I am a rising senior in high school trying to make decisions regarding my early action and decision schools. I maintain a 4.3 GPA and have honors societies and a total of 10 AP classes throughout my high school career. My top choices are UVA and Cornell for my reaches, with University of Washington, V. Tech, and JMU as my moderate and VCU as a safety. While deciding, I am facing the issue of financial aid. My father and adopted mother are not going to contribute any monetary help for college. My biological mother passed away when I was fourteen. I don’t know if there is a way for me to receive assistance because I have a deceased parent who was my primary custodial guardian for 10 years. I am heartbroken over the idea of not being able to attend schools I have an aptitude for because of a financial situation. I want to be an M.D. and I really would like to attend schools that have good lab settings as a Biochemistry major as well as nice medical schools. What can I do?
Your mom died about four years ago. I’m sorry for your loss.
But the fact is…your dad is now your custodial parent, and the income and assets of his wife, and him will be considered when need based aid is determined. Do they have a high income that would prevent you from getting need based aid?
Are you instate for Virginia…or Washington?
Cornell gives only need based aid…no merit. UVA has some highly competitive merit awards but mostly need based aid.
If your parent and stepparent aren’t contributing a dime…you need a full ride…
What is your SAT or ACT score. Any chance you will be a NM finalist?
Oh and don’t apply early decision…because you have significant financial constraints…and it will be VERY important for you to be able to compare multiple net costs and acceptances.
While your parents may not provide financial support, colleges don’t care so to speak. They will have to cooperate on providing financial information for the FAFSA and CSS. Depending on their finances you could qualify for financial, however, if not you need to find serious merit awards and look at your instate options. This in no way prevents you from getting an MD down the road, but the path may not be the one you envision.
So…what is your ACT or SAT score? With a $300,000 family income, you are NOT going to qualify for need based aid…anywhere. And NO places like Cornell are not going to ignore your parent income.
But if your SAT or ACT is high enough, you could garner merit aid. What is your score?
And if you are a national merit finalist, that will open up more doors…so are you?
Not wishing to pry…but any chance you inherited some life insurance when your mom died?
Financial aid does not appear to be an option. I would try to get your ACT up a point. You need to go after merit aid. What do your parents expect you to do after graduation? I can understand them not wanting to pay 60k a year but no support whatsoever is extreme.
@graciewingfield I am so sorry for your loss. My girls lost their father a few year ago as well. I understand the pain. Is there any chance your father would change his mind and contribute? With an income like that, it seems like he should be able. Are you living with him now?
Is it possible that your father doesn’t understand how college finances work now? Maybe he thinks that you can take out loans but that simply isn’t true. Could a guidance counselor from your school possiblyl talk to him?
Your parents are actually not going to contribute a penny, or have they told you to seek as much merit as possible? Have they looked at college costs? Do you have siblings(half). Your stats so far are nice but no mega cigar. 32 won't get you much merit in most univs. It won't get you admission to reaches.
Like most kids you will look at your instate 4 yr, and any real pre med kid looks to do undergrad for as close to free as possible. You need to tone down talk of full pay OOS schools and ask what your budget is. Many, most, kids are restricted.
Redo that ACT if you haven't sat it more than 3 times.
Go theough the thread at the top of this forum that lists last year’s automatic full tuition and full ride scholarships. If the criteria don’t change for this year, there are several that you qualify for even with your ACT of 32. Check the university websites to verify the requirements this year, and the cut off dates for application. One or more of them could be your safeties.
Probably you are going to have to get over this. Most people can’t just attend whatever school they think they have aptitude for because of financial considerations. Take the long view here.
Sadly, your living parents income will matter…not your previous situation
Why won’t your parents help at all?
Your college does NOT have to have a med school!!! Undergrads are not roaming the halls of med schools!
Start studying the ACT REGULARLY and get your score higher!
There are schools that will give you large merit scholarships, but likely you’ll need a few thou per year from parents. Please talk to them. Explain that you can probably get free/nearly free tuition, but you’ll need help with other costs.
Is one parent a doctor?
I can help guide you a lot thru the college app and the Premed to med school process if you like…for free…you don’t seem to have anyone looking out for you. Hugs
You have the aptitude for 100s of schools…don’t worry. We’ll try to get you into a good school where you’ll be challenged, but also where…if you work hard…you’ll get the As and GPA to get into med school.
Please get clarification from parents. What they may be saying is they won’t pay $70,000 a year for some fancy private school. However if you go to a good college with a large merit scholarship and you only need about 15,000 a year, then they may pay that $15,000 a year.
Please sit down and family and politely and nicely tell them that you are flying to good schools where you can get very large ships but you will need help with room and board
They may also not understand that Student loans have changed and now undergrads can only borrow very small amounts each year
I know that many know our stories…lol…but you don’t. My younger son is a new doctor. He went to undergrad for nearly free on merit scholarships…free tuition plus $4500 per year…plus a couple of one time 2500 awards. His entire undergrad education cost about $25k TOTAL! We were able to help him with med school and other costs because his college costs were so low.
My point is that you need to refocus…study/retake the ACT, go to a good school on large merit, get the best GPA you can, and go to med school.
I am sorry for your loss. My Ds lost their father when they were in high school/first year of college. I sympathize with your loss and your sadness.
The loss of our primary breadwinner caused both girls to face financial issues for college. One had to transfer from her OOS university to a less expensive in-state university & commute from home; the other sought merit money and went to the college that offered her the best deal.
And guess what? Both went to med school and are now doctors.
Med school admission really doesn’t depend on where you go to college. It depends on you and your achievements during college (GPA, test scores, ECs, leadership)–things you can accomplish anywhere.
Even if need to begin your college career at a community college, med schools will not care so long as you have demonstrated that you can be successful. This is a route that a number of students follow.
If you parents really aren’t going to contribute anything toward your college education, then you’re going to have to either look for big merit awards–which means going down several steps in competitiveness from the schools on your list, or you need to consider starting out at your local community college for your first 2 years. As dependent student, you can only borrow a very limited amount on your own–$5500 as a freshman, $6500 as a sophomore and $7500 as a junior & senior.
Attending a CC or less competitive college may feel like you’re getting shortchanged, but you have to keep your eyes on the final goal—a career as a physician.