2016 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

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@pageantry Definitely check Temple out if it wouldn't be too much of a burden financially and you would actually go there. Philly is a great town and still affordable compared to other major Northeast cities. I will warn you though - Temple is in a dangerous and run down part of the city. This is a huge turn off for a lot of people. However, my dad and brother went to Temple (not med) and enjoyed their time.
 
Almost 10 weeks of complete silence and i'm still waiting to hear from more than 10 schools. I seem to have survived several purging rounds at various schools, but they still aren't resulting in IIs. I am way less neurotic than when the cycle first started, when i was waking up a bit early every morning to see if i had received any emails, but it is still tiring holding out hope that one of your dream schools may offer an II. Can this just be over?! On the plus side, only 7 more months of working my current job until getting to call myself a full-time student for the first time in 7 years!!
 
wagonwheel23 said:
@pageantry Definitely check Temple out if it wouldn't be too much of a burden financially and you would actually go there. Philly is a great town and still affordable compared to other major Northeast cities. I will warn you though - Temple is in a dangerous and run down part of the city. This is a huge turn off for a lot of people. However, my dad and brother went to Temple (not med) and enjoyed their time.
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Thanks for that, Wagonwheel. I think I will because it's so close to me in NYC. The cost of getting there wouldn't be too bad, but I'm sort of burnt out on the whole process. I canceled my Vermont interview because it would have been a $400 trip and I couldn't see putting up with all that snow, but now I regret it a bit. Options are just becoming sort of oppressive.

This is a very lame thing to snivel about, I realize.
 
@pageantry Yeah! You can actually just take NJ Transit from Penn Station ---> Trenton, hop onto SEPTA --> Arrive in Philly! It'll cost you about $20 each way I believe.

Eh, it sounds like you made the right choice on Vermont. It is SO COLD there, and they are not generous with financial aid to OOS students. Besides, you've gotten into at least one school that I'd say is a better option (although, better is subjective).

@timsk You and I are in the same boat. I've survived many purges (some at schools I'd really like to attend!), but the adage of 'no news is good news' is getting old.
 
wagonwheel23 said:
@pageantry Yeah! You can actually just take NJ Transit from Penn Station ---> Trenton, hop onto SEPTA --> Arrive in Philly! It'll cost you about $20 each way I believe.

Eh, it sounds like you made the right choice on Vermont. It is SO COLD there, and they are not generous with financial aid to OOS students. Besides, you've gotten into at least one school that I'd say is a better option (although, better is subjective).
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You just helped me so much with my regret! Thank you! Vermont's a really expensive school and that was part of my thought about it. Also, the info re: SEPTA etc is very helpful.

I might have to ask you guys for input re: school decision eventually. The whole thing is driving me bananas.
 
wagonwheel23 said:
@pageantry Yeah! We'll have to have a thread where we help each other out on school choices. And as non-trads, I think we'll have much harder decisions to make... I'd like to get at least one more acceptance so I can join that thread! hah.
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I need to get in on that one. Serious first world problems incoming.
 
TravelingPanda said:
Just landed my first acceptance. My wife and I are numb. We almost can't believe it. My only interview thus far, one acceptance.
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Congratulations!! 🙂
trini818 said:
Congrats!!! I need this to happen for me too. Everyone cross your fingers, paws, tentacles, or whatever appendage you prefer.
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My cats will cross their cute little paws for you.
 
If you had the choice of moving your family 1,000 miles and saving ~$200k in COA, would you? Or do you keep your family in the same city and go into massive debt? How do you quantify the value of location?
 
Cawolf said:
If you had the choice of moving your family 1,000 miles and saving ~$200k in COA, would you? Or do you keep your family in the same city and go into massive debt? How do you quantify the value of location?
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It completely depends on the family. Does your SO work? Do you have kids?
Edit: also, which school do you think you'd be happier at?
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
It completely depends on the family. Does your SO work? Do you have kids?
Edit: also, which school do you think you'd be happier at?
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No kids, but planning on it. They do work, but can transfer easily as needed.

I am planning on asking with more specific questions once I narrow down my choices a bit more. This was more of a random thought that seems to be all I think about!
 
Cawolf said:
No kids, but planning on it. They do work, but can transfer easily as needed.

I am planning on asking with more specific questions once I narrow down my choices a bit more. This was more of a random thought that seems to be all I think about!
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If transfer is an option for your SO, then I'd say head on down to Texas 🙂
Though that depends on what kind of environment you want to raise children in.
Personally I think Texas looks reaaaally good for that at least in the early years, since cost of living is so low.
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
If transfer is an option for your SO, then I'd say head on down to Texas 🙂
Though that depends on what kind of environment you want to raise children in.
Personally I think Texas looks reaaaally good for that at least in the early years, since cost of living is so low.
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That is the debate! Take advantage of the low tuition and COL in Texas or stay and fight the crowds in LA. I also want to flesh out a couple other options with a nice scholarship to Iowa and a seat in Arizona. I am so conflicted, mainly because I felt the "fit" at Iowa, but it is farther away and slightly more expensive than Texas.
 
