Morale swinging down again

[cjsmith]

My outlook on the whole career change thing changes as I get new information, do new things, and encounter new obstacles. If a lot of positive things have happened recently I am cheerful. Right now it's the opposite.

First was the paper from some symposium or other on the financial aspects of a career in veterinary medicine. People are walking out of vet school with an average debt of $122K, and by 2010 that's expected to be a shade over $200K. Back in 1980, a newly minted DVM had a debt load of 91.6% of his starting yearly salary; in 2007, it's 184%, and it's only getting worse. In short, tuition's going up a lot faster than salary. Veterinary degrees are fast becoming something only the rich can afford.

Then there was the meeting with the San Jose State University transfer representative this morning. I cannot transfer from De Anza to San Jose State. I have a bachelor's degree. They are not taking any applications for undergraduate ("post-bachelor" or second degree) work from people who already have a bachelor's. I am allowed to try to take those courses through a program called Open University, but in that program I cannot preregister for classes; I must add them after the semester begins. It will be very difficult to get into any classes that way.

And finally, I got mail from the Honors Program coordinator saying that since I didn't take an "honors course" THIS quarter, that is to say, I didn't sign up for one before I was even in the program, I don't get early registration for spring quarter. That's pretty shitty, and I sent some (hopefully politely-worded) mail saying so, but there may be nothing that can be done to salvage that situation at this point. [edit: Or maybe there can. I think the coordinator got me mixed in with another category/group who were already in, or something. This one might get fixed.]

*sigh*. At least I'm getting good grades. Spanish test = 100%. Anybody need a Spanish/English translator? I could try to become one of those. I'm sure there's no one in this area who can already meet that need.

Comments

[ame-chan.livejournal.com]

My mom and I were just talking about this. I want to do maternal/child health via the public health vector and I'm planning to stay in LA or move to the BA, because they are the areas that I could make even halfway decent money in. My hometown, a rural area with a *tremendous* need for community based nurses where I would LOVE to live, just isn't one where I can earn the kind of salary I need to earn to pay back loans and save for retirement. :-(

This makes me so sad though because I think you are following your passion and I want you to get what you want.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you could do that path -- live where you want to -- later on. A 20-year-old veterinarian graduating when I will graduate will someday be debt-free; it's just going to take a while. Then he or she could move to a community with lower cost of living and lower salaries. Maybe that would work for you too, if only you have enough time to sit in LA and pay off debt first.