Timing of Merit Scholarships

[radnerd]

Hello everyone,

I hope this message finds you all well and thriving in your pre-med journey. I am currently navigating through the labyrinth of medical school applications and have stumbled upon a question that I believe many of us might be pondering: When do medical schools typically offer merit scholarships?

I understand that financial aid packages, including need-based scholarships, grants, and loans, are generally distributed around March or April. However, I am specifically curious about merit-based scholarships. Are these offers made alongside acceptances, or are they communicated later in the cycle? Furthermore, are merit scholarships typically included in the initial financial aid package, or are they offered separately?

I would be immensely grateful if any current medical students, recent admits, or knowledgeable individuals could shed light on this topic. Understanding the timeline can greatly assist in planning and decision-making, especially for those of us who are weighing the financial implications of our future medical education.

Thank you in advance for your time and insight!

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[toastedbutter]

Some send it with their offer and others send it later, from what I have seen

 

[Hollow Knight]

Depends on the school man. Most have hardly anything. So if you're legit looking at aid you must be going for ivies or NYU or something.

I got my scholarship in like April or May, after being accepted in October. But that's just my individual school.

 

[radnerd]

Some send it with their offer and others send it later, from what I have seen

Thank you, Toastedbutter. By chance, do you have any examples of these schools? Both “with offers” and “later”

 

[toastedbutter]

Thank you, Toastedbutter. By chance, do you have any examples of these schools? Both “with offers” and “later”

I've seen Vanderbilt send scholarship info with their admission offer. For other schools, just keep in mind that there is a non-zero, however pretty small, chance you could use other acceptances to request scholarships.

 

[radnerd]

Depends on the school man. Most have hardly anything. So if you're legit looking at aid you must be going for ivies or NYU or something.

I got my scholarship in like April or May, after being accepted in October. But that's just my individual school.

I agree that these are likely top schools with substantial funding, such as UChicago, WashU, etc. I have heard of instances where individuals have negotiated with similar T20/T30 schools after receiving a full-tuition scholarship from a lower-tier school, although I’m not certain how common these situations are.

 

[radnerd]

I've seen Vanderbilt send scholarship info with their admission offer. For other schools, just keep in mind that there is a non-zero, however pretty small, chance you could use other acceptances to request scholarships.

That makes sense. Thank you.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I agree that these are likely top schools with substantial funding, such as UChicago, WashU, etc. I have heard of instances where individuals have negotiated with similar T20/T30 schools after receiving a full-tuition scholarship from a lower-tier school, although I’m not certain how common these situations are.

Yeah I'm not sure. My scholarship isn't life-changingly large, and I'm at a "low-tier" school. But hey, any little bit helps.

If I were you, I wouldn't plan on any scholarship money, but if it happens, hey great! You should find out either way well before you have to choose a school.

Also here's a book you should read: Amazon product

I only drop the link because I keep running into both medical students and attendings who say things like "I'm $800,000 in debt and I want to do pediatrics" or "I'm just never going to pay my loans off and eventually I'll die and they'll dissappear." And for all I know you're one of those people. (No offense, just trying to help).

If you ever want to talk about finances/school choice in a non-judgmental way, feel free to DM me! That topic is sort of taboo in medicine for whatever reason, which is bad for students.

 

[radnerd]

Yeah I'm not sure. My scholarship isn't life-changingly large, and I'm at a "low-tier" school. But hey, any little bit helps.

If I were you, I wouldn't plan on any scholarship money, but if it happens, hey great! You should find out either way well before you have to choose a school.

Also here's a book you should read: Amazon product

I only drop the link because I keep running into both medical students and attendings who say things like "I'm $800,000 in debt and I want to do pediatrics" or "I'm just never going to pay my loans off and eventually I'll die and they'll dissappear." And for all I know you're one of those people. (No offense, just trying to help).

If you ever want to talk about finances/school choice in a non-judgmental way, feel free to DM me! That topic is sort of taboo in medicine for whatever reason, which is bad for students.

Fully agree, I am not counting on any scholarship. If I get any, that is great. But just wanted to know when they are offered.

It’s really a tricky situation with scholarships and school rankings, isn’t it? I appreciate your openness and recognizing that any scholarship amount is beneficial.

Thanks a ton for sharing the link to “The White Coat Investor.” Financial literacy is crucial, especially in fields with such high education costs like medicine. It’s alarming to hear about people in such significant debt, and having resources to navigate these challenges is vital.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Some send it with their offer and others send it later, from what I have seen

Yep. Depends on the school and the availability of scholarship funds. Connect with current students to get a sense of whether negotiating financial aid offers would work. I'm sure they can tell you how many students are benefiting from merit awards.

 

[FlowRate]

My perception years ago was that merit scholarships are more likely to come from mid-upper mid tier schools that might want to attract students who are otherwise accepted to top schools. A lot of the top schools give good financial aid in general and very limited additional merit funds.