<p>Hi ,
So I am a a freshman and I am majoring in biology and pre med. My father told me that he would pay for all my college expenses as long as I do medicine, not that I don't like medicine or anything, but he also picked the college out, he told me to go to this expensive college and he would pay full tuition and would pay for my housing and everything. Last month, right before the first semester starts, he backed out, he doesnt answer my phone calls, reply back to my emails, and has not sent me any check since July. So right now that I have signed a contract with my landlord and said I would attend this college, I realize that I don't have the money to do this, specially if I want to do medical school. He also told me to take the maximum credit hours possible and only focus on my studies and not think about working, so now I am taking 17 hours, and I spend around 8-10 hours a day in school working on labs and etc, to it would be really hard to find a job with my schedule. I already asked for a loan for this years tuition even though I did not want to, but I had no other choice, I had to pay for all this stuff somehow. What do you think I should do for next year or even this year?
Should I just transfer somewhere else? Like somewhere cheaper? But wouldn't medical schools then see that I went from a harder school to a cheaper and easier school? wouldnt that affect my chances? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>What about your mother? Where is she in this? You say you have a landlord which implies living off campus, which is a bit unusual for a college freshman.</p>
<p>Did you apply for need based aid? Did you not qualify for it?</p>
<p>Is this term already paid for? </p>
<p>I would suggest that you withdraw immediately. Go and talk to the dean of students about deferring your enrollment until next year. See if that is possible. Since classes already started, you will likely NOT get a full refund of what you have paid. Just make sure you have completely withdrawn.</p>
<p>This will give you a few months to sort the finances out. You will either find you have the funds to attend this college, or you will need to enroll elsewhere.</p>
<p>If you withdraw immediately from this school, you will not have any credits from this school, so you will really not be a transfer student to a different school. You will be starting again…next fall.</p>
<p>In the time off, explore college options where you might receive merit aid to help with your college costs.</p>
<p>Just curious…we’re you counting on your dad to fully fund your college costs, or was your mom contributing as well?</p>
<p>I already did apply for FAFSA and the only amount left that I have to pay is around 5k per year, only for tuition. but I still have to pay rent which will bring it up to around 12k a year. also my health and car insurance that would make my cost add up to around 14k.
I only got a 3500 dollar loan for now for the whole year. I have some money saved up from when I used to work during high school, which can help me for the next 5-6 months.
The reason that the college I am attending right now is more expensive, is because it is higher ranked and it is also more prestigious. The one that I have the option of transferring to, is not very prestigious or highly ranked, but it is in my old town, so I can move back in with my mother.
My father was supposed to pay for the whole college tuition, and that’s what he said. My mother already has enough problems and I don’t want her to worry about me. She is a single mother who raised me with no help my since I was 10. My dad said he would pay for it and for my med school as long as do medicine, but as I said, he backed out even before the first semester started.
Honestly I don’t want to waste a year. I rather have to pay off the loans later.</p>
<p>Here is your issue. You need to GET those loans…and you need more than $5500 for the year on loans…which is ALL you can get without a cosigner. Who will cosign for your loans? Your mom? </p>
<p>Re: medical,school,and prestige…and debt. If you really have medical,school plans in your future, you need to go to undergrad where your debt will be a bare minimum. $12,000 in living expenses, plus whatever you will need for tuition etc is TOO MUCH DEBT.</p>
<p>And for medical school, you need to get the best possible GPA AND score the best possible score on the MCAT. There are MANY colleges where you will get the preparation you need. </p>
<p>I would suggest that TOMORROW you go and discuss your situation with the Dean of Students at your college. Tell him the financial issues. Ask if you can withdraw and re-enroll in a year if you get the finances straightened out.</p>
<p>Ok…what really is your story? You bumped a thread at 10 p.m. about your potential courses for NEXT semester. Then you started this thread about your lack of ability to pay your bills. If you can’t pay the bills, you can’t attend next semester.</p>
<p>Also, you say you are attending a state university. Is this in YOUR home state? If so, why would another instate option be less expensive (unless you are in CA and are considering a cal state school vs a UC…or something like that).</p>
<p>Please clarify.</p>
<p>I am not going to drop out of college because of my financial problems. I have been thinking about transferring to another school for couple weeks now, but I also talked to my advisor and he told me to take those courses. Whatever college I go to, I will be taking those courses because it is for the same major. and yes, the college that I am attending to is in my home state which is oklahoma. I dont know why the instate tuition would be less, but it just is. plus I qualify for scholarships as well if I go to that less prestigious school.
