<p>OP, this is a very difficult situation for you. If your parents took out $60K in PLUS (parent loans), they are accruing about $4K in interest this year and more each year if they are not paying at least some of it. Do sit down and explain to them that you are now older and wiser, have learned much more about the field you started and that it isn’t going to pay anywhere enough for you to be able to pay even the interest on the loans they have taken out. Ask them if they have been paying on the loans. Tell them right out that this is a huge problem and that you are hearing and seeing others getting brought down by these loans and that you and they are over their heads already. If they insist THEY can handle these loans and more, there really isn’t much you can do. If they say YOU must pay them, say that the numbers just aren’t coming out that way. </p>
<p>I understand why the community college program looks attractive, but really, if there is any way you can get any degree as quickly as possible at the lowest possible cost, and then look for some masters program , you’d be better off. I may have mentioned my son’s girlfriend who graduated with a psych major. She worked as a PT aide with no training other than what the rehab center that hired her gave her, and she then took summer cc courses to get those undergrad courses needed to enter a master’s program in OT. This way she was always moving forward. But she likely could have also gotten PT Aide certification or other medical aide certification at a community college on top of her bachelor’s degree. There are possibilities to deduct costs of such courses tax wise and sometimes places will even reimburse for them. It’s just better to get that degree done and over with, but as cheaply as possible. That is a compromise between what your parents want: degree from college where you are in current major, and what you want: quit current program, start from scratch again at Comm college. You can see why it’ may be unbearable for your parents to see you start over, though, yes, I can see the sense in it. Frankly, it’d pain me greatly if you were my kid. </p>