In this series, we’ll prompt you on how to consider your medical school offers and make a decision. (If you got into only one school and therefore are going there, still do this because it will prepare you for attending that school.) Check back daily for insights.
Don't Forget About the Money
You should also be thinking about financial aid right now if that applies to you. (And get used to thinking about it— you'll have to reapply every year.)
Each school's financial aid application process is different. Their financial aid office should direct you to resources and keep you apprised of their deadlines. If something in their materials is unclear, call them before your head spins backward. Don't feel uncomfortable or dumb for reaching out—even the most academically impressive mind can be baffled by financial aid. Plus, helping you, a beloved, accepted applicant, is their job. They want to do it.
As for where we'd say you should start with financial aid: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Next, we'd advise you to make an account with the AAMC and access their consumer and federal financial aid resources list. (You'll find a secondary link to that info and links to pages explaining potential cash sources, including the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, here.)