Get advice from Greene Vardiman Black, the Father of Modern Dentistry.
Dear GV,
How much debt is too much debt to take on for school? Is it worth getting a part-time job or should I muscle through the debt and assume it will all work out? Help! – So I Think I Can Debts
Dear So I Think I Can Debts,
Ah, getting down to the nuts and bolts, or as the French call it, the “nitty gritty”. Debt is more or less a fact of dental school these days; unless you join the military or your name is Buffet, Gates, Zuckerberg or Jay-Z, you don’t have a choice when it comes to tuition and fees. But the way you choose to live your life outside the walls of MUSC is where you can adapt how much you need to borrow. I’m going to go ahead and suggest that you speak to someone who actually knows what he or she is talking about when it comes to finance (Financial Resources). We’ve all heard the adage about how a cup of coffee you buy on student loans will end up costing you twice as much in 10 years. Well, sadly it’s true. I guess, the point of all this is you may have to live lie a pauper now in order to retire at a reasonable age (or live like a king, but plan to die early). As far as getting a part-time job, unless it is a work-study or during your sophomore summer, it’s generally frowned upon by the administration. Luckily, that is a facial expression, not a rule (check it might actually be a rule). My advice is to work as hard as you can during your four years and borrow as little as possible. If all else fails, in twenty years you can always run for the border. Canada, not Mexico, don’t be ridiculous.
Sincerely,
Greene Vardiman Black
P.S. Class 3′s have always been my favorite.
Dear GV,
Has anyone found anything you can’t use a roach carver for? – Dr. T
Dr. T,
No. The Roach carver (properly pronounce kaa-vaah) is the most versatile tool a dentist has at his or her disposal, in the right hands it can be used to wax dentures, probe perio pockets, and carve amalgam, but in the wrong hands, its extremely useful for destroying students’ work. Cherish your Roach carver. One day you may be able to pass it down to your son or daughter, but only if they make you so proud that the mere mention of them brings tears to your eyes.
Sincerely,
Greene Vardiman Black
P.S. Extension for Prevention
