It bothers me when I see people posting online or making comments about how, if you want your life to be better, then get a better education. Do you know how hard that is? I have a full-time job that pays decently well, but it’s not my passion, it’s a drag to go to every day, and there is little opportunity for upward mobility. I don’t want to be stuck in this shit sandwich for the rest of my life so I decided to go back to school part-time while continuing to work. I figured that since I’m single with no kids that this was the best time to do it. Well holy fuck nugget am I broke! The program I’m in is two straight years, no breaks, so every three months I have to pay $2,500 in tuition, plus books and supplies. I was able to secure a small line of credit, but I didn’t quality for a Student Loan. The reality is, if I don’t take every single penny I have left over after my bills and put it on my line of credit as I go, I’ll run out of room on my line of credit and have to quit school half-way through. This shit is HARD and I’m one of the lucky ones that has a decent job and none of the extraneous expenses (ex: child care, car payment) to worry about. I can’t imagine trying to do this on minimum wage; I’m not even sure if it would be possible. So keep that in mind the next time you think about harping on somebody who is stuck in the vicious rut of wanting to improve their life, but not having the means to do so. —All Bills, No Thrills
This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2017.
This is discouraging news OP. I start school in sept. and am hopeful that I can at least get a student loan to pay for the tuition and books but I keep hearing stories like yours. Why did you not qualify for a loan, might I ask.
Been there, done that. Excuses are easy, achievements are hard. If success was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Keep at it, it is well worth the investment. After three years of studying while working full time I moved to a new job with a new company making over 2.5 times what I was prior to embarking on the educational journey.
Good Luck.
If you’re working for minimum wage, you’re taking a job from a student…
I know that even if you are lucky enough to have the money and the ambition to strive for success, who you know and the local economy are major factors in the level of success that a person can achieve. Look at the job of a teacher for example. If I taught public school in rural NS I would likely spend 10 years as a substitute before I got a full time gig. In the HRM though that time is reduced to 3-5 years depending on what subjects you can teach.
@rubyjaye So what’s your message here? Stop studying and be happy with your job at Timmy’s because it’s the economy’s fault you can’t get a decent job and there is nothing you can do about it?
Sounds like more excuses to me.
You bought the “University Koolaid”. Broke? You don’t know brioche until you finish your schooling and get a decent job only to find your expenses still exceed your income. And it will. For a long time. You will pay through the nose. No home for years. No future. Credit cards with 20% interest, maxed out. You are screwed.
My kid paid own way thru uni & lived with roommates while toiling away part time at a nation-wide coffee chain. Bottom line – got degree with no student loan but took six years instead of four because kid paid cash for semesters. Coffee chain tips were a huge help. It can be done but it takes time & sacrifice.
paid my way also working late and walking to and back over bridge to save money . yes it was that tight.
@The Other Safety Guy, NO of course, if its possible for you to continue school go for it. My point was that between life, individual circumstances and the local economy, a person’s choices can be limited. People who did not have the luck, personal income or support to continue their education to a $70000 job shouldn’t be looked down on or told they should have stayed in school. Sometimes that is simply not possible.
Most of the people I know with degrees or diplomas and successful jobs came from family’s who supported them, Lot’s of them deny it, but they moved out at 18 and played I’m a grown up, racked up lots of debt, moved home, and got a student loan but paid no rent or groceries or transportation. They go on and on about how hard they worked, while piddling away at their 15 dollar a hour job they got through their moms friend. Sorry but the whole rags to riches thing isn’t a realistic expectation, and I applaud you OP for trying so hard and emphasize with your situation, I don’t think you need another “hard work pays off” and some example of what someone did back in 1986 when a pound of beef was $0.89 on sale and gas was 35 cents a litre and a years tuition at Dal was $1000 a year ($2500) in todays prices, Most people had a better quality of life back then, even low income people, It’s not as black and white as it looks, My dad made $20 a hour as a carpenter in Toronto in the mid eighties, had a sailboat and a new 4 wheel Drive! Their was so much work, you could tell the foreman to fuck off and go across the street and get another job right away. It was an easier time! Even my workaholic preachy father admits that.
I can assure you, Calico, that I worked very hard with little to no support from my family to get multiple degrees and build a solid career. Sure I have student debt, but I’m almost finished paying it off and I don’t regret it one bit. I have always paid rent, even when I lived with my parents and always paid for my own food and transportation. My parents just weren’t in a position to help me.
I do agree though that “Old Economy Steve” preachers need to fuck off.