Full Time work/school vs. financial aid

[driver]

Hey guys...newbie here. I've been viewing the forums for a while now, and I think it's time for some advice. I'm finishing my first year of post bacc/pre-req work, while working full time. I've deduced that the stress of work has been affecting my performance in school, not to mention resulting in somewhat mediocre grades. I've been toying with the idea of taking out financial aid to enable me to go to school full time. I have just found that, because of the peculiar status of a "post bacc", federal aid for such a non-degree program is virtually non-existent(right?). So, have been pointed in the direction of private/bank lenders for aid. I'm basically looking for funding for food, school, and housing. (**until now, i've been fortunate to not have accrued any debt thus far by school). Any ideas? I've heard various arguments: hold off on the loans until med school comes, stay working etc. BUT, my thoughts are how will i even get in if i can't get the grades?....At this rate of two classes a quarter, I won't be ready for the MCAT for another 2 years?.....I figure, with a full regiment of day classes, I should be ready in a year or so. Any other ideas of finding money for Post Bacc/Pre-med?
I'm in LA, and out here....Santa Monica Community College has a great rep for pre med/post bacc matriculation, so that will save on tuition.....but what about rent and food?.....I've been impressed with the open mindedness and generosity spread on these forums....and I look forward to some insight....
Any bit helps!....THanks!

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[GoJoeyMojo]

I'm facing a similar situation. I worked full time and was a full time student during undergrad- I know the effects work can have on academic performance. That is why I am choosing to fund my post-bacc with loans. The way I see it, I'm completing a post-bacc to prove myself academically to medical schools. I want performing well in school to be my only focus. If I let my grades slip during post-bacc, I've petty much ruined my chances of getting into medical school. The loans are an investment. It may cost me, but I'll definitely increase the likelihood of reaching my goals (and I'll reach them faster since I'll be a full time student).
Also, I know the way the program I will be attending is set up, I am eligible for federal financial aid. Your program may be different, but you may want to double-check and make sure you aren't eligible.

 

[driver]

How/where did you go about getting your loans(if you don't mind)? That's another issue...i'm still new to the loan/aid world.....and is it an official post bacc program? How far along are you? Roughly how much did you take out?
***i love that about his forum....you're always bound to find someone in a similar situation.....Thanks!

I'm facing a similar situation. I worked full time and was a full time student during undergrad- I know the effects work can have on academic performance. That is why I am choosing to fund my post-bacc with loans. The way I see it, I'm completing a post-bacc to prove myself academically to medical schools. I want performing well in school to be my only focus. If I let my grades slip during post-bacc, I've petty much ruined my chances of getting into medical school. The loans are an investment. It may cost me, but I'll definitely increase the likelihood of reaching my goals (and I'll reach them faster since I'll be a full time student).
Also, I know the way the program I will be attending is set up, I am eligible for federal financial aid. Your program may be different, but you may want to double-check and make sure you aren't eligible.

 

[relentless11]

Some official programs may have some form of financial aid. But you are right, there's not a lot of cash laying around to help post-baccs compared to normal degree-earning programs. I ultimately resorted to grad school since the university essentially pays for tuition, and provides me with a salary.

It sounds like you didn't complete the pre-reqs as an undergrad? If thats the case, maybe you should look into applying to Scripps' postbacc program. Although it will cost you an arm and a leg, aslong as you perform to their standards, you are guaranteed to get into one of the schools that have a linkage agreement with them, and/or have a improved chance of getting into most other schools. Most of the official programs have pretty good success rates...around 80% or more.

So yea, up to you. The way I saw things, I didn't want to go into debt before getting into med school, and wanted a program that had an immediate goals (some light at the end of the tunnel)..such as a grad degree. With a PhD program, my tuition is paid for, and they provide enough money per month for me to pay for rent and bills. Which allows one to divert more time into school rather than working full time. However there are plenty of people out there that have done it your way and have greatly succeed. Good luck to you!

 

[aimsz88]

hi all,


it's tough, but if you're as poor and unqualified for any kind of aid as i am and living in southern california....


i work full time and take two classes at night. not a lifestyle i recommend for anybody, but a lot of my friends i have met through ucla extension are doing the same thing or a variation of working part time to full time with taking either 2 or 3 classes depending on their schedule.

PM me for more info!

