Financial Aid for Post-Bacc & DIY Post-Bacc +Living Expenses?

[docgoals90]

1. I read that postbacc programs are often not covered by financial aid at many schools. My alma mater says that non-matriculate students don't qualify for financial aid. Any insight on this? (I will be calling this week, but I'm impatient and wanted to see if you good people had answers)

I also read that there are financial options for postbacc programs taken to help students enter into another degree program. This applies in this situation, yes?

2. For prospective applicants, who choose to go for the postbacc full-time and quit working, what is the best option for financing that time period? Moving home is not an option, and I'm single and living in NYC. I would need to find some kind of financial aid to finance the program and my living expenses/rent. The plus side is that (I think) my school offers a 50% discount on all credit courses for alumni, and has an interview option for candidates with lower GPAs, opposed to a complete cut off GPA. (See below.)

Note my goal would be to get part time/remote work that I can work around my schedule. Some freelance grant writing positions offer this flexibility, but I would take out loans to be on the safe side with bills.

3. Are "DIY PostBacc" strategies covered by any financial aid that may be available or would that be completely out of pocket? To my understanding the DIY option would just be taking courses individually.


Background Info:

My background is a very poor undergrad GPA (2.1) in political science - my work ethnic drastically improved the last year and that is evident in transcripts but was not enough to offset years of lack of discipline and immaturity.

Work Experience: Government Internships, 1 year teaching abroad, 3 years in nonprofit fund development (grant writing and administrative work)

So obviously post-bacc is super necessary.

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[GenSurgONLY]

1. I read that postbacc programs are often not covered by financial aid at many schools. My alma mater says that non-matriculate students don't qualify for financial aid. Any insight on this? (I will be calling this week, but I'm impatient and wanted to see if you good people had answers)

I also read that there are financial options for postbacc programs taken to help students enter into another degree program. This applies in this situation, yes?

2. For prospective applicants, who choose to go for the postbacc full-time and quit working, what is the best option for financing that time period? Moving home is not an option, and I'm single and living in NYC. I would need to find some kind of financial aid to finance the program and my living expenses/rent. The plus side is that (I think) my school offers a 50% discount on all credit courses for alumni, and has an interview option for candidates with lower GPAs, opposed to a complete cut off GPA. (See below.)

Note my goal would be to get part time/remote work that I can work around my schedule. Some freelance grant writing positions offer this flexibility, but I would take out loans to be on the safe side with bills.

3. Are "DIY PostBacc" strategies covered by any financial aid that may be available or would that be completely out of pocket? To my understanding the DIY option would just be taking courses individually.


Background Info:

My background is a very poor undergrad GPA (2.1) in political science - my work ethnic drastically improved the last year and that is evident in transcripts but was not enough to offset years of lack of discipline and immaturity.

Work Experience: Government Internships, 1 year teaching abroad, 3 years in nonprofit fund development (grant writing and administrative work)

So obviously post-bacc is super necessary.

Thinking the same thing. 3 years of paying out of pocket before MCAT and matriculation does cause one to take some serious considerations. Community college is so cheap; a DIY Bacc still looks tempting.