Last Year of Veterinary School
Donation protected
Background:
I've always been obsessed with animals from a young age, horses in particular, and combined with my love of science, veterinary medicine became an easy choice, albeit a long and convoluted road. I'm in my 8th year of university education (and my final one, yay!) and have paid for all of it on my own through multiple part-time jobs, full-time summer jobs, government and bank student loans. I'm sitting at just under 200k going into my last year of veterinary school.
Why I am asking for your help:
The last year of veterinary school is a clinical one. This means no more 8 hours of classroom time a day and a chance to practice doing what all this hard work was for in the first place! Exciting... very but it also presents a dilemna. As I have already started my placements and will have placements leading up to the end up next April, at which time I will be graduating, I no longer am able to keep a part time job while I am in school. With 14-16 hour days, weekends involved and being on-call 24-7 depending on the rotation, there is just no way to make it work. This being said, the bank with which I have my student line of credit are not willing to extend my line of credit and I've applied to other banks as well where they refuse to loan me any money for my last year, despite a pretty much guaranteed job soon after graduation. I have been told that my current debt total is too high and since I do not have a part time employment, I am too "high risk" for any further loans.
While I am still receiving government loans for the year, they only cover my tuition but none of my living expenses, costs of textbooks, travel (many of my placements are in the countryside, meaning I need my own transportation), etc. I am currently living on a diet of ramen noodles and am behind in many bills with companies calling multiple times a day. It has been very hard to find the focus that is needed to get through this year without knowing if I even will have roof over my head this year and wondering if I will have enough gas to get to my placements.
I've been self-sufficient for so long that asking for help has been a difficult task for me, but here I am, as I have no other choice.
Expenses:
1. Rent ~600$/month (Sep-Apr) = 4800$
2. Food ~100$/week (August-Apr) = 3600$
3. Gas ~80$/week (August-Apr) = 2880$
TOTAL = 11 280$
And this is with no leeway for textbooks, educational conference opportunities, etc.
Long Story Short:
I am hoping there are some generous souls out there who will make the battle of paying my way through the last 7 years of university to become an equine veterinarian worth it by helping me get through my final year. Without your help, I won't be able to afford a place to stay or food once my tuition is paid for.
As of today, I am behind 2 000$ worth of bills (loan interest, credit card, phone bill) all because this year does not allow for me to have a part-time job on the side. Even if it is only 5, 10 or 20 dollars, every little bit will help and I thank you in advance for your consideration. Today's economy has certainly not made it easy on students having to make their own way, especially those pursuing a professional program.
I've always been obsessed with animals from a young age, horses in particular, and combined with my love of science, veterinary medicine became an easy choice, albeit a long and convoluted road. I'm in my 8th year of university education (and my final one, yay!) and have paid for all of it on my own through multiple part-time jobs, full-time summer jobs, government and bank student loans. I'm sitting at just under 200k going into my last year of veterinary school.
Why I am asking for your help:
The last year of veterinary school is a clinical one. This means no more 8 hours of classroom time a day and a chance to practice doing what all this hard work was for in the first place! Exciting... very but it also presents a dilemna. As I have already started my placements and will have placements leading up to the end up next April, at which time I will be graduating, I no longer am able to keep a part time job while I am in school. With 14-16 hour days, weekends involved and being on-call 24-7 depending on the rotation, there is just no way to make it work. This being said, the bank with which I have my student line of credit are not willing to extend my line of credit and I've applied to other banks as well where they refuse to loan me any money for my last year, despite a pretty much guaranteed job soon after graduation. I have been told that my current debt total is too high and since I do not have a part time employment, I am too "high risk" for any further loans.
While I am still receiving government loans for the year, they only cover my tuition but none of my living expenses, costs of textbooks, travel (many of my placements are in the countryside, meaning I need my own transportation), etc. I am currently living on a diet of ramen noodles and am behind in many bills with companies calling multiple times a day. It has been very hard to find the focus that is needed to get through this year without knowing if I even will have roof over my head this year and wondering if I will have enough gas to get to my placements.
I've been self-sufficient for so long that asking for help has been a difficult task for me, but here I am, as I have no other choice.
Expenses:
1. Rent ~600$/month (Sep-Apr) = 4800$
2. Food ~100$/week (August-Apr) = 3600$
3. Gas ~80$/week (August-Apr) = 2880$
TOTAL = 11 280$
And this is with no leeway for textbooks, educational conference opportunities, etc.
Long Story Short:
I am hoping there are some generous souls out there who will make the battle of paying my way through the last 7 years of university to become an equine veterinarian worth it by helping me get through my final year. Without your help, I won't be able to afford a place to stay or food once my tuition is paid for.
As of today, I am behind 2 000$ worth of bills (loan interest, credit card, phone bill) all because this year does not allow for me to have a part-time job on the side. Even if it is only 5, 10 or 20 dollars, every little bit will help and I thank you in advance for your consideration. Today's economy has certainly not made it easy on students having to make their own way, especially those pursuing a professional program.
Organizer
Christina Wattson
Organizer
Toronto, ON