 

[relentless11]

hi all,


it's tough, but if you're as poor and unqualified for any kind of aid as i am and living in southern california....


i work full time and take two classes at night. not a lifestyle i recommend for anybody, but a lot of my friends i have met through ucla extension are doing the same thing or a variation of working part time to full time with taking either 2 or 3 classes depending on their schedule.

PM me for more info!

Oh speaking of UC Extension. For all you Extension people, if you find employment on campus, you can get a discount for your classes. Its pretty big, like 20% at UCD. I think if you're part of their alumni association you get an additional 10%. Thats how I survived 1.5 years of post-bacc..haha. Still expensive though.

 

[aimsz88]

yep im a full time employee, 25 percent off.


and i do scholarship pageants and earn my tuition money that way. in fact, i was just named miss hollywood last night and i get a chance to compete in miss california for more scholarship money. (1500 dollars last year) haha. no joke! last year's miss america is going to med school and is using her scholarship money to pay for medical school!

 

[driver]

I'm actually at extension right now....
two classes per quarter, 50 hrs a week of work...with labs, it's like 3 classes.
insanity. B's aren't goin to cut it, i think you'll agree.
thus, was considering switching to SMC.
but haven't been able to think of a way to find $$$ for shelter.
a couple of paid research gigs might be opening up, and i've been thinking about it. Loans.....hmmm....
this week i'm looking into $$/loan sources....like i said it's all new to me, so any info on this stuff would help...

Oh speaking of UC Extension. For all you Extension people, if you find employment on campus, you can get a discount for your classes. Its pretty big, like 20% at UCD. I think if you're part of their alumni association you get an additional 10%. Thats how I survived 1.5 years of post-bacc..haha. Still expensive though.

 

[driver]

pageants, huh....congrats....
not sure it'd work for me though....high heels in men's size 10 are a little hard to come by.
25% off.....hmm....that's quite a bit....
thanks....
let's look a little further into this employee thing.

I'm actually at extension right now....
two classes per quarter, 50 hrs a week of work...with labs, it's like 3 classes.
insanity. B's aren't goin to cut it, i think you'll agree.
thus, was considering switching to SMC.
but haven't been able to think of a way to find $$$ for shelter.
a couple of paid research gigs might be opening up, and i've been thinking about it. Loans.....hmmm....
this week i'm looking into $$/loan sources....like i said it's all new to me, so any info on this stuff would help...

 

[abyssinianson]

been there..full load of classes while working 65 hours a week with a single day off for labs. it sucked, i lost a lot of weight, and got sick a lot but I sucked it up and went to school full time. I had to deal with priorities, otherwise, who was going to pay my way through school?

in retrospect, it made me kind of envy the kids I went to school with that partied, socialized, had the "college experience," and graduated knowing more than 5 people from my graduating class. Oh well, I got dealt a different set of cards....so I had to make the best of things.

 

[relentless11]

yep im a full time employee, 25 percent off.


and i do scholarship pageants and earn my tuition money that way. in fact, i was just named miss hollywood last night and i get a chance to compete in miss california for more scholarship money. (1500 dollars last year) haha. no joke! last year's miss america is going to med school and is using her scholarship money to pay for medical school!

Thats awesome. That would also be a neat thing to say on your PS too! Good luck wiht the miss CA thing!

I'm actually at extension right now....
two classes per quarter, 50 hrs a week of work...with labs, it's like 3 classes.
insanity. B's aren't goin to cut it, i think you'll agree.
thus, was considering switching to SMC.
but haven't been able to think of a way to find $$$ for shelter.
a couple of paid research gigs might be opening up, and i've been thinking about it. Loans.....hmmm....
this week i'm looking into $$/loan sources....like i said it's all new to me, so any info on this stuff would help...

Yea even with being employed by UC, and reaping in that 20% discount, taking 3-4 classes cost more than an arm and leg. It was a hassle too, had to have the professor sign a form each time each quarter . To get more money to take more classes, I worked more so ended up having a 3.4 post-bacc GPA. Which isn't too bad. However I knew I wasn't at my full potential, so as stated above, I went to grad school. Now unhindered by monetary concerns, I have a cumulative GPA of 4.0 and includes undergrad work too taken as a grad student. So yea, if you're willing and able to hang in there for 2 years, you might consider a masters program. Just make sure you can take undergrad courses as electives. UCLA even encourages some reapplicants to do grad school (or post-bacc).

 

[driver]

that's how i got through undergrad.....but recently, i've begun to weigh out the value of my mental health, grades, and quality of education vs. goin into debt. i mean, it looks like there are people out there who Will and can pay for your education(?)....well, so it seems...i'm still trying to find the pot of gold that other leprachauns have seemed to get by on...
**yes, i did just make a leprachaun reference.....

been there..full load of classes while working 65 hours a week with a single day off for labs. it sucked, i lost a lot of weight, and got sick a lot but I sucked it up and went to school full time. I had to deal with priorities, otherwise, who was going to pay my way through school?

in retrospect, it made me kind of envy the kids I went to school with that partied, socialized, had the "college experience," and graduated knowing more than 5 people from my graduating class. Oh well, I got dealt a different set of cards....so I had to make the best of things.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

work full time, school full time, and have a kid so I know what you mean. From what i understand med schools will see this and it will deff help to offset the mediocre grades. at least i am praying this is true, but i have heard from many.

 

[mshheaddoc]

You are eligible for 5 years or max amount of federal aid loans. If you haven't hit either of them then you still have a year.

I finally sucked it up and quit my job. This past year is federally funded (with some private) now I'm onto private loans Not what I want to do but I want to go to med school. If you burnout and crash while trying to juggle too many things (that is what I did) it took me a good 6-8 months to recover. I'm still not there but hopefully I still have a chance.

I found this link about private loans last summer. It really helped me out ... http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/pdf/altloans.pdf

I went with sallie mae, big mistake. Should have gone with BOA I think. I'd rather be tied to libor than prime honestly. I now have to ask my parents to cosign because you need someone with a monthly income. I hate to ask but my husband and I are full-time students (he's in med school). He can cosign when he graduates but until then I have to rely on my retired parents.

 

[PineappleGirl]

I'm finishing my first year of post bacc/pre-req work, while working full time. I've deduced that the stress of work has been affecting my performance in school, not to mention resulting in somewhat mediocre grades. I've been toying with the idea of taking out financial aid to enable me to go to school full time. I have just found that, because of the peculiar status of a "post bacc", federal aid for such a non-degree program is virtually non-existent(right?). So, have been pointed in the direction of private/bank lenders for aid. I'm basically looking for funding for food, school, and housing. (**until now, i've been fortunate to not have accrued any debt thus far by school). Any ideas? I've heard various arguments: hold off on the loans until med school comes, stay working etc. BUT, my thoughts are how will i even get in if i can't get the grades?....At this rate of two classes a quarter, I won't be ready for the MCAT for another 2 years?.....I figure, with a full regiment of day classes, I should be ready in a year or so. Any other ideas of finding money for Post Bacc/Pre-med?
I'm in LA, and out here....Santa Monica Community College has a great rep for pre med/post bacc matriculation, so that will save on tuition.....but what about rent and food?.....I've been impressed with the open mindedness and generosity spread on these forums....and I look forward to some insight....
Any bit helps!....THanks!

Man, I feel your pain! I am in such a similar situation!

I too have been working full-time while taking various post-bacc classes. Unfortunately, I recently met with the dean of admissions at the school I'm most interested in going to and he told me in order to stand a chance I would need to do an intensive full-time courseload, basically all science classes. I am traumatized at the thought of taking out tons of loans, not just for school but for living expenses, especially here in Boston where rents are so insane. To answer your question, I've heard good things about a couple private lender options: Citibank's CitiAssit Loan and the TERI loans. But, I believe, even with private lenders you need to be enrolled in some sort of degree or certificate program. I know a lot of schools here offer something like a "certificate in post-bacc studies" and some programs offer MAs. If you can get into a certificate program you can get private loans. If you go to graduate program you can get tons of federal loans (some subsidized, some unsubsidized). There is also the option of enrolling in a degree program, such as for a second bachelor's (in order to say you're in a degree program), finish your pre-reqs, and then drop out. Perhaps not the most ethical option, but as post bacc, there are, as you say, not a lot of options for funding.

 

[gatheringhoney]

To answer your question, I've heard good things about a couple private lender options: Citibank's CitiAssit Loan and the TERI loans. But, I believe, even with private lenders you need to be enrolled in some sort of degree or certificate program.

TERI loans are easy to apply for and are a good fit for non-trad students finishing prereqs.

The majority of private lenders, such as WellsFargo, do not require a student to be enrolled in a degree or certificate program. They do, however, require proof of full-time enrollment at an institution of higher education, and the award dispersment is limited to one year. If you then enroll in a degree program, your eligibility for additional loans is extended.

 

[aimsz88]

Man, I feel your pain! I am in such a similar situation!

I too have been working full-time while taking various post-bacc classes. Unfortunately, I recently met with the dean of admissions at the school I'm most interested in going to and he told me in order to stand a chance I would need to do an intensive full-time courseload, basically all science classes. I am traumatized at the thought of taking out tons of loans, not just for school but for living expenses, especially here in Boston where rents are so insane. To answer your question, I've heard good things about a couple private lender options: Citibank's CitiAssit Loan and the TERI loans. But, I believe, even with private lenders you need to be enrolled in some sort of degree or certificate program. I know a lot of schools here offer something like a "certificate in post-bacc studies" and some programs offer MAs. If you can get into a certificate program you can get private loans. If you go to graduate program you can get tons of federal loans (some subsidized, some unsubsidized). There is also the option of enrolling in a degree program, such as for a second bachelor's (in order to say you're in a degree program), finish your pre-reqs, and then drop out. Perhaps not the most ethical option, but as post bacc, there are, as you say, not a lot of options for funding.

it is a tough decision either way you cut it. i have heard from ucla admissions committee the same type of things (needing at least three courses at once to be considered a full time courseload) but honestly, i prefer staying out of major debt just for now. i may apply to smp programs for next year and that is ok with me to take out loans for that...but im ok with working full time as a clinical research and laboratory researcher and taking classes at night with an employee discount. so long as i get As in my classes and i am publishing left and right i hope that the adcoms will see it as ok. i am really just adverse to student loans, i dont know what it is.

 

[Wickedgood]

I finally sucked it up and quit my job. This past year is federally funded (with some private) now I'm onto private loans Not what I want to do but I want to go to med school. If you burnout and crash while trying to juggle too many things (that is what I did) it took me a good 6-8 months to recover. I'm still not there but hopefully I still have a chance.

I went with sallie mae, big mistake. Should have gone with BOA I think. I'd rather be tied to libor than prime honestly. I now have to ask my parents to cosign because you need someone with a monthly income. I hate to ask but my husband and I are full-time students (he's in med school). He can cosign when he graduates but until then I have to rely on my retired parents.

Hey mshheaddoc - I'm in a very similar situation. I was working full-time and trying to go to school part-time, and saw that if I tried to continue that it would take me FOREVER to finish, not to mention that the courses I needed were during the day. So now I'm going to school full-time, funded by grants, federal loans, and mainly (ug) Sallie Mae.

I look at it this way: you take out loans to fund an investment. To me, there is no bigger investment than myself. In the long run, this investment will have a much bigger payoff/reward than say, a car, or even a house would. The debt is totally worth it to ME in order to finish my education.

It still makes me ill to get the monthly interest reports in the mail though ~

 

[Tribeca]

There is also the option of enrolling in a degree program, such as for a second bachelor's (in order to say you're in a degree program), finish your pre-reqs, and then drop out. Perhaps not the most ethical option, but as post bacc, there are, as you say, not a lot of options for funding.

The university I take my science pre-req's at recommended that I apply for a second bachelor's so I can transfer my credits from my foreign undergrad institution onto my transcripts (and have medical schools and AMCAS accept them) and then drop out when I'm ready to apply to med school. The math and chem departments in the same university credited my classes just by looking at my foreign transcript and my syllabus for each class, however, those classes won't show on my US transcript unless I apply for a degree program. How will admissions committees look at "dropping out" on a 2nd bachelor's degree program? I'm worried that it might look bad when it's time to apply.

(The classes are mostly the humanities, English, and math classes. My degree is equivalent to that of a US degree, according to a US evaluating service, and i have a Master's degree from a US university)

 

[PineappleGirl]

How will admissions committees look at "dropping out" on a 2nd bachelor's degree program? I'm worried that it might look bad when it's time to apply.

I don't know, but I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who does know, as this is an option I've been considering as well.