My situation: I’m currently attending my local community college while living at home. I graduated high school when I was 17, so my parents told me that I had to attend the local CC or they wouldn’t help me pay for it (they never helped anyways, I did it myself). I stayed im my tiny town instead of pursuing my dreams of majoring in veterinary medicine at Colorado State. I’m about to start my spring semester of my third year…yes third year. While at my CC, I met my boyfriend, who has plans to marry me. We agreed in the beginning that we wouldn’t date long distance due to issues that occurred prior to our relationship. I was hoping to stay in state, because out of state tuition is outrageous. But since my parents just bought a place out of state, they want me to go to the university in their new city so that I can continue living at home. I’d be starting over since the university they would like me to attend does not have my major, on top of paying out of state tuition. They say they’d pay, but they didn’t help me with CC so I’m not sure I trust them. My parents are guilt tripping me into going with them saying that I’m responsible for causing strife throughout my whole family? Am I being selfish for not wanting to 1) leave my boyfriend of 2 years, 2) pay out of state tuition and 3) change my major in order to live at home?
What about your dream of majoring in veterinary medicine? Is that still on the table? Is that possible at whatever school you attend?
My advice is to prioritize your education and future career dreams and goals. Go wherever that will happen.
The boyfriend…let the chips fall.
You would NOT be able to pay for (or take out loans in your name for) OOS tuition at a state school. The price would be exorbitant. Even if your parents would co-sign a bank loan for this (expecting you to pay it back), they/you would be saddled with crushing debt, (possibly lasting through most of your adult life). Your parents haven’t been willing or able to help so far so it doesn’t sound as it they are in a financial position to take out a high-interest loan (a terribly risky thing for anyone to do).
If you have high student-loan debt, how would you pay for veterinary school? Go with your lowest-cost, most practical option, especially as it seems as if your parents have not helped you pay for CC so far. How many credits have you built up at CC so far? Have you gone to school full-time or part-time? What is your major? Can you at least graduate from your CC with an associates degree (such as vet-tech) that would help you get a decent job while working part-time toward a four-year degree?
I won’t say the boyfriend is unimportant, but right now the most important thing is to get your ducks in a row with regards to an affordable education and career wherever that happens to be (in your hometown or elsewhere). Relationships don’t tend to thrive long-term unless the individuals in them are on solid ground in their lives.