parents and fafsa and DO schools?

[irishlaydi]

Hi all, I know this should prob be in financial aid forum, but couldn't find anything about DO schools and this so I decided to post here. I am filling out FAFSA, and am independent. On the FAFSA it said something about students going to med school need to provide their parents income/tax info. I have been accepted at 1 school so far, and am hoping to be able to choose between 3 (NYCOM, PCOM, UNECOM). I was able to find out from NYCOM that they DO NOT want you to put parental info on the FAFSA, but they do require it later for scholarships and stuff. Does anyone know about PCOM and UNECOM? If they want you to put your parents info on the FAFSA. I understand that I am independent and normally wouldn't have to, but I have read posts that some schools require the info on FAFSA, others don't? I haven't been able to find out from PCOM and UNECOM yet, so I wanted to post here and see if anyone else knows??? or what anyone else did in this situation. THANKS!!!

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[Doc 2b]

Man it took me forever to get an answer on this too. You only need to submit your parent's info if your school requires it. You should call your schools fin aid. There has been some rumors about it affecting your payment options when you get out, but I don't see how that is even possible, i'm 25 and haven't live at home for years, my efc is 0. My fin aid dept just said don't worry about it.

 

[group_theory]

If you don't fill out the parental information on FAFSA, I think you will still be eligible for the stafford and private loans, but will lose out on any scholarship/grants that PCOM has.


"To be given consideration for PCOM need-based grants, you must provide parental information on Step Four of the FAFSA regardless of your dependency status. You must also submit copies of your parents' 2004 tax returns to the Financial Aid Office. If you are unable to provide parental data or feel that the data inappropriately represents your personal financial situation, you may submit a letter of appeal explaining your circumstances, along with any supporting documentation.

Primary Care Loan recipients or medical students interested in this loan program must report parental data on the FAFSA by federal law and no exceptions can be granted. For more information on this program visit the Division of Student Assistance Web site at: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/pages/programs.htm."

- financial aid email sent to PCOM students

 

[mcandy]

It was my understanding that parents info goes on the FAFSA unless you are >30 years old.

 

[jonb12997]

I was told that if your parents will not be providing you any support, you should not include them on your return. If they are going to be helping you out financially then you should I guess...

 

[skiiboy]

I am extremely uninformed when it comes to financial aid issues and was hoping you guys could help shed some light on it for me. I had never used financial aid in undergraduate school and so am very lost with how to even begin the process at this point. I will be starting NYCOM this fall and when I called they told me fill out a Fafsa form but NOT to include my parents information on it. I do not have any employment history of any kind and have never payed taxes, does this information affect anything?. After I fill out the Fafsa form where do I submit it. What are the steps I need to take to ensure everything goes smoothly. I would like to take the maximum amount aloud for medical students. Thanks for all of your help, it is greatly appreciated.

 

[irishlaydi]

If you don't fill out the parental information on FAFSA, I think you will still be eligible for the stafford and private loans, but will lose out on any scholarship/grants that PCOM has.


"To be given consideration for PCOM need-based grants, you must provide parental information on Step Four of the FAFSA regardless of your dependency status. You must also submit copies of your parents' 2004 tax returns to the Financial Aid Office. If you are unable to provide parental data or feel that the data inappropriately represents your personal financial situation, you may submit a letter of appeal explaining your circumstances, along with any supporting documentation.

Primary Care Loan recipients or medical students interested in this loan program must report parental data on the FAFSA by federal law and no exceptions can be granted. For more information on this program visit the Division of Student Assistance Web site at: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/pages/programs.htm."

- financial aid email sent to PCOM students

THANKS for the PCOM info. My parents haven't supported me for years, and will not be providing any money for med school. You mentioned that for PCOM students can submit a letter explaining why they don't feel providing parent info is appropriate. I'm assuming this is for certain extreme cases, or would having not received any support from parents in 5 years, and knowing you will not be receiving any for med school be a reason. I am guessing no, but thought it worth asking.

Anyone know about UNECOM, whether have to provide parent info on the FAFSA?

