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<p>Although we may not have the entire story, it sounds like your family is rather house-poor. By conservative lending criteria, you could afford perhaps a $500K house (at 20% down + a loan of 2.5X annual income). Instead you bought a $700K house. The difference represents the cost of the expensive, private school education you think you want. Colleges will not provide need-based aid to cover that difference. </p>
<p>So unless your family downsizes (which I don’t recommend you suggest), then schools like Rice, Duke or Chicago may be completely unaffordable. Pay attention to m2ck’s advice. Move out quickly to apply to schools with guaranteed large merit aid for your stats, or to other less expensive schools. UMCP is not your only good public option in MD. Check out UMBC or St. Mary’s College of MD (your state’s public “honors college”).</p>
<p>Many, many schools can prepare you for med school. You do not need to attend an expensive, highly selective research university to get in. You do need good grades and MCAT scores. You won’t be prepared at all if you cannot afford the high costs to complete med school.</p>