Cawolf said:
That is the debate! Take advantage of the low tuition and COL in Texas or stay and fight the crowds in LA. I also want to flesh out a couple other options with a nice scholarship to Iowa and a seat in Arizona. I am so conflicted, mainly because I felt the "fit" at Iowa, but it is farther away and slightly more expensive than Texas.
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My #1 thing now is to move somewhere that my husband and I are both happy with.
 
Cawolf said:
If you had the choice of moving your family 1,000 miles and saving ~$200k in COA, would you? Or do you keep your family in the same city and go into massive debt? How do you quantify the value of location?
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Man this is almost my exact same issue. I still hope for some good financial aid from the competing school, but for me the question right now is: save $160k and move to a tough, lonely location at a lesser-known school, or move to California close to friends and family at a UC?

The advice I keep getting is to follow your heart. Which sounds like stupid Disney advice until friends and family and happiness are real factors. Idk what I'd do if having kids were part of the question, but a good support system is correlated to being literally worth years of life and millions in happiness.

So I guess that's where I'm leaning. I hope we both get some good competing financial aid offers! But not from a third outlier school because lord knows my heart can only take so much.
 
Just got back from RFUMS. Seems like an established school. Anyone have any insights or opinions? Do the recentish accreditation issues matter?
 
Sooooooo what the heck is up with FAFSA? I understand I have to put my parents' information in there. I don't understand why since they don't support me anymore, but rules are rules.
However, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why they aren't asking me for any financial/tax info regarding myself and my husband, aka the two people that actually have a lower income and whose income is relevant to our financial situation during med school...
Does anybody know why a student's own tax info is not requested by FAFSA?
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
Sooooooo what the heck is up with FAFSA? I understand I have to put my parents' information in there. I don't understand why since they don't support me anymore, but rules are rules.
However, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why they aren't asking me for any financial/tax info regarding myself and my husband, aka the two people that actually have a lower income and whose income is relevant to our financial situation during med school...
Does anybody know why a student's own tax info is not requested by FAFSA?
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I haven't filled out FAFSA for med school yet, but I did not have to provide my parents' information on the FAFSA for grad school this year. I don't believe I'll have to provide but my own family's financials for med school, though individual schools may ask for your parents' information regardless of your age.
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
Sooooooo what the heck is up with FAFSA? I understand I have to put my parents' information in there. I don't understand why since they don't support me anymore, but rules are rules.
However, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why they aren't asking me for any financial/tax info regarding myself and my husband, aka the two people that actually have a lower income and whose income is relevant to our financial situation during med school...
Does anybody know why a student's own tax info is not requested by FAFSA?
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They usually do ask for your tax information. Did you answer that you hadn't filed your taxes yet? I believe if you say no to that question, they don't ask and expect you to update them once you've filed.

EDIT: Also, I don't think you can navigate to the questions about your own finances until you first enter the information about your parents. (If you've elected to fill in that information.)
 
thatwouldbeanarchy said:
They usually do ask for your tax information. Did you answer that you hadn't filed your taxes yet? I believe if you say no to that question, they don't ask and expect you to update them once you've filed.

EDIT: Also, I don't think you can navigate to the questions about your own finances until you first enter the information about your parents. (If you've elected to fill in that information.)
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If that's the case, then that makes sense. I can't fill in my parents' information because I don't have it yet, so maybe that's why I can't put in my own tax info. Mine will be done as soon as we get W2s, but my parents always get extensions so that will take forever.
What a stupid system.
 
I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that I have to submit my parent's tax returns for medical school. My dad is 74 and in the cusp of retiring, and my mom is also a few years from retirement. They are in no financial standing to assist me.

Additionally, my partner and I are delaying marriage because I don't want his income to funnel into our EFC. Is that kind of absurd? Is anyone else having to think about the same thing? We are in no rush to get married, but I don't want to have to necessarily delay it until med school is over.
 
wagonwheel23 said:
I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that I have to submit my parent's tax returns for medical school. My dad is 74 and in the cusp of retiring, and my mom is also a few years from retirement. They are in no financial standing to assist me.

Additionally, my partner and I are delaying marriage because I don't want his income to funnel into our EFC. Is that kind of absurd? Is anyone else having to think about the same thing? We are in no rush to get married, but I don't want to have to necessarily delay it until med school is over.
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My husband's sister got married, and her income made her now-husband lose his full-ride need-based scholarship for undergrad. Needless to say, you are making the right decision financially-speaking.
However, it really sucks and I'm sorry 🙁
I'll let you know if our taxes end up being factored in, in addition to my parents' taxes. If not, then you might as well get married whenever you decide to 🙂
 
wagonwheel23 said:
I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that I have to submit my parent's tax returns for medical school. My dad is 74 and in the cusp of retiring, and my mom is also a few years from retirement. They are in no financial standing to assist me.

