About to have a Child and I'm Only Entering My 3rd year of College! Applying to dental school soon!

[938585]

I'm entering my 3rd year of College and my girlfriend just found out she was pregnant. I'm applying to dental school in June 2019 so I'm still going for that. Lets just say that I won't have any family help at all. Is there anyone with advice on how your currently dealing with this while still going through the process of becoming a dentist. I'm not scared or anything. I just want advice on ways I can get through this until I become a dentist in lets say 6 years (I don't plan on specializing). Oh yeah, I only said until I become a dentist because then I won't have to worry about school anymore. I'm not mentioning it because I think that will solve anything. Thanks guys!

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[PaulS]

my advice is to look into compound interest before attending any professional school. " the most powerful force in universe is compound interest", Albert Einstein

 

[oralcare123]

First of all - don't panic, a lot of people go through dental school raising children.
Choose average costing school in an average costing place. It's for your sanity really, because you need enough money for your living expenses without going into enormous debt.
It is likely you would have at least one more child before you graduate from DS, so don't fight it, unless your girlfriend is OK with waiting
You will study at school or library and you would need to hire a nanny to make sure your girlfriend doesn't go crazy being with a kid all the time
Kids are wonderful, enjoy them

 

[aggie-master]

I had a kid early on in dental school. It made things harder financially and sometimes made school seem harder too, but there was a lot of joy from having a little one that made up for a lot of that. It’s easy to take your mind off of how much dental school sucks when you are playing with your baby/toddler at the end of the day or on the weekend.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Think about the HPSP to alleviate the financial stress.

Big Hoss

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

I second the Hoss on this one. I'm a D2 with a kid and one on the way. HPSP is the most financially responsible thing I could have done for my family.

That, and in general, having kids in D-School as the dad is not that hard. I truly applaud the women who have kids in school. They are the true heroes.

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[BluntForceTrauma]

Duplicate post

 

[Chipotlegonewild]

Look onto Medicaid + food stamps.

Kids arent that expensive when they are under 4 if you have a significant other to stay home with them.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Look onto Medicaid + food stamps.

Kids arent that expensive when they are under 4 if you have a significant other to stay home with them.

Ah yes, why not place the financial burden of providing for your family on the American taxpayer? It’s not like there’s already enough people doing that.

And children under 4 aren’t that expensive? Seriously?! I’m taking it that you’re not a parent.

Big Hoss

 

[oralcare123]

Ah yes, why not place the financial burden of providing for your family on the American taxpayer? It’s not like there’s already enough people doing that.

And children under 4 aren’t that expensive? Seriously?! I’m taking it that you’re not a parent.

Big Hoss

Yea. Dental student is the worst candidate for the food stamps. OMG BTH this is worse then foot in the mouth

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

OMG BTH this is worse then foot in the mouth

The national debt is $21.5 trillion. That equates to $176,000 per tax payer. How much higher do you want it to go? It won't be too far off that America's debt load will affect the quality of our lives. Sorry I care about my children's future and the fact they are going to get stuck paying the bill.

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

"Entitlements --- Social Security plus Medicaid and Medicare plus unemployment insurance and, for the time being, Obamacare --- already absorb 70% of all federal spending. These budget items grow automatically and do not even come up in Congress’ annual appropriations process. What is more, their rapid growth threatens to take over the rest of the budget. The relatively rapid expansion in such spending has already raised its proportion of all federal spending from some 43% 20 years ago to its present dominant position. That is a gain of about 1.3 percentage points a year. At that rate, entitlements will absorb more than three quarters of the budget by the early 2020s. If anything, the baby boom’s retirement and the inevitable expansion of Obamacare, or whatever replaces it, will raise that proportion higher sooner. Indeed, prospects make it clear that in short order the budget will have little room for anything else the federal government needs to do."

Entitlements Threaten The Entire Federal Budget

Big Hoss

 

[oralcare123]

The national debt is $21.5 trillion. That equates to $176,000 per tax payer. How much higher do you want it to go? It won't be too far off that America's debt load will affect the quality of our lives. Sorry I care about my children's future and the fact they are going to get stuck paying the bill.

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

"Entitlements --- Social Security plus Medicaid and Medicare plus unemployment insurance and, for the time being, Obamacare --- already absorb 70% of all federal spending. These budget items grow automatically and do not even come up in Congress’ annual appropriations process. What is more, their rapid growth threatens to take over the rest of the budget. The relatively rapid expansion in such spending has already raised its proportion of all federal spending from some 43% 20 years ago to its present dominant position. That is a gain of about 1.3 percentage points a year. At that rate, entitlements will absorb more than three quarters of the budget by the early 2020s. If anything, the baby boom’s retirement and the inevitable expansion of Obamacare, or whatever replaces it, will raise that proportion higher sooner. Indeed, prospects make it clear that in short order the budget will have little room for anything else the federal government needs to do."

Entitlements Threaten The Entire Federal Budget

Big Hoss

College graduates are not a threat. People who didn't care to finish high school are, if you didn't get the hint

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

College graduates are not a threat. People who didn't care to finish high school are, if you didn't get the hint

Just in case you didn’t get my hint...

