parent problems

[radhika]

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I was supposed to turn in my application to aacomas today, just needed to make the payment...

A month ago I our family found out about my dad's gambling addiction, and how we do not have any savings...like 0....to the pt, where the finan aid advisor was freaked when she looked at my FAFSA...

he actually told us he had a job in vegas, he was actually gambling all of our savings, including college funds and the savings for a house my Mom wanted.

so now they pull: We dont want to pay that much for osteopathic, maybe if it were allopathic...do not apply to crappy schools.....

dad says: let me take a look at the list of schools to narrow it down....as usual, he will sit on it for 2 months and do NOTHING,

so now i feel like crying 🙁
I may sound spoiled b/c i am currently not working but its because of classes...but i am not completely dep on them, i do have loans for undergrad, the loans just are not helping with the application part of this.


Any help/arguments?

Ive asked before, i have shown them lit, took them to a fam friend thats a doc, he even said DOs are the SAME THING....ahhh😕

I can NOT believe HE said that!!!! ITS MED SCHOOL, thought my parents would be happy for me...🙁

Thanks for listening to my depressing spheal 😍

 

[HockeyDr09]

I was supposed to turn in my application to aacomas today, just needed to make the payment...

A month ago I our family found out about my dad's gambling addiction, and how we do not have any savings...like 0....to the pt, where the finan aid advisor was freaked when she looked at my FAFSA...

he actually told us he had a job in vegas, he was actually gambling all of our savings, including college funds and the savings for a house my Mom wanted.

so now they pull: We dont want to pay that much for osteopathic, maybe if it were allopathic...do not apply to crappy schools.....

dad says: let me take a look at the list of schools to narrow it down....as usual, he will sit on it for 2 months and do NOTHING,

so now i feel like crying 🙁
I may sound spoiled b/c i am currently not working but its because of classes...but i am not completely dep on them, i do have loans for undergrad, the loans just are not helping with the application part of this.


Any help/arguments?

Ive asked before, i have shown them lit, took them to a fam friend thats a doc, he even said DOs are the SAME THING....ahhh😕

I can NOT believe HE said that!!!! ITS MED SCHOOL, thought my parents would be happy for me...🙁

Thanks for listening to my depressing spheal 😍

Sounds like you're in a tough situation. I think you have already tried most of the arguments you would have heard (took them to a physician who said they are the same thing, showed they literature on D.O's). If it was me, I would apply for a credit card, with a limit of a least $2000, if possible. (if you don't already have one that is, and $2000 because you don't want to wreck your credit score by having a high credit to debt ratio). Then apply with the credit card ASAP. It seems like they are obviously not going to be on board initially, maybe after you have you're degree they'll understand. I would venture to guess that once you started medical school and they saw the curriculum they would probably realize it's no different. Either way, you need to do what you want to do.

 

[radhika]

how difficult is it to apply for a 2000 credit card if u've never had one before?

I know it a wierd question 🙁 always had financial aid off take care of everything...i went to wachovia and chase, do you have any suggestions as to which credit card?

thanks sooo much!! 🙂

 

[judasreznor]

How about applying for the Fee Assistance Program?

 

[HockeyDr09]

How about applying for the Fee Assistance Program?

Probably a good idea to look into, but it's really late ( I believe they hit their max in May) and even though her parents are not helping her, it's their salaries that are taken into consideration ( I thought, at least).

how difficult is it to apply for a 2000 credit card if u've never had one before?

I know it a wierd question 🙁 always had financial aid off take care of everything...i went to wachovia and chase, do you have any suggestions as to which credit card?

thanks sooo much!! 🙂

Remember, this probably is not the best option, I wouldn't open up a credit card if you don't feel comfortable with it, or if you know you won't be able to pay off the payments anytime soon. That being said, if you've exhausted all other options, than it's your only option. I would check here, I believe it has a comprehensive review of a quite a variety of cards, and there are links on the left side for student cards/cards for people with no credit history. (Note these cards will have higher APR's and lower limits). If you have school loans, I believe you must have some sort of credit already. As a new card holder I would shoot for No Annual Fee and anything under an APR of 17% if possible. Note that a lot of cards used to give you a year or 6 months of no APR when you sign on, which could help you a lot. (not sure if this is still common with the gov. cracking down on cards) (Also note, rewards cards generally have higher APR's)

 

[Kevin Baker]

I feel sorry for you. I had a gambling obsessed father as well who did something similar, but when I was a baby. It really sucks having to learn that one's parents can be just as selfish and shortsighted as a toddler.

Once you get into a school, there will be other outlets for loans (federal, fedplus, private, etc) that you WILL qualify for, by essence of being a med student, and which will cover cost of attendance, so the issue is now getting the capital to apply and for interviews (let's say $4,000 max).

