Ask Me Help Desk - EEK! Is it worth it?

EEK! Is it worth it?

I am 21 years old and I haven't gone to college yet. I've finally decided what I want to do, and lucky me, there is a course for it an hour away from where I live! It's a course to become a pharmacy technician. I went for a tour of the college today and I was really impressed with everything... until they told me the cost of the program. A whopping $13,000 for just a 10 month program!
I'm not in any debt, and never been. It is all very scary to me to get a loan for that amount. Do you think that amount of money for such a short course is worth it?
Not only that, but my husband is in the military, and we are suppose to be moving away in a few months. That means, if I decided to take the course he will have to move away without me until I finish. So I will be 10 months without my husband. And to make financial matters worse, he will have a buy another car for himself because we can't exactly share a car with him living in another province. Also we will be paying 2 separate rents, and bills. So our housing bills will double since we will have to live in to separate places until I finish the course.

I've been racking my brain over all the pros and cons. I don't know what to do. Got any suggestions, opinions... anything that will help me make up my mind?

I would not start this program just for the matter of your husband being reassigned in a few months. Wait until after the move and then check out the programs where you will be living.

Take Shygrney's advice. I agree and would like to add that it's expensive. Not only do you need to worry about tuition, but gas, clothing, supplies, food, etc... College is expensive, but it's an investment and you get to work in comfortable environment afterwords. But, the amount you mentioned is high for that course. I would also consider on-line.. for example you can goggle Stratford Career Institute>only 750.00 for the entire course in payment arrangements of more less 48.00. They have different courses to choose from. I took a course with them, while at the same time attending college. I finished both, but took my time with the on-line course. You can work at your own pace.

I thought about online, but I don't think it is for me. I discussed it with my husband, and we both think I should go to a real college.

There are some pharmacies that will hire a tech and train them and send them to school. There is one here where I live - now there is a clause for the person which requires, once completion of the subsized training, that he/she work for the pharmacy for a minimum of two years.

But wait on your decision. Also, that gives you time to check out funding. Bound to be some grant money out there for you. Good luck.

Also, find out what kind of salary you will earn once you have finished the program. This government site should help in general:

Pharmacy Technicians

Remember that the U.S. population is aging, and health care will be the fastest growing field during the next 25 years.

At College Of DuPage here in Illinois (a large community college), the Pharmacist Tech program meets two nights a week or all day Saturday for 12 weeks and is a 75 hour course. The charge is $103 per credit hour for residents, which works out to $7725 (half the price and a third of the time at the school you've been looking at). The school has a program with Walgreens and provides externships. I'd look at the community colleges in the area you're moving to, and look for a pharm tech program taught by registered pharmacists that provides externships.

Thanks everyone!

Do you qualify for financial assistance, either from the college or the government? Is there a financial aid office at the school you could consult with? What about tuition benefits for military dependents? If push comes to shove, $13,000 really isn't all that much to invest in a post-secondary education. As a pharmacy technician, you'll probably earn 4-5 times that amount your first year! Exhaust all other possibilities first, but if you have to borrow then do it. It'll be well worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_cianci

If push comes to shove, $13,000 really isn't all that much to invest in a post-secondary education. As a pharmacy technician, you'll probably earn 4-5 times that amount your first year!

The salaries I'm seeing for this career are more like $30K per year, even for someone with 20 years' experience... however, if one gets a student loan it can be paid off over 10 years or more so perhaps the 13K isn't so daunting in the long run.

Vasily

Haha that's funny... you want to go to a real college... I agree. 13,000 isn't bad at all for college. I'm assuming you live in Canada, but I go to college here in the US at a relatively inexpensive private college and am paying 15,000 for 8 months in a 5 year program. The college I used to go to charged 35,000 for 8 months! I'd say you're getting a relative bargain. And as far as waiting to go to school, it's up to you... yes, it would be tough, but you can make it being alone and going to school and working. I'm 21, a single working mother of a 10 month old AND a full time college student doing 24 hours a week in classes (good old art school). You can make it being alone for a few months, it might be good for you too... make you appreciate your husband even more!

Update...

So, I've thought about it for a few days now and I've decided not to take the course. I just feel like it isn't the right time for it with us moving away and all. So, I'm just going to wait and see what there is to offer in the new city we move to. I am optimistic that everything will work out, and I'll hopefully find an ever better program.
Thanks for all of your advice everyone ; )

Yes... please don't pay that much for a program..
Go see if you can get a job at a pharmacy and work there then take a test then you should be licensed... theres more rules than that but I know a lot of people I know that did that.. of course diff states have diff rules and its always changing..
But find out if you could do that before you go spend $

Good luck in your city

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjl

I am 21 years old and I havn't gone to college yet. I've finally decided what I want to do, and lucky me, there is a course for it an hour away from where I live! It's a course to become a pharmacy technician. I went for a tour of the college today and I was really impressed with everything... until they told me the cost of the program. A whopping $13,000 for just a 10 month program!
I'm not in any debt, and never been. It is all very scary to me to get a loan for that amount. Do you think that amount of money for such a short course is worth it?
Not only that, but my husband is in the military, and we are suppose to be moving away in a few months. That means, if I decided to take the course he will have to move away without me until I finish. So I will be 10 months without my husband. And to make financial matters worse, he will have a buy another car for himself because we can't exactly share a car with him living in another province. Also we will be paying 2 separate rents, and bills. So our housing bills will double since we will have to live in to separate places until I finish the course.

I've been racking my brain over all the pros and cons. I don't know what to do. Got any suggestions, opinions.... anything that will help me make up my mind?

One thing you should know about taking loans to cover tuition. Student loans are considered good debt! It shows that you made an investment to better yourself. Student loans do not hurt you when you apply for home loans or car loans etc (unless you are in default).

College tuition is kind of like the sticker price of a car. No one pays full price. There are scholarships (even if your school does not have them) grants and loans. There is also work study etc. There are lots of ways to pay for education. Talk to your school to see what is available.