Working as a premed and finding a place to live

[bbjmo24]

Hi everyone and thanks in advance.

Long story short I am a post bacc student with an awful start to prerequisites. From the spring of 2014 to currently I have had a lot of personal issues while in these courses and I hate to use those as an excuse as to why I had a C in g. Chem1 a D in g. Chem2 and a C in neuroscience my current science gpa is 1.8 far from what I am capable of. I have a flexible part time job that only pays 8.25/hr. I started a masters program in duration because I work at a daycare part time and I use that financial aid refund to pay for my undergraduate prerequisite at another school, IUPUI. Basically there were a couple of deaths and the struggle of trying to find adequate housing instead of sleeping and jumping from family members houses at any given time. I need a place where I don't have to worry about if I can stay here longer than a certain period of time or whatever. I don't qualify for any aid at the undergraduate level which is why I am doing the graduate work in Education and using that money to pay for the important course work. I will be talking to my preprofessional advisor next week about why I am doing this bad especially if you look at my high school and undergraduate course work. My gpa was 3.3 high school and 3.7 undergrad. I know I am capable of the work it's just my living arrangements stresses me out. I definitely cannot afford campus housing on my own or any other housing for that matter. What should I do? Should I explain this situation to my advisor or just suck it up? Honestly if the library was open past 9pm more like 24hours or there was some type of housing program I could do that helps students like me I definitely would be better off I just don't know what to do and it's starting to become primary focus and it shouldn't be?

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[desdes]

I am sorry you are in this situation and I give you credit for continuing with school maybe talk to advisor or does the university have housing for grad students could you maybe get a roommate. I really hope things get better and wish you the best

 

[NCOldie]

There are plenty of homeless shelters. Here's one: www.goodnewsministries.com
If you're that desperate, a shelter will be great. But, I do not suggest staying at a shelter unless that is your ONLY choice.
Talk to student services. Check out the map surrounding your campus and go talk to someone at a church nearby.
Something I did at one point was couch-hop at friends' places and shower there or in the showers at school or even at the local day shelter (they have showers, phone, meals, etc). Try to get a bunch of people together and rent a place. You can even look at Craig's List and see if anyone is looking for a live-in caretaker for an elderly relative with somewhat flexible hours so you can finish prerequisites.
You need to figure this out soon or else your GPA will suffer even more. From experience, I can tell you that it is not worth jeopardizing your GPA while trying to push through life difficulties.
Good luck!

 

[phunkeyfantom]

Hi everyone and thanks in advance.

Long story short I am a post bacc student with an awful start to prerequisites. From the spring of 2014 to currently I have had a lot of personal issues while in these courses and I hate to use those as an excuse as to why I had a C in g. Chem1 a D in g. Chem2 and a C in neuroscience my current science gpa is 1.8 far from what I am capable of. I have a flexible part time job that only pays 8.25/hr. I started a masters program in duration because I work at a daycare part time and I use that financial aid refund to pay for my undergraduate prerequisite at another school, IUPUI. Basically there were a couple of deaths and the struggle of trying to find adequate housing instead of sleeping and jumping from family members houses at any given time. I need a place where I don't have to worry about if I can stay here longer than a certain period of time or whatever. I don't qualify for any aid at the undergraduate level which is why I am doing the graduate work in Education and using that money to pay for the important course work. I will be talking to my preprofessional advisor next week about why I am doing this bad especially if you look at my high school and undergraduate course work. My gpa was 3.3 high school and 3.7 undergrad. I know I am capable of the work it's just my living arrangements stresses me out. I definitely cannot afford campus housing on my own or any other housing for that matter. What should I do? Should I explain this situation to my advisor or just suck it up? Honestly if the library was open past 9pm more like 24hours or there was some type of housing program I could do that helps students like me I definitely would be better off I just don't know what to do and it's starting to become primary focus and it shouldn't be?

Sorry to hear about your situation. Inadequate housing is the worst. When I was a caseworker I worked with many displaced families and those living with inadequate housing. I second what NCOldie said about using the shelter system as your absolutely last resort. Might I suggest that you look for jobs that also provide housing such as a live in nanny, live in home attendant or working as counselor at one of those residential facilities for kids. The exact name of that position escapes me but it's one such option. Would you also be able to work as an RA at one of the schools that you're attending? I'm not sure how most schools do it, but at some schools, they exchange room and board in lieu of a paycheck. Find out if IUPUI would be willing to employ you as an RA or if the school you're completing your masters at would also consider allowing a grad student to be an RA for undergrads. Good luck and continue to work towards your goals. I hope that things begin to turn around for you.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

If you can't find anything better, drop out of school and work for a year to save up enough money to live somewhere else. Continuing on in your current situation is bringing you further away from med school. Bad grades are worse than no grades at all.

When I was doing my first round of college, I spent a few months living in A-Ford-Able housing when I couldn't find anything better. College is as good a time as any to live in a car, since there's usually easy access to things like showers and laundry. I parked my house (a 1990 Ford Explorer) in one of the parking lots next to the on-campus apartment building I worked at and used the apartment's bathroom, microwave and laundromat. I took showers at the gym, and all in all I had a very cheap place to live that wasn't too bad except for the lack of heating. A few of my classmates lived in tents at a campsite a few miles from the college and biked to school each day. One guy was living above the hanging ceiling in the library until he got caught.