Financing a Post-Bac program

[Humble Spirit]

My goal is to attend a 2 year post-bac program that is 99.9% paid for by scholarships. Call me ambitious, but 'when there is a will there is a way'. I am aware of sites like fastweb.com but specifically what scholarships have you found or heard to be helpful?

 

[darkjedi]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is nearly impossible to fund a postbac, much less a 2 year postbac entirely through scholarships :\

It's tough enough for medical school, much less a postbac. There exists very little scholarship money available for postbacs unfortunately.

 

[Evidence Based]

What darkjedi said. There is very little merit money available anywhere in the medical school process, and essentially none for a post bacc program. I'm at a 1 year program (Bryn Mawr), and am financing it through loans. I'm fairly certain that everyone in my class is financing the program through either loans, savings, or generous "donations" by their parents. BM doesn't give out merit money, nor do any other programs that I'm aware of. Goucher is the only exception I'm aware of, but I believe their awards are purely nominal, in the ballpark of $500 or so.

For what it's worth, I know some people at two year programs also hold part-time (or even full-time) jobs, and are thus able to partially finance their education that way. Conversely, that means you'll have less time to spend on your education, and thus might not do as well as somebody who has nothing to occupy them besides school.

Sorry we can't be of more help. The reality is that there is basically no scholarship money anywhere in the process, and that most people take out large loans to pay for their education. The upshot is that you'll have a lot of people to commiserate with, and a lot of advice on how to handle finances from people who have been there before.

 

[Goucher2013]

Goucher is the only exception I'm aware of, but I believe their awards are purely nominal, in the ballpark of $500 or so.

The maximum available from Goucher is $4,000, which is still $4,000 more than is available anywhere else. I'm surprised Goucher even has anything available.

Humble Spirit, I'm afraid that postbacs don't get scholarships for a reason. Premed is a hurdle you have to overcome to prove that you can handle med school. Until you've overcome that hurdle, foundations and other scholarship programs won't be willing to take a risk on you. You're even more of a risk if you decide to switch to medicine later in life. Scholarship programs have had to massively tighten their belts since 2008. The odds of receiving outside aid for a postbac are close to zero.

Having to pay for your postbac is also another way to weed out people who are less dedicated. The sad fact is that Stafford and Grad PLUS loans (postbacs are now considered grad students) are readily available to practically everyone, so there is simply no excuse for people to say they can't afford to attend, either.

You're 99% likely more better off if you simply try to apply to a one-year program asap, attend (state) med school asap, and then pay off your school debt asap. That's the fastest way to make the most money and have the lowest debt.

Caveat: all this applies unless you're urban, poor and black and have an outstanding academic record (GPA and school). If that's the case, you might just get lucky, although I wouldn't know where to look.

 

[Evidence Based]

The maximum available from Goucher is $4,000, which is still $4,000 more than is available anywhere else. I'm surprised Goucher even has anything available.

Whoop I stand corrected. Thanks for the input Goucher2013.

You're 99% likely more better off if you simply try to apply to a one-year program asap, attend (state) med school asap, and then pay off your school debt asap. That's the fastest way to make the most money and have the lowest debt.

+1 to this. One year programs are more expensive, but they let you finish post bacc faster, enter medical school quicker, and start paying back loans quicker. If your circumstances prohibit it though, you can still make it work doing a post bacc at your state university and/or working part time during a 2 year program. I think there are numerous advantages to a structured post bacc program that I'd be happy to elucidate at length (advising, smaller classes, excellent professors, connections with medical schools, etc etc), but I get that for one reason or another this may not be possible for everyone.

 

[Humble Spirit]

I know that loans are typically the way most people go however I am pretty sure there is one, at least one if not more, scholarship that someone out there has won that has been applied to a post-bac program. I am familar with programs providing aid of some kind like tuition waivers or scholarships but I want something more universal.

 

[WorldChanger36]

I know that loans are typically the way most people go however I am pretty sure there is one, at least one if not more, scholarship that someone out there has won that has been applied to a post-bac program. I am familar with programs providing aid of some kind like tuition waivers or scholarships but I want something more universal.

You are kiding yourself. Like everyone else said they just don't exist. However there is an alternative. Have you considered a 2nd bachelors degree? For many this is the way to go, you can qualify for scholarships and get cheaper loans. I am not sure what your academic needs are but if you need more UG work and you don't want to pay for it ( at least not all of it) this is the way to go.