Advice Needed! Work Commitments Interfering with Finals

[Bluemirage]

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Hi Everyone,

I would like to get some advice on my situation. I have just started my Fall semester, taking a full load of classes and I work full-time for a pharmaceutical company. I was informed on Friday by my company that they are sending us away for a week for a mandatory conference/meeting during the final exams week (Dec 6 - 11). I really cannot afford to drop classes since I am already 28 and dropping these classes would mean another year of delay in applying for medical school. What are the chances of the department/professors allowing me to take all my finals either a week early or a week late? HAs anyone else experienced similar circumstances? Any comments or advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Apparition]

Ask your profs far in advance, maybe they'll understand your situation since it's a full-time job.

 

[Davina3000]

Yeah, talk to your profs ASAP. Hopefully they will be understanding, but if not, is it too late to drop? better to find out now, you know?

Some schools have rules that the professors have to abide by. I had to be out of the state on the same day as a final for a wedding and the professor was really nice about it, but he was not allowed to give me the exam early. The only option he had was to give me an incomplete and give me the exam at the beginning of the next semester. This was fine with me b/c at my school an incomplete is replaced by the grade you end up earning as long as you finish the class within the next semester. So having the incomplete for a month didn't hurt me in any way. Other schools may be different.

 

[bewitched1081]

i think it would be easier to not go to the conference. the problem with taking exams at a different time is that sometimes the proffs give you a different exam, which could turn out to be harder. plus, if they make you take it earlier then you have less time to study. so if it is at all possible i think you should talk to your boss.

 

[benelswick]

I feel your pain. I'm working two jobs and trying to carry a full course load. I'm also 30 y/o and trying to push on through. My feeling is that you should not go to the conference and if you have to get another job that will accomodate your goals do so. If your company is unyielding then screw them. This is easy for me to say since my main gig is a union job where I have personal time to use but I still say stick to your guns and stay focused on school. Jobs come and go but you're still stuck with you, so do what will satisfy you. Good Luck!!!--Ben.

 

[Code Brown]

Hi Everyone,

I would like to get some advice on my situation. I have just started my Fall semester, taking a full load of classes and I work full-time for a pharmaceutical company. I was informed on Friday by my company that they are sending us away for a week for a mandatory conference/meeting during the final exams week (Dec 6 - 11). I really cannot afford to drop classes since I am already 28 and dropping these classes would mean another year of delay in applying for medical school. What are the chances of the department/professors allowing me to take all my finals either a week early or a week late? HAs anyone else experienced similar circumstances? Any comments or advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sounds like a perfect time for your significant other to come down with appendicitis. That or you could always have the chicken pox that week.

 

[Bluemirage]

Thanks for everyone's input. In response to Code Brown, Bewitched 1081 and Benelswick's replies, unfortunately not going is not an option. A pharmaceuticals sales conference like this is mandatory and non-attendance will result in termination. I will need a doctor's letter in order to prove that I am really sick, so difficult to play hookie. Quitting has crossed my mind but I am supporting my wife through her school and I pay for all the bills including the mortgage with my current paychecks. So you can see my dilemma.

Hopefully the professors will let me take an incomplete or let me take the finals a week early...Has anyone else been able to do something similar to this?

 

[Bubchik]

Yes, sure. But not in all classes per quater. Everything depends on the professor. Like he/she might give you an oral exam (my friend do it), or give you the test earlier. It does not hurt to ask...

 

[benelswick]

yeah....that's a tough call, sorry to be presumptious. I hope your professor can cut you some slack--Ben

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Hey, what's your long term goal? To keep your pharma job or to become a doctor? I think you need to weigh what's really important, your gpa to get into med school or pleasing your boss at a job that you plan to leave.

 

[jlee9531]

if you ask in the beginning of the year, accomodations can be arranged.

 

[Bluemirage]

Hey, what's your long term goal? To keep your pharma job or to become a doctor? I think you need to weigh what's really important, your gpa to get into med school or pleasing your boss at a job that you plan to leave.

Pinkertinkle: You bring up a good point...my long term goal is to get the highest GPA possible to get into medical school. However, this mandatory conference is not a matter of just "pleasing the boss". It is a company wide sales meeting to roll out our new essential materials for the coming year, hence it is the highest priority meeting to attend. Unfortunately, since I am the bread winner of the family I need this job in order to maintain a roof over our heads, put food on the table and pay all the bills including my tuition and my wife's nursing school tuitions. If I did not have these financial obligations then I would've probably quit my job already and taken 16-20 credit hours per semester to speed up the process.

jlee9531: Thanks for the reassurance. Our semester has just started last Wednesday 8/25 and I intend to speak to the professors tomorrow (Monday).

Ben: Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Yogi Bear]

Pinkertinkle: You bring up a good point...my long term goal is to get the highest GPA possible to get into medical school. However, this mandatory conference is not a matter of just "pleasing the boss". It is a company wide sales meeting to roll out our new essential materials for the coming year, hence it is the highest priority meeting to attend. Unfortunately, since I am the bread winner of the family I need this job in order to maintain a roof over our heads, put food on the table and pay all the bills including my tuition and my wife's nursing school tuitions. If I did not have these financial obligations then I would've probably quit my job already and taken 16-20 credit hours per semester to speed up the process.

jlee9531: Thanks for the reassurance. Our semester has just started last Wednesday 8/25 and I intend to speak to the professors tomorrow (Monday).

