Any NON-TRADs out there?

[Tangerinepuddle]

What has your experience been like? Did you switch careers? Was it worth it?
Stories, please!

(Age 26 and up - no offense to anyone younger, that is just what I consider non-trad age)

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[svendenhowser]

At my uni mature age is 21+ and as vet in AU is undergraduate pretty much all students are over 21 at starting and have previous degrees/careers. There was only ~10 students straight from school out of 120 starting (only 80 left now in 3rd year ).

I did a nursing degree and worked as an RN for 5 years before switching to vet. Hopefully it was a good decision! I'll find out in 2.5 years

 

[JIKJen124]

Non-trad here. How can I help? I tend to be bad at checking this these days, so PM me if I don't get back to you.

 

[CookieBear]

IMO, yes, it's worth it - if you want it badly enough and you are willing to make the sacrifices and bite off a big chunk of debt.

I'll be 33 this summer. I quit my stable job of over 10+ years to move half-way across the country, away from my husband, family and half my pets.

I was working in a veterinary practice, so it wasn't a 'complete' 'career switch' - but I'm looking forward to practicing medicine and not running a practice - at least for awhile!

 

[meadow36]

I will be 33 next month and I am just starting vet school this fall. There were a lot of serious issues I had to work out in my head before doing this; and I spent the last 2 years making huge sacrifices so I could get all the classes / experience I needed to apply, not knowing if it would pay off or not!! Well now here I am, accepted for c/o 2013.

I am very happy but I would not go around for another cycle had I not been accepted. I also decided halfway through this year's cycle that if I didn't get into my in-state school that I would not go. It's just a huge debt to take on in these uncertain times. Money is a huge factor, and something that needs to be seriously considered.

It is important to remember that there are other careers that are just as special and have less schooling / debt load. For me personally, had I not gotten in I would have gone for an MPH, 2 years full time and starting salaries at $70K+. I also considered PA, about the same stats for that. Vet school? Triple the debt load, 4 years and starting salaries around $60K. People always talk about the "passion for the animals" but let me tell you, that get's real old real fast when you are struggling to pay your loans every month and still living like a pauper even after you are a DVM. Just ask some of the new grads out there.

Anyway, it (amazingly) worked out for me - I got into my in-state, my SO will be coming with me, and my mom even offered to kick in $10K / year (yay for mom!).

So I will happily be off to vet school for the next four years. As for starting a family? I have to feel that out still. I don't have any kids yet and I will be 37 when I graduate. I figure I will try to have 2 kids immediately after school, then embark on my career. But of course that is all up for debate.