Student Debt
Well, with all the news floating around the APTA's Website and in my email inbox, obviously the topic of choice this week is President W. signing the HR 4137 bill. Details? "HR 4137 allows physical therapists who provide care to children, adolescents, and veterans to be eligible for up to $10,000 over 5 years in authorized student loan repayment programs." (
http://www.apta.org/). I'm very excited to see the new bill has been passed. $10K is a huge help.
Since I don't like to depress myself, I don't often calculate my overwhelming total debt. Six years of schooling at a private school? Come on, you do the math. If I was in charge of the world, every PT job would come with student loan repayment programs. My lucky employer would match every dollar I paid toward my countless loans. (I may be too much of a dreamer.)
Sometimes I feel a little trapped in moving into the real world. Debt to pay off, determining the best job for me, picking a town to settle down in, etc. Ahh! It's a lot to think about, but it's also a very exciting time. (You know, exciting like when you owe the government more money than you can even comprehend.) Either way, my husband and I have dreams like everyone else: to buy a house, move back home, start a family. I can hardly imagine it all being possible with as much debt as I have.
It's a little reassuring to hear that many of my classmates are in the same boat. Together we got into debt, and together we'll get out....one slow payment after another....