I was feeling pretty bad before and I expected that applying to medical school would be “doing something about it”. I applied to in state California schools, private schools known for giving large scholarships and avoided medical schools that provided no financial resources (the vast, VAST majority of them).
If I had a long term future in the United States like most applicants on here, I would be MORE than happy to take out loans because I would have a practically guaranteed path to becoming an attending physician. Unfortunately, I don’t have a long term future in the US. DACA as a program is on its way out and it is very possible that I might wake up in the middle of residency suddenly without a work permit. I could also be detained or deported. In that situation, which is quite likely, I’m probably going to stop paying on my loans because why should I bother? It’s not like my creditor can just chase me down in another country. I thought that getting scholarships instead of loans would probably be best for all parties involved since there would be no chance of defaulting.
Also I AM ALLOWED to feel bad about my situation. I am allowed to make people uncomfortable if it means expressing the real me. It seems like people are okay with DACA recipients as long as they portray themselves as perfect human beings and role models. I am allowed to express the anguish I feel and the nonsensical reasons why I have to live this way.
Anyways, I’m meeting with a financial aid officer today and I will tell you what he says in case there are other DACA UCLA admits lurking here. I’m not expecting good news though.
