So my whole family is telling me that if I get in a state university, that I should get a bachelor’s degree in accounting. The problem though is that only two out of five of the people in my family are earning any money, and that’s my dad and my sister. My dad is bankrupt right now and can’t get anymore loans, and my sister is still paying off student loans from when she got a bachelor’s degree. I already spent four years trying to get a bachelor’s degree in biology while failing and psychotic. I wish I had just failed out the beginning of my second year of college instead of accumulating so much debt. Anyways, I’ve already burned through most of the student loans that I could get from the federal government, and if I transferred to another college in the next two or three years, I would have to get a loans from banks with my sister cosigning the loans. I feel awful about putting my family in that situation of having to pay for me when I’m not even sure I have the ability to finish a bachelor’s degree in the first place. I keep telling all of them that I could just get an associate’s degree at the community college I’m currently at and it would cost almost nothing, and then I could get a job and pay off my loans I already have, and then get bachelor’s degree once I’ve saved up for it in about the next 10 years or so. I feel like I’m taking a huge risk with the family’s finances by getting a bachelor’s degree, but they all think I should go for it if I get into any of the state universities. What do you think?
I’d go the community college route. It’ll take more time to end up with that bachelor’s degree, but it’s less risky and less expensive and probably easier.
The community college that is big in this neck of the woods is 100$ per credit hour for in state tuition. There is a very wide range of different ages attending. Only problem is its still about 40 miles away and gas money adds up quick, let alone the gradual wear on the automobile. I’m still hallucinating a lot and that environment makes me uneasy. Very quiet and focused, yet crowded at the same time. They only have on spot for people to smoke and its way at the back of campus. I’d have to make 5 to 6 trips back and forth which was really annoying. I’m starting to be able to see myself going back there with a lot more comfort.
People still like they’re telepathic. They have an air of rigid silence and professionalism to them. Especially older men. It’s like I can feel their judgement as they look down from that high place they’ve climbed to. ■■■■ creeps me out, they seem like they’re dead. At the same time though that’s exactly what I’m trying to turn myself into. Can’t not at this point, I’ve seen the ideal. I’m ranting.
If I go the community college route, then I’m going to have to do a lot of talking to my family, they all want me to get a bachelor’s degree, but I think I can talk them into it, maybe. I’m not hearing voices or seeing things on the medicine, and I haven’t gained more than 10 pounds since being on the max dose of abilify for about a year now. The community college I’m going to right now costs about $1300 a year for full time tuition, and I’m not even going full time.
I don’t see why they wouldn’t see the reason behind your community college plan. Slow and steady wins the race. There is also no exorbitant financial risk involved.
No man just no , At this stage it seems your haemorrhaging money. Just plug that whole for a while. Do you even want to be an accountant?
I’m in the UK so I don’t know your education and money rules, but becoming an accountant sounds like a good idea - because you can work on your own and at your own pace. I hope you find the right route and go for this. Good Luck 
You would think so , but I have not met a person with schiz who is also an accountant in all my years on forums.
Exactly. I’m not sure how extreme negative symptom are, but man can it be hard to finish a degree you are not intrinsically motivated to do so. I tried this with math for a few years - biggest mistake in my life. And then there’s the money at stake. Even now that I’m doing something I absolutely love it can be hard to find motivation sometimes. There’s a lot at stake with this bachelors degree in accounting, and to be fair, it doesn’t look good to me.
accounting is ok, I’m not madly in love with it, I don’t think, but I don’t hate it either. being a bookkeeper involves getting an associate’s degree in accounting, whereas a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting leads to being an accountant, eventually. I’m just ok at accounting, I think. I took the intro to accounting class last spring and got a B in it. I took it online, so that made it harder. I’m taking financial accounting starting in august. It’s not until after managerial accounting that I have to make up my mind as to whether just get an associate’s degree or go get a bachelor’s degree. My family is really pressuring me to go get the bachelor’s degree, but I’ve been thinking about being an accountant, and I don’t know if I can even handle busy season. I sleep like 9-10 hours a day because of the medicine, and then I am drowsy 12 hours a day. I really feel uneasy about getting further into debt, but my whole family is pushing me to do it.
considering your dx (im not sayn you cant go on to do great things) and considering you have run up debt on another bachelors degree program , and now your parents want your sister to cosign some more debt it just seems unreasonable. from an outsider looking in . Anyway good luck.
