How am I going to afford an education for a second career?

Question

Currently, I am an elementary school teacher, at 27 years of age. I utterly despise my career and attending school to become a doctor. At this point, I will have to resign from my teaching position by December of 2007 to pursue my education full time. I have excellent grades but am not eligible for government aid because I already have a bachelor's degree. In the past, I relied on my academic merit to obtain scholarships and other forms of aid. Now, I don't know what other options I have. The only option I can think of is to take out a student loan to cover my tuition and living expenses. I'm praying a lot, but no help there. LOL!!! I need a lot of encouragement because I'm scared. (Plus, I am not eligible for scholarships because I am taking prerequisites to take the MCAT and enter medical school).

Answer 1

Think of this as part of your medical education, and realize that the tuition is an investment in your future. Unless you plan to practice in a free clinic in a poor area, you can expect to make enough money to pay back the loans in a few years after finishing medical school. This makes it very different from your first degree, because it would have been a big burden to you as an elementary school teacher to have to pay back major loans. You might want to talk to someone in your school's financial aid office to see if there are any scholarships out there for people like you. I would guess not right now, since you are not currently in a degree program, but it is worth a try. Know that almost all professionals go through this; the loans seem insurmountable, but are paid off before you realize it.