OFFICIAL Harvard Medical School Class of '09 Thread

[CarleneM]

I got the email today. Hope to see you guys at the second look weekend.

yup, i just got it as well. My email is back to working again. Sounds like a lot of good stuff will be going on at Second Look. I can't wait to meet everyone!!

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[aeneid]

Just wondering if anyone has received their package as of yet?

 

[leaft]

i haven't gotten it yet.
but i was actually going to ask you all the same question (you beat me to it!)
i hope it gets here soon so that i can finally tell people where i am going next year. i hate having to worry about money.

 

[leechy]

i haven't gotten it yet.
but i was actually going to ask you all the same question (you beat me to it!)
i hope it gets here soon so that i can finally tell people where i am going next year. i hate having to worry about money.

speaking of money, what are people's thoughts about the whole 'free ride at top ten' vs harvard thing, for anyone fortunate enough to be in that position? what would it take for you to turn down harvard?

 

[krelian]

I saw my financial aid package online (on the finaid webiste) about a week ago. I haven't received any snail mail notifications. HMS' package was pretty good for me, or at least better than what Duke offered me (and Duke claims to have really excellent financial aid ).

speaking of money, what are people's thoughts about the whole 'free ride at top ten' vs harvard thing, for anyone fortunate enough to be in that position? what would it take for you to turn down harvard?

It's a tough decision to make, and it really depends how much you like the other school compared to HMS and the difference in the expected debt amount. You may be surprised at how much you'll receive in need-based financial aid. One school offered me $40k+ in scholarships, but since Harvard gave me a decent package, the difference is not enough for me to turn down Harvard.

 

[RunMimi]

Just wondering if anyone has received their package as of yet?

I called them because I submitted everything a while ago and I should be a pretty simple case (option 2). It turns out I was missing a minor thing but they hadn't contacted me. I think if you haven't heard anything, its worth calling. I think the 'priority deadline' is this coming Friday, the 15th.

 

[aeneid]

Hey krelian,

Did you attend the Duke re-visit last week? If so, what did you think? They did a pretty good job with selling the school. I had actually never been down there, so it was good to see the area. The appeal down there seems to be the collegial atmosphere....Let me know what you think...

 

[Yalie05]

I saw my financial aid package online (on the finaid webiste) about a week ago. I haven't received any snail mail notifications. HMS' package was pretty good for me, or at least better than what Duke offered me (and Duke claims to have really excellent financial aid ).


It's a tough decision to make, and it really depends how much you like the other school compared to HMS and the difference in the expected debt amount. You may be surprised at how much you'll receive in need-based financial aid. One school offered me $40k+ in scholarships, but since Harvard gave me a decent package, the difference is not enough for me to turn down Harvard.

that's really good news...i still have a few more things to send before my application is complete...do you mind disclosing how much in scholarship money you received? you could pm me if you don't wanna post...the whole debt thing has kinda been worrying me.

 

[the other Dr.]

I saw my financial aid package online (on the finaid webiste) about a week ago. I haven't received any snail mail notifications. HMS' package was pretty good for me, or at least better than what Duke offered me (and Duke claims to have really excellent financial aid ).


Where did you look to find your package from Harvard? Did your financial aid page have a "my awards" tab or did you look somewhere else? When where all of your documents received?

Thanks



It's a tough decision to make, and it really depends how much you like the other school compared to HMS and the difference in the expected debt amount. You may be surprised at how much you'll receive in need-based financial aid. One school offered me $40k+ in scholarships, but since Harvard gave me a decent package, the difference is not enough for me to turn down Harvard.

Thanks

 

[caobc05]

Hi all-
I've been reading along w/SDN for awhile but just registered when I saw this post- I'm going to start NP next year also. I have a finanical aid question- I checked on the harvard financial aid website and it said all of my required documents are in except for the interview. They should give me info about my aid package before that interview, right? For those of you who have seen yours, how long did it take after you sent in your forms for your package to show up online?
Thanks a lot- I look forward to meeting you all in the fall!

 

[krelian]

The website indicated that the office received all of the materials by 3/25, and I saw my package indicated online on 4/5 or so. I think the loan interview is something that we have to do in the fall when we matriculate, so no one should have that part completed yet. As for the turnaround time, the Fafsa and Profile were received on the same day, several weeks after I had completed them. The tax forms were all marked as received a week after I had them mailed out. I think the finaid office does the updating in clusters at a time.

Hope this info helps.

 

[aeneid]

Hey krelian,

Did you attend the Duke re-visit last week? If so, what did you think? They did a pretty good job with selling the school. I had actually never been down there, so it was good to see the area. The appeal down there seems to be the collegial atmosphere....Let me know what you think...

