I need advice about how to pay for college…
Sorry for this EXTREMELY lengthy post, but I feel I need to explain the background story.
I am a 26 year old single woman currently in Baltimore. Once upon a time, I was a bright high school student, who received a partial scholarship to a private college. I went through the whole rigamorole of filling out the FAFSA, causing my parents & myself to go into huge amounts of debt for the tuition that remained after the scholarship. I also entered a work-study program to help pay while I attended the college for a year, taking about 16 credits per semester of honors classes. Unfortunately for me, I got extremely sick, and long story short, had to move back home after my second semester for medical treatment. After that happened, I attended a local university (again, huge amounts of debt being incurred for both my hard-working, debt-buried, middle-class parents & myself). As typically happens in the case of an over-achiever with low self-esteem, I burned out and wanted to have fun- wanted to have someone love me. I managed to become quite a party girl, and allowed my then “rockstar” boyfriend’s lifestyle to affect my life. I failed out due to non-attendance. My parents being the incredible people they are, managed to forgive me and allow me to move back home. I got a fulltime job, repaid several thousand dollars of what my parents had borrowed for that last semester of stupidity, and worked my way back into being a matriculated student at that university. I continued to work fulltime and attend classes fulltime for a while. Unfortunately, my parents decided to move to Maryland, and being under the load of school debt that I was, I had to move with them. For a few years, I just worked full time, because I could not afford to pay for school, and neither can my parents (nor would I ever ask them for more help again, even if they could. They did enough). Being unhappy with my life as a low-paid administrative assistant who could not believe the rudeness and arrogance of most of the people I met (after all, I must be dumb or low-class to have that job), I found another low-paying administrative assistant position, only this time, it was working for a university, so I could get tuition-remission.
This is where I currently am. I work fulltime and take classes part time at night. I have 77 credits towards a bachelors degree in liberal arts. And while the people here are considerably more pleasant and kind than before, it is not my dream job. On top of that, I just recently had liver resection surgery to remove a large liver tumor, 60% of my liver and my gallbladder. (Thankfully, I found that it was not cancerous, and while the doctors are still trying to diagnose some of my other medical symptoms, I am very happy to be alive!) The following statement is incredibly cliche, but so true. Many people find that when facing death, they tend to re-examine their lives and make changes. Considering that I already knew I was unhappy with my current lot in life, that wasn’t a big revelation. What was revealed is that I now have a distinct interest in nuclear medicine and a strong desire to help the people who can benefit from it. Luckily for me, I live in Baltimore, where one of the top medical systems in the world is based (Johns Hopkins). I want to change my major (yet again) to become health/science related, and after I receive my bachelor’s, enter Johns Hopkins’ nuclear medicine technologist program. I can’t do this by continuing to chip away at my classes 2 per semester for the next several years. I desperately want to quit my job, attend school fulltime again, and be on my way to a fulfilling career. However, I can’t figure a way to do that without incurring more astronomical debt. In fact, because of the amount of my previous school loans (I think there’s about $15,000 left, which I have consolidated and been faithfully paying without fail), and my living expenses (rent for a small apt that I already split with 3 other roommates, utilities, car, food), combined with the necessary tuition to finish my degree & THEN enrolling in the Hopkins program, I just don’t know how I’d even get another loan, considering I have no collateral assets. There are not many scholarships/grants out there for independent adult students that I can find. Does anyone have ANY IDEAS???? I REALLY need some help. Logically, I know that it may seem simple to say, well just keep the job you have and plug away at finishing your degree, but realistically, that would take me over 4 years before I could even enter the Hopkins program, and I’ll be almost 31 years old at that point. I don’t want to still be where I am at 31- I’m desperately unhappy and trying so hard to change that. I just can’t hang on for another 4 years. Since the surgery, it’s like a fire’s been lit; I know what I want to do now, and I can’t waste any more time in life. Any advice/ideas would be TRULY appreciated. Thank you!
This open post was written 1 year, 5 months ago | V/U/S: 371, 7, 3 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post
Reciprocity (0) 
Since writing this post laurenmae1228 may have helped people, but has not within the last 4 days. laurenmae1228 is a verified member, has been around for 1 year, 5 months and has 1 posts and 13 replies to their name.
