HPSP scholarship worth it with 130k debt?

[QuantumCheese]

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Whats up community?

I'm a senior undergrad and applied this cycle. I live in Puerto Rico and have a good chance of getting into the state school which as I understand it is one of the cheapest in the US. Estimated total debt is 115-130k.

I'm looking into threads about the HPSP scholarships and am trying to weigh the value of the scholarship in the context of a relatively low debt. Any help, opinions or reference to good info is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[Shell_Eau]

If money is your only concern, then with only that amount of debt it wouldn't be worth it, imo. You could pay that off within 5 years if you were determined enough. I think you should really research what serving in the military via the HPSP would entail instead of just looking at it as a money saving option.

 

[Frank22]

No; you would be able to pay that off in a couple years as a practice owner, or even an associate if you live fairly meagerly.

 

[Mad Jack]

Whats up community?

I'm a senior undergrad and applied this cycle. I live in Puerto Rico and have a good chance of getting into the state school which as I understand it is one of the cheapest in the US. Estimated total debt is 115-130k.

I'm looking into threads about the HPSP scholarships and am trying to weigh the value of the scholarship in the context of a relatively low debt. Any help, opinions or reference to good info is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

 

[imvn1zpr]

Honestamente no vale la pena... Si piensas quedarte en PR en unos 6-7 años podrias terminar de pagar el prestamo comodo. Cmo unico valdria la pena para mi es si fueras a una escuela en la cual terminarias pagando mas de 250k-300k. Exito compatriota.

 

[QuantumCheese]

Thanks for the replies, ill look into other options for funding.

Doesnt sound like a good idea anymore.

 

[darknightzzz]

Honestamente no vale la pena... Si piensas quedarte en PR en unos 6-7 años podrias terminar de pagar el prestamo comodo. Cmo unico valdria la pena para mi es si fueras a una escuela en la cual terminarias pagando mas de 250k-300k. Exito compatriota.

you think you are the only one speaking spanish here?

me llamo darknightzzz

 

[imvn1zpr]

you think you are the only one speaking spanish here?

me llamo darknightzzz

Lol.. Nice try

 

[Incis0r]

Whats up community?

I'm a senior undergrad and applied this cycle. I live in Puerto Rico and have a good chance of getting into the state school which as I understand it is one of the cheapest in the US. Estimated total debt is 115-130k.

I'm looking into threads about the HPSP scholarships and am trying to weigh the value of the scholarship in the context of a relatively low debt. Any help, opinions or reference to good info is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Financially, no HPSP not worth it for 100K debt.

If money is your only concern, then with only that amount of debt it wouldn't be worth it, imo. You could pay that off within 5 years if you were determined enough. I think you should really research what serving in the military via the HPSP would entail instead of just looking at it as a money saving option.

THIS.
I want to be a military dentist. HPSP is just a nice benefit on top of it. It may sound crazy, but there are those of us who actually want to deploy or be stationed overseas and not own private practices/be tethered to them for the next 35 years. We don't care that in private practice you may end up making $50K+ more per year. We want the experience that only military dentistry can offer.

I'm not going to turn this into a military vs. civilian dentistry comparison, but I just wanted to support Shell's point. Based on the 15+ military dentists I've talked to and the multiple civilian dentist settings I've shadowed in, I have come to the conclusion that I would be much happier as a military dentist than as a civilian dentist...and that's why I'm applying for the HPSP.

Lol.. Nice try

Hola. Yo soy de Buenos Aires.

 

[LaughingGas]

A si? Mucho gusto.

 

[cotoncub]

Financially, no HPSP not worth it for 100K debt.



THIS.
I want to be a military dentist. HPSP is just a nice benefit on top of it. It may sound crazy, but there are those of us who actually want to deploy or be stationed overseas and not own private practices/be tethered to them for the next 35 years. We don't care that in private practice you may end up making $50K+ more per year. We want the experience that only military dentistry can offer.

I'm not going to turn this into a military vs. civilian dentistry comparison, but I just wanted to support Shell's point. Based on the 15+ military dentists I've talked to and the multiple civilian dentist settings I've shadowed in, I have come to the conclusion that I would be much happier as a military dentist than as a civilian dentist...and that's why I'm applying for the HPSP.



Hola. Yo soy de Buenos Aires..

Exactly. Choosing the HPSP isn't something you should do from a financial standpoint. It is something you choose because you want to serve in the military and believe you will benefit from the experience. I am not as steadfast as you in the sense that I am ruling out working in private practice sometime down the road, but I think this is a great opportunity not just to serve my country, but also to be able to gain the experience that being a military dentist can provide.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Exactly. Choosing the HPSP isn't something you should do from a financial standpoint. It is something you choose because you want to serve in the military and believe you will benefit from the experience. I am not as steadfast as you in the sense that I am ruling out working in private practice sometime down the road, but I think this is a great opportunity not just to serve my country, but also to be able to gain the experience that being a military dentist can provide. .

if you're in the hole from a private school, it is worth it from a financial standpoint. no matter how you crunch the numbers, it'll always be more feasible for the initial commitment. of course, you should want to serve your country, but to say that it isn't something you should do from a financial standpoint isn't numerically accurate.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

but to the OP, for that much debt, from a strictly financial perspective the HPSP isn't worth it

 

[Incis0r]

@cotoncub what branches are you interested in? Trying for Army/Navy here.

 

[Incis0r]

if you're in the hole from a private school, it is worth it from a financial standpoint. no matter how you crunch the numbers, it'll always be more feasible for the initial commitment. of course, you should want to serve your country, but to say that it isn't something you should do from a financial standpoint isn't numerically accurate.
.

I think what he was saying was that you should not do the military JUST FOR THE MONEY, which is what he meant by "from a financial standpoint." You MUST have some interest in the military and be willing to do physical training/maintain yourself within military standards, wear a uniform, be deployed at a moment's notice, etc. I'm sure you agree with that. I think there is a misunderstanding here.

 

[midman19]

I think it is worth it for any amount of debt. You likely aren't going to be making $200,000/year in your first four years in private practice. So you could work as an associate making $100k/year for your first four years and have 130k in debt. Or you could make $100k/year for your first four years working for the military and have no debt and in the meantime get way more experience and exposure than you would get as an associate. From a financial perspective I do think it is worth it. You won't lose out on anything in that short amount of time. If you aren't interested in the military at all and you would be hating it, then no it isn't worth it, but in that case it wouldn't be worth it in any situation, even going to a private school...