Any NYC Med students with families?

[WhittyPsyche]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering eliminating all NYC schools off my list for the following reasons, below. Would appreciate any anecdotes/experiences from any med students living in the city with school aged children and how it's working out for you.

-Size of apartments. I have a 5yr old and 3yr old and receive no child support so I won't be able to afford much, I had to move out of a big city to the suburbs to afford CoL as a single mother. I'm doubting I will be able to afford much more than a box on my own, with two kids and unable to work to supplement income.

-School system. I obviously cannot afford private schools and the public school system in the city is subpar to say the least. ECE is extremely important and I fear my kids will suffer in the NYCPS system. Educational opportunities for my kids are extremely important for me in choosing a school.

-Transportation. Obviously it is well supplied with public transportation but factoring the additional time it takes, can I handle drop off/ pick ups by myself via public transportation? If not, and I keep my car, I'm concerned about the expense for parking garages etc.

Can anyone speak to making it work with a family on a tight budget as a NYC med student? TIA


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[Nommonnom]

Would not advise. Possible to make it work, but you have enough on your plate already, why make it harder than it needs to be?

 

[Bru]

It wouldn't be easy.

Your kids could do to Gifted/Talented magnet schools so that part could work out.

In regards to housing, some schools (Cornell?) offer subsidized housing but these would not be luxurious at all. Other have attached childcare that is fairly cheap for students. Keeping a car in NYC is painful if your schedule sucks.

Honestly, I left NYC for many of your listed reasons.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

It wouldn't be easy.

Your kids could do to Gifted/Talented magnet schools so that part could work out.

In regards to housing, some schools (Cornell?) offer subsidized housing but these would not be luxurious at all. Other have attached childcare that is fairly cheap for students. Keeping a car in NYC is painful if your schedule sucks.

Honestly, I left NYC for many of your listed reasons.

-I attended a university with an attached child care that was subsidized but with the small size and amount of faculty/staff/students the Waitlist was two years. I imagine it would be the same for med school as students are still lower on the pole than faculty.

-For gifted and talented isn't that a lottery type of system? I imagine everyone would like to attend the best schools so would I be crossing my fingers hoping I get something?

It's a gloom outlook, as attractive as some of the schools are it sucks that I have to scratch them off my list.


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[QueenAudrey]

Hmm. Depending on the school's daily/weekly academic schedule, could you possibly commute to the city? I feel like commuters are the reason New Jersey exists (exaggerating, but ykwim). The NJ ->NYC bus transit system is very good, and NJ has many excellent public schools. You could do Step 1 review or whatever during the bus ride. Just another option to consider.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Hmm. Depending on the school's daily/weekly academic schedule, could you possibly commute to the city? I feel like commuters are the reason New Jersey exists (exaggerating, but ykwim). The NJ ->NYC bus transit system is very good, and NJ has many excellent public schools. You could do Step 1 review or whatever during the bus ride. Just another option to consider.

I actually didn't consider this at all. I'm going to give a look at how commutable it is. Thanks for the suggestion!

The city I live near now has a horrendous commute, 1.5-2hrs each way for 25 miles to school everyday was my life the last two years and it was rather depressing. As long as it's not as bad as that I'd be willing to consider.


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[QueenAudrey]

I actually didn't consider this at all. I'm going to give a look at how commutable it is. Thanks for the suggestion!

The city I live near now has a horrendous commute, 1.5-2hrs each way for 25 miles to school everyday was my life the last two years and it was rather depressing. As long as it's not as bad as that I'd be willing to consider.

One is glad to be of service. We parents have to stick together!

Length of commute varies widely. I have faith you can find your family a nice little house with great schools for a 40 minute commute.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

One is glad to be of service. We parents have to stick together!

Length of commute varies widely. I have faith you can find your family a nice little house with great schools for a 40 minute commute.

Thank you!

And yes we do! It's a whole different ball game with little ones.


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[sp4k]

Hmm. Depending on the school's daily/weekly academic schedule, could you possibly commute to the city? I feel like commuters are the reason New Jersey exists (exaggerating, but ykwim). The NJ ->NYC bus transit system is very good, and NJ has many excellent public schools. You could do Step 1 review or whatever during the bus ride. Just another option to consider.

^^^ this. OP I live in the area, if you have any questions let me know.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

^^^ this. OP I live in the area, if you have any questions let me know.

I'll PM you once I get an idea of the area and schools. Thank you so much!


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[Bru]

-I attended a university with an attached child care that was subsidized but with the small size and amount of faculty/staff/students the Waitlist was two years. I imagine it would be the same for med school as students are still lower on the pole than faculty.

-For gifted and talented isn't that a lottery type of system? I imagine everyone would like to attend the best schools so would I be crossing my fingers hoping I get something?

Waitlist for my med school's attached daycare was 1 year. I think I got on the waitlist more or less as soon as I knew I was going there. My also is a sliding scale which means we pay about 1/2 the "real" rate.

G&T is a lottery/test. Honestly the entire NYPS system is on the complex side.

Of course all this is contingent on actually getting the interview and acceptance

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Waitlist for my med school's attached daycare was 1 year. I think I got on the waitlist more or less as soon as I knew I was going there. My also is a sliding scale which means we pay about 1/2 the "real" rate.

G&T is a lottery/test. Honestly the entire NYPS system is on the complex side.

Of course all this is contingent on actually getting the interview and acceptance

Figured as much.

Of course, but it's not something I want to plan after the fact. And it goes into my decision to even apply.

Thanks so much.


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[petermurdock1]

OP, FWIW I've lived in jersey my whole life and I did my undergrad in NYC. Many times there are express buses that cut down the travel time a lot. I could get home in about 40 mins and even as quick as 25 mins. This goes for morning and evenings so def look into living in jersey.


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[bumblebee611]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering eliminating all NYC schools off my list for the following reasons, below. Would appreciate any anecdotes/experiences from any med students living in the city with school aged children and how it's working out for you.

-Size of apartments. I have a 5yr old and 3yr old and receive no child support so I won't be able to afford much, I had to move out of a big city to the suburbs to afford CoL as a single mother. I'm doubting I will be able to afford much more than a box on my own, with two kids and unable to work to supplement income.

-School system. I obviously cannot afford private schools and the public school system in the city is subpar to say the least. ECE is extremely important and I fear my kids will suffer in the NYCPS system. Educational opportunities for my kids are extremely important for me in choosing a school.

-Transportation. Obviously it is well supplied with public transportation but factoring the additional time it takes, can I handle drop off/ pick ups by myself via public transportation? If not, and I keep my car, I'm concerned about the expense for parking garages etc.

Can anyone speak to making it work with a family on a tight budget as a NYC med student? TIA


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I used to live in the city and both my children were born there. I am now a single mother and though my kids are older, I have family in the city, and I would have loved to have the opportunity to go back, I just couldn't see how I could make it work. I therefore did not apply to school in NYC at all. Maybe when residency rolls around I can find some way back.