You can kind of work into this from four directions:
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Visit vocational rehabilitation person at your food stamp office. You need to fill out the normal food stamp application & there is spot to check mark for this retraining department. They know everything & can guide you to other sources of funding, if any are open to you. Tends to be a little under funded so answer could just be ‘nothing we can do for you’.
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Banks offer excellent opportunities for ‘finance’ or business administration types. If you take a part-time cash handling job in high volume place like drive through or grocery store, bank will hire you in 6 months. You need to pickup 10-key from a typing tutor program at Best Buy for $20. This is best full-time job you can easily get in finance with tons of hours, living wage in cheaper areas and opportunity for tuition reimbursement. They may be picky about charged off student loans, messed up credit or criminal history. Wear a suit jacket for more appeal.
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Do the typing tutor, Quickbooks class at the college (small business development knows who teaches it) and you could get hired for accounts payable/receivable anywhere. Could be DR’s office but pay is low, you’re around sick people all the time, picky about Dr office experience but you sometimes find someone wanting a biller and willing to train so can be okay option. Dr office can turn into at-home job if you like billing or coder. If someone is hiring for payroll & willing to train, this is where you get best money for the job & easy to get hired down the road with this skill. Payroll experience is really desirable.
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Tax assistance thing is HOT. You will get TONS of hours so be ready to let the disability check go if you want this. Is also just seasonal from January to April so need plan for the remaining months.
John Forbes Nash, Jr might have made a good accountant.
I have seen a lot of relapse related to financial strain. Taking a few classes at the community college level and not getting an associate degree is throwing money out the window. Most universities will not give you credit or full credit for those classes and the same course at their tuition rate will be necessary.
The department of education offers a forgiveness program for those that are unable to make an income. Look up the information online, print it, take it to your doctor and submit it to who ever is in charge of your loans. To be cleared of all debt, you must report a very low income for the three years after the guarantee removal, and during the time you cannot take classes.
Due to low motivation typical of those diagnosed with schizophrenia getting a bachelor degree while still having active symptoms is a highway to disaster. Especially when the person does not have strong desire for the degree that you’re pursuing. Don’t let others determine your destiny make up your own mind. If you feel the career path is just okay you might find yourself resentful and not stay with it.
Take some time, think about what YOU want. No job is stress free. It’s the nature of the human spirit.
Also many companies that you can get yourself into offer financial assistance for their employees to pursue a college degree. This will allow you to come into the business at an entry level, gain experience, let the company pay for your betterment and increase your marketable ability without incurring additional cost.
If you go to university, major in something of your choosing.
I would go for the community college option. Cheaper, less stress. Get an AA and then when you’re ready go for the BA. That’s what I’m doing. Also, why didn’t you do the loan forgiveness thing due to your disability. I did it and got all my loans discharged.
I got a scholarship for a four years bachelors and I am looking at graduate programs, some of the are funded, which means free of charge. I just don’t know the normal struggle with student loans.
What I would do is get stable before attempting a degree of any kind. School will push your buttons and test your limits. You need to be in very good mental health to do well in school.
thank you, I’ll try to get the typing tutor. I’ll consider tax assistance too. I would really like to get off of SSI and have a job that pays enough for me to live on and pay off my debts. I would like to be an accounts payable/accounts receivable clerk, I think it pays enough to live on and pay off my debts, eventually.
I could get an associate’s degree in business transfer and then transfer to a state university, which is what my family wants me to do. I would love to get loan forgiveness, but I would feel bad if I was able to get a job in the future and pay it off after saying that I was permanently and totally disabled though. My psychologist thinks that if the medicine keeps working as it is, then I will be able to get a job. You’re right, I do have low motivation. Like, I panic about becoming homeless and not being able to pay off debt, but on the other hand i have trouble being able to care. I don’t have that many symptoms right now though. The medicine gets rid of the voices and the hallucinations at a high dose.
I thought that in order to get the loans discharged you have to be permanently disabled and unable to work. If I get a job after that, would I be cheating the system? Plus, I don’t want to be waiting another 3 years of not going to school to get the loans discharged, I want to get a job as soon as possible.
go you mortimermouse! You go finish that graduate program. I think I’m stable right now. I see a psychologist once a week, and I take my medicine every day, and I’ve never been into drinking or drugs, so that is not a problem. I’m going to be taking 11 units at a community college this fall semester. I only took 6 units last semester, but I think I’m up for taking more units this semester. Plus I took 4 units this summer and got two B’s, or passing grades, so I think I can do this.