If schools require parent info on FAFSA (like PCOM), will it affect your federal aid, etc... if you end up at another school that doesn't require parent info on FAFSA?

THANKS all for your input

 

[drtongue_danger]

I am extremely uninformed when it comes to financial aid issues and was hoping you guys could help shed some light on it for me. I had never used financial aid in undergraduate school and so am very lost with how to even begin the process at this point. I will be starting NYCOM this fall and when I called they told me fill out a Fafsa form but NOT to include my parents information on it. I do not have any employment history of any kind and have never payed taxes, does this information affect anything?. After I fill out the Fafsa form where do I submit it. What are the steps I need to take to ensure everything goes smoothly. I would like to take the maximum amount aloud for medical students. Thanks for all of your help, it is greatly appreciated.

First of all you need to check if your parents still claim you as a depentant on their 2004 tax returns. If you are a depentant you will have to submit your parents tax returns. The general rule for being an depentant or indepentant is if you are 24 or older. ( the early post about being 30 or older is wrong) If you parents are still claiming you as a depentant the goverment gives them a tax break, because they are supporting you. If you have a lot of brothers and sisters you will the goverment will give you more fin. aid. have you ever had a job? if so you need to get your W2 from your employer and file your taxes
hope this helped

 

[group_theory]

As I understand it, you still get all $38.5k in stafford loans, even if you don't fill out the parental information.

$30k in unsubsidized loans, and $8.5k (or less, depending on EFC) in subsidized loans

The parental information that PCOM requires is only for need-based grants/scholarships. You can still get federal and private loans for PCOM if you don't fill out the parental information, just not the institution grants/scholarships that are need-based.

EDIT: For PCOM, as noted in the earlier/above post, if you want grants/scholarships, it does not matter what your dependency status is, you still have to provide the parental information. This policy is not unique to PCOM or DO schools but also includes MD school as well
Tufts School of Medicine (see #8)- http://www.tufts.edu/med/services/FinAid/MedAppInfo.htm
Washington University - http://medicine.wustl.edu/~finaid/Deadline.html
UC Irvine - http://www.fao.uci.edu/med/FAQ.php

 

[irishlaydi]

As I understand it, you still get all $38.5k in stafford loans, even if you don't fill out the parental information.

$30k in unsubsidized loans, and $8.5k (or less, depending on EFC) in subsidized loans

The parental information that PCOM requires is only for need-based grants/scholarships. You can still get federal and private loans for PCOM if you don't fill out the parental information, just not the institution grants/scholarships that are need-based.

EDIT: For PCOM, as noted in the earlier/above post, if you want grants/scholarships, it does not matter what your dependency status is, you still have to provide the parental information. This policy is not unique to PCOM or DO schools but also includes MD school as well
Tufts School of Medicine (see #8)- http://www.tufts.edu/med/services/FinAid/MedAppInfo.htm
Washington University - http://medicine.wustl.edu/~finaid/Deadline.html
UC Irvine - http://www.fao.uci.edu/med/FAQ.php

Hi. thanks again for the info. If PCOM (and probably a lot of the schools) use parental info to determine your financial need, even if parents don't provide any support, then do you usually only get need-based scholarships if your parents make little money? For example, because I am broke, but my dad and his wife make pretty good money, I will probably not get need-based aid from the school? Even if they don't support me.

~anyone know about UNECOM financial aid? If students are required to report parent info on FAFSA, even if independent? THANKS

 

[OSUdoc08]

Hi. thanks again for the info. If PCOM (and probably a lot of the schools) use parental info to determine your financial need, even if parents don't provide any support, then do you usually only get need-based scholarships if your parents make little money? For example, because I am broke, but my dad and his wife make pretty good money, I will probably not get need-based aid from the school? Even if they don't support me.

~anyone know about UNECOM financial aid? If students are required to report parent info on FAFSA, even if independent? THANKS

I don't know about those schools, but I am not familiar with many osteopathic schools giving out scholarships for need only. The only thing that was made available to me at the schools I was accepted to include FAFSA loans. I did not even report my parental information.

I qualified for the federal maximum of $38,500 in loans per year.