costs of applying?

[wickl087]

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I've started looking around at different schools I might apply to and I'm getting worried about how much it will all cost. I don't exactly come from a wealthy family (I get the pell grant) and I have no idea how I'll pay for it all.
If you don't mind sharing, what was the breakdown of the amount you spent applying to med school? Like the MCAT, all the schools you applied to (secondaries cost extra, right?), or any other costs I'm forgetting. I know the interview process will cost a lot, but I first would have to get those interviews. I don't plan on applying for another year or two, but it's something I should start thinking about.

 

[bobsmith]

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap/ could potentially help you out. And I believe that if you qualify for the fee assistance program, your secondary costs at a lot of schools are actually waived too.

 

[JJMrK]

Interviews are the cost of a place ticket, food for 2 days, and a hotel room (unless you stay with a host). So figure $200-$600.

The other stuff depends on how many schools you apply to. Secondaries are anywhere from $50-$120. AMCAS is something like $150 for the first school plus $30 for each additional school. Definitely look into the Fee Assistance Program.

I think the MCAT is somewhere around $300. Can't remember exactly. The practice tests on the AAMC's website are like $30 each. You should probably do all of them. Gold standard also sells some practice tests that are decent; I remember paying ~$150 for like 10 of them or something.

 

[wickl087]

👍 thanks for the link

 

[bravofleet4]

your costs will largely depend on how many schools you apply to and your general competitiveness.

1. applicants coming from the west coast (usually california) have to apply to 20-25 schools b/c their state schools are super competitive even with high numbers
2. applicants coming from the east coast and have medical schools that favor in-state residents can get away with fewer
3. the primary application with 25 schools set me back $900. I don't know what's the base amount or how much you pay for each additional school.
4. secondaries if you apply to many schools can set you back a lot with many costing over $100 each. These come after the schools have received your primary application and are usually sent automatically if you meet the GPA/MCAT cutoff (I think). However, just because you receive one, doesn't indicate at all your chances of getting an interview. Many times, after writing the check, people receive a rejection just a couple weeks later. Therefore, even if you are desperate to get in anywhere, keep in mind that adding every school will cost you a little financially. Of course, you could qualify for a fee waiver but it doesn't sound like you're that needy...
5. traveling to interviews is probably the most expensive component. You're looking at paying hundreds of dollars in terms of airfare and hotel stays. Having my mom travel with me for my first interview in total cost over $1,000. However, you can save a lot by staying with student hosts who will put you up for free.

It'll vary for everyone. Sometimes people get an interview from their dream school first early in the cycle and get accepted. Even if they applied to tons of other schools and got interviews, they can quit right then and there. For me, I had an interview as early as October. Of course, being me, I messed it up and got wait-listed, so I had to go to 3 more interviews before being accepted somewhere. However, if I had gotten accepted, I would've been done by September and saved myself 3 more trips. But yeah once you get that first acceptance, you can be a lot more picky...I canceled 3 interviews and am just waiting for my dream school.

Of course once you get accepted, none of it matters. When you get no acceptances, though, it can be really disheartening. Try to always stay optimistic no matter what!

 

[oze]

I got FAP, so didn't have to pay for any secondaries and paid for a few primaries (b/c I'm from CA and had to apply to more than the FAP limit)

So MCAT prep stuff and interviews were definitely the most expensive part. I was lucky, I was able to bunch my all of my East Coast Interviews into two cheap trips (kayak.com priceline.com are your friends), and bunching like that will be your friend if you have the option.

but long story short, don't sweat the actual application and MCAT fees, AMCAS has got you covered if you truly need it. the hard part will be airfare and MCAT prep material, so start saving now if you have to. Overall, though, I escaped this cycle spending around $1000 bucks for 18 apps, 2 coast-to-coast flights, food, hotels and all the MCAT stuff I needed. I'm...frugal.

 

[morning]

Question for those who know a bit about the F.A.P...do they count only you and your parents as the family size (the poverty level chart goes by the family size, that is) or are siblings taken into account as well? If it's just my and my mother's income, that would PROBABLY put me under 300% of the poverty level, but I have a whole litter of siblings as well, some older than me, some younger. However, of them will be over 18 by the time I'm applying.

 

[flip26]

Figure on about $100 per school applied to (primary and secondary).

