Question about fin. aid need based grants for nontrads...

[zebalong]

Just wanted to know people's opinions about paying 50 bucks to apply for "need based" grants and loans as a non-trad when i have zero debt (been working for 4 years post undergrad), and will have a decent salary this year before med school starts (~100k).

Other parts of my fin aid profile is parents combined make approx. 120kish/yr.

My thoughts were that the 50 bucks would be a waste b/c i'd probably get nothing "need" based but wanted to know if any other career changers had any other experiences applying for these grants. Hell even a 1k grant would make it worth it!

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[rbnsafsadgf]

What's this $50? CSS Profile filing fee???

 

[zebalong]

css profile and access group need based application service (one is from einstein the other is for case) together they are a little over 50... i know it isn't much, but i won't lie that im very cheap .

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

If you made $100k, you can afford the $50 fee. As you stated, you might not qualify for any need based aid, but you could.

No one can answer this question but you. Better to file and pay, then to miss out on grants.

 

[GoodmanBrown]

You can try, but I've heard that there are very, very, very few grants available for post-bad work. I financed my entire year via loans and previous savings. Good luck with it, but I wouldn't hope for much.

 

[NerdyAndrea]

Are your parents sill claiming you as a dependent?

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

I thought the OP was asking about need based aid for med schools, not post-bac stuff. If the OP is over 24, or in Grad School (i.e., med school), tax dependent status doesn't matter to the Feds -- but med school still want your parents' info for institutional aid.

 

[MBHockey]

I thought the OP was asking about need based aid for med schools, not post-bac stuff. If the OP is over 24, or in Grad School (i.e., med school), tax dependent status doesn't matter to the Feds -- but med school still want your parents' info for institutional aid.

Yeah, this is my understanding as well.

 

[NerdyAndrea]

Even for non-traditionals?

 

[illegallysmooth]

Just wanted to know people's opinions about paying 50 bucks to apply for "need based" grants and loans as a non-trad when i have zero debt (been working for 4 years post undergrad), and will have a decent salary this year before med school starts (~100k).

Other parts of my fin aid profile is parents combined make approx. 120kish/yr.

My thoughts were that the 50 bucks would be a waste b/c i'd probably get nothing "need" based but wanted to know if any other career changers had any other experiences applying for these grants. Hell even a 1k grant would make it worth it!

seriously? you want NEED-based aid?? i think you need a reality check. most pre-meds already have debt and aren't making much more than minimum wage, and many if not most have families making WELL under 120k.

 

[GoodmanBrown]

Even for non-traditionals?

Yes. I've been married for 5 years and had to provide parent's info. Even having kids doesn't help.

 

[CATrtb]

I have been married for 11 years/3 kids and had to provide my parents info. It was kind of awkward asking my dad what his AGI was, and then I had to get a copy of his taxes to mail to my school.

 

[NerdyAndrea]

Good lord my parents are going to either refuse or be like what???? We dumped you as a dependent long ago. Are they expecting parents o contribute to your graduate education even over the normal age of people in school?
A

 

[DAJ22]

FYI, the financial aid office at any medical school will definitely need your parent's tax information regardless of age if you want to even be considered for the Health Profession Scholarship Loan (5%). Beyond that, most schools use parent's tax information to help sort out who will receive what grants/scholarships/loans to help distinguish between many students who appear very similar on paper (about 1/2 the students came strait from undergrad and have loan debt, no job, etc...). I know this because I'm currently in veterinary school and I've looked around at medical school financial aid office and found them all to be very similar so far.

 

[zebalong]

Yea i figured as much.

I opted out of applying for need based grants because I really doubt I'd get any funds. And to the previous poster who got mad that I would consider applying for grants, all i have to say is why not? Yea I may not have debt but the fact is I'm still going to be IN debt when i complete medical school (at least 100k if i have to go private) so is it so wrong to just consider ways of reducing it? I'll take what I can get.

 

[NerdyAndrea]

I'm poor myself.....but my parents aren't so poor.....but they certainly couldn't support me through med school or pay for it.

