I'll finish with about $262,000 and a DVM - Edit 1
Before modification by LadyLorraine at 28/04/2012 03:09:31 PM
Don't ask me when I'll get my soul and my pride back. They've been run over so many times just in the last three years (and they have yet to be subjected to clinical rotations...), that I'm not sure if they can even be revived.
I'm not sure how much I would have changed, or even could have changed. There are decisions I could have made that would have kept my costs down, such as leave my old horse behind and not adopt another horse while I was here when my old boy became injured. I could also have lived with my grandmother these entire 7 years (*shudder
. But these decisions have kept me sane and kept my stress levels lowered which keeps me healthy. The only methods of debt forgiveness available to me would keep me from leaving the country to live with the fiance, and I would have to commit to either the military (yah that's not happening) or a rural program. Both of these decisions would make it more difficult for me to work as a specialist in Equine Veterinary Medicine, which has been my plan.
So, except for little purchases here and there that one regrets, I don't think I would have changed anything.
1. How much debt did you accumulate while in college (or are tracking to accumulate for you current students)?
see above. To date, about $187k (including interest). With my final set of student loans for my calander-year long clinical rotations, it will total to about $262k (not including interest). I had a low debt load from undergrad, but vet school as an out of state student...well there's not much one can do to keep that cost down. It's almost impossible to work more than a handful of hours a week and you're paying $1,100/credit hour (in addition to a bunch of other fees). I also have 6,000 credit card debt, mostly from flying too and from Australia to see the boy.2. What are your loan terms? How long and how much per month?
I haven't finished yet, so the details of my loan repayment terms aren't set up yet. After a couple years to pay off the lowest loans entirely, I'll consolidate the remaining large loans into one payment if it looks to save me money. I will be doing the extended 30 yr repayment, but I plan to pay them off more quickly. Extending the plan out just gives me more wiggle room in terms of monthly payments while I'm doing things like internships/residencies and immigrating.3. What was your major/area of study?
I did an undergraduate degree in Animal Science, but I didn't finish it and went to Veterinary School early. I do have a Bachelors of Science in Agriculure that was awarded to me part way through veterinary school. So I will graduate with a BS and a DVM.4. If you had a chance to do everything again (school, major, debt amount), would you? What would you have changed, if anything?
I'm not sure how much I would have changed, or even could have changed. There are decisions I could have made that would have kept my costs down, such as leave my old horse behind and not adopt another horse while I was here when my old boy became injured. I could also have lived with my grandmother these entire 7 years (*shudder
. But these decisions have kept me sane and kept my stress levels lowered which keeps me healthy. The only methods of debt forgiveness available to me would keep me from leaving the country to live with the fiance, and I would have to commit to either the military (yah that's not happening) or a rural program. Both of these decisions would make it more difficult for me to work as a specialist in Equine Veterinary Medicine, which has been my plan.So, except for little purchases here and there that one regrets, I don't think I would have changed anything.