I saw my financial aid package online (on the finaid webiste) about a week ago. I haven't received any snail mail notifications. HMS' package was pretty good for me, or at least better than what Duke offered me (and Duke claims to have really excellent financial aid ).


It's a tough decision to make, and it really depends how much you like the other school compared to HMS and the difference in the expected debt amount. You may be surprised at how much you'll receive in need-based financial aid. One school offered me $40k+ in scholarships, but since Harvard gave me a decent package, the difference is not enough for me to turn down Harvard.

 

[rpkall]

crazy smarties!

Congrats, all of you. Getting into HMS is quite an accomplishment. Best of luck to you all during your four years there and after.

Don't get too cocky, goobers!

 

[Mateodaspy]

so i am submitting the fafsa this week (my parents took FOREVER to complete their taxes).... will I have trouble getting my forms in by the deadline so that I can hear back from financial aid before may 15th to make my decision???

 

[RunMimi]

I read on the HMS site about some agreement they have with IBM where we would get ~40% off an IBM laptop. Has anyone heard anything about this?

 

[Jennifer25]

I read on the HMS site about some agreement they have with IBM where we would get ~40% off an IBM laptop. Has anyone heard anything about this?

I think that deal is just for alums, but I could be mistaken.

Question--what is the url to check your financial aid status and package?

Thanks!

 

[smile82]

is anyone having trouble accessing the finaid page today??

 

[smile82]

nevermind, it's fine. still nothing on my page and i had everything complete 3/28

 

[leaft]

smile82, I was complete the same day as you.
I hope to get something soon!!

 

[RunMimi]

I got my financial aid package today. Not stellar but my parents put me in a kind of crappy place, so I suppose they did the best they could.

 

[iluvmyhonda]

out of curiosity, when is the second look weekend?

 

[aeneid]

2nd look is 4/28-4/30...

 

[CarleneM]

I got my financial aid package today. Its pretty horrendous. I don't have anything to compare it to since this is the only school I submitted my fin aid forms to but the parental contribution is ridiculously high. My parents are schoolteachers, not corporate executives, yet what HMS came up with seems totally out of whack. We are meeting with fin aid to discuss it next week but it looks like I'll have to take out a huge loan to cover their contribution. What FAFSA calculated was more reasonable so it came as a big shock to see HMS's calculation...

 

[Jennifer25]

I got my financial aid package today. Its pretty horrendous. I don't have anything to compare it to since this is the only school I submitted my fin aid forms to but the parental contribution is ridiculously high. My parents are schoolteachers, not corporate executives, yet what HMS came up with seems totally out of whack. We are meeting with fin aid to discuss it next week but it looks like I'll have to take out a huge loan to cover their contribution. What FAFSA calculated was more reasonable so it came as a big shock to see HMS's calculation...

How do you know what FAFSA calculates as estimated parental contribution?

 

[CarleneM]

How do you know what FAFSA calculates as estimated parental contribution?

when you get notification that your FAFSA has processed, you can log onto the fafsa site and it will tell you the estimated family contribution. HMS told me today "oh we don't even look at that" so I would not go by it at all. HMS estimated over twice the contribution that FAFSA did.

 

[leaft]

Carlene,
now i am worried. my parents are also teachers. and because i am international (kind of, i am canadian), i can't get federal loans. when did you submit your application? did you find out online or in a mailing?

 

[CarleneM]

Carlene,
now i am worried. my parents are also teachers. and because i am international (kind of, i am canadian), i can't get federal loans. when did you submit your application? did you find out online or in a mailing?

i had everything in on march 30th and found out online. One of my parents is retiring midway through next year so we are hoping that will give us some leverage to adjust the expected contribution.

 

[krelian]

What FAFSA calculated was more reasonable so it came as a big shock to see HMS's calculation...

I believe FAFSA uses only the student's assets and income in its EFC calculation, since federal programs assume that you're independent of your parents if you're pursuing a professional degree. Thus, FAFSA does not calculate a parent contribution at all. Most students also end up with an EFC of $0, unless they generated signficant income, but most schools won't let the student get away with only $0 as the student contribution.

Schools do try to squeeze as much out of you as they can. It's not only the income but any accumulated assets you have. Realize also that financial aid is usually stingy, and if your parents make more than $100k/year in combined income then your package will be shot.

I have 3 other schools to compare to HMS for financial aid; 2 use Need Access and 1 uses Profile. The parent contribution was similar for all 4 schools, and HMS fell in the middle. The main difference in the packages was whether I received unsubsidized loans or school-subsidized loans.

