MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Pitt
@prodesse Military service would add +n years of service commitment anywhere in the world the military wants to send her.
If this student wants to help support her undocumented mother and disabled brother, she should choose a lower-risk lower-cost career path.
@lilyays4 Some medical-related paths to consdier:
You could look for a community college degree such as: Certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA), Certified radiology technician
Or look for a four-year school with a BSN program.
@thumper1 Clearly the OP didn’t get adequate guidance. It happens all too often, and young adults go in with blinders on hoping things will somehow work out. His/her support system failed by allowing this to happen and it’s very sad.
@lilyays4 My heart goes out to you. Your situation is not sustainable and it must be very difficult. I would still go to the FA office so they are aware of the situation and can advise you. There are deadlines you must pay attention to or you will owe more money. Previous posts offered really good advice to help prevent you from making financial commitments for next semester.
I don’t hold much hope that the FA office will have a solution to your problem, but there is a very slim chance that they may be able to direct you to services or resources. If you are a first generation college student and/or a URM there may be private or corporate sponsored programs - I am grasping at straws here and at best they may offer enough to pay your current bill. You mentioned that your mom is undocumented, so seek help through the university’s diversity resources asap. Leave no stone unturned. Start today by sending emails.
I am so sorry you are in this position, but It’s time to be honest with yourself, your family and the school. you need a plan for next semester, and sadly it seems likely you will have to move home. Please talk to your RA or the schools counseling office. I’m guessing you have had to be very self reliant in your life, but going through all this without help at the same time you are preparing for finals will be overwhelming. Call your mom and let her know what is happening. Get help. You have not failed and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You can be sad but you have to move forward.
Final piece of advice - please pursue the option with the least amount of debt, especially if you stay with pre-med track. If you do take out loans, understand the interest accrual and how that will increase the total amount you have to pay back.
Hugs and positive thoughts to you! Please let us know how you are doing. Best wishes, and I hope you finish the semester with excellent grades and a plan for your next step.
A good alternative is PA: excellent pay and only two years of grad school after college.
Go visit Chatham college (it’s not far from Pitt), they’re very good for that. I don’t know how good their FA is though but it’s worth asking.
The military is not for everyone, but it worked for me. I went to a state school for only one semester in 1988, ran out of money after one semester and enlisted in the Navy Reserves - missed the next year due to boot camp and training. Came back to college on a GI bill, earned a little more with my weekend drills and joined ROTC. After graduation, went to medical school on a Navy scholarship. Have had a great career as a physician in the Navy and as a civilian, along with meeting my husband and raising 4 daughters. No regrets and would do it all over again.
Many college and medical school students are getting stipends being in the Guard or Reserves- I see them often as i work part time doing military entrance physicals. But you have to be willing to have interrupted school for training and deployments and really want to serve.
Afternoon everyone,
Here are some notes:
-I am transferring back to a college in my hometown that I know can give 100% need aid.
- I have a total of 15 credits at the moment and all my grades are an A or A+ I currently take:
- Gen Chemistry with lab (A), Psychology, (A+) Statistics (A) and Bio 1 (A+)
- I am currently going to see if my sister or aunt can sign a loan for me but I still am going to talk at the financial office. I still owe $5,900 for this term.
HS:
I had a 4.917 gpa and 30 Act with 31 Writing I did not take the SAT since it was not required. I passed my college math and writing exams granting me the highest level of Calculus and moving me up a level for writing.
Honestly, what everyone has said was right. I have no idea what I was thinking I was blind, deluded. I picked my college thinking I would get an additional scholarship but it turned out to be a hoax, afterwards my uncle passed away taking a toll in expensive since my mother and aunt had to handle funeral costs (he had no other family he was an alcoholic-sad honestly.) I really want to pursue this career because it’s my passion and I have the grades for it. I study non stop for my classes because I want to able to attend med school. However… some of you may be right I kept thinking about what I was rather than what I can afford… it sucks but it is what it is.
I didn’t have anyone to guide me, my hs counselors sucked they absolutely did not care but this is all my doing and responsibility. I went with what I liked rather than what I could handle. I visited my college and I really liked it. Coming from someone who hasn’t been able to have much in life I guess I just go into the spell of being a student who was able to get accepted at a college out of state. Things went wrong but its a lesson learned…
The real issue is that you have to have a payment made or a plan to do so, at your current school to get the transcript to transfer. You will need to go to FA to get the billing cleared up for a smooth transition. You need an adult to help you here. You need to live at home, is that going to work?
Okay honestly thank you to everyone who told me alternatives rather than giving up on med school. I’ve gone to pre health sessions and some have actually suggested a gap year. I actually can’t give up on that dream… I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was little.
Med school isn’t the issue here at all though, there is zero point in focusing on that when you are yet to have a solid undergrad plan.
@lilyays4 Why don’t you take the Spring semester off and work spring and summer pay off that debt! Start in the fall at your local option. You can still keep the medical dream.
Thank you! I might actually just do that.
@lilyays4 It would be the best. Not only is the debt not hanging over your head and growing, you can start to build a savings. Your grades are very good BTW.
Thanks once again! I was so scared of getting like a B in chem! But thankfully the class is curved so I have a solid A. (:
Plus…taking the spring term off give you the time to get your financial ducks in order.
What school in Illinois will give you a free ride? The only school I know of in Illinois that guarantees to meet full need is Northwestern.
But…you can take the required courses for medical school at just about any college.
Good luck!
There is SIU and Carbondale
Will they give you good scholarships or can you commute there?
University of Chicago also meets full need, in addition to Northwestern (both low acceptance rates). There are less prestigious schools that offer 90% need, such as Knox. UIC has an Honors College, there might be a good combo of need and merit there, and schools like NIU have Presidential scholarships that are full ride. Plus, if OP stays in IL, there’s the MAP grant. Use the net price calculator like crazy at schools like St. Olaf, Grinnell, MacClaster that may be a bus ride home verses flying. For my science daughter, when she’s interested in a school, I use the college board information to determine the % need met, and if its 90% or greater, I run the NPC. With crazy good stats, chasing merit is an option, but a little more mysterious to know affordability up front.
If you owe almost $6000 to Pitt, it is going to take you all of spring semester and most of the summer to earn that much ($1000/mo if you can devote all of your income to repayment is a very ambitious goal) If you take longer than that, any current student loans will go into repayment mode so will probably cost you another $50/month.
But that’s all you can do. Start whacking away at the debt before incurring more. So you’ll be 23, not 22, before you can start medical school. Big deal. Just focus on the year right in front of you.
Oh right…University of Chicago and NU!
But really…how many transfer students do these schools take?
These are superb stats.
Grinnell would be a great possibility (better than Pitt actually). They are very generous to lower income students.
Email something like
"my name is… and I am currently a freshman at Pitt, interested in the sciences. At the end of this semester I will have 15 credits; my GPA is … As a … High School student, I had a …gpa and … Act. I am very much interested in transferring to Grinnell but as an EFC zero, first gen student, I need to know, if I were lucky enough to get in, would I qualify for 100% need financial aid? Also, do you still accept applicarions for the spring* or would I take a gap semester and have apply for Fall2018?
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
… …