Replies (7)
Where were you?
You can also watch events on Help.com as they happen
laurenmae1228 edited this post 1 year, 5 months ago. Read the previous text »
I need advice about how to pay for college…
Sorry for this EXTREMELY lengthy post, but I feel I need to explain the background story.
I am a 26 year old single woman currently in Baltimore. Once upon a time, I was a bright high school student, who received a partial scholarship to a private college. I went through the whole rigamorole of filling out the FAFSA, causing my parents & myself to go into huge amounts of debt for the tuition that remained after the scholarship. I also entered a work-study program to help pay while I attended the college for a year, taking about 16 credits per semester of honors classes. Unfortunately for me, I got extremely sick, and long story short, had to move back home after my second semester for medical treatment. After that happened, I attended a local university (again, huge amounts of debt being incurred for both my hard-working, debt-buried, middle-class parents & myself). As typically happens in the case of an over-achiever with low self-esteem, I burned out and wanted to have fun- wanted to have someone love me. I managed to become quite a party girl, and allowed my then “rockstar” boyfriend’s lifestyle to affect my life. I failed out due to non-attendance. My parents being the incredible people they are, managed to forgive me and allow me to move back home. I got a fulltime job, repaid several thousand dollars of what my parents had borrowed for that last semester of stupidity, and worked my way back into being a matriculated student at that university. I continued to work fulltime and attend classes fulltime for a while. Unfortunately, my parents decided to move to Maryland, and being under the load of school debt that I was, I had to move with them. For a few years, I just worked full time, because I could not afford to pay for school, and neither can my parents (nor would I ever ask them for more help again, even if they could. They did enough). Being unhappy with my life as a low-paid administrative assistant who could not believe the rudeness and arrogance of most of the people I met (after all, I must dumb or low-class to have that job), I found another low-paying administrative assistant position, only this time, it was working for a university, so I could get tuition-remission.
This is where I currently am. I work fulltime and take classes part time at night. I have 77 credits towards a bachelors degree in liberal arts. And while the people here are considerably more pleasant and kind than before, it is not my dream job. On top of that, I just recently had liver resection surgery to remove a large liver tumor, 60% of my liver and my gallbladder. (Thankfully, I found that it was not cancerous, and while the doctors are still trying to diagnose some of my other medical symptoms, I am very happy to be alive!) The following statement is incredibly cliche, but so true. Many people find that when facing death, they tend to re-examine their lives and make changes. Considering that I already knew I was unhappy with my current lot in life, that wasn’t a big revelation. What was revealed is that I now have a distinct interest in nuclear medicine and a strong desire to help the people who can benefit from it. Luckily for me, I live in Baltimore, where one of the top medical systems in the world is based (Johns Hopkins). I want to change my major (yet again) to become health/science related, and after I receive my bachelor’s, enter Johns Hopkins’ nuclear medicine technologist program. I can’t do this by continuing to chip away at my classes 2 per semester for the next several years. I desperately want to quit my job, attend school fulltime again, and be on my way to a fulfilling career. However, I can’t figure a way to do that without incurring more astronomical debt. In fact, because of the amount of my previous school loans (I think there’s about $15,000 left, which I have consolidated and been faithfully paying without fail), and my living expenses (rent for a small apt that I already split with 3 other roommates, utilities, car, food), combined with the necessary tuition to finish my degree & THEN enrolling in the Hopkins program, I just don’t know how I’d even get another loan, considering I have no collateral assets. There are not many scholarships/grants out there for independent adult students that I can find. Does anyone have ANY IDEAS???? I REALLY need some help. Logically, I know that it may seem simple to say, well just keep the job you have and plug away at finishing your degree, but realistically, that would take me over 4 years before I could even enter the Hopkins program, and I’ll be almost 31 years old at that point. I don’t want to still be where I am at 31- I’m desperately unhappy and trying so hard to change that. I just can’t hang on for another 4 years. Since the surgery, it’s like a fire’s been lit; I know what I want to do now, and I can’t waste any more time in life. Any advice/ideas would be TRULY appreciated. Thank you!
Cole Becket
henryjacob
Invite Others to Help
A logged in and verified Help.com member has the ability to setup a Friends List and invite others to help with posts.