It is that time of year. No, not tax season, but FAFSA season. The FAFSA (free application for student aid) is a service by the US government to apply for federal loans and grants. Since the vast majority of medical students are unable to pay for their entire education out of pocket, this is the first step to acquiring loans, grants and scholarships.
Most schools have March 1st as the deadline for the next school year's early filing of the FAFSA, and since your tax information is required to fill out the FAFSA, completing your taxes early is key. The trick part is, even though federal grants and scholarships usually don't require parental information for graduate students, most schools require parent information for considering need-based scholarships, so your parents' taxes are also needed on the FAFSA. Thankfully, you can estimate your (and your parents') tax information and later edit the FAFSA to include the real numbers.
Each school will handle financial aid differently, but at my school, the financial aid office will automatically apply for every available scholarship for entering first year students (once the FAFSA information is available, of course). For the subsequent years, the student needs to apply for the scholarships they are interested in themselves.
The first year student has a pretty basic task. Once the FAFSA is filled out and submitted, the school will receive the information about the grants and loans available to that student. The school will then consider the student for any scholarships or grants they are eligible for. Once the financial aid package is put together, usually made up of mostly loans, the student is presented the package. At that point, the student can either accept or decline the package.
At this point I am simply awaiting my loan package information, to ensure there are no issues with my loans so I know I can finance the first year of school. Once I have confirmation that I will be able to pay for my living expenses as well as tuition, I will consider the best time to give my work notice so they can have me train someone in my job before I leave.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Family Death
Nothing new to say in regards to medical school. Still waiting out my last half-year at my current job, looking forward to starting and hoping I am prepared. My entire family had a huge shock, however, in the new year.
My older brother, Mathew, died suddenly some time before going to work on 1/3. He would have been 33 years old next month.
He stopped by my parents' home on Monday night and dropped off some money for my younger brother, and was supposed to return to work after the holiday break on Tuesday morning. My parents, who live 2 blocks from his house, noticed his car was still in front of his house Tuesday morning, but figured he was going to go into work late. When it was still there Wednesday morning, they tried to call him and when there was no answer, my father went to check on him. He found Matt in his bathtub with the shower still running. The coroner's report won't be available for at least a month and he had no medical conditions or other problems we were aware of.
Mathew was a difficult person to live with, very introverted and a loner. He was extremely intelligent, however, and had just returned to school to begin working toward a degree, having attended four years of college after high school but failing to graduate. He was also my son's godfather, had been getting his life back on track, and was becoming much more personable in the past couple years. His death was truly a loss to our family and everyone who knew him; as private and introverted as he was, he was a very friendly person and had lively discussions and debates with those he worked with. Everyone at his former employer expressed their shock and sadness, and made it clear he would be missed.
Please keep him and my family, especially our parents, in your prayers. Not everything that happens will make sense. Life is not always fair or just. You never know how many more tomorrows you have, so carpe diem. Most of all, reach out to those who love you. They will help you with your demons and problems, no matter how difficult they may be, or how much you fear their reaction.
My older brother, Mathew, died suddenly some time before going to work on 1/3. He would have been 33 years old next month.
He stopped by my parents' home on Monday night and dropped off some money for my younger brother, and was supposed to return to work after the holiday break on Tuesday morning. My parents, who live 2 blocks from his house, noticed his car was still in front of his house Tuesday morning, but figured he was going to go into work late. When it was still there Wednesday morning, they tried to call him and when there was no answer, my father went to check on him. He found Matt in his bathtub with the shower still running. The coroner's report won't be available for at least a month and he had no medical conditions or other problems we were aware of.
Mathew was a difficult person to live with, very introverted and a loner. He was extremely intelligent, however, and had just returned to school to begin working toward a degree, having attended four years of college after high school but failing to graduate. He was also my son's godfather, had been getting his life back on track, and was becoming much more personable in the past couple years. His death was truly a loss to our family and everyone who knew him; as private and introverted as he was, he was a very friendly person and had lively discussions and debates with those he worked with. Everyone at his former employer expressed their shock and sadness, and made it clear he would be missed.
