<p>Hello,
I’m looking for help for a fellow friend of mine. She comes from a middle class family. Basically they are having a falling out and they are threatening to not pay for school. They don’t agree with, nor do they like that she plans on going to Physical Therapy school, and if she doesn’t go into Med School instead they won’t pay. I’m looking for what options she has other then taking a year off and trying to work and save money and than going back to school. Working is also hard for her, full-time anyway as she is also a collegiate athlete who run Cross Country and Track.</p>
<p>Tution is not crazy at the school she attends. Texas Tech University, Tution for a fall & spring runs between 7K and 8k. Then rent and such.</p>
<p>She’s also been at this school for 2 years.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, she doesn’t have too many options. She cannot be considered independent, even though her parents refuse to pay. Her best bet would be to visit her financial aid office, explain the situation, and ask them for advice. Has she been accepted into the PT program at her school? I wonder if there might be some departmental scholarship opportunities for her … or maybe some kind of paid research work.</p>
<p>I feel so bad for your friend. She has chosen a great field! There are plenty of opportunities for PT’s. How sad that her parents are so narrow minded. I wish her the best.</p>
<p>I knew a woman through work whose son wanted to study theatre. The parents were very nervous about job prospects and making a living. A professor at his college actually called the student’s parents (at the student’s request) and convinced them to allow him to study theatre.</p>
<p>Parents bear the responsibility and the options to pay for a kid’s college in this country unless the student falls into certain categories that your friend does not meet. If they won’t pay, she is out. Maybe she can take out a maximum Stafford loan and other loans, work part time, but really it is a problem. Few schools are sympathetic about this situation.</p>
<p>Why on earth can’t she continue on a premed bent? It’s not really a major. Some of the courses can just be squeezed in there, with the intent of applying to med school afterwards? Why be confrontational about this? I have seen this fight over and over again, and I shake my head at both parents and kids in it. Just leave the frigging options open. I know kids from PT who ended up in med school and premeds who ended up in PT. It’s not a closed door.</p>
<p>I agree with cptofthehouse. Leave the options open. Surely, it should be possible to squeeze in requirements for pre-med and PT. OP can even apply to medical schools, if that’s what it takes to get through 4 years. Even if accepted, he/she doesn’t have to attend. Leave the options open, keep the parents happy, but ultimately it will have to be OP’s final decision.</p>
<p>Well, the problem being. She came in with loads of hours from High School. She’s already a Senior, going to apply to PT school in less then year. Therefore she is missing most pre-med requirments. While having all of her PT one’s done.</p>
<p>Buddy whose only option was Wharton or no $$$$. He finished, did a short stint at iBank and is now training to be a fireman/EMT. So, it happens, people deal with it and then make their own choices. Good luck to your friend.</p>
<p>I don’t really understand that one. Many of the PT requirements mesh with premed. She can do another year of college if her parents will pay for it and get those premed credits. Is she expecting parents to pay for PT grad school?</p>
<p>Isn’t there lot of overlap in classes needed for PT and med school? If she needs a few more, can’t she just graduate and then go to a local community college and pick up the missing courses? I know of someone who was a history major and then decided that he wanted PT. He has a degree from our state U. and is now at a community college taking all of his sciences, etc.</p>
<p>If I understand this correctly, she has completed the requirements for admissions to PT (I’m talking DPT program not PT assistant here) so far and has one more year to finish her BS (in whatever science she is doing). She should be able to fake her way along this year taking pre-med stuff, setting herself up for a potential 4th year of the rest of pre-med (pleasing her parents). She can apply to PT school this year (no need to tell parents and upset them further) and if she can swing the financing (lots of loans here) for 3 years, she can do it. If she doesn’t get accepted, she can continue on with pre-med.</p>
<p>There aren’t too many degrees where you would dare finance 100%, but PT should pay enough to be able to work it off. It will be tough though.</p>
<p>That being said, her parents are being the northern end of a southbound donkey. Last I checked a DPT is still a doctor, still helps healing people and many make more money than some MDs. I can see them trying to pick her specialty if she gets to med school…</p>
<p>I can see that the parents are being stubborn, but if kid wants the money, they are the ones who have it. I think if she wants them to pay, she is going to have to take the courses they want her to take. Eventually there will be a confrontation about medical school but it does not have to be now, and it is foolish to stir up the hornets nest before you have to do so. Things can change in a year, and the kid just might want to give med school apps a try.</p>
<p>goaliedad, being a PT for over 20 years myself, I can tell you that the only PT’s who make more than an MD would be clinic owners (and that still may be stretching it). The pay scale is good (especially depending on where you practice) but not fantastic.</p>