Hello all! I am a 34-year-old (very recently) unemployed (I quit) RN/BS in Michigan. I, obviously, am like the rest of you in that med school is where I want to be. My BS GPA was 3.42. I’ve worked as a critical care/E.R. nurse for 9 years. I’ve volunteered as a medical aide worker/translator in El Salvador & at a local free clinic. In 2008 I returned to a local university to complete a 2nd BS with a major of Biomed/minor Chem in order to flesh out my pre-reqs and prepare for the MCAT. During that semester I increased my GPA to 3.82. Unfortunately, my husband bought a business and I needed to return to the work force after the economy tanked and his business suffered. Since then I have been the primary breadwinner/mortgage payer.
Now that I am not working and having difficulty finding another job I keep finding myself thinking that I should return to school to finish my pre-reqs. I should be able to finish in 1.5 years.
The question I pose to the wonderful minds on OPM: how do I fund tuition and borrow enough money to keep our mortgage intact while I do this? I have humbly asked family members for financial support and that is not an option (probably a good thing). We have no savings upon which to draw. It is too late to apply via FAFSA. I do plan to join the Navy for the medical school portion of my education and am confident I will be accepted (I have talked in- depth with several recruiters) - but I need the cash to finish out my pre-reqs full-time first!
Does anyone have any suggestions? I would appreciate any input whole-heartedly!
And thanks for this forum - it is SO GOOD to know there are others out there who are driven by their dreams!
-ES
coquelicot,
Unfortunately, the financial aid deadline for Michigan schools for the 2010-2011 school year was March 1, 2010. I would consider applying for the 2011-2012 school year. Here are the finaid deadlines by state: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before003a.htm#state_deadl…
It is not a suggestion, exactly - but I established an equity line of credit and used the equity in my house to fund my premed. I figured I probably would have to move for medical school (I did for the post-bacc premed but rented the house out), and definately would have to move for residency - and wouldn’t have a lot of control over where. So selling the house was in the cards anyway. Your situation may be different.
One advantage of my age is that I’d been in the house long enough to have quite a bit of equity!
Kate