Hello Non-Trads!

[Knpnfa]

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Hi all! Finally registered to introduce myself (long time lurker) and wanted to join so that I could get the real advice and share in my journey. By the very definition I am a non-traditional student; 30 yo, married (no kids), active military, and for all intents and purposes in my first year of under-grad. My enlistment ends 2020 (my 15 year mark), so there is time for me to work on that under-grad. I'll be 34 at that point with hopefully less than a year to go at obtaining a degree.

Backstory on myself: I enrolled in college with a less than stellar academic record and continued that track for about 3 months before dropping out in favor of joining the USAF (long story short...my father passed away when I was 17 and I went on a self-destructive path because of). Fast-forward a little over a decade later and I am where I am. During that time I decided to stay in the military for financial reasons (mortgage, putting my wife through college, etc) and only glimpsed job satisfaction when helping others.

Except the times where I felt I directly helped others have I ever been happy. Enter my wife and her path; she is going to graduate with her BSN (in a few short weeks) and through that time she has enlightened me. She comes home with the stories of despair, hurt, and heartache. Yet those stories are also filled with helping, fixing, and hope. Hope for the individual, hope for the family, and hope that I can find my place in life.

The shortest and quickest route to my place would be nursing. But I know myself and I am a leader. Therefore I know the only spot is for me to become a physician. I look forward to interacting with everyone here and getting become a doctor.

-knpnfa

 

[theseeker4]

Hi all! Finally registered to introduce myself (long time lurker) and wanted to join so that I could get the real advice and share in my journey. By the very definition I am a non-traditional student; 30 yo, married (no kids), active military, and for all intents and purposes in my first year of under-grad. My enlistment ends 2020 (my 15 year mark), so there is time for me to work on that under-grad. I'll be 34 at that point with hopefully less than a year to go at obtaining a degree.

Backstory on myself: I enrolled in college with a less than stellar academic record and continued that track for about 3 months before dropping out in favor of joining the USAF (long story short...my father passed away when I was 17 and I went on a self-destructive path because of). Fast-forward a little over a decade later and I am where I am. During that time I decided to stay in the military for financial reasons (mortgage, putting my wife through college, etc) and only glimpsed job satisfaction when helping others.

Except the times where I felt I directly helped others have I ever been happy. Enter my wife and her path; she is going to graduate with her BSN (in a few short weeks) and through that time she has enlightened me. She comes home with the stories of despair, hurt, and heartache. Yet those stories are also filled with helping, fixing, and hope. Hope for the individual, hope for the family, and hope that I can find my place in life.

The shortest and quickest route to my place would be nursing. But I know myself and I am a leader. Therefore I know the only spot is for me to become a physician. I look forward to interacting with everyone here and getting become a doctor.

-knpnfa

First things first, how are your grades? What were the grades from your initial attempt at college, and how many credits? Do you have any other grades yet? If so, are you getting A's on everything so far?

Welcome and good luck!

 

[astrostellar]

Oh, holy moly. Such similarity. So nontrad twin!

Although I'm 26, I'll be 32 att of matriculation. I'm also Air Force AD and will be done with my service commitment in 2020. I also dropped out of college with craptastic grades without even a semester of actual transferable credits, and then joined the AF.

Good luck, I'll see you around the forum!

 

[Knpnfa]

First things first, how are your grades? What were the grades from your initial attempt at college, and how many credits? Do you have any other grades yet? If so, are you getting A's on everything so far?

Welcome and good luck!

Well I didn't finish the semester from my first attempt (all 3semhr courses, English, College Algebra, American History, and Music Appreciation), so those will show up as such. How that will affect my GPA I'm not 100% sure. Other than that a few CLEPS, a B in Speech, and the credit hours given towards my CCAF. So no recent grades. Hoping the Air Force doesn't send me TDY so I can start classes this spring.

Thank you for the well wishes!

Oh, holy moly. Such similarity. So nontrad twin!

Although I'm 26, I'll be 32 att of matriculation. I'm also Air Force AD and will be done with my service commitment in 2020. I also dropped out of college with craptastic grades without even a semester of actual transferable credits, and then joined the AF.

