How will we pay for it?

[ArkansasRanger]

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So we're all non-trads, and when it's time to go to school and end our jobs how shall we pay for our living expenses?

For me to go back over 12 months and take the remaining prereqs I need plus a couple of more interesting biology courses along with tuition, fees, and books I'll probably only spend about $6200. Education is cheap in Arkansas, and that amout isn't one I'm worried about. Even without a loan, I could use the education allowance from my Roth IRA to pay that, pay out of savings, or whatever.

However, I'm worried about living. Right now, I'm in a unique position to be provided with a house and utility expenses courtesy of the tax payer as a benefit of my government employment. Obviously, I'll have to move out when I quit my job, and I'll also relocate to a town about 40 miles away to re-attend college at my alma mater. Once there I'll have to find an apartment, which are usually all electric (read: expensive) around here with regards to utilities or a rent house. University housing is not an option for me. I have no clue yet how I'm going to pay for it, and school starts May 25th. I am really hesitant to use savings for this because, in total, living expenses are going to cost far more than school. It's weird really because it seems most people are concerned with paying for school. That's the easy part around here. It's life that's going to cost me. It will be difficult to find employment that will work around my school schedule, which I'm sure all of us deal with, and what organizations will probably will pay only minimum wage: $7.25. I know most will think why not try to work at the job I've got and go to school. With the job I have I unfortunately cannot, in anyway, alter my hours to attend the day time only premed-type courses that I need at any of the institutions around. I've watched the schedules for two years. There's no way around this. I feel like I've waited long enough (2 years) hoping to find a school schedule in which organic chem and physics would be offered at night, but that isn't reality.

I'm actually looking forward to quitting and going back to school, but I don't know how all of you intend to pay for it. I'm sure I'll end up doing it the same way so what are your ideas?

 

[docelh]

Planning on taking on a roommate in the next few months to reduce living expenses. Don't have a mortgage or kids, so that helps a lot I assume. Will be doing the postbac courses at the state U, which is significantly cheaper than a formal program by 75%.

Was thinking about working part-time via the scribe program, but the time commitment involved would have been counterproductive to my other efforts. If you can avoid working, I would do it simply because I don't think med schools really care if working 40 hours per week impacted your schooling or your ECs. They expect good grades and sufficient ECs, and having a job gets in the way of that. Seems that the hardship factor makes for a good essay, which is only one part of your application.

If I am fortunate to get into medical school, debt is going to be a part of the equation whether I like it or not. Just hoping to have enough savings to cover living expenses for four years, and borrow for the tuition.

There are many creative ways to reduce your expenses. In this recession, looks like prices of a lot of things are falling.

 

[wishfor]

deleted/// have a good day.

So we're all non-trads, and when it's time to go to school and end our jobs how shall we pay for our living expenses?

For me to go back over 12 months and take the remaining prereqs I need plus a couple of more interesting biology courses along with tuition, fees, and books I'll probably only spend about $6200. Education is cheap in Arkansas, and that amout isn't one I'm worried about. Even without a loan, I could use the education allowance from my Roth IRA to pay that, pay out of savings, or whatever.

However, I'm worried about living. Right now, I'm in a unique position to be provided with a house and utility expenses courtesy of the tax payer as a benefit of my government employment. Obviously, I'll have to move out when I quit my job, and I'll also relocate to a town about 40 miles away to re-attend college at my alma mater. Once there I'll have to find an apartment, which are usually all electric (read: expensive) around here with regards to utilities or a rent house. University housing is not an option for me. I have no clue yet how I'm going to pay for it, and school starts May 25th. I am really hesitant to use savings for this because, in total, living expenses are going to cost far more than school. It's weird really because it seems most people are concerned with paying for school. That's the easy part around here. It's life that's going to cost me. It will be difficult to find employment that will work around my school schedule, which I'm sure all of us deal with, and what organizations will probably will pay only minimum wage: $7.25. I know most will think why not try to work at the job I've got and go to school. With the job I have I unfortunately cannot, in anyway, alter my hours to attend the day time only premed-type courses that I need at any of the institutions around. I've watched the schedules for two years. There's no way around this. I feel like I've waited long enough (2 years) hoping to find a school schedule in which organic chem and physics would be offered at night, but that isn't reality.

I'm actually looking forward to quitting and going back to school, but I don't know how all of you intend to pay for it. I'm sure I'll end up doing it the same way so what are your ideas?

 

[sindadel]

Night clerk at a hotel; night shift at a group home; library desk on campus etc. Find a job where you can study. Rent a room instead of an apartment if you can. Live with family and commute if you can. You don't mention if you have a spouse/kids which would change things, of course.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Well, I am single as in not married and without child. I'm also not moving that far from where I'm at now so any relationships I've got going on are still maintainable. 😎

Being a law enforcement kind of guy, and having once been over a dispatch center, I was more or less offered a job yesterday as a dispatcher in the college town I'll be going to. Interestingly enough, although it was for a full-time position, the supervisor there said she would utilize me as much as she could and work that position around my school schedule instead of hiring a full-timer. Being a current supervisor of many people I was kind of floored by this. Generally, if you have a full-time employee, and need a full-time employee, you hire a full-time employee rather than some part-timer and work everyone else's schedule around them. At any rate it's good for me so... 👍 I've just got to get my application sent back to her. This will at least let me continue paying for my truck note which I've got a year to pay on. The idea of just writing a check for the payoff is a bit unnerving so I'm not going there - yet. I should also be able to cover my utilities at an apartment or rent house along with my cell phone. I'll also be able to pay my supplemental insurance plan that I keep in my backpocket in case my back ever gets bad enough to prohibit me from working (physically). I'm nowhere near that point thankfully, but I'm making preparations for it just in case. I've got too much furniture and stuff to store so I've got to take it with me, plus I'll end up needing it later on thus I'm keeping it as opposed to selling it. A modest school loan (6k or so) would get me though the year of school I need, and housing can be paid either out of savings or another venue. I'm thinking about cashing in an old retirement plan that I had with a previous employer, paying the penalty on it, and using that to pay some housing. That'll get me through about 2/3 of the year so it looks like things are falling into place, and I'll still have my IRA going on so retirement is still ok in the grand scheme of things. I just won't be able to contribute to it, but no biggie. I'm rather pleased today and feeling much less irritable than I have lately. 🙂

I also don't know why I just typed all that other than I'm happy to see that some things are finally going in the right direction.

 

[sindadel]

Yay! Sounds like things are going your way! 🙂