hey all I’m a freshman in college on a pre-med track, and I’m honestly feeling really stuck right now. My mom initially told me she would help me pay for school, but in the end, the money was gone and now I’m left trying to figure everything out myself.
On top of that, I need her to sign/complete my FAFSA verification so I can receive my grants through my college portal, but she refuses to do it. Her answer is basically that if I can’t afford college, I should just drop out entirely. I’m really upset because I was counting on that support, and now I feel like I’m constantly scrambling just to stay enrolled.
Because of all this, I’m considering putting college aside for now, at least temporarily. My plan would be to do a Medical Assistant program during the summer so I can leave my current part-time job, get clinical experience, and hopefully work full-time as an MA. That way, I can save money, move toward being more independent, and eventually return to college without feeling like I’m drowning financially 24/7.
I still want to go to college and I still want to pursue medicine, but right now it feels impossible to focus on school when I’m stressed about tuition, my living situation, and not having reliable family support.
Has anyone here taken a semester or year off to work, save money, or get certified in something like MA/EMT before returning to school? Did it help or did it make it harder to go back? I’d really appreciate honest advice.