Please keep him and my family, especially our parents, in your prayers. Not everything that happens will make sense. Life is not always fair or just. You never know how many more tomorrows you have, so carpe diem. Most of all, reach out to those who love you. They will help you with your demons and problems, no matter how difficult they may be, or how much you fear their reaction.
RIP
Mathew Sean Owens
2/8/1979 - 1/4/2012
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
A Wild Fall
Well it has certainly been a wild Fall so far. I have only recently gotten over a major sinus infection that turned into an ear infection, then into bad bronchitis. A course of Augmenten and a Z-Pak later, I am actually feeling well again. My wife is finally over the same infections herself, and our son, while still getting regular nebulizer treatments, seems better than he has been since September.
There is an interesting cycle that I am going through following acceptance to medical school. First there was the initial excitement and elation with being accepted. The fact that I expected to have to re-apply next year made my admission offer that much more exciting. Shortly after the high wore off, however, doubt began to creep in. I even, in typical neurotic fashion, wondered if the e-mailed notification of acceptance was a mistake, and they meant to notify me that I was put on-hold. This was laid to rest upon receipt of the official offer letter in the mail, and their acceptance of my deposit reserving my place. Now, I am in the "I have nothing to do, and nothing to worry about until next August" phase. I have little motivation to work, no desire to continue volunteering, and am basically counting down the days until I can give notice at work and really prepare for medical school.
The next big step I am waiting on is filling out the FAFSA, which I hope to do as soon as I can this Winter. I do not think anything will prevent me from taking out the necessary loans, but since getting the full cost of attendance plus the allowed increase for child care is the only way I can afford to go to medical school, any problems with receiving the full amount may prevent me from matriculating. My credit is good, and I am not under a crushing debt burden, so I don't think it will be a problem, but if there is something to worry about, I can find it.
I am debating pre-studying anatomy before beginning classes. I believe some familiarity with anatomy and physiology will help me get a handle on the first few weeks of classes more easily, but the consensus on SDN seems to be that pre-studying is useless and a waste of time. I will probably cave in and read the text I have a bit, but not put in any serious pre-studying hours.
Other than that, I am looking forward to Christmas, looking forward to quitting my job, and knowing that I will wish for the freedom I currently have once I am actually in the thick of classes. Updates will probably be pretty sparse for a while, considering I am not actually actively pursuing anything toward medical school, as I have an acceptance in hand. When I have something to add, I will do so.
There is an interesting cycle that I am going through following acceptance to medical school. First there was the initial excitement and elation with being accepted. The fact that I expected to have to re-apply next year made my admission offer that much more exciting. Shortly after the high wore off, however, doubt began to creep in. I even, in typical neurotic fashion, wondered if the e-mailed notification of acceptance was a mistake, and they meant to notify me that I was put on-hold. This was laid to rest upon receipt of the official offer letter in the mail, and their acceptance of my deposit reserving my place. Now, I am in the "I have nothing to do, and nothing to worry about until next August" phase. I have little motivation to work, no desire to continue volunteering, and am basically counting down the days until I can give notice at work and really prepare for medical school.
The next big step I am waiting on is filling out the FAFSA, which I hope to do as soon as I can this Winter. I do not think anything will prevent me from taking out the necessary loans, but since getting the full cost of attendance plus the allowed increase for child care is the only way I can afford to go to medical school, any problems with receiving the full amount may prevent me from matriculating. My credit is good, and I am not under a crushing debt burden, so I don't think it will be a problem, but if there is something to worry about, I can find it.
I am debating pre-studying anatomy before beginning classes. I believe some familiarity with anatomy and physiology will help me get a handle on the first few weeks of classes more easily, but the consensus on SDN seems to be that pre-studying is useless and a waste of time. I will probably cave in and read the text I have a bit, but not put in any serious pre-studying hours.
Other than that, I am looking forward to Christmas, looking forward to quitting my job, and knowing that I will wish for the freedom I currently have once I am actually in the thick of classes. Updates will probably be pretty sparse for a while, considering I am not actually actively pursuing anything toward medical school, as I have an acceptance in hand. When I have something to add, I will do so.
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