Fill out financial aid apps or just withdraw?

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scienceman

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It doesn't hurt you at all to wait for the financial aid packages. Don't worry about other applicants on the waitlist. The only thing that matters right now is what's important to YOU.

*And why are you expecting to receive a good amount of need-based aid from UCSF? I was under the impression that they weren't the most generous in regards to giving out aid.
 
Hi SDN,

Long story short, I was truly fortunate to gain multiple acceptances to medical school this cycle including my top choice. I expect to receive a good amount of need-based financial aid, but it's a pretty big hassle to fill out all the applications with parental tax info since my family lives in a different country and they don't have easy access to the internet. I would really prefer to go to my top choice and am considering withdrawing from the other schools I've been accepted at before receiving the financial aid packages to give waitlisters a chance. Unless the difference in loans over 4 years of medical school is >40k, I think I'd rather go to my top choice. My question is, should I fill out the financial aid apps and wait and see what I get at each school, or is it very unlikely to result in a difference of 40K in loans, in which case I would just withdraw?

My top choice is UCSF and the other schools I'm accepted at are WashU and UW. I'm an Idaho resident but should get WICHE funding for west coast state schools.

It seems quite likely to me that the difference in out of state tuition in CA and in state tuition in Idaho would be >$40,000 over four years.

Where do your parents live that they do not have internet?
 
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It doesn't hurt you at all to wait for the financial aid packages. Don't worry about other applicants on the waitlist. The only thing that matters right now is what's important to YOU.

*And why are you expecting to receive a good amount of need-based aid from UCSF? I was under the impression that they weren't the most generous in regards to giving out aid.
I know UCSF doesn't give out great need-based aid, but tuition is also lower since I can get California residency after 1st year. I think it evens out since all the schools I'm looking at have about the same average student indebtedness after graduation. I'm really more concerned about making my parents fill out all their tax info and forms for the other schools if there's no point, it actually is a bit of a hassle for them.
 
It seems quite likely to me that the difference in out of state tuition in CA and in state tuition in Idaho would be >$40,000 over four years.

Where do your parents live that they do not have internet?
UCSF lets students get instate status for years 2-4, unlike most public schools, and WICHE should give funding for part of 1st year. My parents moved to Australia when I went to college, I'm a US citizen though. They are very poor at the moment and live in a rural area and can't afford internet access, so they have to drive to the city and use the internet in the library whenever I need something. That, on top of converting all their tax info to US dollars, which also requires internet, makes the whole process somewhat difficult.
 
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Have you filled out the financial aid info for UCSF yet? There are so many questions. And I'm pretty sure that once you have the paperwork required to fill out UCSF's requirements, you should have enough to fill out the other schools' financial aid requirements as well.

And I wouldn't look at total indebtedness as a strong point. Many students accepted to med school have parents that pay their entire way. So while UCSF may graduate students with lower overall debt, it doesn't meant that, individually, you will experience that same debt or lack of.

*tell your parents to find ALL of their tax forms and information and mail it out to you. Then try to do most of the things yourself and call the schools' financial aid offices if you need any help.
 
^
Have you filled out the financial aid info for UCSF yet? There are so many questions. And I'm pretty sure that once you have the paperwork required to fill out UCSF's requirements, you should have enough to fill out the other schools' financial aid requirements as well.

And I wouldn't look at total indebtedness as a strong point. Many students accepted to med school have parents that pay their entire way. So while UCSF may graduate students with lower overall debt, it doesn't meant that, individually, you will experience that same debt or lack of.

*tell your parents to find ALL of their tax forms and information and mail it out to you. Then try to do most of the things yourself and call the schools' financial aid offices if you need any help.
Thanks for the advice, I'll see if I can get them to do that.
 
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