What would you do?

[ixitixl]

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My one acceptance is to a school that charges 50K/year for tuition and doesn't grant residency status after the first year. I could be in a lot of pain when I finish.

Also, any reasons why you chose what you chose? I don't want miss anything in making this decision.

 

[Brickhouse]

Is it possible there might be more acceptances coming along for you later? I don't know what to say - I fought tooth and nail for my acceptance, and it's one of the more expensive schools - but I don't care. I'll let my kids pay off my debts.
What would deferring a year, allow you to be closer to residency? Whatcha gonna do during that year?

 

[Eraserhead]

Wow, a girl I knew went there from CA a few years ago, I had NO idea she was paying that much! That's insane. Personallly, I would try to defer or reapply or whatever...

 

[ckent]

I just reviewed your application. It looks like you have a good chance of getting in somewhere else this year. If you don't, I'd go ahead and go to this school if you want to be a doctor. 200K is difficult, but it'll be better then reapplying and not getting in anywhere next year.

 

[exmike]

An acceptance in hand (this year) is worth two in the bush (next year).

If you defer UIC and then you burn them next year and go somewhere else, there is nothing stopping them from contacting other programs and ratting you out (which I would do if someone deferred and then went to another school).

 

[edik]

Originally posted by ckent
I just reviewed your application. It looks like you have a good chance of getting in somewhere else this year. If you don't, I'd go ahead and go to this school if you want to be a doctor. 200K is difficult, but it'll be better then reapplying and not getting in anywhere next year.

I think he means deferring the school, not reapplying. Are you sure that if you move to Illinois today and stay a year, you will get the resident status?

 

[Jalby]

I know a guy rom the UCLA weight room who defered from a school and reapplied, lost the acceptance he had, went on interviews, didn't get in anywhere, MCAT expired, and right now he is still there about to retake the MCAT right now.

 

[LaurieB]

ixitixl,

You should make sure that you can defer and get IL resident status if you decided to go that route. It's really up to you to decide how much the money is worth it. If you don't mind kicking it for a year and if you are positive that they'll give you instate status, go for it. Although, I really hope that this reamins a hypothetical question and that you and I both end up being Huskies!

Laurie

 

[jlee9531]

unless you can become instate in a year...but why not just attend for a year with the 50K and get instate residency after that year...

or is that not an option?

honestly speaking id want to start my med education asap since its what we are gonna be doing potentially for the next 7+ years.

 

[LaurieB]

UIC is one of those stickler schools when it comes to getting instate tuition. You have to be here for noneducational puroses and make money for a year...tough to do as a med student.

 

[ixitixl]

Thanks for all of your input. Getting IL residency is not a possibility so if I go, I'm stuck with 50K/year + all living expenses. However, like Jalby pointed out, if I defer a year, my MCAT scores will expire and I might get stuck having to go through hell again. I hadn't even thought about that.

LaurieB: I've pretty much given up on UW--I have a low GPA and weak ECs. I do however, write Werner on a regular basis to show my continued interest. But it'll be like wining the lottery now. Oh what I'd give to be a Husky.

 

[CalBeE]

Maybe you can start finding outside scholarships? There are some very esoteric ones out there. Also, there may be some specifically for Arkansas residents.

 

[ixitixl]

Originally posted by CalBeE
Maybe you can start finding outside scholarships? There are some very esoteric ones out there. Also, there may be some specifically for Arkansas residents.

LOL. AK=Alaska, not Arkansas

 

[No Egrets]

Originally posted by Jalby
I know a guy rom the UCLA weight room who defered from a school and reapplied, lost the acceptance he had, went on interviews, didn't get in anywhere, MCAT expired, and right now he is still there about to retake the MCAT right now.

How did he lose the acceptance he had? That is my worst nightmare! AAAAAAHHHHH

 

[ixitixl]

Thanks for the input. I guess 200K it is, unless I get in somewhere else.

 

[chuck deli]

Ya don't see too many doctors struggling to make ends meet...even those that attended private institutions. There was a lady I knew that went to a private medical school, and needed loans for a house, and had 3 kids. She had $300,000 in debt. Then she moved away for residency, and got a new mortgage. Still, she's not hurtin'. Plus you have to realize that after your schooling you'll have to get a car loan, mortgage, taxes, malpractice, etc. You can pay back student loans over a 30 year period. As a physician (even as a PCP), you'll be able to handle it.

 

[wolferman]

I'm doing option #2 myself. I got accepted to Case Western last year, but decided against paying $42K a year (after $10K scholarship and grant) and decided to defer and try again at my state school. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Finanically it makes sense. I'm giving up one year's worth of salary, but saving myself about $80K in debt. Considering I wouldn't save that much my first year (or any year), I consider my choice to be, in the words of Martha Stewart, "a good thing."

 

[ixitixl]

Well, the most likely situation for me:

50,210 Tuition + fees

1,380 Books and supplies

10,850 Living expenses

= 62,440 Total

Now if I multiply this by 4...

= 249,760 (Quarter million bucks)

Since I won't be working, that's going to be my debt after graduation. I just paid off my UG debt so I won't be dragging that with me. What do you all think? Is this doable? How doable?

 

[ixitixl]

Originally posted by wolferman
I'm doing option #2 myself. I got accepted to Case Western last year, but decided against paying $42K a year (after $10K scholarship and grant) and decided to defer and try again at my state school. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Finanically it makes sense. I'm giving up one year's worth of salary, but saving myself about $80K in debt. Considering I wouldn't save that much my first year (or any year), I consider my choice to be, in the words of Martha Stewart, "a good thing."

What you're doing makes sense. I'm just so afraid of losing the only acceptance I have. With my low numbers and lack of ECs, I feel like I won the lottery. Funny how that feeling changed when the tuition estimate arrived.

 

[CalBeE]

Originally posted by ixitixl
LOL. AK=Alaska, not Arkansas

Well they both have very few residents, so if there's scholarships specifically for that state's resident, it'll be relatively less competitive