How do you do it??

[Mayday]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I had to quit school 8 years ago because I couldn't figure out a way to pay my bills and go to school.

How do you do it? Rent, electric, phone, food, etc cost more than it is possible to get from fin. aid. I really want to go back, it's been my dream for many years now to get my MD, but I just can't seem to find a way. If I wasn't a single mom, I could take a part time job to pay the leftover, but I have my son to worry about too.

Anyone happen to have any suggestions?

 

[Heather74]

do you have your undergrad? Sounds like you might not, so how far are you from having it? Do you have any family or friends that could help you out? Tell us a bit more about your situation. I have two kids and my husband doesn't live in the country and my family is helping me out.

 

[relentless11]

I had to quit school 8 years ago because I couldn't figure out a way to pay my bills and go to school.

How do you do it? Rent, electric, phone, food, etc cost more than it is possible to get from fin. aid. I really want to go back, it's been my dream for many years now to get my MD, but I just can't seem to find a way. If I wasn't a single mom, I could take a part time job to pay the leftover, but I have my son to worry about too.

Anyone happen to have any suggestions?

I went to grad school. Tuition paid for, and get a monthly stipend. With enough time by the afternoon to deal with any other things. Some fellow grad students are single parents and just schedule their days around it so they can finish their classes, as well as research. Of course the amount of money you get in your stipend will depend on how much money the program has, and so forth. So if you are thinking about this route, do a lot of research into which school, program, and PI you want to work for.

Also, be warned, this may require you to put in around 4 years of work for a PhD. Some masters programs may not have tuition fee remission. They are out there, but less relative to PhD programs. Anyway, as far as I can tell (see similar thread), graduate degrees can only benefit you if you apply to med school.

 

[Mayday]

I only have about a year and a half of school under my belt, and I didn't deside what I wanted to do with my life until after the first year, so the majority of the classes I took were "liberal arts" spanish, drama, psycology, math 101, lit, etc.

I had not-so-good grades at the end, as I attempted to work while I was going to school, and my grades slipped. I would prefer to ignore the classes I already took and start from scratch, unless there is a way to pick and chose the classes you want to carry over?

My only family is my mother and stepfater - and they happen to be on welfare and disability *sigh* So they are unable to help.

 

[kimmcauliffe]

How do you do it?

Simply put... 'cause I have to. No one else will do it for me. 🙁

 

[fpr85]

Have your parents look after your son and join the military -- have them pay for your education. It's a possibility.

 

[Mayday]

Have your parents look after your son and join the military -- have them pay for your education. It's a possibility.

Not with my herniated disks it's not. Thanks for the idea though 🙂

 

[Tribeca]

How about student loans? I recently gave up a decent paying full-time position for a part-time but flexible job in the same field. It was hard. (Trust me, it took me a month to get over the fact that I actually quit my job.) My husband's pay will cover our expenses along with my part-time salary. We have money saved up in case of a major catastrophe, but private student loans are our "Plan C" in case anything else happens. If you are an undergrad, Federal Pell Grants give you $1000/mo in grants (not loans, check the FAFSA website). As for your son, is daycare going to be an issue? The university that you will be taking classes in might have a preschool sponsored by the Education department with reduced rates for students. There are also community agencies that can assist with childcare payments if you are a student/working mother. You can also look into in-home daycare. PM me about this if you need more info.

It just all depends on how much you are willing to sacrifice in order to reach your goal.... good luck!

 

[MollyMalone]

If you are an undergrad, Federal Pell Grants give you $1000/mo in grants (not loans, check the FAFSA website).

This is not true. The maximum for Pell Grants in the 2004-2005 year was $4050 (I can't find 2005-2006 at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it didn't go UP). Is there another grant program you might be thinking of?

To the OP, I would suggest you make an appointment to talk to a financial aid advisor at the school you'd like to attend. There may be a way to increase the standard finaid budget to accomodate your needs, and they may know of special scholarships that you'd qualify for (at my school there is some special money for single moms).

Unfortunately, though, while you may be able to start from scratch as far as your undergrad school is concerned, AMCAS (the medical school application service) requires that all your old grades be reported to them. Therefore, if you can save time/money by transferring old classes, there is no reason not to do so.

Best of luck to you!