Would you do it?

[Seniorstatus14]

So I'm in a bit of a dilemma, and yes, I put myself in it and it's all my fault. I only applied to one college, because I got my acceptance into that college extremely early (October 14) and that was my number 1 choice in school. It's out of state and therefore very expensive. The major/ program I'm going to be in is Pre-Health (Biomedical Sciences major). However, my parents are honestly thinking that I can't afford to go next year. They could take out a parent plus loan (I'd still be paying for it, but it has to be taken out and billed to them) but they don't think that they have the good enough credit, nor enough money to pay for it while I'm in school.

So here's the upside. My dad found a way for me to get in-state tuition. Basically cutting my cost of schooling in half. However, I'd have to do a different major. Granted, it's not a vastly different major. I'd still be under the "Pre-health" program, but I'd have to major in Zoology and take 4 classes that differ from the original pre-health/ biomedical sciences major. 1 of those classes I'm really dreading taking (Evolution). I don't believe in evolution. Call me stupid all you want, but I'm Christian and honestly the "evidence" there is for evolution is next to none from my textbooks. Or their reasoning's don't make sense or aren't very good. Anyways, I don't want to get into a debate here, the main fact is I'd have to take 4 different classes, 1 of which I know I will dread.

I don't know if I could like be under Zoology for like 2 years then switch to the major I want and still get in-state tuition or not, but all that matters is that for now I would get in-state. (There's a program with the state I currently live in that if you attend this out-of-state college you can get in-state tuition if you take Zoology).

So my question is: Would you do it? Would you switch to a slightly different major to get a lower cost of education?

It won't affect medical school or anything (I could major in English or Philosophy and still go to medical school). A lot of my friends think I shouldn't do it, some say I should. I know this is probably a decision I need to make on my own, but I'd like some advice. I'm just so excited to get out of the state I'm currently living in. I just honestly feel like out of place like I don't belong here, and the moment I stepped on that campus it just felt right, like this is where I belong. I really don't want to stay home and go to community college. Nothing's wrong with community college, I just really don't want to live with my parents another year or two I want to be on my own. I want more freedom. I can't drive more than 30min away from home and I can't even see half of the PG-13 movies that are out because my parents don't approve. So I really just want the freedom most eighteen year olds have.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Seniorstatus14

[SterlingSilver]

Hello, Seniorstatus14~!

My opinion~? I'll give you some advice a teacher gave me, "Failure doesn't kill people. Regret kills people."

So I would minimize regret as much as possible. It sounds like you would really regret not going to this college, regardless of your major, so I say go 100%. Something like a major can be changed easily, and even if you have to stick with it (I don't know if you're thinking grad school), but a grad degree would top it anyway. People get degrees in things they never use all the time.

If this is a life experience you want, go for it, and don't look back! <3

My best of luck to you!

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

I would try to see how many credits are transferable into your major of choice, and then if there are enough to feel like it is worth it, take the in-state school with those credit classes and then get as high marks as possible, to see if you can earn an honor roll scholarship, and then transfer to your school of choice, taking your credits with you and changing to your preferred major.

As far as the class you're dreading goes... Well i wish you the best of luck. If you go in expecting to have a horrible time you probably will, so i'd say at least to keep a positive attitude. You can treat it like really involved fiction if reconciling the class with your beliefs, which are obvious very important to you, seems insurmountable.

[Ouro]

If both majors will allow you to pursue the same graduate studies you want I would go for the cheaper one. College is EXPENSIVE and if you can do it for half the cost that's a huge advantage. Even if your parents can get a loan, you'd still have to pay it back once you were out of school and college debt racks up interest. It's just once class, you don't have to believe it to pass it, and considering you want to go into medicine it would be beneficial for you to try to keep an open mind about evolution. I can't imagine one can practice medicine without dealing with things related to evolution on a pretty regular basis, genetics, viral mutations, etc.

On a side note, I have to ask, what textbooks are you using?

[Seniorstatus14]

If both majors will allow you to pursue the same graduate studies you want I would go for the cheaper one. College is EXPENSIVE and if you can do it for half the cost that's a huge advantage. Even if your parents can get a loan, you'd still have to pay it back once you were out of school and college debt racks up interest. It's just once class, you don't have to believe it to pass it, and considering you want to go into medicine it would be beneficial for you to try to keep an open mind about evolution. I can't imagine one can practice medicine without dealing with things related to evolution on a pretty regular basis, genetics, viral mutations, etc.

On a side note, I have to ask, what textbooks are you using?

Right now? My HL IB Biology book is a Pearson's Biology book I think? It's not the most beneficial book and we don't use it for much besides background notes. In college, I'm not sure what textbooks I'll be using but I know I'll be renting or buying the books 2nd hand and not new.

[Seniorstatus14]

P.S. Thank you all for the tips/ advice! I think I'm going to do it just so I can get the cheaper schooling, besides, majors change all the time. Maybe if I wait until Junior Year to change majors they will count me as in state anyways. Who knows? I might actually like Zoology and become a Zoologist It was actually one of my "Dream Jobs" when I was little. Right behind working at McDonalds (My cousin and I had a toy set of McDonald food and we said we were going to work there together), and becoming a Vet. So who knows?

But for now, I think I'm going to go into it and then I can apply to med school for graduate. I agree, I think I will greatly regret not going to this school if I had chose to stay in-state. I plan on getting a Philosophy credit, English, and History, Possibly Spanish (but I don't need it so it doesn't matter). If I get credit in any other class, great, but I won't use it. I know I will need Biology and Math in the future and I'm semi-struggling with it now so I think the extra year will do me good.