to get a sense of the disparity in schedules and usage.

I hope it works for you but I also fear the start stop nature of this commute won’t allow you study time.

[twogirls]

Agree with you. Where I live there has been a drastic reduction of trains and buses since Covid, and it has not gone back to pre-pandemic levels. I suppose increased WFH has contributed. It is often difficult, if not impossible, to travel during non rush hour times.

[JayLab]

@thumper1

On $140,000 income? How?

My sisters actually pay for their tuition for the most part, and take out loans for the rest. Since they went to Rutgers and Kean and got decent scholarships, the tuition isn’t impossible to overcome.
My brother, on the other hand, is going to med school. I’m not sure what his plan is, but the yearly tuition is 70k since he’s also dorming. I think he’s also taking out loans, because he doesn’t have a full-time job.

@thumper1

“FAFSA aid” is the Pell grant and Direct Loan…for freshman year, the total added together would be about $12,000 which would not fund anyone’s medical school, and or undergrad at most places.

Yes, I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with my brother at the moment. My parents don’t seem concerned about the money since they recently enrolled my younger siblings at a private school.

@thumper1

It doesn’t matter what you major in at most colleges. The cost is the same per semester for tuition.

That’s true, but it’s different for me because of my parents. If I take Humanities, I’ll probably end up in a less expensive college, and if I take the STEM or healthcare path, I’ll end up at a more expensive one.

@thumper1

At most colleges you can double major. Doing this should satisfy both you and your parents.

I certainly hope so.

@thumper1

This in addition to medical school costs, grad school costs…and now you? How?

No, I go to public school. My younger siblings are in private school. Funnily enough, I’m the only child my parents aren’t paying for at the moment in education.

@thumper1

I will add…I understand that there can be cultural reasons for families that make living at home as long as possible the norm.

It’s partly that, but it’s also just them. They don’t trust easy, and the idea of me living independently makes them nervous.

[JayLab]

@twogirls

She always worked but is not making anywhere near 6 figures, and she’s been out of school a few years. She also hustles…
a lot…and accepts positions wherever they are, all over the country. She’s always moving. Always. And despite being from the northeast, she’s not working in the northeast.

That’s fine with me, and probably my parents if I’ve moved out by then.

@twogirls

While NYU is a good school, do not go into this thinking it will open doors for you. That’s on you, not the school. My friends son graduated NYU with a major that is very hard to break into, and he doesn’t have steady work. There were no NYU “connections” etc, and he’s still struggling to find his place many years after graduating. He’s working, but struggling to break into his line of work.

It’s the school I’m interested in, but also the location. Do you think I should apply to another college in NYC that’s not as expensive, like Pace?

[JayLab]

@twogirls

If your first class is at 11 (for example) you could arrive early and spend that time in the library.

Yes, I’m aware. My sisters do the same at the moment. The take 7:00 or 7:30 train when they have classes at 9:00 or 10:00, and usually make it on time. I’m not sure about OOS, though. Does NYC have trouble with their trains?

[Mjkacmom]

Yes, and most commuters use monthly passes. Fares don’t change here, but frequency definitely does depending on the time of day.

[twogirls]

You may get money from Pace. Have you considered Brooklyn College of is that too hard to get to?

[twogirls]

That’s great! We also have monthly passes - I don’t know the details but I do know that commuting during rush hour costs more than off peak (which also runs fewer trains).

[JayLab]

@Catcherinthetoast

In my opinion what OP is considering on a daily basis given the post pandemic changes to frequency of schedules is not sustainable. There will be too many connections, gaps and wasted time getting from Monmouth to Union Square area.

My sister frequently uses the train to go from Monmouth to Union, which isn’t too far from NYC (using the train, I mean).

@Catcherinthetoast

I can offer alternative solutions but OP sounds determined to try it. I would suggest you make the trip on a Tuesday and Friday just to get a sense of the disparity in schedules and usage.

I just really want to study at NYC. Thanks for the advice, I’ll see what it’s like.

[DigitalDad]

@Catcherinthetoast

I hope it works for you but I also fear the start stop nature of this commute won’t allow you study time.

Maybe things changed in the years since you commuted from there.

The 7:06 train out of Middleton goes direct to NYC Penn, arrives 8:21 - with 7 stops. I guess it depends on each individual and how easily distracted you are in public places. You sit further forward/rear, sit down and then start reading/working, regardless whether the train stops a few times.

Yes, I thought of the ferry, too.

@JayLab

around 20 dollars. Does that sound reasonable

Well - the normal round trip on NJ Transit alone is more like $30. But, you can get the FlexPass for 20% off, or 25% if your college has an agreement with NJ Transit.

Then add $6 round trip for the subway/bus in Manhattan - again, there are some saving options.

So if you have classes/labs/office hours on 4 days a week - that can add up to $500/month for the months when college is in session.