Venting...college and parents rant

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

Sorry guys, but I've gotta vent somewhere...

I'm starting to hate college...and my parents.

My parents practically enrolled me in college themselves. :roll: I'm not allowed to take the classes I want for the major I want, because "it won't pay enough for medical expenses"

Plus they're trying to scare me into staying in college for the whole two years or so that I'll be on hte waiting list for the Rad Tech program. They say that if I quit college and get my own job, I'm off Dad's insurance. This is okay, as I can get my own insurance, working as a CNA. They've said that this'll work, but when it's time to go back for clinical classes, I have to quit the job, and lose the insurance, so I won't be able to support myself during the year it'll take to get through clinicals.

They say I have to get the Rad Tech degree to support myself...

If I can live off the CNA job while waiting for the clinicals for RT, then why can't I just plain live off the CNA job for as long as I want, and not have to ever go back to college?

I just got through taking another quarter of classes, and probably failed one of them, because the math really was beyond what I can comprehend.

Why do my parents feel the need to be so controlling?

[jjmouse]

Well. Most of the time, CNA jobs do not pay that much. You might be able to top out at $7-9 per hour. Maybe. Often times, you get just a bit above $5-6 per hour to start. Some places, you might start out at $7-9 per hour and top out at $10-11 per hour. But that is not likely.

If you work in a hospital, you would get better benifits, including health insurance. If you work in a nursing home, you might get benifts, but they will not be as good as those you would get in a hosptial.

Your parents mean well. But they really do need to let you take the college classes you want to take.

However. If hey are paying for the college. If they are paying your room and board. You are pretty well stuck.

If you can get a job, right now and support yourself 100%, then go ahead and drop out of college and do your own thing.

Otherwise, you are stuck. And need to talk to your parents. Maybe they will listen if you present it in a "I'm failing, you are wasteing your money" kind of way.

Good luck.

[leahiniowa]

I agree w/JJ about the CNA thing. Around here that job is either for young people working their way through nursing school or some such or for older people who cannot get into the workplace easily any other way. Do you really want to clean people's bottoms the rest of your life? Personally, I think the rad tech is a great career move and very smart, but maybe you could reach a compromise with your parents? Look again for a different job track, or perhaps agree on certain electives you really would enjoy taking?

Really, if it were one of my kids' friends, I'd suggest to spend the two years, make the money with the rad tech for a while, and then if you wish, to change careers. Two years seems like a long time now to you, but it really is not that much time in the big picture.

[leahiniowa]

Oh, and remember, JJ is an RN and I have been in nursing school and my husband is a physician, so we know a lot about the CNA thing.

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

Well. Most of the time, CNA jobs do not pay that much. You might be able to top out at $7-9 per hour. Maybe. Often times, you get just a bit above $5-6 per hour to start. Some places, you might start out at $7-9 per hour and top out at $10-11 per hour. But that is not likely.

If you work in a hospital, you would get better benifits, including health insurance. If you work in a nursing home, you might get benifts, but they will not be as good as those you would get in a hosptial.

Your parents mean well. But they really do need to let you take the college classes you want to take.

However. If hey are paying for the college. If they are paying your room and board. You are pretty well stuck.

If you can get a job, right now and support yourself 100%, then go ahead and drop out of college and do your own thing.

Otherwise, you are stuck. And need to talk to your parents. Maybe they will listen if you present it in a "I'm failing, you are wasteing your money" kind of way.

Good luck.

I paid for my share of the utilities and groceries until I lost my SSI checks...and all of my tuition is covered by HOPE.

Honestly...I wouldn't mind being a Rad Tech...I find the field fascinating, but if they keep me in college for the two year waiting period, when everyone else goes and gets a job during that time, then they're out of their minds...

I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore...I'm really not cut out for college'n'stuff...

"I'm failing, and at risk of losing my financial aid" might work...I've been on financial probation before, won't take much to make the college pull that plug...

*sigh*

[jjmouse]

.

Do you really want to clean people's bottoms the rest of your life?




Leah, if you think an RN does not clean bottoms, you need to re-evaluate your choice of profession.


Not to mention, you better learn not to say such. It is demeaning to RNs to CNAs and to patients.

I can not stress enough how offensive that statement is. And as you know, I am hard to offend.


My objection to her being a CNA is more the fact that it is a phyically difficult job, for low pay.

The CNA does most of the lifting and turning. A _good_ CNA does not sit down for the better part of 8 hours.

[Lady Arwyn]

If your parents aren't paying for your education, how do they have *any* say in what classes/major you take? If it's only a matter of medical insurance, well, is it worth it to do without for a couple of years? See if your school offers an insurance program, mine does. Can you take out loans or get grants to pay for your living expenses? Without loans and grants there's no way I would be in school right now.I'll be paying on them for years, but even with the payments I will be earning far, far more money than I would ever make if I didn't get the education.

What major are your parents insisting on? RadTech is a good one, my step-aunt is a rad-tech, as is her husband.They just bought a half-million dollar house.

I do hate it when parents tell their kids what their career will be. You are the one who has to live with that career, not them. But also cosider the earning potential of thejob. Where you are may make a big difference, what is the cost of living like where you plan to live and work? What kind of lifestyle would $6-12/hr get you? Sure, all of your friends are out there getting jobs now, but this is only a short term situation. If you finish school then when you start work your entry level job will probably pay far more than anything they can work up to by the time you start work.The certainly aren't getting ahead of you inthe long run.

