college education

[LisoPiso]

ok, so..

 

I've graduated high school, not the best average, but i passed everything

 

Proceeded to go directly to a community college near by and take accounting. Not even half a semester into the course, I hated it, and changed my mind. I ended up taking about 2 years off, moving out, living on my own, and working my way through life like a big girl .

 

I liked my job, but in the end, I wanted to get out of working mall jobs, and call centers; I applied at a college half way across the country and got accepted.

 

Moved, and now finished my first out of two years of schooling. I took a Medical Office Administration course (aka, Medical Secretary). Now, this course is essentially a stepping stone of my education, where I would like to continue after this course and take a Massage Therapy course. I've checked it out, and there's a school near-by but it's $20,000to take this 36 month course. The majority of the tuition is due upfront, and this doesn't even include books!

 

So far, I've managed pretty well with money. I've got a student line of credit, and have only used about half of it ($5,000 used). I'm working all throughout my school year and throughout this summer. I'll be once again applying for bursaries and scholarships. I've been living with my sister this first year, but as of August, I'll have my own apartment.

 

I don't know what I should do once I finish school. I think the smart think would be to take out a loan and go right back to school... but, I'd also like to clear up my debt now and work to get some experience.

 

I know I'm thinking about this very early, but I don't want to be stuck at the end of next year with nothing to do!! I think I'm going to try to go right back into school once I'm done this school year. This way, I won't get used to being rich, and hopefully I can get a summer job that can get me enought fundage to live through the summer and throughout most of the school year too.

 

I'm not sure what kinda advice I'm looking for, but any input will help.

[Walk]

You sure the massage school is legit? I'd be leery of anything asking for huge payments up front. You've checked it out? It's accredited, or whatever they do for massage schools?

 

My thought is if you think there's a chance that you might get to bogged down or comfortable with a job after the medical secretary degree, that you won't continue through with the massage school... then do everything in your power to get the money for the massage school. Otherwise you'll regret not following through on that later in life.

 

However, if you're comfortable finishing the massage school while following the medical secretary position, then I'd try that route. I don't know if you could get enough fundage to support yourself solely through scholarships and loans while attending classes.

 

Plus with the added cost of your own apartment, you might end up having to take that route anyway. I know with loans and scholarships I only recieved enough to barely pay for the cost of tuition and books. It didn't cover the cost of housing at all, and no way to buy food, or gas, or even paper.

[blind_otter]

I went to a nationally accredited massage school in Florida and the program was 6 months and like $6,000. It depends on what state you live in, though. I think NY requires a year?

 

But $20,000 is a rip off. All you end up doing is taking a state exam to get certified to be a massage therapist in your state, and it doesn't take 20,000 to learn swedish massage techniques.

 

I never got licensed. I realized that I couldn't handle touching people professionally for a living, and I was also touched by one of my clients in clinic. It sucked. He ran his hands up my inner thighs and cupped my crotch while I was giving him a massage. I stopped and screamed and they banned him for life from the clinic.

 

But then the teacher pulled me aside and said that that kind of thing is common with some men. They think all massage therapists are prostitutes that give the happy ending.

 

Anyways all you need to learn massage is a program that teaches the technique and body mechanics, and anatomy and physiology. What program was this and in what state?

[jerbear]

$20,000 for 3 years is a little steep. Might as well go to state funded college.

[LisoPiso]

Well I'm in Canada, and yes this is a very well known school for massage, very legit. I think there may be a couple others around, but I've not heard much about them. I suppose I should do a little bit more research around here.

 

I don't plan on relying on purely savings and scholarships to get me through. I do currently have a job, and as long as I can get enough hours there, I'll be able to live.

 

My total monthly expenses seem to be about $750 - 800 or so to live with rent, food and gas. Rent is $650 a month, and that includes everything heat, hydro, cable, and internet. The apartment is only a 2 minute drive from school, which will cut down my gas prices drastically (before I was driving 45 mins each way to school). As for food, kitty takes about a month and a half to chow through a bag of food, and I can live on about $75 worth of meals myself. Plus there's my parents around, and my bf's house and my sister's house. They will all gladly feed me!

 

I've got a couple grand saved as of right now, and it's only the beginning of the summer. Hopefully, I'll be able to save much more. I'm not sure what the hours of the Therapy school would be like... I'll have to look way more into that. I'm pretty sure, it's through 2 years, and there's not really much of a summer break if anything. They do clinicals and everything, you need so many hours to become registered.

 

So far, I think my plan is to go right into Massage school, and pay with students loans and what money I do have saved up. I just can't wait for this to be alllllll over!

[jerbear]

Sounds like you have a pretty good head on your shoulders. I do wish you luck.

 

The plan you have seems pretty attainable but $20,000 for 3 years bothers me a little. I would follow your own suggestion of doing more research.