Jump right back in or wait a while?

bnnunley · August 2014

Ok, so I'm graduating in December from a medical assisting program and I want to go further in the medical field and do either nursing or radiology. But I have 10,000 dollars of student loans I need to pay off!!! My boyfriend is set to graduate next December with his bachelors degree in business management and we are starting to plan our lives together and set up housekeeping and such. I was thinking about taking a year or two off from school and focusing on getting us settled and then once he has a steady income going back to school for my radiation therapy credentials and my bachelors degree as well. And while I'm away from school working at a doctors office to pay off the student loans u already have and saving for when I start school. Does that sound smart? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

als1982 · August 2014

I'm a debt adverse person, but in your case, I would continue on with your education getting a BSN at a four year college or University even if it means taking on more debt. (I wouldn't suggest an RN degree from a Community or another type of 2 year college.). Once you're in the working world, it is really hard to go back to school for a variety of reasons (schedule, being used to a lifestyle afforded with two incomes, etc.). There is such value and flexibility with a BSN: it's a great career choice - you'll have so many options!!

Xstatic3333 · August 2014

Hmmm, I'm actually not debt adverse, but I would stick with your original plan. I think taking on a small amount of debt for a well-paying career like nursing or radiology is reasonable, and you have the right idea about staying on top of it. The main reason I'd work a bit first is that, in my area, tons of people are going back to school for nursing or radiology and then finding it near impossible to get a job once they're done. The market is just flooded, except for those willing to do gerontology. Working through school, and a little before, will help you make connections that will put you at the top of hiring lists.

All that said, your area could be different. My good friend who was at the top of his radiology class, though, is still only per diem a year and a half later. I'd talk to someone in your town to get a feel for the job market.

formerlyGDaisy09 · August 2014

I would just stay in school, PP is right most places prefer to hire BSNs now, a lot of RNs are finding the need to go back to school to remain employable.

If you already had an RN I'd suggest working and doing school part-time (and seeing if your employer would fund part of school. however to get from MA to BSN that's going to require additional time in school (even more time if you do it part-time) and most employers require you to work for at least a year before you can take advantage of TAPs. so the time trade-off and potential competing priorities later is probably not worth waiting.

Nursing jobs with BSNs pay well, if you're willing to work nights/weekends for additional shift differential for a few years you'll pay your student loans back quickly.

as far as student loans go, if you can borrow only what you need and keep school costs under control I'm not averse to that kind of debt.

strickland8052 · August 2014

I think this depends on a lot of factors: How much more would you make as a radiologist or nurse, in comparison to a medical assistant? Will experience as a medical assistant help you get scholarships, get into a bachelors degree program or decide whether you want to do radiology or nursing? If you work for a little bit first, would your employer pay for you to go back to school? Would it be possible to go to school and work at the same time (maybe do one of those part time)? Do you have any other goals like buying a house or getting married, and how do those other goals fit in with going back to school? Consider everything... even the likelihood that tuition will probably increase if you wait a couple of years. Look into employers, education programs, tuition prices, future salaries... every bit of knowledge you need to make an educated decision. Also think about your personality and if you think that you would REALLY go back if you took a break.

For me personally, I took one year off after my bachelors and then did a masters program part time while working full time. The year off helped me get real world experience to decide exactly what I wanted to do. It also helped me save some money to help pay for my grad degree. For my field, work experience means so much more than education so I felt it would be a bad move to forgo work experience for a graduate degree. Also, the grad degree won't increase my salary for another 10 years, so I wasn't in any rush to finish it. That was just my reasoning, but my situation and field is different. You know what is best!

lifeonthehill · August 2014

$10,000 is not a huge amount of debt so I would personally move forward with my education and try to work part time.

I am going to college in the fall and I regret putting it off for so long. I could have my bachelors already but life and money fears got in my way. It will pay off in the long run to have the education now.

Erikan73 · August 2014

I think I would finish school so that way you when you and boyfriend are both done, you can focus more on each other and your future instead of dragging things out.

beetee123 · August 2014

I'm going to against what a lot of people are saying and tell you to try to find a job at first. My friend took a position as an aide at a local hospital that is connected with a nursing program. They trained her on the job, and then once she hit her one year annivesary of working there they paid for her to go to their nursing school as long as she was working 20 hours per week. I'm sure your medical assisting education could help you land a job in a hospital, retirement home or something similar where they do at least partial tuition reimbursement, which would help so much, and would most likely only mean taking one year off from school and comitting to work for that employer for one year after you graduate from your program of choice.

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