Getting over giving up my dream school

VArachel
Sat, 01 May 2021 20:37:35 +0000

Hi all! About a month ago i found out i got into UCLA and i was so excited and had mentally planned out my entire experience at UCLA and i went to all the info sessions and met amazing people! UCLA was my dream school and I was set on attending as my parents said they would fund everything when I got in, however this changed when they saw the real financial aid package. Since i’m an out of state student from VA and my EFC was incredibly unrealistic and high, i received absolutely no financial aid and was stuck paying 66k plus plane tickets/expenses per year. My parents then realized this was way out our budget since I have plans on going to medical school and I have a younger sister that is going to college in a few years, however they said I could take out loans if I truly wished to attend. I am grateful and lucky enough that my parents offered to pay $120k total for my education, however this would mean that i would have to take out $144k loans at a 4% interest rate and that growing number is very daunting especially since I have med school plans. I chose to attend Virginia Commonwealth Uni on a full ride scholarship per the guidance of many people on CC and my family, and defer my parent’s college savings to med school. I am also working as an EMT so i’ll essentially be able to graduate from med school debt free with my residency money to use for either a down payment on a house or potentially to save for a practice.

Although I know that this was financially the right decision, I am bummed/embarrassed since i worked extremely hard in high school and was told that I could go anywhere if i worked hard but the only thing holding me back from LA is the money. Although VCU is, from what i hear, the best school for pre-med in virginia, I am a little disappointed since I am mainly coming here because of money and not because i really love the school (even though i know the school is probably amazing). How do i get over this sense of grief and sadness after declining my dream school?