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HELP! Deciding whether to go back to school
i graduated from high school and decided to take this semester off to work, save up money, and plan the wedding. I was just working full time at Walgreens when they promoted me to be a pharmacy technition. I absolutely LOVE that job and its well paying for my age, the problem is i dont want to stop working that job to go to school to do something i dont really want to do. I have considered going to pharmacy school, but 6 years of my life in school is sooo long, and would be a lot of student loans to pay back. My FI and i are doing pretty good money-wise now but i dont think we would after we had kids. I really cant decide what to do!
Sorry for the rant lol
Sorry for the rant lol
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Re: HELP! Deciding whether to go back to school
[QUOTE]You should probably go to school. If you're just graduating from high school, you're too young to be planning a wedding on a Walgreens budget. Don't base your education and career around your wedding.
Posted by catrb89[/QUOTE]
Its not that im planning around my wedding, its just why go to school if i already found a job i love. THe only problem with it is not making the money i would want to be making.
I would highly recommend looking into your options. You are making enough money to sustain an 19-year-old, but not to sustain you for your whole life. Keep in mind though, that there are only a couple pharmacy schools that are actually 6 years. For most, you're better off getting your undergrad then going to pharmacy school. But 8 years of school is still a better option than working as a pharm tech forever.
[QUOTE]I think that you should go back to school. <strong>Sometimes you can hold a job with no "formal" education and be wonderful at it, better than someone with a degree, but if you move/need to find another job, you won't have that slip of paper to say you're certified in something.</strong> Go back, even if its only part time/ As PP said, you can get good financial aid if you're emancipated and just reduce your expenses. You won't regret it.
Posted by sydaries[/QUOTE]
This. Not having a college degree isn't a big deal in the short term...but if you'll ever want to change jobs or careers, it'll be a big deal fast.
It should be perfectly possible to attend school part time and work part time, or even to work full time and attend night school.
ETA: Also, I don't know if pharmacy school is a good choice for you or not...but six years really isn't that much time in the grand scheme of things. Even though I know it might feel that way when you're as young as you are. Really...the years between 18 and 25 absolutely fly by.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: HELP! Deciding whether to go back to school : Its not that im planning around my wedding, its just why go to school if i already found a job i love. THe only problem with it is not making the money i would want to be making.
Posted by Theresa1203[/QUOTE]
<div>Because that job may or may not last forever, and if someone comes along with a degree or experience that surpasses yours, and they want to replace you, they can do it with little to no problem at all on their end because you have no certification, and no degree.</div><div>
</div><div>I've been going to school on and off for 6 years. (I took time off when I got married, had a baby, got a divorce, etc etc) Looking back, I really wish that I would have finished college prior to getting married. I'm sure you get the lecture all the time, and it's probably something you don't want to hear because you're young and want to do what you want to do--- but trust me, going back to school later in life, with more responsibilities... it doesn't get easier... it gets much, much, 100x more difficult. </div><div>
</div><div>Ask Walgreens if you'd be able to work PT. Going back to school doesn't automatically = all of your time. FAFSA (financial aid) usually requires that you attend 12 credit hours per semester to remain eligible. Typically, semesters mean that you have shorter classes over a longer span of time, so there is a lot more availablity to work. </div>
I encourage you to go back to school. Explore your options if 6 years is too much of a commitment. Look into medical assisting, nursing (RN or LPN), etc and find people to shadow that do these jobs. Ask questions, pros/cons, salary, etc.
My FI went to a technical school while still in high school for aviation mechanics and never finished his licence. Fast forward 7 years after graduation and everyone he went to school with has their license and working at better jobs with higher income than him. He wholeheartedly regrets not doing it when he had the chance, and finally this year (after much nagging on my part lol) he was able to get 2 FAA licences and is looking into finishing his BA.
I wish you the best of luck!!