Additionally, my partner and I are delaying marriage because I don't want his income to funnel into our EFC. Is that kind of absurd? Is anyone else having to think about the same thing? We are in no rush to get married, but I don't want to have to necessarily delay it until med school is over.
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I'm confused- are you saying that you have to fill out your parents' financial information because you're not married? Or is it because of your age?
 
njtrimed said:
I'm confused- are you saying that you have to fill out your parents' financial information because you're not married? Or is it because of your age?
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No we're saying we have to fill it out regardless of whether we're married or not.
Edit: but if we ARE married there's a chance a spouse's income would also be factored in, in addition to the income of the parents who no longer financially support us.
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
No we're saying we have to fill it out regardless of whether we're married or not.
Edit: but if we ARE married there's a chance a spouse's income would also be factored in, in addition to the income of the parents who no longer financially support us.
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Is that school-specific? EDIT: I am asking because I have yet to fill out the FAFSA, but for graduate school I did not need my parents' information. Would this be different for med school, and if so, why?
 
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wagonwheel23 said:
I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that I have to submit my parent's tax returns for medical school. My dad is 74 and in the cusp of retiring, and my mom is also a few years from retirement. They are in no financial standing to assist me.

Additionally, my partner and I are delaying marriage because I don't want his income to funnel into our EFC. Is that kind of absurd? Is anyone else having to think about the same thing? We are in no rush to get married, but I don't want to have to necessarily delay it until med school is over.
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SAME situation, so I understand. My dad is 76 and was retired awhile ago. My mom is turning 65 on the 18th and was forced into retirement in September because of an autoimmune disorder that has demolished her liver. (Now in ESLD and my sister and I have put in paperwork for being live liver donors.) I am 31 and have been in a committed relationship for 10 years. Delaying any sort of marriage. He is a lawyer, but we are definitely separate with our finances. Not bringing him into the med school loan game.
 
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njtrimed said:
Is that school-specific? EDIT: I am asking because I have yet to fill out the FAFSA, but for graduate school I did not need my parents' information. Would this be different for med school, and if so, why?
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Well the FAFSA will tell you you don't have to fill out your parents' info, but you should check with each school. Most schools I've got info for so far want parent information even for married and financially independent people, so I'm guessing most people will be filling out their FAFSA with parental tax info. Which is sooooo dumb, but we can't do anything about it 🙁
 
trini818 said:
SAME situation, so I understand. My dad is 76 and was retired awhile ago. My mom is turning 65 on the 18th and was forced into retirement in September because of an autoimmune disorder that has demolished her liver. (Now in ESLD and my sister and I have put in paperwork for being live liver donors.) I am 31 and have been in a committed relationship for 10 years. Delaying any sort of marriage. He is a lawyer, but we are definitely separate with our finances. Not bringing him into the med school loan game.
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I just figured we wanted to get married so we might as well. Now I'm thinking maybe that was short-sighted. Oh well.
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
Well the FAFSA will tell you you don't have to fill out your parents' info, but you should check with each school. Most schools I've got info for so far want parent information even for married and financially independent people, so I'm guessing most people will be filling out their FAFSA with parental tax info. Which is sooooo dumb, but we can't do anything about it 🙁
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It is ridiculous. I know some schools require your parents' information regardless of your age. I remember reading that for HMS, it drops drastically between ages 29-32 (seems arbitrary!) and after 32, your parents are responsible for like 20% of your tuition. I don't believe the school I'm matriculating into will require my parents' info, so I'm not offering it. I'm sorry that so many of you still have to! It just doesn't seem fair for a lot of reasons, but I can also understand the flip side; there are lots of students who are financially independent but their parents can and will give them tremendous help, so schools don't want to offer aid to those who will get that help anyway. I think that it really should be done on a case-by-case basis.
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
Well the FAFSA will tell you you don't have to fill out your parents' info, but you should check with each school. Most schools I've got info for so far want parent information even for married and financially independent people, so I'm guessing most people will be filling out their FAFSA with parental tax info. Which is sooooo dumb, but we can't do anything about it 🙁
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yep, this is what I'm doing because every school I got into wants my parents financial info for the Need Access application anyway, so I might as well put it in FAFSA. I'm married and have been financially independent from my parents for a long time. It's pretty ridiculous.
 
has anyone sent update letters yet? I can't decide if I should wait for my one grade remaining because the professor potentially might not put it in for another 2-3 weeks
 
tetley said:
has anyone sent update letters yet? I can't decide if I should wait for my one grade remaining because the professor potentially might not put it in for another 2-3 weeks
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Oh no! I would send grades now, regardless of that one class.
 
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tetley said:
has anyone sent update letters yet? I can't decide if I should wait for my one grade remaining because the professor potentially might not put it in for another 2-3 weeks
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I'd just send it. Time is of the essence. Maybe tell your professor today that it would be awesome if he could post it like NOW. But then send the update regardless.
 
tetley said:
has anyone sent update letters yet? I can't decide if I should wait for my one grade remaining because the professor potentially might not put it in for another 2-3 weeks
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idontknowwhatnametopick said:
I'd just send it. Time is of the essence. Maybe tell your professor today that it would be awesome if he could post it like NOW. But then send the update regardless.
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Seconding on (politely, of course) communicating with the professor, if this is someone you have decent rapport with.
 
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