<p>I’m a premed student in a BA/MD program (guaranteed seat into medical school). I’m in my 2nd year now. I have good grades (4.0) and am doing pretty well for the most part.</p>
<p>I was intending to graduate in the Spring of 2012 (during my third year, so one year early). Now I’m also considering staying in undergrad for the 4th year and/or applying to graduate school in the UK. However, my parents are less than supportive…I was told today that they won’t cosign any loans. I never intended for them to be responsible for paying anything after my 3rd year of undergrad, but I thought they would at least cosign.</p>
<p>So, now I need to find out what I can do to pay for a 4th year of undergrad and/or grad school in the UK without support. I don’t have a background that would help for need-based scholarships (Asian Indian, parents make a decent income). It seems that I can only rely on merit-based scholarships and private loans. A year of undergrad is about $13.5k(tuition, differential, fees)+room/board+books,etc. I can take $7500 from federal direct loans.</p>
<p>Is it possible for me to get a private loan without a cosigner? I’m 20 years old. I’ve had a credit card for about 5 months now (in my name only). I basically have the next year to build credit and save. I have a research job that pays $10.08/hr and I work 17 hours a week (plan to work 20 hrs/week in the summer).</p>
<p>Is it realistic that I would be able to get a private loan without a cosigner? Is there anything I can do to build my credit to make this possible? Are there any federal loans that I could get without a cosigner (federal loans seem to be applicable to UK schools, and grad programs automatically consider you independent)?</p>
<p>No. It is not realistic to think that you can get a private loan without a cosigner.</p>
<p>Do you absolutely need that fourth year?</p>
<p>As for paying for a grad program in the UK entirely with loans, I’ve got to ask just exactly why you are even considering a grad program that YOU have to pay for. If you are still interested in pursuing the Med School option, why are you contemplating adding on a bunch of debt for a grad program to the debt you will accumulate in Med School? You may be better advised to graduate in three years and join your current research group as a paid member, or as a grad student who has support from that group.</p>
<p>I’m considering the grad school program because I want to be involved in health policy work as a physician. The fourth year would allow me to do coursework in Econ, which would allow me to better understand health policy.</p>
<p>Instead of doing grad school in the UK, it may be more practical to apply to a joint MD/MPH program with a health policy track. Doing the fourth year would make me more competitive for those programs. On the other hand, I wonder if doing an NIH IRTA would still make me competitive…it would pay ~$30k, as opposed to me taking on debt.</p>
<p>What is your situation?</p>
<p>Are you a US Citizen? </p>
<p>Why aren’t you just doing your BS/MD program since you have that going for you?</p>
<p>Are your parents willing to pay for your BS/MD program?</p>
<p>Are your parents just objecting to this UK idea?</p>
<p>Don’t do the 4th year/UK program. I’m in public health; there are tons of master’s program and post-doctoral programs for doctors with MDs who want to do health policy or health policy research. Wait until you are finished, then do one of those. If you’re in a guaranteed MD program and you want the MPH, stay where you are and do a one-year MPH program for clinical doctorate holdess after you finish - like I said, there are tons of these, and most top SPHs have one.</p>
<p>I don’t get why the UK 4th year thing is related to the BS / MD. Go to the BS / MD.</p>