 

[CarleneM]

My parents don't make more than $100,000 and are still paying off their mortgage. I guess what bothers me is there is no way my parents could ever pay what the school claims should be their contribution based on their income and assets. And when I talked with fin aid today they said "yeah most of the time the parents can't pay it and the student has to take out unsubsidized loans to cover it." If it had been presented to me as loans in the first place I wouldn't be as upset but I don't like the false advertising aspect of it. If my parents could afford to help me as generously as HMS suggested, they would. I do think this is the nature of the private school beast though. I am sort of kicking myself for withdrawing from McGill and Umass though....

I believe FAFSA uses only the student's assets and income in its EFC calculation, since federal programs assume that you're independent of your parents if you're pursuing a professional degree. Thus, FAFSA does not calculate a parent contribution at all. Most students also end up with an EFC of $0, unless they generated signficant income, but most schools won't let the student get away with only $0 as the student contribution.

Schools do try to squeeze as much out of you as they can. It's not only the income but any accumulated assets you have. Realize also that financial aid is usually stingy, and if your parents make more than $100k/year in combined income then your package will be shot.

I have 3 other schools to compare to HMS for financial aid; 2 use Need Access and 1 uses Profile. The parent contribution was similar for all 4 schools, and HMS fell in the middle. The main difference in the packages was whether I received unsubsidized loans or school-subsidized loans.

 

[criminallyinane]

I am sort of kicking myself for withdrawing from McGill and Umass though....

Oh, come on, you weren't going to go to either of those schools over Harvard. You should be happy that you got your first choice! Everyone goes into debt... it's not uncommon.

 

[RunMimi]

So my mother is a school teacher and my father is in the military and no school-subsidized loans for me, but I expected that. Honestly, I'm taking out all four years cost out in loans minus the little I have in personal savings. I was talking to my parents about how screwed I am because they save every last penny they can (but don't see it as their parental role to help pay for anymore school) and they were like, "So you would actually get more money if we spent all our money by vacationing in the Carribbean twice a year, driving expensive cars, etc?" And I was like "Yup. Doesn't that stink?"

 

[CarleneM]

Oh, come on, you weren't going to go to either of those schools over Harvard. You should be happy that you got your first choice! Everyone goes into debt... it's not uncommon.

yes, you are probably right but I find myself thinking differently now that I'm dealing with actual numbers. I knew I was going to go into debt but didn't think it would be quite as high, I mean its almost twice as high as what I had expected looking at average debt for HMS students. I'll stop complaining now though and just get more educated on loan consolidation, deferment, etc.

 

[krelian]

Hey CarleneM, I didn't mean to say that your parents did or did not make $100k in income. I was just making a point that parents with such income usually do not get any financial aid unless they have other kids in college.

Anyhow, most private schools give similar amounts of need-based financial aid. Also, average indebtedness is as much a function of how much financial aid that school offers as the type of students that attend that school. Quite a few students leave med school with no real debt also (mainly because parents pay for everything), and this really pulls down the average

I was talking to my parents about how screwed I am because they save every last penny they can (but don't see it as their parental role to help pay for anymore school) and they were like, "So you would actually get more money if we spent all our money by vacationing in the Carribbean twice a year, driving expensive cars, etc?" And I was like "Yup. Doesn't that stink?"

Yea, the system makes sense but also sucks at the same time. I worked quite a lot last year, and basically I will have to pay most of what I earned for med school. If i had not worked at all, maybe I could have gotten some more financial aid

 

[aeneid]

Hey CarleneM,

I'm not sure if your parents have done this already, but try to look into having them reduce the assets in their name. Some of the trick with EFC is that it's broken into contribution from income and contribution from assets. The institutional and federal methodolgy models "expect" between 35-50% barring any other major factors, like two in school. The tragedy of this model is that for most middle class families those assets are untouchable without some penalty....I hope this helps...it's at least worth some conversation with a financial consultant if possible...Believe me I know this process is tough!! All the best

 

[Mateodaspy]

anyone know when harvard's deferral request deadline is...?

 

[leaft]

matt,

are you actually considering deferall?

i read a post of yours (in the HMS waitlist thread) that said you were pretty sure you would be giving up your NP spot for $$ reasons. the money thing has me worried sick at the moment. did you actually submit all your finaid stuff to harvard yet?

will i see you at second look?

 

[leaft]

did anyone else get their finaid package yet??
i am crossing my fingers and toes that mine will arrive this week (and that i will be very happy with it).

