Accepted! Now needing financial advice

[tcl0045]

I got my acceptance letter last week for Texas Woman's in Dallas and I am so excited to start in the spring. However, now the financial obligations are really hitting me. I don't qualify for grants from FAFSA and didn't receive much for loans. I've saved up money but could only put away so much and the same for my boyfriend (who will be living with me but he's paying back his loans now and his paycheck can only be stretched so far). Anyone have any advice to help pay for school and living expenses? Besides a personal loan, which my parents keep urging me not to take. I have applied for scholarships but won't hear anything for another few months. I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with all the changes that are about to occur and at this point, any words of wisdom are welcome.

[mclennan, BSN, RN]

Read my post very carefully. Literally every question you just asked is answered in it.

[motosteph]

I had scholarships to pay most of my tuition in my BSN program but nothing to pay for living expenses. I couldn't move in with mom, didn't have a significant other at the time, and made up my mind I didn't wanna live crowded in with roommates while I tried to study. I was 32 when I started and really didn't want to live TOTALLY like a 20 year old again. So I planned carefully.

I took an accelerated EMT-B course before I started school, it cost about $1500 I threw on a credit card. BEST. DECISION. EVER. Having CNA was also a requirement for school so I had that too. I did also take out a SMALL $2500 loan for books and took out a low interest credit card with a $5000 limit for catastrophes.

I moved into a tiny, cheap but safe studio apartment and sold about half my stuff. I lowered the coverage on my paid-off truck to bare legal minimum. My mom bought me a Costco membership. I would work EMT on weekends, one 24 hr shift netted me about $600 back then. I picked up a CNA shift or two during the week on call. I ate beans & rice and stayed home and studied. I babysat and house sat and pet sat for friends for extra cash. I didn't drink or smoke - that saves a ton. Coffee was my only vice, and I'd make it at home. I packed my lunch and volunteered for any event that fed volunteers. I remember calling bingo at the local senior center and taking home all the leftover cheese & crackers & cookies no one wanted. Haha!

I look back now and almost laugh at how I did it! I somehow managed by just being smart, sacrificing and working hard. It PAID OFF. And the EMT/CNA experience was so valuable. I paid off the little loan and credit card in a couple years after I graduated. Hustle your game, girl, do what you gotta do and don't panic. Be a stealth bomber and stay cool. Get your EMT!!!!!!

What sort of hours and shifts did you work while in school? Were enough available to you if you needed to pick a few shifts up some weeks? Were they ok with requested time off say for finals week or whatever? What was the pay rate? Did you feel working as a cna or emt gave you better experience toward being a nurse?

Read my post very carefully. Literally every question you just asked is answered in it.

What sort of hours and shifts did you work while in school? So you said worked as an emt on weekends, like were the shifts 9 to 5, or 3 to 11. Were they 4, 6, 8 hour shifts, doubles? Did you work that one 24 hour shift every weekend? wow!! Thats amazing! I become tired cranky and dehydrated after one 12 hour shift. Haha and with a 30 min drive home, I barely make it home awake!

Were enough available to you if you needed to pick a few shifts up some weeks? I guess what I meant by that, was how many people were wiling to give up a shift if you asked. As I said before I am a waitress and people are always calling around for coverage. Wondering if would be similar as an emt. I love scooping up those extra hours when I need to.

Were they ok with requested time off say for finals week or whatever? What was the policy on that? Some jobs limit time off to a specific number of days dictated by whether you work full or part time. Are emts limited by their employer on that or is there more freedom to days off?

What was the pay rate? Im sure thats different for every state. And possibly different for each employer. I havent been able to find out much about the specifics on the web. I just wanted to compare that to what I would be giving up if I gave up my job at the restaurant.

Did you feel working as a cna or emt gave you better experience toward being a nurse? Two different jobs with different responsibilites, but each may have something unique to contribute to the the experience of a rounded nurse. If you had to pick one which one do you think gave you better basics.

Thank you for the help, I feel like I am in the dark about this decision. I dont know any emts and Im a little worried that if I make the decision to enroll in an emt program I will run into unforseen drawbacks about the decision because I wasnt able to get the information I will need.