Good luck, I'll see you around the forum!

Haha, its good to know I'm not the only "crazy" out there. How many years will you have in once you get out? People around me keep saying I would be stupid to get out at 15...I just can't justify another 5 years of doing something that brings me little to no satisfaction.

I look forward to hearing about your success! Also good luck to all here on this journey!

 

[theseeker4]

Well I didn't finish the semester from my first attempt (all 3semhr courses, English, College Algebra, American History, and Music Appreciation), so those will show up as such. How that will affect my GPA I'm not 100% sure. Other than that a few CLEPS, a B in Speech, and the credit hours given towards my CCAF. So no recent grades. Hoping the Air Force doesn't send me TDY so I can start classes this spring.

Thank you for the well wishes!

Haha, its good to know I'm not the only "crazy" out there. How many years will you have in once you get out? People around me keep saying I would be stupid to get out at 15...I just can't justify another 5 years of doing something that brings me little to no satisfaction.

I look forward to hearing about your success! Also good luck to all here on this journey!

Well it is important whether they show up as W's, which wont hurt your GPA, or show up as F's, which will definitely hurt. If you can log on to the school and see what your transcripts look like, that will tell you whether you need to take the GPA repair into account, or if you have an essentially blank slate in front of you.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Why medicine? If your only rationale is because of your wife's anecdotes you may want to get some clinical exposure under your belt before you commit to a medical career let alone going MD.

If you have that great. Not trying to be negative, but you mention job satisfaction as one reason for leaving the AF, but I'm not sure you've seen a day in the life of a doctor to compare it to.

 

[AnotherLawyer]

Hi all! Finally registered to introduce myself (long time lurker) and wanted to join so that I could get the real advice and share in my journey. By the very definition I am a non-traditional student; 30 yo, married (no kids), active military, and for all intents and purposes in my first year of under-grad. My enlistment ends 2020 (my 15 year mark), so there is time for me to work on that under-grad. I'll be 34 at that point with hopefully less than a year to go at obtaining a degree.

Backstory on myself: I enrolled in college with a less than stellar academic record and continued that track for about 3 months before dropping out in favor of joining the USAF (long story short...my father passed away when I was 17 and I went on a self-destructive path because of). Fast-forward a little over a decade later and I am where I am. During that time I decided to stay in the military for financial reasons (mortgage, putting my wife through college, etc) and only glimpsed job satisfaction when helping others.

Except the times where I felt I directly helped others have I ever been happy. Enter my wife and her path; she is going to graduate with her BSN (in a few short weeks) and through that time she has enlightened me. She comes home with the stories of despair, hurt, and heartache. Yet those stories are also filled with helping, fixing, and hope. Hope for the individual, hope for the family, and hope that I can find my place in life.

The shortest and quickest route to my place would be nursing. But I know myself and I am a leader. Therefore I know the only spot is for me to become a physician. I look forward to interacting with everyone here and getting become a doctor.

-knpnfa

Focus on getting good grades and clinical experience. If you are going to do much of your degree online due to your military obligations, make a plan to do some upper level science coursework in a traditional setting once you get out. Figure out where your letters of recommendation are going to come from. 2020 may seem like a long way off, but it's not, so make a plan and stick to it. Finally, if you are located in or can get PCSed to a good state for admissions, be sure to change your residency. Good luck!

 

[Knpnfa]

Well it is important whether they show up as W's, which wont hurt your GPA, or show up as F's, which will definitely hurt. If you can log on to the school and see what your transcripts look like, that will tell you whether you need to take the GPA repair into account, or if you have an essentially blank slate in front of you.

It's been long enough that I don't have a way to view them online. I should have ordered a non-official set when I ordered the official one early this semester. I was in the process of enrolling to start this current semester, but the military got in the way. I wonder if the school I had them sent to will have the grades available online.

Why medicine? If your only rationale is because of your wife's anecdotes you may want to get some clinical exposure under your belt before you commit to a medical career let alone going MD.

