Financial Aid

[ElsieCat]

Perhaps this is a little early since I haven't been accepted anywhere, but I was hoping for some advice.

I was just invited to interview at an out-of-state school. Upon looking over my finances last night, I concluded that I cannot afford to pay $40,000 for tuition let alone more for living expenses. I just owe too much from undergrad and vet salaries are not that great.

So I was wondering if current students have had any luck with receiving financial aid. I am indepedent and currently working as a vet tech (hence, not making the big bucks). I have a decent amount of savings, but my debts (car loan, student loans) are far greater.

My boyfriend is telling me not to bother with this interview, but if I don't get in in-state, I feel I will always wonder "what if" in regards to this other school. I feel I owe it to myself to go, although I know it will be $600+ for the trip. Am I being naive in thinking that if by some chance I get accepted out-of-state but not in-state, I'll get a decent financial aid package? I was hoping ppl could share their experience with the whole process! Thanks in advance!

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[sofficat]

a quick answer... i got in out of state and i didn't even get an in state interview. i would do the interview. you can get help with financial aid and 200k + loans are still do-able on a vet salary, plus you might be able to get instate after 2 years. that's all i got!

 

[fargeese]

I only applied to my state school last year, and here I am applying again this year. I felt an enormous amount of pressure at my interview last year because I knew it was my only shot and of course I blew it. I feel great about this year's in state interview because I have 2 OOS interviews as well in case I freak out again. Keep the extra interview if only to keep you calm at the in state.

And tell your boyfriend if he wants to move and be a resident, you can marry him after a year and get residency and in-state tuition. That should shut him up, heh heh.

 

[athenaparthenos]

I didn't apply to 5 schools just so I could reject all of them but the in-state school, and I'm sure you didn't apply to additional schools for no reason, either. To me it's more important to get into a good school -- if not your absolute favoritest most wonderful least expensive place -- to start your career now than it is to pay for another round of applications and more anxiety and so on. The sooner you get your DVM, the sooner you can pay off your student loans. I'm already 65K in debt from undergrad, and while it'd be nice to keep my debt as low as possible, I'm just as unable to finance 14K a year for in-state as I am unable to finance 40K a year for OOS without financial aid. Either way I'm gonna be all over that FAFSA and since I won't be working during vet school I'm sure that I'll at least get everything covered with loans, even if I don't get any grants (which you don't have to repay). And as others have said, even if vets don't make anywhere near what doctors make it's still enough to pay off 200K+ before you retire It's definitely doable.

I'd definitely go to the OOS interview. Heck, I have two OOS interviews to go to and my in-state school hasn't even got word out to anyone yet, so you bet I'm taking these!

 

[OSJ]

I agree- go for the out of state interview as well. I have 3 OOS interviews and it's not looking like I'm getting one at my state school - which I thought I'd had a really great shot of getting in there. You never know what they are looking for. I'm so glad I applied OOS!

 

[pupsforseeing]

I'd say go. I'm kind of dealing with the same thing right now. I've already been accepted to an OOS school (with a high price tag). I just got interviews at 2 other OOS but I won't be hearing from my IS for probably a month. I'm currently debating whether or not it's worth my time/money to go to the 2 other OOS interviews since I'm 99% sure I'd rather go to the one I've gotten into over both of those. But, as my sister gently reminded me...in 10 years there's no way I'm going to regret spending $400 to fly to an interview, but I might regret choosing the wrong school. Great...

 

[amberspyglass]

I've been accepted at a U.S. school that I'm FAIRLY certain I would attend over a Canadian school (PEI) I just got an interview invite for. The canadian school is more expensive (42,000 v 36,000), has a lower caseload and is generally less well-known or highly regarded among vet schools, I believe (based upon opinions of vets I have talked with). I will also have to pay the money to travel to PEI and take the time off work. I'm wondering if I should decline my interview...it seems like the right choice, but then again, I wonder what would happen if I visited the school and happened to love it?

 

[ri23]

Also, is it a school that you can get IS tuition after the first year?