any ideas on financing post-bacc?

[MissD]

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So, most non-trads already have an undergrad degree, which means paying for a post-bacc presents a bit of a problem. I have a BS in biology with a very low gpa so I really need to do some post-bacc work. According to most of the posts here, I have concluded that a successful post-bacc (with a very, very high gpa) is my best chance to get into med school. Could some people please share some ideas of how they went about paying for a post-bacc after already finishing a four year degree.

 

[kami333]

Work at a college/university, you can usually get classes 1/2 price or less. I've heard of some places offering free tuition for positions in IT and such to make up for lower pay.

 

[fireflygirl]

Some of my friends spent most of their time as full time employees of HUP or CHOP and then part-time post-bacs at Penn. That way their classes got paid for. I have a friend right now who is working at Penn and that's an even better deal because they pay for everything whereas CHOP has a set amount of money per employee per year that they will give out.

Finally, there is always the loans/grants route depending on the school.

 

[DrMidlife]

I'd suggest doing the math to see how much new coursework you need to get your GPA to where you want it. You might find that doing a second bachelors is called for, if you need 2+ years of classes. And then you're degree-seeking, and eligible for aid.

You can also get private loans. Unsurprisingly easy.

 

[Archer]

You are eligible for financial aid if you state that you are studying for a second bachelors degree.

 

[gman33]

Determine your current gpa and see how many classes you think you will need to take to be competitive. You are eligible for an additional $10500 in federal loans as a non-matriculated post-bacc student. This would be enough for a year of classes at a state school.

There are also private loans available.
A bigger issue is if you need to borrow money to pay your living expenses while in school. Contact the FA office at the schools you are interested in attending. If you let people know where you are thinking about attending someone will probably be able to tell you info about that school.

 

[kami333]

I would argue that you should look into becoming a 2nd bachelors student regardless of how many classes you are planning to take. As a non-matriculated student, at many schools you have last pick of classes and may have trouble getting into the ones you need (my girlfriend is non-matriculated and her registeration dates are usually 4-6weeks after mine since I am enrolled as a 2nd bachelors/5th year senior)

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

I worked in a biosciences related field and was able to convince my employer to help cover the costs of some of my MS classes because a lot of them were directly applicable to my job (also I was being sincere, I'm not advising you to dupe your boss). Not knowing what you're doing now, I'm not sure if this is an option, but you could see if your employer has any continuing education benefits.

 

[echidna]

Degree-seeking status is cheaper, too, in addition to getting preferrential registration dates. Although I'll only be taking the pre-reqs and then "dropping out" of my 2nd BA at a state school, I'm still getting grants and federal loans. It's not quite enough to cover all my expenses and I'm still working and taking out private loans but it's MUCH cheaper than being non-matriculated. Two classes I'm planning for this summer at another state school are going to cost almost $3k as an open university student compared to almost the same amount for a full year of classes as a 2nd BA.

 

[kami333]

Degree-seeking status is cheaper, too, in addition to getting preferrential registration dates. Although I'll only be taking the pre-reqs and then "dropping out" of my 2nd BA at a state school, I'm still getting grants and federal loans. It's not quite enough to cover all my expenses and I'm still working and taking out private loans but it's MUCH cheaper than being non-matriculated. Two classes I'm planning for this summer at another state school are going to cost almost $3k as an open university student compared to almost the same amount for a full year of classes as a 2nd BA.

Mind if I ask what grants you've been able to get? I've run into the problem that every grant/scholarship I've run across, I'm ineligible because I already have a bachelors.

 

[echidna]

I received a State University Grant (in California) for $1700 and a federal stafford loan for $4500- not a lot, to be sure, but enough to supplement my income. The grant I was surprised about (and I wasn't going to argue with them)- I know federal grants run out after undergrad and I assumed the others would too. I was only enrolled for the spring semester as well so next year's may be more. Doubt it, though. Keep in mind also that most private lenders will lend the full amount of tuition, fees, and living expenses minus your EFC (Expected Family Contribution- i.e., the amount you're expected to have on hand based on your income and assets) if your credit is decent. Fill out a FAFSA and see what your EFC is, which tends to be a good indicator of potential aid.

Note also that I was a full-time undergrad last year so my reported income was $0, which may or may not have affected my current aid package.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

I live in a larger city, and considered 1/2 dozen or so schools in commuting distance from my home area. My primary consideration for post-bacc science coursework was that the school was an accredited 4 year university, rather than a community college, as some med school admissions committees have told me that they consider community college science coursework differently than they do university coursework. I was surprised at the substantial price differences between schools, and found one that worked well for me; $1,600 per semester for 16 hrs (in-state tuition) + books, which is 1/2 the cost of other nearby options.

I was able to self-fund post-bacc studies at those prices, federal student loans mentioned in previous posts would be a good way to cover the costs if employer payment is not an option.

Although I'm enrolled as non-degree seeking, I've had good luck getting into the courses that I wanted by either enrolling directly, or if the class was full, speaking with the instructor and attending courses as a "waitlist" candidate until inevitably a number of enrolled students dropped the course.