Non-traditional student, non-traditional approach

[MedTech2PT]

I'm 27 years old and was just accepted to my first choice DPT program (yay!). I currently work as a fulltime medical technologist "lab tech" on the graveyard shift, I'm buried in student loans from previous degrees, and my husband and I have a 1 year old daughter. I've wanted to be a PT since I was a kid and I see my opportunity (what little I have left) slipping away. I was offered a sponsorship to pay tuition for all 3 years, but I'm concerned about the mortgage and other expenses.

My family cannot survive on my husband's salary alone. I would need to work ~24 hours/week. Taking out additional student loans isn't really an option since I make almost as much as an entry level physical therapist and student loans are already a struggle. I'm lucky to have a job where I can study/write papers on the clock. I also have an awesome famly support system. I'm struggling with how I will make it through PT school while working and parenting. Based on what I've read, it seems totally impossible. Has anybody been able to manage? All comments are appreciated!

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[noyceguy]

I'm 27 years old and was just accepted to my first choice DPT program (yay!). I currently work as a fulltime medical technologist "lab tech" on the graveyard shift, I'm buried in student loans from previous degrees, and my husband and I have a 1 year old daughter. I've wanted to be a PT since I was a kid and I see my opportunity (what little I have left) slipping away. I was offered a sponsorship to pay tuition for all 3 years, but I'm concerned about the mortgage and other expenses.

My family cannot survive on my husband's salary alone. I would need to work ~24 hours/week. Taking out additional student loans isn't really an option since I make almost as much as an entry level physical therapist and student loans are already a struggle. I'm lucky to have a job where I can study/write papers on the clock. I also have an awesome famly support system. I'm struggling with how I will make it through PT school while working and parenting. Based on what I've read, it seems totally impossible. Has anybody been able to manage? All comments are appreciated!

How do you know you can't take out any more student loans? Have you filled out a FAFSA yet? Have you considered private loans? PLUS loans? Tuition waiver along with an assistantship?

Generally, if you are not a millionaire you can get the maximum Stafford loans for each year you are in grad school.

 

[imikekimi35]

i dont know where you live but neuman offers a dpt program on the weekends for full time working students

 

[CmichStudent]

How do you know you can't take out any more student loans? Have you filled out a FAFSA yet? Have you considered private loans? PLUS loans? Tuition waiver along with an assistantship?

Generally, if you are not a millionaire you can get the maximum Stafford loans for each year you are in grad school.

I think she meant that paying them back would be the difficult part, not getting them.

 

[dizzy88]

I would look into work study. Working in school is pretty much impossible. Forget the fact that you have so much studying to do for a minute. In my experience, your instructors will all assume that you aren't working. We have to attend lab sections that we aren't registered for, extra review sessions, group projects of course....the list goes on. School will demand a lot outside of what appears on your schedule and study time. Work study has been a great option for a lot of my classmates because the teachers know your schedule and allow you to work around it. Hope you get things figured out!

 

[markelmarcel]

Work-study should be an option for you and most schools have menial jobs that you can do and only usually allow you to work (at maximum) 20-25 hours/week while classes are in session.

Work-study is built specifically for people who can only work an hour here, two hours there, etc. Definitely check into this as soon as possible.

And I commend you on wanting to make this happen!!

 

[Berzerkernuts]

Wow, this sounds like a tough decision. I am a student finishing my first year in a DPT program and I have to agree with Dizzy88 about the workload. You will need to schedule time for group projects, extra lab time, hands on practice, rescheduled classes, the list goes on. Then, when you're doing your clinical rotations, you will be working a full time job and having to go home and research/brush up/work on your caseload. Add to that 25 hours of work per week and being a wife and mother, and I think that you will be putting a lot of stress on yourself and your relationships. I am 30 yrs old, and also making a career transition, so I understand the feeling of going from having income and living somewhat comfortably to drowning in debt and having to think about every dollar I spend. It sucks, but it's a sacrifice that my partner and I agreed to make with the hope that we will be better off in the end. You said that you make as much as an entry level PT now, but will you earn as much as an experienced PT in the future?
Have you looked into federal student loan forgiveness? It may not work out for your existing loans, but could be an option if you want to borrow more money now.
If you could cut your work hours to 15/wk or less, I'd say give it a go, after all, having your tuition paid is a huge bonus in any situation. On the other hand, if you can't swing it right now, I wouldn't say that your opportunity is slipping away. We have a couple of students in our class who are in their 40s, so really if PT is still your passion, you could pursue it when your kids are a bit older and you have more time and/or financial stability.