 

[Mateodaspy]

matt,

are you actually considering deferall?

i read a post of yours (in the HMS waitlist thread) that said you were pretty sure you would be giving up your NP spot for $$ reasons. the money thing has me worried sick at the moment. did you actually submit all your finaid stuff to harvard yet?

will i see you at second look?

yes, i am considering deferring...

I can't go to the regular second look next weekend (penn preview), so i'm doing my visit this weekend (21-24) =(

Let me know how the regular second look goes...

 

[Babooshka]

As a freshman in college, I find it frustrating all your HMS kids are not posting your stats. link up the mdapplicants, you punks

 

[Jennifer25]

did anyone else get their finaid package yet??
i am crossing my fingers and toes that mine will arrive this week (and that i will be very happy with it).

How soon should we expect to hear about our financial aid package after HMS gets our information?

 

[ns83]

for those of you who have already submitted your hms financial aid materials but haven't received your aid package yet -- does the online system show your documents as received? i submitted everything in early april, but it doesn't show my fafsa or income tax forms as processed yet.... looking forward to seeing everyone at revisit next week!

 

[Yalie05]

do any of you know if april 15th was the deadline for when they should have received everything or if it was just the date for you which you should've submitted everything? the reason i ask is because i submitted the css profile on april 15th, but i know that it takes a few days for it to arrive to them. do you think this is ok?

 

[GoPistons]

As somebody graduating in May, please please please if you have received full scholarships at other schools to go to them. I know... it's like... I worked so hard and I want to be rewarded for it... blah blah blah... 200k in debt or whatever that some of you will incur by going to Harvard is not worth it.

In reality, all of the top 15 schools are the same and will get you where you need to be. Even if you go to a state school or whatevers chances are that you will be top dog AOA monster so you will get whatever you want anyway...

please please please... money might not be an issue to you now... but 200k in debt has a way of biting you in the ass when you are staring at 6 or so years of residency at only 40k per year...

I read about somebody getting a full ride at WashU... no decision to be made... buddy..

I was in the same dilemma a few years ago... I had Harvard, JHU, Yale, and free ride to Michigan... I picked... gasp... JHU... bad idea... should have taken the free ride...

 

[leechy]

As somebody graduating in May, please please please if you have received full scholarships at other schools to go to them. I know... it's like... I worked so hard and I want to be rewarded for it... blah blah blah... 200k in debt or whatever that some of you will incur by going to Harvard is not worth it.

Interesting post... anyone have opinions on it? Are there any legitimate reasons for choosing Harvard over a free ride, especially if the money is at a highly ranked school?

 

[twicetenturns]

So what is the deal with a $25,000 unit loan. Tack on a mandatory minimum student contribution of 1,500, and even if your EFC (as calculated by the school ) is 0, you are a minimum of $106,000 in the hole. How is the maximum aid package higher than the reported average figures by 18%. Ugh, even if you get a good package, it isn't that great.

 

[CarleneM]

So what is the deal with a $25,000 unit loan. Tack on a mandatory minimum student contribution of 1,500, and even if your EFC (as calculated by the school ) is 0, you are a minimum of $106,000 in the hole. How is the maximum aid package higher than the reported average figures by 18%. Ugh, even if you get a good package, it isn't that great.

Two reasons: the unit loan goes up for each class, at least according to the figures in the HMS financial aid publication. The class of 2008 had a lower unit loan and so on. the second reason is that there are some people who will be able to outright pay for most (or even all) of the cost without maxxing out the $25000. These people can really bring the averages down.

Good news on the HMS financial aid front- we had a meeting today with them and they reduced my parental contribution by a couple thousand. we were really pleased and surprised at their willingness to listen and work with us.

 

[twicetenturns]

Two reasons: the unit loan goes up for each class, at least according to the figures in the HMS financial aid publication. The class of 2008 had a lower unit loan and so on. the second reason is that there are some people who will be able to outright pay for most (or even all) of the cost without maxxing out the $25000. These people can really bring the averages down.

OK, fair enough. Dang. Funny how I looked at those averages and figured that I should be right around there, completely ignorant of the obvious statistical manipulation. So much for academic medicine, i guess. Unless Stanford or Hopkins works a miracle that is.

 

[jackbnimble]

hey has anyone recieved an email about second look weekend? It might be easier to live with another female but I'm open to male roommates if it was the right match.

I heard Indianboy is available

 

[leaft]

Who will be at 2nd look?

 

[CarleneM]

Who will be at 2nd look?

Me! Although, I just found out I'll have to miss a good chunk of the activities on friday because I have to be at work from 11am to at least 2pm for a new study patient. My boss scheduled them forgetting about the revisit and I feel bad about making him (and the family) reschedule.Luckily, I work next door to HMS.