Hey guys, I'm an engineering student. I got put on the waiting list for residence and just got an e-mail yesterday on August 15 that I have to put a $600 deposit by August 17, which is tomorrow. I'm a poor student from a poor family (we live in a 2-room basement apartment for a family of 4) and we just moved so our expenses are totalled. I'm trying to get a loan but by tomorrow it's kind of hard.

Anything I can do? I really want to live at McMaster.

Originally Posted by McMStudent42

Hey guys, I'm an engineering student. I got put on the waiting list for residence and just got an e-mail yesterday on August 15 that I have to put a $600 deposit by August 17, which is tomorrow. I'm a poor student from a poor family (we live in a 2-room basement apartment for a family of 4) and we just moved so our expenses are totalled. I'm trying to get a loan but by tomorrow it's kind of hard.

Anything I can do? I really want to live at McMaster.

You can try emailing or calling them to explain your situation and ask for any alternatives/solutions they can offer, but other than that, I don't think there is anything you can do except try to come up with $600 :( I'd definitely talk to them though, it can't hurt.

Hey guys, I'm an engineering student. I got put on the waiting list for residence and just got an e-mail yesterday on August 15 that I have to put a $600 deposit by August 17, which is tomorrow. I'm a poor student from a poor family (we live in a 2-room basement apartment for a family of 4) and we just moved so our expenses are totalled. I'm trying to get a loan but by tomorrow it's kind of hard.

Anything I can do? I really want to live at McMaster.

Just got an extension to Monday but I still doubt I'll be able to come up with the money. =/

Originally Posted by McMStudent42

Just got an extension to Monday but I still doubt I'll be able to come up with the money. =/

Residence is pretty expensive compared to just renting a place off campus in general.. (although it pretty much removes needing to worry about all the little things you'd be wasting your time with around the house.. food prep, etc)

If you had thought ahead, you'd have gotten approved for a credit card

if you can't get $600, how are you going to be able to pay the full tuition, residence and meal plan costs? It's going to add up to about $17,000-20,000...

P.s I'm honestly not trying to start an argument or anything, but poor or not, you really should have gotten a part time job about 3 years ago - you would have had at least a full year's tuition saved up by now. $600 would be nothing to you - it's about a month's pay.

Originally Posted by randhirmiz

if you can't get $600, how are you going to be able to pay the full tuition, residence and meal plan costs? It's going to add up to about $17,000-20,000...

P.s I'm honestly not trying to start an argument or anything, but poor or not, you really should have gotten a part time job about 3 years ago - you would have had at least a full year's tuition saved up by now. $600 would be nothing to you - it's about a month's pay.

You must be smoking some funky stuff to think that first year costs a minimum of $17,000. Even at the highest course load first year which is engineering, tuition was only about 6-7000 dollars. Res is what, about 4-5? and a meal plan of 2K. Your looking at about 13,000 for your first year.
Aside from that you make a great point, if $600 is too much right now, you cant possibly expect to be able to make the payments on tuition. Unless you are getting OSAP, which you cannot get your hands on until September.

Originally Posted by Chris23

You must be smoking some funky stuff to think that first year costs a minimum of $17,000. Even at the highest course load first year which is engineering, tuition was only about 6-7000 dollars. Res is what, about 4-5? and a meal plan of 2K. Your looking at about 13,000 for your first year.

Res is actually more like $6000-7000, and the meal plan is somewhere around $3000. The supplementary costs are also around $900, tuition is about $6000, and don't forget the cost of textbooks.
Do the math.

If you need further proof, I have the McMaster admissions info booklet right here.

If you don't have your facts right, don't bother commenting, hun.

Name me one healthy person that uses up $3000 on a meal plan. And it doesnt count when they use it up by buying food for everyone in march because they have WAY too much money on their account. It takes some level of stupidity to apply for a meal plan that big, when there are no additional fees for putting extra money onto your meal plan at any time during the year. Thats why its best to go for the $2000 plan and if needed put extra on later. $2000 got me through the year just fine, and I ate when I wanted to. And congrats to the first year for having an info booklet beside her

Originally Posted by Chris23

And congrats to the first year for having an info booklet beside her

Ten bucks says you googled the meal plan prices right after you read my post.

...You're just as pathetic as me.

If your looking for a loan try opening a line of credit at RBC or something as a student. They give undergrads up to $5, 000. I wouldn't advise doing this but it is an option.

Originally Posted by randhirmiz

Ten bucks says you googled the meal plan prices right after you read my post.

...You're just as pathetic as me.

Nah dont need to, because when i was in first year, i set up my meal plan by myself. So i know that i went for the cheapest one, which was in the 1800-1900 dollar range. So guess im not as pathetic as you? Your words of course not mine

Originally Posted by Chris23

Name me one healthy person that uses up $3000 on a meal plan. And it doesnt count when they use it up by buying food for everyone in march because they have WAY too much money on their account. It takes some level of stupidity to apply for a meal plan that big, when there are no additional fees for putting extra money onto your meal plan at any time during the year. Thats why its best to go for the $2000 plan and if needed put extra on later. $2000 got me through the year just fine, and I ate when I wanted to. And congrats to the first year for having an info booklet beside her

LOOOOL not to fan any flames here.
but I'm a healthy person and I spent a good $3500 first year on food.
granted, I do have a larger appetite but for some people, $3000 won't cut it.

regular back in 2010-2011 for Group A was exactly $3000 bucks and I only chose regular because I wanted to save money, knowing that I do eat more.
ended up semi trying to starve myself, gave up and then added an extra $500 towards the end of the year.
for my other, average eating friends, $3000 brought them till the end of the year but they didn't have more than $100 left over. they didn't go splurging at Mini Mac towards the end either.

from what I understand, this year they pumped up the prices too so even people choosing the REGULAR meal plan will be paying more than what I had paid two years ago.


lol also $13000 is also a GROSSSSSSS underestimate for the costs of going to Mac off-campus


as for the line of credit comment, that is an option,
but you'd have to go like, NOW to get one set up,
plus they start charging you interest right away...not the best :/


best of luck to the OP

Student line of credit is a huge help in university. I use it to help pay my rent, and some tuition every year and well i guess kids are eating a lot more than what they did a few years ago! I couldnt imagine spending 3000+ on food in 8 months on campus, at least not healthily, and there were nights where a tub of ice cream was purchased just for the hell of it!

Maybe you should try contacting the school about it? They could possibly extend the time you have to pay