Okay, honestly...how do y'all afford it?

[_kita]

the funded PhD is a great idea if it's for you, but that amount of school and research is so not me. blech. 

 

But yeah, mental health is serious wear and tear. The public service loan forgiveness seems cool, but don't you have to be in that sector 10 years? Like, who knows if I'll still be in public schools 10 years down the road. It's tough.

 

Yes, you need to be in that sector for 10 years, and, if you don't know, then it can't work. Really, the loan forgiveness program is to try and entice people to stay in those jobs for 10+ years. The turnover is atrocious, the burn out even worse. So, offering to forgive the weight of student loans is an appealing prospect. I know I cannot do that in the Mental Health system (without becoming a mental mess myself), so I want to change to the education system instead. But it's not for everyone, really. 

[Kate22192]

I'm in a similar position. I know I'd be a mess in mental health ten years from now; school system seems to be a better place.

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

Someone already mentioned it above, but one secret to finding affordable programs is to look in the midwest. It baffles me how expensive programs are elsewhere. I am from the region so I am fine with being here, although I can understand others not wanting to relocate or being able to. Tuition at most of the places I applied to is half of what it would be if I left the midwest, plus many offer tuition waivers/GA positions to some students. I have a heaping amount of undergraduate debt so I am very conscious of price.   

[caterpillar]

Something else to consider when looking at places to apply is how they let you do your clinical placement. At UCA, your last two semesters (spring and summer) are 100% clinical placements in a school and then medical setting, but they let you do the placement anywhere in the country. We're not from Arkansas nor was it on the list of places I ever thought I'd find myself living, but the discomfort/challenges we've faced in living here have been easier to deal with because we know that in December, we're leaving the state for good.

 

This wasn't something that was advertised on the website (my husband was notified partway through his first term) so it may be something you can email programs and ask about, if you find yourself having to choose between a less desirable location that's cheaper and one that you like better but is more expensive.

Edited April 7, 2015 by caterpillar

[selbstverteidigung]

Well, it's not affordable. Education is a privilege in this country, not a right. Vote differently if you want that to change. For people like Bernie Sanders who aren't afraid to speak out against the system.

[ahirsh7]

If possible, try to save up as much money as can so you don't have to take out loans beyond the cost of school itself.

[Kate22192]

True, true. Problem is I really likely won't have much room to do that. I'm living at home now with about 23k left in undergrad. It should be paid off aout May/June next year, and then I'll be doing prereqs; two in spring, two summer, two fall (so applying with 6 under belt), at about $1000 each, that's another 6k. I'm hoping to move out sometime shortly after the undergrads are paid, so between paying rent/living expenses somewhere and the pre-reqs as I go....no money left to save :'(

[clmogel]

True, true. Problem is I really likely won't have much room to do that. I'm living at home now with about 23k left in undergrad. It should be paid off aout May/June next year, and then I'll be doing prereqs; two in spring, two summer, two fall (so applying with 6 under belt), at about $1000 each, that's another 6k. I'm hoping to move out sometime shortly after the undergrads are paid, so between paying rent/living expenses somewhere and the pre-reqs as I go....no money left to save :'(

Kate, once you get your grad degree you will come out making good money that will make those loan payments very quickly. An added 6K to 23K comes out to less than $400 month payments for 15 years or less with Federal loans. You have less loans than the average american. You go girl! 

[mr479]

Kate, once you get your grad degree you will come out making good money that will make those loan payments very quickly. An added 6K to 23K comes out to less than $400 month payments for 15 years or less with Federal loans. You have less loans than the average american. You go girl! 

Try 6 years or less. 

[clmogel]

Try 6 years or less. 

You'll still be in a good financial situation and much better than a lot of people. 

[Kate22192]

Well, guys, this is WITHOUT the grad degree.

 

I'm saying, in about a year from now, I'll have that 23k paid off, assuming I'm still paying at the rate I currently am. Basically, I'll be 24 at that time and where I live is......difficult. Middle of nowhere, socialization is incredibly hard, and it's not a very happy situation. If I move out about a year from now with a roommate, I can manage to pay that 6k-10k that the post-bac classes will cost while continuing to pay rent.

 

The STRUGGLE, then, is what grad school will do to me; and everyone else, I suppose. I currently make 39k before taxes. It's just such a difficult concept to consider taking out another potentially 50k or so in loans, and assuming I'm not working during the Masters, at least 20k or so more just to afford housing. Meaning, even though I only make 38k now, to graduate making maybe in the 50s (school setting) with.....70 thousand dollars in debt.

[mr479]

Well, guys, this is WITHOUT the grad degree.

 

I'm saying, in about a year from now, I'll have that 23k paid off, assuming I'm still paying at the rate I currently am. Basically, I'll be 24 at that time and where I live is......difficult. Middle of nowhere, socialization is incredibly hard, and it's not a very happy situation. If I move out about a year from now with a roommate, I can manage to pay that 6k-10k that the post-bac classes will cost while continuing to pay rent.