Ben: Thanks for your opinions.

at what stage are u in ur edu? i.e. are u only taking a couple of courses, or do u have a dozen to take? when do u plan to take mcats and apply? have u worked full time/taken full load of classes before?

 

[Code Brown]

Thanks for everyone's input. In response to Code Brown, Bewitched 1081 and Benelswick's replies, unfortunately not going is not an option. A pharmaceuticals sales conference like this is mandatory and non-attendance will result in termination. I will need a doctor's letter in order to prove that I am really sick, so difficult to play hookie. Quitting has crossed my mind but I am supporting my wife through her school and I pay for all the bills including the mortgage with my current paychecks. So you can see my dilemma.

Hopefully the professors will let me take an incomplete or let me take the finals a week early...Has anyone else been able to do something similar to this?

Just a tip, try to avoid getting incompletes on your file. Also, there will come a time when you will need to pull the trigger on your job and December might be the time to do so. Believe me, I hated to give up my six-figure income as well, but the lab scheduling and studying for the MCAT's made it necessary. Sell your house and live off of the proceeds if you can. That or get a job where you only work part time but still make decent money (ie. waiter, consultant, etc.). Good luck, it's not an easy decision to have to make.

 

[Bluemirage]

Yogi Bear: I currently have Chem 2 + lab, Org Chem 1 + lab, Org Chem 2 + lab, Physics 2 + lab, 2 Biology classes and Calculus to complete to in order to finish up my prerequisites. I plan to get all these completed by the end of next year. I am going to start the Kaplan/TPR MCAT review course in Dec 2005 and take the MCAT April 2006, hopefully entering medical school in 2007. I have worked full-time (50 hours) and taken a fairly heavy load of credits + volunteering 6-8 hours a week at the hospital all year and it has not been fun. But I will probably continue doing this until the end of next year when it is time to study for the MCAT due to my financial responsibilities.

Code Brown: What was your occupation before you decided to resign to concentrate on your studies? Sounds like you had to make some tough decisions....were you supporting anyone in your household? How did you survive after you quit? You are right about the possibility of giving up the job sometime in the future....I'm just trying to delay it as long as possible in order to put my wife through school and wait till she graduates and start earning. I plan on resigning probably Dec 2005 when it is time to study for the MCAT and when my wife is out in the workforce.

 

[amy73]

Hi Bluemirage,
I think that you should go ahead and go for the meeting. Talk to your prof and see if you can arrange something... otherwise ..well.. u just have to do this another time. I am also really working hard to carry on with my responsibilities and take courses.. and just took the MCAT. Just keep on trucking.. it will get better.
Bye
Amy

 

[Code Brown]

Yogi Bear: I currently have Chem 2 + lab, Org Chem 1 + lab, Org Chem 2 + lab, Physics 2 + lab, 2 Biology classes and Calculus to complete to in order to finish up my prerequisites. I plan to get all these completed by the end of next year. I am going to start the Kaplan/TPR MCAT review course in Dec 2005 and take the MCAT April 2006, hopefully entering medical school in 2007. I have worked full-time (50 hours) and taken a fairly heavy load of credits + volunteering 6-8 hours a week at the hospital all year and it has not been fun. But I will probably continue doing this until the end of next year when it is time to study for the MCAT due to my financial responsibilities.

Code Brown: What was your occupation before you decided to resign to concentrate on your studies? Sounds like you had to make some tough decisions....were you supporting anyone in your household? How did you survive after you quit? You are right about the possibility of giving up the job sometime in the future....I'm just trying to delay it as long as possible in order to put my wife through school and wait till she graduates and start earning. I plan on resigning probably Dec 2005 when it is time to study for the MCAT and when my wife is out in the workforce.

I worked as a marketing analyst/sales rep for an aerospace company and juggled this with fulltime school for two years. I was also paying the mortgage and my wife was in school. We just had to stop spending money on anything that wasn't necessary. We had some money saved up and sold our home, and I've taken a TA postion at my university to make a few extra bucks. I quit in Sept 2003 and yes, being broke bites, but it will all be worth it. Plus, there are always student loans (I took them cause it's money at 2.5%).

 

[Caribou]

I don't know how big the pharm industry is in texas, but couldn't you try to find another job by december? I mean, that's over three months. You could also probably get a job doing something other than pharm if you can't find something else. If the profs don't yield, I'd agree that you shouldn't try for an incomplete. Have you spoken with your boss about missing the conference? If they don't understand, they are hypocritical. You boss was in school at some point and should understand the importance of doing well. I'm sorry you've been put into such a sucky situation. Best of luck.

 

[Bluemirage]

Thanks for everyone's advice and input! After setting up individual appointments with my professors to explain my circumstances, I was granted special permission to take the finals a week early!! I guess I survive the tightrope for another semester.