Heres my situation, college GPA as a biology major looking to become a PA: 3.0 (3.68 upper div GPA).
– I have 10K in student loans for my 4 years of college, I dont receive any financial help from family, nor do I have scholarships as I didn't think I'd qualify back in high school and I feel like it's too late considering my GPA.
– I have a long term job that pays 17.60$. I currently work 18 hours a week as thats the maximum my college will allow. I want to work another job but im having a hard time finding one.
– I have no credit card debt, but I only have 2,000 in savings and 500 in bitcoin.
Overall I feel terrified about what my life will look like. I entered an abusive relationship that I can't get out of because college costs too much. If I dont raise my savings I will have to move into a shared apartment with him and I feel that im going to experience a sad adulthood. I want to break the cycle I beg anyone for advice, I believe there is still hope for me.
Feel like im going to live a bad life, I need help
byu/Ecstatic_Low_5762 inpersonalfinance
Posted by Ecstatic_Low_5762
8 Comments
10k for 4 years of college does not seem completely unreasonable.
Your presentation suggests that there is more schooling to go. How much more? What will this result in with respect to compensation?
Hey, your financial situation is really really normal and even good for a college student/young adult. I had way more student debt than that and zero savings when I graduated, I have never had an extremely high paying job, and I am totally fine now at 30. $10,000 seems like a lot of money when you’re in college but it is truly very manageable!
What is NOT normal or okay is how your partner is treating you. Please seek help from your college and do not move in with him or let him isolate you from your peers, friends, and family. Many colleges have housing resources for students experiencing domestic abuse or can facilitate you receiving community resources.
You aren’t in very much debt, and the medical field has been a good field to be in the past few years job-wise. You could also be a PA anywhere, you aren’t tied to a specific city/region/handful of companies that would want your skills.
Get your degrees, don’t move in with an abuser. Take out more loans if you have to, honestly invest in yourself.
If you need to move back home with your parents after school to help pay back your loans, there’s no shame in it.
Zero judgement about the situation you are in but being in an abusive relationship should be your number one priority to address. If you’re close to finishing college and only 10k in debt consider student loans if they’d allow you to exist more safely and not be dependent on this person. Most debt is bad but manageable student loan payments are generally okay as long as the interest rate is low (my govt loans are ~4.0%) and you are materially improving your long term earning potential. Get mentally/physically safe then you’ll be in a better place to build a plan.
10k is nothing and you have no CC debt? Take out a loan and pay off those student loans. Leave that relationship now, and you’ll be in great shape. Don’t wait. Go to police with abusive evidence and get a restraining order. Block their number and delete contact in your phone. Get a new number if needed. Ask a professor for help you in meantime (place to stay/etc)- don’t be scared to, they would be eager to help you. Be brave, you have a long life ahead.
10k in student loans is absolutely nothing, especially if it’s all federal and not private.
Calm down. It’ll be alright. Just breathe and think through a few more options.
First find a different living situation, there’s ads on things like Facebook in city groups pretty regularly looking for roommates. Go out and get a cup of coffee with them first to make sure you’d get along, then once you’re moved in and your abusive partner doesn’t know where you live, break things off.
PA’s do require additional schooling (at least in America), so your loans will likely have to increase, but as is the payment will probably barely be $100 per month. Extremely doable, especially considering you’ll likely make north of $80k (conservatively) right out of school.
You’ll be alright – just think it out and look for other options. You aren’t trapped until you believe you are, your escape is whatever you imagine it can be.
“The average salary for an entry level Biologist is $40,688” (collegegrad) which is about $20/hr. Don’t fw bitcoin, you should not be looking to own any investments until you’ve completely paid of any existing loans, which you have. I think you should look into how you will go to grad school. The salary increase is large for your major specifically between undergrad to grad. Also, they will stipend you to TA + typically provide cheap dorm housing as an option. Having 10k in student loans is not that bad, but you should calculate what you will need.
If you’re set on becoming a PA and willing to move anywhere then you’ll be fine. 10k in college debt is less than average and a career as PA will make that easy to pay off. If your PA school ends up being expensive, opt into working in an underserved area to have your loans forgiven after 10 years.
And most importantly don’t waste your time with an abusive partner, nothing positive will come of it. Good luck.