Stressful Time (ACAP)
Rain
Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 8,761
As some of you know, I've got about 9 months left in this Warrior's Profession (as my counselor calls it.) The amount of briefings/classes/information is staggering and daunting. I'm hella nervous, but in a good way. Like the nervousness before a mission, or I imagine before a band takes the stage....it's good, keeps you on edge. I attended a job fair yesterday, and got offered a gig as an EMT-B at $15 an hour...which is a lot considering an EMT gives O2 and transports. They also offered to pay for my paramedic school (a year course), under the condition that I then stay employed with them for a year upon graduation. Just wanted to share. It's a transition...but I'm ready for it. 
Comments
If I (or someone in my family) needed a paramedic, I'd feel much more secure if he or she had been a medic in the Army. I'd have to think they'd know how to stay focused under pressure and time limits. All the best in your endeavor. You'll be a credit to the profession.
And + 1 to raisindot
I went to college when I turned 40 and I only had a GED too, you rebel. Almost had to retake some math but I tested out, whew, I hate math. The homework is what will kill you, every class hour equals about 2-3 hours homework, at least. I was working full time so I went on 4-12 shift to get more classes during the day and I could do my homework when I got home at midnight. Everyone sleeping, no distractions.
Once you get settled in college and start taking classes you may discover something else in that field you want to learn more about, who knows you may end up being a teacher or professor yourself. Education is yours to keep and do with what you want, not necessarily what they want. If you enjoy what you do and are really good at it the rest ($) will come in time. Even if you don't get rich you will be happier doing what you like. Never stop learning and questioning, 1 degree easily leads to another too.
Good luck, think you will do just fine.
Honestly, I don't grok pay scales. Without the trash man, we'd have typhus up and down the neighborhood in three weeks; yet he can't hardly afford a Budweiser at the end of a hard day. Here's a paramedic glad to get 30 grand, yet a teacher pulling down 70 bidches she doesn't get more.
It's a weird world.
Just saying consider the RN route. Money is good too. Cigars, for instance, they cost money.
Randy, stop trash talking your GED, man! That's a hard process to go through. Schools know that, too. You'll be fine. You can do this.
Wherever you go for training, make sure you don't overextend yourself financially. I know the army helps pay for school--don't waste that. If you have to take any leveling classes, don't get discouraged, but get them out of the way as quickly as possible so you can move on to the stuff that counts. And repeat after me..."I will not take out student loans."
I tell my students that there's always jobs in the medical profession and many pay well. $15/hour isn't great, but it beats $10, especially if you get benefits. And it sounds like you have a plan to move up; I know you have the qualifications. Don't do the RN thing unless you have a real passion for that specific kind of work. There are a lot of projected jobs in nursing and the pay is good, but part of the reason there's so many jobs is because it's hard on the nurses. It can be a route to being a nurse practitioner or other jobs of more responsibility, if you take the long view. Examine those options, like I know you're doing. These are exciting times for you. Starting anew. Kind of cool to get to do that. Scary, I know, but exciting, too.
Nope, you probably showed good sense at the time. If you are really not into your studies you will learn it but not necessairly retain it. Why waste your time. I dropped out for my own reasons but let me say I have probably learned more myself, out of school, than I did in high school.
Bwahahahaha! Unheard of. Nobody does that.
Hey, all the people I know who worked in the real world a bit first and then came back at it more mature, they are the ones who get the most out of life.