Hey there!
I'm Aeryn and I'm a nontrad, and in a week I start my second bachelor's degree. In terms of age, I'm barely even nontrad (I'm 24) but I graduated college at 21 so I've already been working for three years, and I'm married. So I consider myself nontrad. I absolutely would not trade the three years of working. This past year I got to work with a physician who trained at Mayo Clinic and taught me so much. I got to see what life as a doctor is really like, all the nonglamourous and icky bits, and I still want to do it!
My first time around in college, I got a BA in anthropology because my parents kind of pushed me into it. Well, I have none of my prereqs. I was going to just go to school part-time and do those classes, but it was a mess trying to do it. I tried for about 8 months and eventually figured out no one was going to work with me on it and my only option was to get bachelor's #2. We haven't got any postbacc programs in my area. It'll be two years to finish the bio degree, and since I won't be able to take the MCAT until I have the two-year chem sequence that's a part of that I was thinking I'd just stay an extra year and do a double major in Spanish, because I love languages and I think it would be extremely useful. Basically, all I can think is that I'd be better off spending that year in school because finding a job that'll pay the bills for a year is going to be really, really hard. But some of that depends on my husband's situation; maybe he will have a good job and be able to pay all of the bills. I just don't know.
Good news though is that with my anthro degree I graduated with four honors designations from the school and a GPA of 3.85. I'm a damn good student. I'll say it, I'm good. So I feel pretty damn confident about my skills in school!
But, I am so scared about the debt! I still have about 10k from my first degree to pay off. I'm taking out private loans for the first year of the degree. Next year I'm hoping for grants...but the school gave me zero financial aid because I already have a BA. I didn't get anything from the government either. They weren't helpful the first time around either since my dad makes a ton of money (nuke reactor operator). If I have to continue with loans, I'll probably be something like 60 to 90k in debt from my second shot at undergrad. Aaaand then there's med school, which will probably put me another 130k into debt - shooting for a state school since I live by UIUC and that's a nice school.
I am shooting for a specialty in general ENT. I asked some doctors about debt, including an ENT doc. All of them seemed to have the general consensus that living modestly and planning carefully means I will be fine. The ENT I saw this morning said his brother did the exact same thing as me and got out of debt without much issue. But honestly, I cannot shake this fear of debt!
So...fellow nontrads, how are you guys dealing with the debt fears? Any attendings want to weigh in? Luckily, I don't have kids nor do I want them, so hopefully that'll keep my expenses low in the future...but God, I am terrified. I want to be a doctor more than anything - but I'm afraid I'll be stopped before I begin because of my fears! Help!
I'm Aeryn and I'm a nontrad, and in a week I start my second bachelor's degree. In terms of age, I'm barely even nontrad (I'm 24) but I graduated college at 21 so I've already been working for three years, and I'm married. So I consider myself nontrad. I absolutely would not trade the three years of working. This past year I got to work with a physician who trained at Mayo Clinic and taught me so much. I got to see what life as a doctor is really like, all the nonglamourous and icky bits, and I still want to do it!
My first time around in college, I got a BA in anthropology because my parents kind of pushed me into it. Well, I have none of my prereqs. I was going to just go to school part-time and do those classes, but it was a mess trying to do it. I tried for about 8 months and eventually figured out no one was going to work with me on it and my only option was to get bachelor's #2. We haven't got any postbacc programs in my area. It'll be two years to finish the bio degree, and since I won't be able to take the MCAT until I have the two-year chem sequence that's a part of that I was thinking I'd just stay an extra year and do a double major in Spanish, because I love languages and I think it would be extremely useful. Basically, all I can think is that I'd be better off spending that year in school because finding a job that'll pay the bills for a year is going to be really, really hard. But some of that depends on my husband's situation; maybe he will have a good job and be able to pay all of the bills. I just don't know.
Good news though is that with my anthro degree I graduated with four honors designations from the school and a GPA of 3.85. I'm a damn good student. I'll say it, I'm good. So I feel pretty damn confident about my skills in school!
But, I am so scared about the debt! I still have about 10k from my first degree to pay off. I'm taking out private loans for the first year of the degree. Next year I'm hoping for grants...but the school gave me zero financial aid because I already have a BA. I didn't get anything from the government either. They weren't helpful the first time around either since my dad makes a ton of money (nuke reactor operator). If I have to continue with loans, I'll probably be something like 60 to 90k in debt from my second shot at undergrad. Aaaand then there's med school, which will probably put me another 130k into debt - shooting for a state school since I live by UIUC and that's a nice school.
I am shooting for a specialty in general ENT. I asked some doctors about debt, including an ENT doc. All of them seemed to have the general consensus that living modestly and planning carefully means I will be fine. The ENT I saw this morning said his brother did the exact same thing as me and got out of debt without much issue. But honestly, I cannot shake this fear of debt!
So...fellow nontrads, how are you guys dealing with the debt fears? Any attendings want to weigh in? Luckily, I don't have kids nor do I want them, so hopefully that'll keep my expenses low in the future...but God, I am terrified. I want to be a doctor more than anything - but I'm afraid I'll be stopped before I begin because of my fears! Help!