[jjmouse]

I paid for my share of the utilities and groceries until I lost my SSI checks...and all of my tuition is covered by HOPE.


Did you pay for your health inusrance? How about your car insurance? Were you able to save ANY money?? Were you able to, or would you have been able to make car payments?? Pay your rent?? Pay your light bill, your phone bill, your gas bill, your cablevision??

Honestly...I wouldn't mind being a Rad Tech...I find the field fascinating, but if they keep me in college for the two year waiting period, when everyone else goes and gets a job during that time, then they're out of their minds...

You gotta have the entry level classes for Rad tech. Take them now. Get them over with. Your classes will be harder than you think. If you can go into the program with an AD you prove to the school that you can study.

Besides. You get your certification and you make better money. You gotta study for that. You gotta meet requirements too.


I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore...I'm really not cut out for college'n'stuff...

"I'm failing, and at risk of losing my financial aid" might work...I've been on financial probation before, won't take much to make the college pull that plug...

*sigh*

You just are not taking the right courses. You need to take your entry level courses.

I don't know what math courses you are taking. If you are failing, and you know that you are not going to pass, you need to withdraw BEFORE you have an 'F' showing up on your transcript.

I would say too, that you need to do that and tell your parents afterwards. And tell them why--1) you were failing--2)an 'F' will adversaly effect your college transcripts and you would have to re take the class to clear that 'F' or it will haunt you forvever.

Good luck.

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

JJ, I've taken all the prep classes for the Rad Tech course. CVTC is not a competitive college so there's a waiting list, and RT's is two years long. Gahh...I failed my math class because logarithims(sp?) are completely beyond me. The math class was an advanced one, not required for the RT course...none of this quarter's classes were required for the RT course.

Out of the money I got from SSI, half of it went to my 'rents to pay for whatever they needed help with, be it health insurance, car insurance, rent, electricity/water/cable bill, etc. In effect, I was paying room and board.

I withdrew from a class last Spring, so I wouldn't get an F and they royally chewed me out.

The classes I'd be interested in taking are the computer programming courses. True, that field doesn't pay much, but I can get a job that I'm able to do with it, and work part-time. I'm not planning on making it a career.

My point is, if my parents continue to make me take classes that are beyond my level, and for stuff I have no interest in doing, I'll fail, and lose the HOPE and Pell that I'll need to have to pay for my core classes.

But they just won't listen.

I'm already on the waiting list, so if I can get a job during winter break, I'm not going back come spring quarter.

[Lady Arwyn]

Computer programming can pay decently, but there is a massive oversaturation of the market. There are simply no jobs available. My husband was in the computer industry but is now retraining to be a high school science/math teacher because there is simply nothing out there for him.

[jjmouse]

If your plan is Rad tech, you had best be taking computer courses.

Who do you think runs the MRI?? The CT scanner?? The Rad Tech, that's who.

All of that is computers.

Your parents need some real education themselves.

A Radiology Tech, right out of school, starts in the $40,000 a year range.

[leahiniowa]

JJ, I am sorry if my post offended you. I did not mean to demean wiping bottoms. I have wiped bottoms professionally and personally for most of my adult life. I would have said the same thing about "flipping burgers." Which I would not intend to demean the burger chef OR the burger eater.

If the Rad Tech is really not for you, b/c of the 2 year waiting list to get into the program, and I can understand that, you'll be on hold during that time, perhaps there is another profession which appeals to you that you could enter in a program for at the same school? And come to a compromise with your parents?

When Doc was in school our family (5 kids by the time he graduated) used "disaster insurance," with a very high deductable and very LOW monthly payment, and went to his school for cheap care. Medical schools and other places have low cost clinics. Also, for the times someone your age might need to go to a doctor, you could just pay the bill off monthly.

[Rabble]

*Blinks*
So... you're paying room and board and they pay nothing towards your university fees?

Time to stop listening to them - go for the career YOU want. Future income a concern? Talk to a career consoler.
But you are an adult now, and while your parents can offer advice, they don't get to tell you what to do anymore.

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

*Blinks*
So... you're paying room and board and they pay nothing towards your university fees?

Time to stop listening to them - go for the career YOU want. Future income a concern? Talk to a career consoler.
But you are an adult now, and while your parents can offer advice, they don't get to tell you what to do anymore.


I did pay room and board when I had my SSI checks...and will be paying room and board again when I get a job. :irked:

My parents pay nothing that isn't repaid to them, for my college education...HOPE paid for my books, and the few times books went over, my parents paid the rest, and I had to repay them.

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

Update: Got my grades in today, and just like I thought, I failed my math class.

Talked to the parents about they were choosing my courses for me, and got a pleasant surprise.

I don't have to go back next quarter! :woohoo: I have to get a job, and start saving for a car though.

Depending on how this quarter goes, they may let me stay out until I'm called to take the clinicals. Turns out that if I get a part-time job, I can still stay on my dad's insurance.

So...tomorrow is the start of the job hunt. Wish me luck!

[jjmouse]

Good luck!

:group: