Need to add a few private schools to my app, which of these should I choose?

[atomi]

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[Chicagochew]

I would put sinai on that list. I am unsure of their financial aid (though from what I know its pretty good). They tend to like non-traditional students and it sounds like you have good stats. They also have student housing in new york for $600 a month so its not very expensive per se from that point of view.

 

[flip26]

jeez, nevermind.

Why do people start these threads and then not bother to read the responses?

 

[MILK07]

Not sure which state you are from, but I know Wake Forest gives a slight advantage to NC residents. Good luck!

 

[phillySASer08]

how good Sinai's financial aid is varies very widely depending on your economic status and if your parents are paying (they give 24k a year in loan and then the rest grants). Georgetown has notoriously horrible financial aid. Aside from the free schools, Stanford and WashU are probably the gold standard for financial aid; I think Duke is excellent as well, as I'm pretty sure you don't pay tuition during your research year.

 

[atomi]

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[diosa428]

Duke calculates your expected family contribution, and then, from whatever remaining need you have, they give you half loans and half grant money. So if your parents make a ton of money, you won't get much, but if they don't, you'll get quite a bit in grants. Also, you DO have to pay tuition as a third year, but since you're doing research, many students get research grants that help offset tuition - seems like most of my classmates who are doing research have gotten around 20 - 30k. If you do a dual degree, you end up paying half of the school of medicine's tuition and half of whatever school you're attending's tuition. If you do a dual degree not at Duke (or the MPH at UNC), then you will pay Duke tuition AND the tuition of wherever you choose to attend.

BTW, your stats aren't too low for Duke, assuming your MCAT doesn't have any super low numbers. They look for people who have had a range of interestes/experiences outside of school, so if that applies to you, give it a shot.

 

[atomi]

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[diosa428]

I'm an older student. I have no idea how much money my parents make and they probably wouldn't tell me anyway. Why in the world would they need to know my parents' income? Do anybody's parents actually pay for medical school? I'm 100% independent and have been for quite some time. If anything, my personal income might be too high. Is there an option on the financial aid form to tell them you don't have any info for your parents?

Most medical schools base finaid on how much your parents make because most applicants are coming straight out of college and med schools don't consider them independent. I don't think many people's parents fund their education (although some do), but that's how they allot aid, because otherwise everyone would have essentially the same need. If you can prove that you've been supporting yourself independent of your parents for several years, then they will most likely view you as an independent and not require your parents' info.

 

[UVAbme2009]

If you claim yourself as an independent on your tax forms, then they will want your tax info, not your parents.

 

[diosa428]

If you claim yourself as an independent on your tax forms, then they will want your tax info, not your parents.

Not necessarily true. My parents stopped claiming me the year that I got my Master's degree, but since I went straight from undergrad --> Master's --> med school, I did not count as an independent. Also, all of my friends who took a year or two off after undergrad and got a job and were probably really independent still had to put down their parent's info. The only people who my school will consider independent are people who have been supporting themselves for years and people who are married.