I have one more day to accept Lincoln Memorial College of Veterinary Medicine.
I have one more day to accept admissions to LMU and I have been absolutely wrecked over it. Their four year projection is showing that I'll need to take out 200k student loans and 200k private loans. When I was looking at a loan repayment calculator, to pay this off in 10 years, it would cost me 4,853.10 a month, which leaves almost nothing left for a mortgage, food, a life. 15 Years would cost 3,822.61 and that still leaves very little. Yes, I could extend it to 20 years but that's 20 years of a still astronomical number, and it's for a piece of paper; not a house.
I never felt I wanted to be anything other than a veterinarian, but if I'm going to be a doctor making money that looks really good on paper, I want to be able to see that money, too. I know everyone has debt, but 400k is so astronomical.
All I've wanted to do was apply at a general veterinarian clinic, give vaccines, do amazing surgeries (I work in research, and I found to absolutely love doing surgery, and I'm really good at it too) and just be happy in that life. But, not if my life is doing all these amazing things that make me feel fulfilled with the work I am doing while also being in so much debt that doesn't translate the pay for rest of my life.
I'm 28 years old now, and I'm so terrified I'm making the wrong decision if I don't go, but I'm also terrified of the numbers I am seeing that'll be my future.
I am venting. I have been sitting on this decision since May 4th. And I don't feel good in the decision to say yes or no.