Should I go to optometry school in the states and take on a debt

How much will you earn with optometry?

One of them is risky. It could potentially ruin your life with debt. How's your family situation? Could you potentially pay off that debt with their help if things go south?

The other is basically free, but you might not enjoy it. The fact that you say you'll PROBABLY enjoy optometry is worrying. Do you ACTUALLY enjoy other things? Maybe think about those...

>>18120643
Graduates earn 80k-115k typically, though I know some graduates who earn 120-130k so it really depends on where you work, salary should max out at 110-120k unless you open your own private clinic in which case you can make anywhere to 0 to anything.

If I do another degree, this time in software engineering from an OKAY school in canada (can't get into waterloo unfortunately because they don't look at highschool grades if you've done undergrad already). After graduation, I have no idea about whether I'd find a job I'd like in the field whereas with optometry it's guaranteed but expensive.

>>18120645
My immediate family is poor af. I have some relatives that are willing to help, though I don't want to rely on them.

The thing is, there are people with families earning like 50k/year with mortgages on homes for 400k and they still make ends meet, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to either.

I'll enjoy optometry but it carries the financial risk to some extent (then again, nobody defaults on their loans apparently). Engineering is something I think I'd like, employment wouldn't be 100% guaranteed though. If say I do engineering and don't like it after 4 years I'll regret not doing optometry.

With optometry, I think at worst I'd have to live quite frugally until I'm 30-32

>>18120656
In terms of loan repayment I've done a little thinking.

Assuming a 100k salary that after taxes is cut to 70k, using liberal spending estimates:

>15k in rent/internet/phone/electric/gas
>7k in food/eating out (liberal estimate)
>4k in leisure activities (buying vidya/going out etc.)
>another 4k on random stuff
>total 30k cost of living at most, very liberal estimate
>however much car payment will be
I'd have 30-40k left over to pay debnts

does this seem like a correct estimate to you guys?

>>18120656
You can earn $100k+ as a software engineer or some other business professional without really expensive education.

Sounds like a bad idea to me.

>>18120636
Go for optometry. Both options require a lot of dedication, and dedication is something you will not have unless you love the subject. Far better to bear the debts than do something "free" and quit midway (since that will cost you time, hurt your mental health, and stain your resume.)