I am thinking about transferring to the spring semester. I can work and pay off the loans for this semester. I am now talking about next semesters or years to come.
I had a 4.0 GPA and had a 29 on my ACT so I can get good scholarships from this other college, also as I said before, I will be moving in with my mother, so that would decrease the costs.</p>
<p>I moved to the US like 3 years ago, that is why ACT is a little low, it was because of my reading scores. besides that I am a decent student. I have gotten 96+ on all the college exams that I have taken ( which are chem, bio, advanced german, and history )
basically what I am saying, is that I will qualify for scholarships from the other college and that is why the tuition would be lower.</p>
<p>You need to make SURE you will qualify for those scholarships as a TRANSFER student. Very often, scholarships based on GPA and ACT score are reserved for incoming freshmen only…and transfer students are not eligible to receive them. Check YOUR future college to be sure.</p>
<p>You will, however, save money by living with your mom.</p>
<p>In addition, by completing the FAFSA, you will be eligible to,take a $6500 Direct Loan in your name for the year.</p>
<p>But the question remains…how WILL you pay for the remainder of this academic year? Your accounts will need to be paid in full, or you won’t be transferring ANYWHERE because your current school will only release your transcript if your account is paid in full.</p>
<p>I said both semester I only pay 5k. already got 3500 from loan, and I have some savings. and as I said, I am staying a semester here. my tuition will be paid for. it’s only my rent, which my mom will have to pay for it the last month ( january ).</p>
<p>That is a really stressful situation. How are you feeling? Are you able to study?</p>
<p>How much money do you have from former jobs? A few thousand? What kind of job did you have, that is what are skills? </p>
<p>Are you taking into account money you need for food and other essentials in your calculations? Do you really have to have a car? They are expensive to maintain. If car is worth money, could sell that to raise cash. </p>
<p>It’s too bad to lose a whole year if you are already enrolled, and especially if you will lose money by withdrawing, but you have to figure out a way to get enough money that won’t make it impossible for you to manage studies. You need to work at something that pays relatively well on a per hour basis. Can you tutor at school? You can do it privately. Unless your school has lots of free tutoring for students available, but even then there is a market for it and also could tutor high school students in the area. You can work your availability as you please for that. If you could manage to work one day a week, say Saturday or Sunday, restaurant serving can bring in very good cash if you get a job at decent place. Have you been a server? How long is your winter break and where will you be then? You may be able to switch to working fulltime then if you have a job already and are staying at school for break. Or do you have a job waiting back at home?</p>
<p>You have roommates? Is the lease a full year? How is it you are not in a dorm?</p>
<p>They may have someone there who can look at the numbers, counsel you and help you figure out if you can manage to stay. Ask at financial aid office. They should know how to direct you.</p>
<p>I’m sorry this is happening to you. I hope you can figure out a way to stay in school this year, but even if you do, try to transfer next year to the cheaper school, so that you don’t pile up more debt.</p>
<p>Post 3 you say you will need $12,000 a year (remainder of tuition, housing, food, insurances).</p>
<p>That would make your undergrad debt $48,000 and that is without factoring in the interest. IMO, that is too much debt. PLUS you will need a cosigner for any loans above $5500. Do you have a cosigner?</p>
<p>You said in a previous post that your mom was really not someone you could burden with this…but now you are saying she will have to pay your rent? Can she do so?</p>
<p>@thumper1
yes I have 6 thousand dollars with her, I gave her that money to pay her rents with it, but she only took few hundred thousands off of it, so I can take a month worth of rent. I was talking about YEARLY expense when I said that number. I said all together, it would be 14k. I have the money for first semester, I dont even have problem with that. my problem is the semesters after as I said before! and I will work to pay off the loan for this year or semester later. it is just one year. my concern is NEXT YEARS and what I should do for that.</p>
<p>@celesteroberts
the reason I am not living in the dorms is because I told my university that I don’t have the money to pay for the dorms, which was basically 4 thousands dollars more expensive than renting an apartment.