A

 

[ceg]

I have been married for 11 years/3 kids and had to provide my parents info. It was kind of awkward asking my dad what his AGI was, and then I had to get a copy of his taxes to mail to my school.

Wow, this is going to get awkward. Fortunately for me my parents make far less than I do, but since it has been more than a decade, closing in on 2, since they claimed me as a dependant it seems a little irrelevant. I would think the fact that I am supporting 3 kids would be more important.

 

[illegallysmooth]

Yea i figured as much.

I opted out of applying for need based grants because I really doubt I'd get any funds. And to the previous poster who got mad that I would consider applying for grants, all i have to say is why not? Yea I may not have debt but the fact is I'm still going to be IN debt when i complete medical school (at least 100k if i have to go private) so is it so wrong to just consider ways of reducing it? I'll take what I can get.

There are people looking at over 300k. Maybe they should get the need based grants?

I can't believe I have to explain this.

 

[dotdash]

Wow, this is going to get awkward. Fortunately for me my parents make far less than I do, but since it has been more than a decade, closing in on 2, since they claimed me as a dependant it seems a little irrelevant. I would think the fact that I am supporting 3 kids would be more important.

You don't have to supply this info in order to get the usual Stafford loans, because we didn't supply it (as extreme non-trads, it was ridiculous) and we got up to the $40,500 a year (as it was then) limit. Maybe you have to supply it to get considered for grants or loans above the Stafford limits. But if you can make do with $40,500 (or whatever the current limit is), you can do it without your parents' info.

 

[zebalong]

There are people looking at over 300k. Maybe they should get the need based grants?

I can't believe I have to explain this.

Well let me explain this to you:

First, its up the schools to judge whether or not you deserve any need based, who is to say where the "cut" off is for where need based should be given, final loans of 100k? 150k? 200k? Add to the fact that career goals and speciality choice will factor into ability to pay back the loans later, making judgements on who is "deserving" without the whole picture is a bit ignorant of the reality of the whole process.

Some schools supply need based grants based on a sliding scale but at least every applicant may be CONSIDERED for a minimium. I'm not saying i deserve it, im just asking if it is worth it to applying for it. You don't have to make a character judgement or bring that attitude just to answer a question. if your opinion is that i won't get any then just say so.

In order to have only 100k's in loans- im selling my condo and my car, basically liquidating everything i've earned after i've graduated college- all of a sudden im a greedy son of a b**** for simply APPLYING for need based loans or grants? And no mom and dad aren't helping me because at my age my parents are retired and just live at the bare minimium. It's up to the school to decide whether or not they give it to me, im not demanding it. I just asked a simple question with no sense of entitlement so i really don't know why you are flaming on this thread.

 

[NerdyAndrea]

Zebalong:

And I think everyone else......I think it's always worth it to apply or need based aid....you never know what kind of help you'll get!

Andrea

 

[illegallysmooth]

Well let me explain this to you:

First, its up the schools to judge whether or not you deserve any need based, who is to say where the "cut" off is for where need based should be given, final loans of 100k? 150k? 200k? Add to the fact that career goals and speciality choice will factor into ability to pay back the loans later, making judgements on who is "deserving" without the whole picture is a bit ignorant of the reality of the whole process.

Some schools supply need based grants based on a sliding scale but at least every applicant may be CONSIDERED for a minimium. I'm not saying i deserve it, im just asking if it is worth it to applying for it. You don't have to make a character judgement or bring that attitude just to answer a question. if your opinion is that i won't get any then just say so.

In order to have only 100k's in loans- im selling my condo and my car, basically liquidating everything i've earned after i've graduated college- all of a sudden im a greedy son of a b**** for simply APPLYING for need based loans or grants? And no mom and dad aren't helping me because at my age my parents are retired and just live at the bare minimium. It's up to the school to decide whether or not they give it to me, im not demanding it. I just asked a simple question with no sense of entitlement so i really don't know why you are flaming on this thread.

I'm not flaming and you don't have to explain yourself for me. Clearly you come from a different world than I do, and you have a different understanding of the word "need."