Travel costs will obviously vary by location, but sketch this out a bit and see the potential costs for the schools you are applying to - I interviewed at 6 schools, 3 of them within short driving distance, 3 via airplane (2 done on one trip, though), and although I haven't added it all up, I easily spent $1500+ on these...so on average around $250+ per...

Most people seem to max out on about 10 interviews - the cost for attending interviews really adds up. There are always exceptions, though - some people on SDN who interviewed at more than 10 - must be nice to be rich.

 

[Narmerguy]

Most people seem to max out on about 10 interviews - the cost for attending interviews really adds up. There are always exceptions, though - some people on SDN who interviewed at more than 10 - must be nice to be rich.

Some people just don't mind racking up the debt. I know I will when I get there since I'm banking on getting good financial aid, I gotta apply to a lot of schools to find the one who gives me that sweet amount of aid. I'll gladly take a few grand of debt early on for that.

 

[wickl087]

Thanks for the responses everyone. So let's say I don't qualify for the FAP, should I just take out more student loans to help pay for it? I'm definitely good at saving my money, but right now I'm saving up for the fall semester in Spain so I'll have to start over when I get back. Did any of you take out loans or were you able to pay out-of-pocket?

 

[obgyny]

What really bothers me is that I am definitely eligible for FAP, but because my father makes $150k/year, I don't qualify. I'm completely financially independent from my father and have been for years and he's not going to pay a cent of my application fees or med school.

I really wish FAP would take your independent status into consideration!!!

I'm pretty broke, so I have no idea how I'm going to pay for this. I'm a CA resident too, so according to bravofleet4's post, I'll probably be applying to 20-25 schools...

 

[mfrizzo3]

job

 

[obgyny]

job

haha.. i do have a full-time job, it pays my bills... and not much else lol.

 

[wickl087]

job

No need to assume we're lazy. I work too. I'm just trying to save up for a plane ticket, visa, passport, living expenses, etc. while I'm doing study abroad and I don't know how well off financially I'll be when I get back.

 

[mvenus929]

Thanks for the responses everyone. So let's say I don't qualify for the FAP, should I just take out more student loans to help pay for it? I'm definitely good at saving my money, but right now I'm saving up for the fall semester in Spain so I'll have to start over when I get back. Did any of you take out loans or were you able to pay out-of-pocket?

Both times I applied, I shelled out about $2500. The first time, I had 4 interviews (managed to do two in one trip, but I found out about one of them last minute and had to pay the fees to change my plane ticket) and applied (both primary and secondary) to 7 schools. The second time (the breakdown of which you can see in my MDApps profile), I went on 3 interviews, applied to 9 schools.

For MCAT, I paid the usual $210 (or whatever it was) for the test, plus I bought an examkrackers set (new, so it was like $75) and a set of Gold Standard tests on ebay for like $50. I got the Audio Osmosis for free, since someone at my school was passing it around to all the premeds.

 

[bravofleet4]

What really bothers me is that I am definitely eligible for FAP, but because my father makes $150k/year, I don't qualify. I'm completely financially independent from my father and have been for years and he's not going to pay a cent of my application fees or med school.

I really wish FAP would take your independent status into consideration!!!

I'm pretty broke, so I have no idea how I'm going to pay for this. I'm a CA resident too, so according to bravofleet4's post, I'll probably be applying to 20-25 schools...

Well keep in mind the $1000 trip was b/c I was combining two interviews and my mother was coming with me so that doubled airfare and we had to stay at hotels (don't ever ask a student host if they'll accept you and a parent). Afterwards, for later interviews, if you stay with a student host, it'll cost you $200-$500 for airfare and miscellaneous expenses, so it's not that bad.

 

[obgyny]

Well keep in mind the $1000 trip was b/c I was combining two interviews and my mother was coming with me so that doubled airfare and we had to stay at hotels (don't ever ask a student host if they'll accept you and a parent). Afterwards, for later interviews, if you stay with a student host, it'll cost you $200-$500 for airfare and miscellaneous expenses, so it's not that bad.

Oh that's true, I didn't even think about staying with a student host. That would at least cut down on hotel costs. But still, the airfare gets pretty pricey and those darn secondaries add up... I know it's going to be hard to turn down secondaries since I want to be sure to get in this upcoming cycle.