Can you get anymore federal loans? I know you can use undergrad ones for discretionary spending (housing, meal plan, etc.). If not, you might consider a private loan over a credit card. I know most banks offer educational loans which go directly to you and I think interest is around 10%, though you would need a cosigner. And I think interest only picks up once you have graduated. Credit cards would start accruing interest within a month, unless you get a special no APY for x months card. Actually, if you will have the money eventually, that might be the cheapest route, but you can get screwed with interest.

Now that the immediate capital is taken care of, you need to figure out a way to pay off the debt. Making a few thousand dollars in a semester or a year of undergrad is doable. 6 hrs a week at $7 an hour and you'll have paid half of it off in a year. I'm sure you know what campus jobs or other jobs are available better than any of us do, but I had friends who'd volunteer for research that used fMRI. It was usually over $100 a pop for 60-90 minutes.

Just so you don't zonk your credit, I'd try and convince the rents to cosign everything and to back you up if you can't raise enough cash on your own, but with a little work your financial situation will work itself out. Don't let anyone or anything, parents and finances included, rob you of your dream.

edit: For the credit card issue, I'm not sure you'll be able to find a card that offers you a max higher than $500 or so if you've never had a card. Maybe if you had a cosigner you could get a higher max. Credit unions (google one near your city) often offer better rates than banks and are more amenable to hearing your story.

 

[bonsaipalmtree]

I would go online, apply for a low interest credit card, and use that to pay for the apps. An alternative is to go to your bank, and simply ask them to add a credit card to your checking account (it can even serve as overdraft protection too).

Good luck!

 

[willen101383]

Dude I feel for you....but what do all the other individuals do who dont have parents to shell out cash for them?

Fee assistance program.

Ever work? If you have a job get a low APR credit card and pay it off over time.

There are many other options out there besides just curling up and dying. I dont get why your pops has a say in what you do anyway? I know its nice living on the cushy money cloud called "your parents," but there are people far worse off than you that make ends meet. If need be work for a year and save up some loot and apply after working for a year.

BTW
Is he saying DO schools are too expensive compared to allopathic?

I pay 37k a year @ PCOM. Which is pretty low for a private medical school

 

[megathunder]

I think your best bet would be to find a job immediately. Preferably something simple like fast food at your school cafeteria or something that can hire you ASAP. Then ask your parents in a strictly business manner to loan you the money to fund your applications and provide them with a timeline in which you outline how you will pay them back within the year based on the income you will earn from your job.

Parents are generally not completely unreasonable when it comes to medical school or career ambitions. I'm sure with you illustrating how you WILL pay them back they might change their mind. Good luck.

 

[Daedra22]

But anyway, I think your best bet would be to find a job immediately. Preferably something simple like fast food at your school cafeteria or something that can hire you ASAP.

My advice would be to take something with tips if you can, rather than something where you get only minimum wage. It's almost always better to work as a waiter, valet, delivery driver, etc. The FAP may already be filled, but it's worth a shot.

Something else you can do is donate blood plasma, if there's a plasma center in your area. I know it sounds a little weird, but they'll pay you $50-80/week in most places for 2 donations per week (they pay you for your time, not your fluids).

 

[willen101383]

My advice would be to take something with tips if you can, rather than something where you get only minimum wage. It's almost always better to work as a waiter, valet, delivery driver, etc. The FAP may already be filled, but it's worth a shot.

Something else you can do is donate blood plasma, if there's a plasma center in your area. I know it sounds a little weird, but they'll pay you $50-80/week in most places for 2 donations per week (they pay you for your time, not your fluids).

Platelets not plasma. And ARC doesnt do this anymore as far as I know...but some other blood services organizations may. (Ive been a blood bank technologist for like 4 years now since college so im not just talking out of my ass 🙂)

 

[HockeyDr09]

Platelets not plasma. And ARC doesnt do this anymore as far as I know...but some other blood services organizations may. (Ive been a blood bank technologist for like 4 years now since college so im not just talking out of my ass 🙂)

I'm a lab tech. at a plasma donation site, plasma is donated in order to create antibodies to use for drugs (i.e Rhogam 😀, drug from where I work).

http://www.rhogam.com/Patient/stories/Pages/RhoGAMDonor.aspx

 

[willen101383]

I'm a lab tech. at a plasma donation site, plasma is donated in order to create antibodies to use for drugs (i.e Rhogam 😀, drug from where I work).

http://www.rhogam.com/Patient/stories/Pages/RhoGAMDonor.aspx

ahh yes rhogam..that makes sense. So you work for ortho eh? In rochester? I thought you meant as in people donating for platelet pheresis and that sorta thing. They used to pay for that as well but the ARC did a study and (not shockingly) the individuals who were coming to donate for pay had higher rates of communicable diseases.

Funny enough, in north philly (the hood) there is a huge sign for this blood donation center with a $20 dollars next to it. I would neverrr want that blood!

 

[Daedra22]

Platelets not plasma. And ARC doesnt do this anymore as far as I know...but some other blood services organizations may. (Ive been a blood bank technologist for like 4 years now since college so im not just talking out of my ass 🙂)

Biomat seems to own most of the plasma donation centers that I have seen here in the south.