Amcas fee assistance program

[wanamaker]

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Question about FAP that I couldn't find the answer to -

If you apply to more than 14 schools, do you have to pay the original $160 fee and then $35 for each additional school or just $35 for each individual school that you apply to beyond the 14 that FAP allows you to apply to?

 

[iave9963]

Question about FAP that I couldn't find the answer to -

If you apply to more than 14 schools, do you have to pay the original $160 fee and then $35 for each additional school or just $35 for each individual school that you apply to beyond the 14 that FAP allows you to apply to?

The latter, $35 for each additional school, but your fee waiver covers secondary fees from all school.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

The latter, $35 for each additional school, but your fee waiver covers secondary fees from all school.

This. You save the most on secondaries, but keep in mind how much you will need to fly out for interviews. Even with FAP, I applied to about 32 schools, had about 10 interviews and still spent like $4000. I can't even imagine how people do it without FAP. fap and nap

 

[Doctor Strange]

The latter, $35 for each additional school, but your fee waiver covers secondary fees from all school.

Not all schools will waive secondary fees. Maryland comes to mind...

 

[BABSstudent]

This. You save the most on secondaries, but keep in mind how much you will need to fly out for interviews. Even with FAP, I applied to about 32 schools, had about 10 interviews and still spent like $4000. I can't even imagine how people do it without FAP. fap and nap

Yep. It is expensive even with fap. I could barely afford 3 interviews and one of them was in-state!

 

[SilentSoldier]

Not all schools will waive secondary fees. Maryland comes to mind...

Tulane will reduce their secondary fee, and Howard doesn't waive their fee either

 

[wanamaker]

Gotcha, this helps a lot. I don't know how I would afford anything without FAP! Thanks!

 

[DocGodfather]

How low income would one need to have to qualify for FAP? Mine was pretty low in 2012, and I'm broke right now lol.

 

[BABSstudent]

How low income would one need to have to qualify for FAP? Mine was pretty low in 2012, and I'm broke right now lol.

It goes off your parent's income.

The line is set at 3 times the poverty level for your family size.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

It goes off your parent's income.

The line is set at 3 times the poverty level for your family size.

And also for people who don't realize, if your parents are divorced or separated, or maybe you haven't seen your dad since birth, or something like that, then you are able to report 1 parent's income, which would be less than 2 parents' income.

 

[iave9963]

This. You save the most on secondaries, but keep in mind how much you will need to fly out for interviews. Even with FAP, I applied to about 32 schools, had about 10 interviews and still spent like $4000. I can't even imagine how people do it without FAP. fap and nap

+1 Ended up spending around $3000 on interviews.

 

[earf]

Not all schools will waive secondary fees. Maryland comes to mind...

All the schools in my MDApps waived the secondary fee this past application cycle if you want to reference it.

I remember asking this EXACT same question last year!

I applied to 42 schools, which came out to be about $980 in primary application fees. Then with 10 interviews (withdrawing from 6 because I ran out of money/credit limit), it was about $4000 in total. I opened a Chase Slate credit card that has a $3000 limit, 15 month interest free, and 60 day free credit debt transfer (to transfer money from my other credit cards) to pay for my interviews since my family isn't able to afford any of my costs other than letting me live with them during my gap year.

Good luck!

 

[SilentSoldier]

Makes me wish that schools offered either regional or skype interviews for those that can't afford the trips to make it. Being a Cali applicant, I can't really count on getting into my state schools, but I am super, duper, mega, hyper, omega level types of broke. Trying to figure out how I'm gonna pay for any potential out of state interviews is stressing me out moreso than my impending MCAT

 

[earf]

Makes me wish that schools offered either regional or skype interviews for those that can't afford the trips to make it. Being a Cali applicant, I can't really count on getting into my state schools, but I am super, duper, mega, hyper, omega level types of broke. Trying to figure out how I'm gonna pay for any potential out of state interviews is stressing me out moreso than my impending MCAT

Better start building your credit. Apply for credit cards that have interest free for 12+ months, and then pay it all back with student loans once you matriculate. Unless you get a job during your gap year if you have one.

Completely unmoral, but if you have a gap year, you might also want to fill out the FAFSA, take a few community college classes that won't hurt your GPA, and then collect on financial aid/student loans to pay for your interviews. Not sure if this is a type of financial fraud though.

 

[SilentSoldier]

Better start building your credit. Apply for credit cards that have interest free for 12+ months, and then pay it all back with student loans once you matriculate. Unless you get a job during your gap year if you have one.

Completely unmoral, but if you have a gap year, you might also want to fill out the FAFSA, take a few community college classes that won't hurt your GPA, and then collect on financial aid/student loans to pay for your interviews. Not sure if this is a type of financial fraud though.

I'm working pretty much full time now, but I'm in the process of paying back 2 credit cards already due to issues post graduation. As such, my credit is in the toilet and I won't be approved for any other cards. I'm already in a postbac where I don't qualify for finaid (I would be so lucky 🙄 ) so your second option is unfortunately out of the question as is the hope of having a parent cosign cause their credit is almost as bad.

My situation is all bad, but I'll make it work, somehow. 🙄

 

[earf]

I'm working pretty much full time now, but I'm in the process of paying back 2 credit cards already due to issues post graduation. As such, my credit is in the toilet and I won't be approved for any other cards. I'm already in a postbac where I don't qualify for finaid (I would be so lucky 🙄 ) so your second option is unfortunately out of the question as is the hope of having a parent cosign cause their credit is almost as bad.

My situation is all bad, but I'll make it work, somehow. 🙄

Well that sucks. Glad you thought all that out though. If you really want it, you'll find a way to make it work, right?

 

[SilentSoldier]

Well that sucks. Glad you thought all that out though. If you really want it, you'll find a way to make it work, right?

That is true, and its coming together. Slowly, but its coming together.

 

[DocGodfather]

It goes off your parent's income.

The line is set at 3 times the poverty level for your family size.

I claimed myself as an independent, though. Since my parents didn't claim me as their dependent, would I still have to report their income? Wouldn't make sense if I still had to send their tax info.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

I claimed myself as an independent, though. Since my parents didn't claim me as their dependent, would I still have to report their income? Wouldn't make sense if I still had to send their tax info.

It doesn't matter what you or your parents claim. Your parents still can give you money, whether taxes claim you makes no difference. Even if you support yourself and don't get a dime from your parents you still have to report their income. You will have to send their tax info. I just did this last year and I'm a nontrad, so I've been living on my own for some time. Still had to send parent's info. Once you hit 30 years old you don't have to include parents info.

 

[DocGodfather]

It doesn't matter what you or your parents claim. Your parents still can give you money, whether taxes claim you makes no difference. Even if you support yourself and don't get a dime from your parents you still have to report their income. You will have to send their tax info. I just did this last year and I'm a nontrad, so I've been living on my own for some time. Still had to send parent's info. Once you hit 30 years old you don't have to include parents info.

I'm a nontrad as well. I didn't know we still had to include our parents tax info, unless we're over 30. Wonder why that's the cutoff age and not 25? Thanks for the info.

 

[nym9631]

Hi everyone,

So I have two questions.
1) I know that FAP says that they make a decision in 15 business days, but does it really take them that long?
2) And, they make a decision on your application based on your parents' and your current income and not past savings, right?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Hi everyone,

So I have two questions.
1) I know that FAP says that they make a decision in 15 business days, but does it really take them that long?
2) And, they make a decision on your application based on your parents' and your current income and not past savings, right?

Yes, the time frame is accurate. Also, yes to your second quotation, but you only need tax records of one parent.