If you have that great. Not trying to be negative, but you mention job satisfaction as one reason for leaving the AF, but I'm not sure you've seen a day in the life of a doctor to compare it to.

I'm not taking your words as negative as you have a good point. No, I do not have any clinical exposure. You don't know what you don't know and the grass is always greener, right? I've been around long enough to know the first is true and the second is a fallacy. Reading this forum and being in the government has taught me that endless amounts of paperwork is the only constant. I have no delusions in that aspect and know it detracts greatly from what many see as being what a doctor is.

Besides my wife lighting the fire within; I've had many experiences with the military health system and most of those being negative. Whether it was "the system" or poor MD/PA/MP/RN I don't care to debate. But those experiences also drive me to be part of the solution. A personal experience is my collar bone reconstruction...my, what a horrible time I had with that.

We all must have a dream. Being that I'm mechanically inclined and have broken many bones, orthopedic surgery is mine. Yes I am fully aware that it is a pipe dream. But better to pursue a dream than a ho-hum job with the potential to send me to another war zone.

Focus on getting good grades and clinical experience. If you are going to do much of your degree online due to your military obligations, make a plan to do some upper level science coursework in a traditional setting once you get out. Figure out where your letters of recommendation are going to come from. 2020 may seem like a long way off, but it's not, so make a plan and stick to it. Finally, if you are located in or can get PCSed to a good state for admissions, be sure to change your residency. Good luck!

I do better with classroom learning. Online classes will be at an absolute minimum. I get you on the losing track of time, as it seems like only yesterday I enlisted (almost 12 years ago). As I read it, Texas seems to be the most favorable state for residents matriculating. Thankfully I'm there and enlisted in the state. So as long as the Hazelwood Act is still intact, I should come out of med school with little to no debt.

Thanks all for the input and well wishes!

 

[AnotherLawyer]

It's been long enough that I don't have a way to view them online. I should have ordered a non-official set when I ordered the official one early this semester. I was in the process of enrolling to start this current semester, but the military got in the way. I wonder if the school I had them sent to will have the grades available online.


I'm not taking your words as negative as you have a good point. No, I do not have any clinical exposure. You don't know what you don't know and the grass is always greener, right? I've been around long enough to know the first is true and the second is a fallacy. Reading this forum and being in the government has taught me that endless amounts of paperwork is the only constant. I have no delusions in that aspect and know it detracts greatly from what many see as being what a doctor is.

Besides my wife lighting the fire within; I've had many experiences with the military health system and most of those being negative. Whether it was "the system" or poor MD/PA/MP/RN I don't care to debate. But those experiences also drive me to be part of the solution. A personal experience is my collar bone reconstruction...my, what a horrible time I had with that.

We all must have a dream. Being that I'm mechanically inclined and have broken many bones, orthopedic surgery is mine. Yes I am fully aware that it is a pipe dream. But better to pursue a dream than a ho-hum job with the potential to send me to another war zone.

I do better with classroom learning. Online classes will be at an absolute minimum. I get you on the losing track of time, as it seems like only yesterday I enlisted (almost 12 years ago). As I read it, Texas seems to be the most favorable state for residents matriculating. Thankfully I'm there and enlisted in the state. So as long as the Hazelwood Act is still intact, I should come out of med school with little to no debt.

Thanks all for the input and well wishes!

Yeah, I think TX resident + military/veteran is a solid combination (at least that's what I tell myself as the MCAT looms).

 

[Knpnfa]

Well it is important whether they show up as W's, which wont hurt your GPA, or show up as F's, which will definitely hurt. If you can log on to the school and see what your transcripts look like, that will tell you whether you need to take the GPA repair into account, or if you have an essentially blank slate in front of you.

Sorry for the bump...but I received my transcripts. 2 F's , 1 W, and 1 U. So time for research into Texas's clean slate program...

 

[hall1ms1b]

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[hall1ms1b]

"Hoping the AF Doesn't send me TDY"=

what does TDY mean ?


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[Knpnfa]

"Hoping the AF Doesn't send me TDY"=

what does TDY mean ?
Temporary Duty or being sent somewhere other than where I am stationed.

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