Yes I do have 2 roommates.</p>
<p>I am thinking about selling my car, because I can make around 10-12 thousand dollars selling it. but again I paid much more when I bought it, but I had couple accidents and I didnt have the money to pay for it to get it fixed and the insurance was not covering it. </p>
<p>about working, I think I will end up getting a job somewhere, but I really don’t want to mess up my gap either since it is very important for med schools. </p>
<p>Is it possible to transfer to another school for spring semester or do I have to wait till fall semester? I have already started college 6 weeks ago, I don’t want to drop out now, I rather just transfer later if possible. </p>
<p>I used to work at Hollister for about a year, also at target in the customer service section for like 1 and a half year. I know Gap is hiring and they pay around $8 for someone with experience in retail.</p>
<p>I don’t have experience with transfers, so can’t comment except that I see many discussions here on CC about mid-year transfers, so I think they do happen. If you are thinking of that you should check the college’s website to see what their timeline is so you don’t miss application deadlines.</p>
<p>You can make MUCH more than $8/hour serving. But if you don’t have experience have to start at a lower ranked place where money is not so good, but even so should be able to make $15/hr. Breakfast restaurants are insanely busy on weekends.It’s a lot of running around compared to dinner places, but have to start somewhere. It’s easier to get hired for a first job at a place like that. </p>
<p>If your English is not good, might be harder to establish as a tutor. Kids who are having a hard time with a subject prefer a tutor who has same first language so an extra layer of difficulty is not introduced, but still you could do it and can charge $30-40/hr once you get a good reputation. You can offer to tutor small groups of 2-3 and let them split cost when starting out. Is there a subject in which you excel?I am sure there are lots of other ways to make money. My D had 2 summer jobs before she left for college and far preferred the restaurant work to the retail job, both for the more money and also the free meals.</p>
<p>If you have a lease and transfer mid-year, you will have to find someone to take over you lease. Will there be an issue with finding someone compatible with roommates, or can you just get anyone and they don’t care? It’s a bit of a hassle managing the sublease but should be doable. You should ask around and find out what the market is like. Will be easier than a summer sublet anyway.</p>
<p>What does it mean ‘mess up my gap’? You mean it looks bad to take a gap year? Or something else?</p>
<p>Good luck. Hope things work out for you somehow. Too bad when a parent lets you down. Maybe your dad has money troubles himself and is ashamed to say so. That was not a good thing to do, to lead you on like that and get you in such a jam, if in fact he already knew of his money issues back then. But then again, it could be something recent.</p>
<p>Once more. I a, going to urge you to make sure you will still qualify for those scholarships…guaranteed…as a transfer student. At many places, transfer students are NOT eligible for scholarships that are based on HS GPA and ACT scores. Those are reserved for incoming freshmen only.</p>
<p>You can transfer at any time. If you really cannot afford this college for next term, then put in a transfer application ASAP. Also, send your FAFSA to that school, and any other materials required for financial aid consideration. Your current aid will NOT automatically transfer…including your loans and Pell.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about medical school admission as far as transferring. People get into medical school from state colleges all the time. Just worry about your gpa for right now. Later you will want to do some medical related EC’s. </p>
<p>Contact the college for information about transfer for spring.</p>
<p>Is the OP a US citizen? He/she did mention only moving to the US 3 years ago…</p>
<p>^OP could be US Citizen or LPR as
</p>
<p>thumper1 is right, of course. If you find out you aren’t eligible for scholarships anymore, then have to evaluate costs at the 2 schools to see if there is still enough financial advantage to transferring to make it worthwhile, especially mid-year.</p>
<p>You need to contact those other schools and find out if you can still get those merit scholarships. You might have to transfer this spring to get them…or they might not be offered to you anymore.</p>
<p>Did you sign a 12 month lease? </p>
<p>I think it’s awful that your Dad promised and then backed out. A few parents do this sort of thing. They have “champagne tastes, and beer pocket book”…so they’ll promise the world, and then disappear when the bill comes. Frankly, I would have thought that his past behavior would have indicated whether he could be relied upon to follow thru.</p>
<p>I do think that you need to leave this school as soon as you can. Med schools don’t care where you go for undergrad, so your local school is fine.</p>