How many people get help from parents as a premed

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BadgerBadger

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I'm talking anything from going home and getting a meal, to care packages, helping out with car/cell phone payments, all the way to getting full tuition and living expenses paid for. Just curious how much the average aid is in the premed population.
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My parents pay for my cell phone bill, my car payment, and my rent. So I get quite a significant amount of help, I'm very lucky. Tuition is paid for by the school and so were my living expenses for my freshman year. Neither I nor my parents has actually given the school a dime lol for my education anyways.
 
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BadgerBadger said:
I'm talking anything from going home and getting a meal, to care packages, helping out with car/cell phone payments, all the way to getting full tuition and living expenses paid for. Just curious how much the average aid is in the premed population.
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I have no idea what is average in the premed population, but if you look at the socioeconomic status of the people who are actually in med school now, the answer is likely quite a bit as there are a decent number of people still getting significant tuition/COL support from the family. For reference, my parents covered everything in terms of undergrad expenses (within a limit), but now I'm completely financially independent from them.
 
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I've received a lot of help. Car payment for the past 6 months (my old car was paid for already), I live at home rent-free, eating out, etc. I'm working now however so I pay for as much as I can, but I still get quite a bit of help. I'm sure this will continue as well once I matriculate in 6 months. I'm very fortunate.
 
My dad pays my car insurance and was nice enough to co-sign my student loan. Other than that, I am responsible for all of my own expenses.
 
I have been able to live at home for free during my entire college education. Other than food and lodging, I have paid for all of my bills and taken out loans for my tuition. I will be moving out for the first time this summer when I start medical school. I could probably continue to make the 40 minute commute to school, but I figure it's time to get out on my own.
 
If my kids decide upon pre-med (which is highly unlikely, BTW) when they go to college, they can count on their tuition being paid (thanks to a college savings account), room and board, a car (but they have to pay for gas and insurance), a cell phone, but they pay for the plan. This means they'd bloody well better get a summer job or work part-time. I was quite entitled as a youth and I think it hurt me in the long run, so I don't want it happening to them.

So that's what it would be like if you were Goro's kids.

I have students who have been homeless, who have had to go to school part time, and others who come from well to do families. Other not. they run the gamut.



BadgerBadger said:
I'm talking anything from going home and getting a meal, to care packages, helping out with car/cell phone payments, all the way to getting full tuition and living expenses paid for. Just curious how much the average aid is in the premed population.
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I'm going to speculate that most pre-medical students who end up in medical school get some sort of help from parents. My admiration to those who don't.
 
I got full room and board and car insurance. Paid for the rest myself including tuition. I will be responsible for all expenses during medical school.
 
I am very lucky in that my parents pay my tuition, room/board, cell phone and car insurance. I am in charge of my own gas, books, and whatever else.
 
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My parents paid for college, half my car payments (which I since paid off in full - whooo hoooo!), cellphone bill (it's a family plan), and car insurance.

The rest is up to me, although they do feed me when I come to visit (each of them separately, since they've split up recently).
 
My parents pay my cell plan since it is no more to add me. They pay my car insurance on my 15 year old car, and they pay for what part of college that loans and scholarships don't pay. My mom also bought my MCAT books. I buy my gas, school books and entertainment expenses.
 
Awesome, thanks for your replies everyone! It's good that most people's parents can at least help them out with some expenses relating to college and med school. And it's great to see that most everyone is grateful for them because of it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how hard it is to get into med school (or how much a disadvantage it is) for someone who basically was cut loose at 18 with no financial support whatsoever from their parents. I guess I'm just so happy that everything worked out in my case. :)
 
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Btw, I'm not talking down upon anyone who had assistance and I apologize if it comes off that way.
 
My parents paid for my cell as well as its plan, which I am very thankful for. :)

I'm on my own otherwise, but my EFC is $0 and my college is reasonably generous with aid, so it's not too bad.
 
My parents pay for my cell phone bill and my car insurance. That's about the extent of their assistance (3 little siblings in sports and other activities leaves little extra lying around). I worked part-time throughout college (15-20 hours) and full-time summer jobs to help. Other than that, it's all loans for this guy (a hefty amount at that).. butttt.. what are you gonna do? They'll be paid off someday. I do think that having to work during school and taking out loans has rendered me much more appreciative of my education. I hope to pay for my kids' education someday while also finding a way to make them appreciate the value of a dollar.
 
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I am very lucky to have really financially-supportive parents. They are paying for my tuition for both undergrad and medical school, although I received significant merit-based scholarship money for my undergrad institution. I'm in TX, so luckily med school is relatively cheap!!

I pay for my other personal expenses. I worked a lot in high school and also during paid internships over summers so I have quite a bit saved up that I use for gas, food, living, etc.
 
My parents paid for nothing. No help during undergrad, as they simply didn't have it. I've always worked to support myself since I was 17.
 
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godawg300 said:
My parents paid for nothing. No help during undergrad, as they simply didn't have it. I've always worked to support myself since I was 17.
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Yeah! I hear ya! I've been supporting myself since i was 14. It is a no brainer on how to survive. It doesn't really matter if your parents support you or not. If you are smart and motivated you can achieve great things and get scholarships etc. I paid nearly 80% of undergrad through scholarships and working my ass off and the rest through loans. I have scholarships to med school as well and i can't wait to see that financial aid package.
 
godawg300 said:
My parents paid for nothing. No help during undergrad, as they simply didn't have it. I've always worked to support myself since I was 17.
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True that. I picked up a work permit on my 15th birthday since it was the first day I could legally work and have been working since then. My parent's AGI is in the bottom quartile of income, which is only representative of 3-5% of med students. Source: https://www.aamc.org/download/102338/data/aibvol8no1.pdf. I'm proud of where I came from and how much adversity I went through to get where I am today, and it still won't be equal until my class is in residency it seems.
 
Parents paid tuition+housing. I'm incredibly grateful.

I paid for medical school apps and the associated costs.
 
Overanxious said:
Yeah! I hear ya! I've been supporting myself since i was 14. It is a no brainer on how to survive. It doesn't really matter if your parents support you or not. If you are smart and motivated you can achieve great things and get scholarships etc. I paid nearly 80% of undergrad through scholarships and working my ass off and the rest through loans. I have scholarships to med school as well and i can't wait to see that financial aid package.
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Since 14?

How did you do 14 to 16?
 
0 help. Had first child at 19, 0 help... Few years later 0 help. I've worked for everything I have, and it will continue to be so. My mother couldn't help if she wanted in all honesty, I often have to pay her rent as well as my own.
 
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Thankfully, my ridiculously expensive school pays for most of my tuition/housing.
 
I was homeless for 2 years before college. Currently live at home and am a senior premed at state university.

Parents:
- I live at home so they put the roof over my head
- pay my cell bill
- help out with books when possible

Me:
- pay my tuition
- pay car payments, gas, insurance
- pay for and make my own meals

I feel extremely blessed to even have a home, and even more blessed that I got to live with my family for an extra 4 years. I will be totally cut from the cord in 2015. :)
 
I wish my dad cared enough to help. I'll probably have to go to a CC and live at home.
 
My dad took over all my bills once I told him I was going to become a doctor; so thankful for that. The downside is I'm a 24 year old living at home.
 
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My parents gave me no money because they had none. But they gave me everything else, and I am eternally grateful for that. Home cooked meals, car rides, emotional support, proof-reading essays.

I do wish my parents had some money. I would gladly accept money from my parents. Heck, I'll accept money from almost anybody.
 
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