“The federal government could soon pay more in interest on its debt than it spends on the military, Medicaid or children’s programs...Within a decade, more than $900 billion in interest payments will be due annually...”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ny.../economy/us-government-debt-interest.amp.html

Big Hoss

 

[oralcare123]

Just in case you didn’t get my hint...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ny.../economy/us-government-debt-interest.amp.html

Big Hoss

I got yours - you didn't get mine.
People with higher education are not at risk of "milking" the system for a long time, but are the main contributors into the budget.
The problem population mostly are not even high school graduates.
There is no point of blaming a potential dentist for using some help

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I got yours - you didn't get mine.
People with higher education are not at risk of "milking" the system for a long time, but are the main contributors into the budget.
The problem population mostly are not even high school graduates.
There is no point of blaming a potential dentist for using some help

Oh, I got you. The fact that anyone, future dentist or not, feels entitled to government handouts is a problem. Within the next few decades, America is going to have a financial day of reckoning. There won’t be enough “rich people” to tax our way out of it. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

Big Hoss

 

[weaselodeath]

Oh, I got you. The fact that anyone, future dentist or not, feels entitled to government handouts is a problem. Within the next few decades, America is going to have a financial day of reckoning. There won’t be enough “rich people” to tax our way out of it. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

Big Hoss

Says the guy getting his school paid for by the government. Sure you’ll work for them for a few years, but it is far fewer years than you would work to pay it off if you weren’t Taking their money. You are far more expensive than someone taking food stamps for over a decade. I normally agree with you about things but I think you’re being a little hypocritical here.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Says the guy getting his school paid for by the government. Sure you’ll work for them for a few years, but it is far fewer years than you would work to pay it off if you weren’t Taking their money. You are far more expensive than someone taking food stamps for over a decade. I normally agree with you about things but I think you’re being a little hypocritical here.

Except, the taxpayer has gotten more than their money’s worth out of me. Trust me. I make well under six figures and I produce more than 1.5x my Command’s average production. Add in the fact that I’ve spent the last few years stationed at what is arguably one of the least desirable duty stations in the entire military. To pay a civilian dentist to put up with what I have to, you’d easily have to pay them $250,000/year. That’s $1,000,000 over the same 4 years of my agreement. Between my pay and tuition, the government is coming out ahead. The HPSP is a mutually beneficial financial agreement between the student and taxpayer. If it would be cheaper to just send out all the Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, and Airmen to civilian providers, the DOD would do it in a heart beat. Think about this, how much would you demand to be paid as a dentist to spend 9 months in Afghanistan or out at sea away from your family working in “non-ideal” circumstances? Probably north of $400,000. The HPSP is far from an “entitlement,” it is definitely earned. The government will take its pound of flesh from you.

Big Hoss

 

[Lil Norkii the Supreme]

Says the guy getting his school paid for by the government. Sure you’ll work for them for a few years, but it is far fewer years than you would work to pay it off if you weren’t Taking their money. You are far more expensive than someone taking food stamps for over a decade. I normally agree with you about things but I think you’re being a little hypocritical here.

hpsp is navys one of, if not the only, profitable investment they make Navy easily makes 2-3x of tuition, stipend, and salaray paid to LTs over 8 year period (school years and payback years) there is no free lunch with military we also pay our dues with deteriorating skills and lost in opportunity cost

Lil Norkii the Supreme

 

[desertrat12]

Congratulations future dad! ...I have kids and am in dental school. Many of my classmates are in the same boat. My daughters and wife are the happiest parts of my life. In fact, currently I'm trying to study for an exam and my oldest girl is outside my door asking me to come play blocks with her. Also, it was my birthday last week and when I got home she was so excited to show me the birthday gift she made for me. These are the best experiences of my life.

That said, you now have 2 lives that rely on you. And that will only become more and more apparent as time goes on. I'm obviously in favor of marrying the mom of my kids. But if there is a will, there is a way. We've got students working after class to help support their families, there are wives working part time. Luckily I was able to work and make enough to make up the difference in loans. You can do it.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Without a shadow of a doubt, OP, the most important things in life are your family, your faith, and your freedom. Everything else is a distant second place. Once I realized this, I have never questioned it. This little child will be your legacy to the world. The type of person they grow to be, will reflect the love and care you provide. Feel the pressure? Good. Let it motivate you. Everything I do is for my wife and kids and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m not going to lie, having a family in dental school is an added challenge, but it’s definitely doable. ALWAYS make time for them. You’ll need to develop a solid study routine and stick with it. This will require a fair amount of discipline on your part. Kids are only little once, like @desertrat12 alluded to. My littlest one just ran up to me and said, “Dad, I just made a big poop in my potty! And, I didn’t poop on the floor!” I couldn’t have been prouder of his big “accomplishment” and happier that I didn’t have to clean the carpet again. His older brother told me I was his best friend when I tucked him into bed tonight. I wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything.

I know the HPSP isn’t all roses all the time, but it will eliminate a big source of stress for you in school. I couldn’t recommend it more, especially if you’ve got a family.

Best of luck,

Big Hoss

 

[Blackca3]

Ah yes, why not place the financial burden of providing for your family on the American taxpayer? It’s not like there’s already enough people doing that.

And children under 4 aren’t that expensive? Seriously?! I’m taking it that you’re not a parent.

Big Hoss

Wow, pot calling the kettle black there.

OP I have multiple family members in their final year of dental school. Two of them have had 4 kids why in dental school and they've been able to make it through. Do not even feel the slightest bit bad about using any kind of government assistance. Those programs are there as a safety net to help prevent people from falling to where they can't get back up. If you've ever had a job then you have paid into this program and if you become a dentist you will more than payback any government assistance you've received. Feel free to message me if you would like value added advice.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Wow, pot calling the kettle black there.

I have never smoked it, let alone been offered it, but I am pretty sure that pot is a shade of green and not black. Then again, I am color blind.

Big Hoss

 

[NavyBlueSuit]

When your kid comes do what it takes to support them OP. You more than likely won't care what people think at that point anyway. Like previous poster's said you will more than pay your dues back during your career.

 

[dentist226]

Make up your mind. There will be hardship. But, remember happiness follows your hardship. It is not impossible to do with kid. Only thing is you have to put that extra effort and be careful with your finances.