Not eligible for Fee Assistance Program. Now what?

[futureIDdoc]

So my parents' income is just above 3 times the poverty level. I have about 2000 in savings, I work 20 hours a month at lets say 10 dollars an hour after tax (12 gross), so I'm making 200 dollars a month, and I cost $450 a month in living expenses. So I'm bleeding $250 a month essentially.

To get to the point, I am applying in June of 2011 to 20 to 30 schools, and if primaries are 50 bucks and I get 75% of secondaries which are 100 bucks, at 25 schools that will be $3000.

Any ideas for raising this money? If I get a "direct loan" from a loan company, will I be able to defer payment until after med school just like with loans that cover tuition?

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[Flapjacks]

What does this have to do with fapping.

 

[298609]

BRILLIANT. never noticed financial assistance program=fap.


most likely bc i didnt know what fap meant until that last thread....

 

[futureIDdoc]

What does this have to do with fapping.

The AAMC says you can only enroll in FAP if your family income is below 300 percent of the poverty line.

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap/eligibility.htm

 

[IndianVercetti]

Brilliant title!

Fap away, friend!

 

[MichaelRW]

So my parents' income is just above 3 times the poverty level. I have about 2000 in savings, I work 20 hours a month at lets say 10 dollars an hour after tax (12 gross), so I'm making 200 dollars a month, and I cost $450 a month in living expenses. So I'm bleeding $250 a month essentially.

To get to the point, I am applying in June of 2011 to 20 to 30 schools, and if primaries are 50 bucks and I get 75% of secondaries which are 100 bucks, at 25 schools that will be $3000.

Any ideas for raising this money? If I get a "direct loan" from a loan company, will I be able to defer payment until after med school just like with loans that cover tuition?

first of all not every secondary is 100 bucks, so i think that is a bit of an oversimplification. Some schools have free primaries, Ive seen plenty at around the 40 dollar range, while your top 20's are going to be the most expensive. Second of all, i dont know what your total came to for 25 primaries but @ $31/primary plus 160 for the application fee (which comes with 1 primary), 25 primaries total will cost exactly $904. Not cheap, but remember that it is 25 schools, which is quite a few. I have not heard of getting a loan just to pay for applications.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

So my parents' income is just above 3 times the poverty level. I have about 2000 in savings, I work 20 hours a month at lets say 10 dollars an hour after tax (12 gross), so I'm making 200 dollars a month, and I cost $450 a month in living expenses. So I'm bleeding $250 a month essentially.

To get to the point, I am applying in June of 2011 to 20 to 30 schools, and if primaries are 50 bucks and I get 75% of secondaries which are 100 bucks, at 25 schools that will be $3000.

Any ideas for raising this money? If I get a "direct loan" from a loan company, will I be able to defer payment until after med school just like with loans that cover tuition?

I don't know if this is legal but, couldn't you use your med school loan to pay back the other loan then pay back the med school loan after you graduate?
>_>
<_<

 

[BBender716]

this whole thread is


...and I love it.

 

[URHere]

The way I see it, you have a few major options:

1) Pick up more hours at work or find a second job. Many applicants work far more than 5 hours/week.

2) Ask your parents for help and offer to pay them back later.

3) Apply for credit cards, use them for expenses, and pay them off as you can.

4) Sell/cash in things that you no longer need (stocks, old musical instruments, etc)

5) Take out a loan.

6) Apply to fewer schools, or apply to more schools that do not ask for secondary fees

Personally, I would try to bring in more cash either by working more hours or by selling things you have lying around. If you are going to attempt the credit card/loan route just make sure that the interest rates are reasonable.

Either way, I would create the school list carefully - if you have a list of 30 schools where 10 are high reaches...there is no reason why you couldn't just save money and cut that number in half.

 

[futureIDdoc]

first of all not every secondary is 100 bucks, so i think that is a bit of an oversimplification. Some schools have free primaries, Ive seen plenty at around the 40 dollar range, while your top 20's are going to be the most expensive. Second of all, i dont know what your total came to for 25 primaries but @ $31/primary plus 160 for the application fee (which comes with 1 primary), 25 primaries total will cost exactly $904. Not cheap, but remember that it is 25 schools, which is quite a few. I have not heard of getting a loan just to pay for applications.

Thanks, I only know what I've seen on one or two threads about application costs. This gives me a better picture of that.

 

[mwalker394]

I would apply to fewer schools. It's not worth going into debt to get extra interviews, because you have to pay for the interviews, too!

If you are absolutely set on applying to 30 schools and need money, I would suggest:
1) Advertising at places elderly people are found to do household tasks. I have discovered that they will pay you to do really easy things for fairly decent money. I cleaned up a lady's yard the other day for $20 and all I did was rake leaves.
2) Advertise on Craigslist to do garden work (it IS spring), clean houses, etc.
3) Can you be a freelance tutor? I used to make pretty good money tutoring someone in French once a week. Again, Craigslist is useful.
4) Sell stuff on Amazon.com. You can make a fair amount and it's SO easy. Books are great, but people buy other stuff, so look around your house for things you no longer use.
5) Yard sale? You have to invest...$5 tops (for price stickers, maybe), so you collect a good return.

That's all I have for now!

 

[JoshUNCW]

Little blue pill, definitely get to FAP then ; ).

 

[Dr McSexy]

Easy solution: apply to less schools.

 

[Squeal]

If I couldn't fap I dont know what I would do. That's all I can think about. fap fap fap fap fap.

 

[jturkel]

What does this have to do with fapping.

+1 lol

 

[morning]

On the other hand, if you apply to fewer schools, you might not get in anywhere and then you'll have to reapply next year...mo' money, mo' problems.

 

[Appless]

On the other hand, if you apply to fewer schools, you might not get in anywhere and then you'll have to reapply next year...mo' money, mo' problems.

Or he could apply to too many schools and realize he wasted all that money. Seriously though 30 schools is just too much. If you have to apply to that many there are likely some glaring weaknesses you might want to address. I know some will say what about cali etc etc. Im a CA resident and with my low stats I still found that applying to 30 was insane. In the end i actually withdrew from about 25 schools. If you sit down with someone who is familiar with this process you can easily choose a good 20 schools or so taht would be more reasonable.

 

[Myuu]

Please keep this discussion on the topic of the fee assistance program.

 

[LizzyM]

Agree.
Find some ways to bring in more cash by working and/or selling unneeded items. You've got a year to build a nest egg. Get to work.

Reduce the number of applications to 15 (this is more than you'd be allowed on FAP anyway). It travel costs are going to be a bear, consider applying to school that can be accessed by car (if you have one) or public ground transportation (bus/train) in under 6 hours.I just noticed that you are from TX so never mind that last one.

If you aren't a strong applicant, don't waste your money on an application cycle. Buff your application and delay your application by a year.

Get a credit card to use for interview related expenses. Some secondary fees can go on a credit card that can be paid off by with med school loans (you'll need to tighten your belt the first year).

Thank God you are from the great state of Texas and will be paying low, low tuition for med school.

 

[psipsina]

I had to take two years off between UG and matriculating to be able to afford applications and interviews. If you think application fees are crazy the cost of interviewing will blow your mind. One school gave me two weeks notice to get across the country so I pretty much had to have enough $$ on hand at any given moment to book that type of trip. While its hard if you want this the extra year will off be worth it to you.

 

[caseofthemndays]

I put it all on a credit card. I'm paying it off little by little.