 

The STRUGGLE, then, is what grad school will do to me; and everyone else, I suppose. I currently make 39k before taxes. It's just such a difficult concept to consider taking out another potentially 50k or so in loans, and assuming I'm not working during the Masters, at least 20k or so more just to afford housing. Meaning, even though I only make 38k now, to graduate making maybe in the 50s (school setting) with.....70 thousand dollars in debt.

You could always look to purchase a home and have roommates to help pay your mortgage. Also, there are plenty of places you can go that cost less than 50k. 50k is a worse case scenario. I recommend taking your time to complete your pre-reqs while working, because if you're not a great test taker, your admission will really come down to your GPA, and anything less than a 4.0 in your pre-reqs doesn't look very good these days. So give yourself enough time to really excel in your pre-reqs. There's no rush.

[Saila09]

It is an investment in your future. I know this is tough, but I think it will pay off in the end.

[_kita]

I'm 70k and growing (one more year to go in my masters program). There is no guarantee that you'll come out of this with a job that makes bank, or pays of your loans quickly. I know too many MA qualified social workers/counselor a who are slotted for part-time so companies don't have to pay for them.

Good news, the MA offers you the credentials to do a job that might lead to a less stress enduced life. Loan companies also try to work with you, as long as you contact them and explain what's going on.

It's a gamble, but only you can decide if you're willing to take that risk

Edited April 11, 2015 by psychkita

[Kate22192]

I'm 70k and growing (one more year to go in my masters program). There is no guarantee that you'll come out of this with a job that makes bank, or pays of your loans quickly. I know too many MA qualified social workers/counselor a who are slotted for part-time so companies don't have to pay for them.

Good news, the MA offers you the credentials to do a job that might lead to a less stress enduced life. Loan companies also try to work with you, as long as you contact them and explain what's going on.

It's a gamble, but only you can decide if you're willing to take that risk

 

You make a good point. I was considering getting my MSW for a while but ended up thinking...honestly, where is the payoff? To end up in mental health or likely a closely related field, making little money, with the same amount of high loans and with SIGNIFICANTLY more burnout.

 

Versus something like SLP, with generally much better pay/room to move around and not the crazy amount of burnout I see all my MSW or MA in counseling friends have..

[clmogel]

I'm 100K in debt and climbing. Yeah. I've decided that since I didn't get into grad school this year, I will pursue a SLP-A job hat provides tuition remission! There are employers who do this and can help fund your grad school. There are programs that cost 25K total in-state and out-of-state. (Towson in-state, University of South Dakota out-of-state) There are more that are in the 30-35K range but, offer a large number of assistantships that give more than 4K a year or provide a tution waiver of 6-18 credits a year! (West Virginia University does this).

[mr479]

I'm 100K in debt and climbing. Yeah. I've decided that since I didn't get into grad school this year, I will pursue a SLP-A job hat provides tuition remission! There are employers who do this and can help fund your grad school. There are programs that cost 25K total in-state and out-of-state. (Towson in-state, University of South Dakota out-of-state) There are more that are in the 30-35K range but, offer a large number of assistantships that give more than 4K a year or provide a tution waiver of 6-18 credits a year! (West Virginia University does this).

Wow. 100K?!? That seems almost criminal. You should look into loan forgiveness programs as well. Where will you pursue the SLP-A job? I just looked up tuition at the University of Oklahoma—$183.10/hour for residents, $707.10/hour for non-residents. That is a huge difference! Such expenses should be federally regulated. It seems almost irresponsible to allow anyone to study at such a high cost, especially if taking out loans. It's funny how people from anywhere in the world can study in Germany, Norway, Austria, etc. for free, but in the "Land of the Free," we have to pay an arm and a leg to study across state lines. I just don't get it. As soon as students say "Enough" and stop going to school, things will hopefully change.

[Saila09]

Wow. 100K?!? That seems almost criminal. You should look into loan forgiveness programs as well. Where will you pursue the SLP-A job? I just looked up tuition at the University of Oklahoma—$183.10/hour for residents, $707.10/hour for non-residents. That is a huge difference! Such expenses should be federally regulated. It seems almost irresponsible to allow anyone to study at such a high cost, especially if taking out loans. It's funny how people from anywhere in the world can study in Germany, Norway, Austria, etc. for free, but in the "Land of the Free," we have to pay an arm and a leg to study across state lines. I just don't get it. As soon as students say "Enough" and stop going to school, things will hopefully change.

 

Cheaper for residents since they have been paying taxes that support their local universities.

 

Private universities don't have in-state/out-of-state differences. They're expensive for everyone. 

[mr479]

Cheaper for residents since they have been paying taxes that support their local universities.

 

Private universities don't have in-state/out-of-state differences. They're expensive for everyone. 

My point is, you can study in foreign countries free of charge and never pay taxes. Your free education there is covered by other people who do pay taxes. But you are monetarily penalized if you choose to study out of state in the US. That's the irony. 

[mr479]

http://uopeople.edu- A non-profit, tuition-free, accredited university. Classes taught by faculty from Harvard, Yale, NYU, Cambridge, Oxford, and other top schools. 

 

Maybe one day they will have an SLP program. 

 

If anyone's interested in forming one, I'm sure it can be done eventually.