Genuinely seeking advice.

[Anonymous No.405870]

I know my life is lead by my choices, but there are a considerable amount of people on this board with far more experience and wisdom than I, and I'd be a fool not to tap it. I'm going to lay out my future plans as well as what's been going on with my life for the past few years, and see what you all think, what your advice might be, or any insights you feel prudent.

I am currently 21, graduated high school at 19 not because I was held back but because my mother was convinced by my aunt to not start me in Kindergarten until I was 6 (it was a trend in the 90s wherein someone said boys matured slower than girls and if you delayed kindergarten by giving two years of preschool instruction, it increased their academic likelihood of success by a fair margin. Which is total bullshit but I digress.)

I joined the Air Force immediately after High School, starting my 4 year stint 2 months after my 19th birthday, and roughly 2 months after graduation. Over the past 2 years I've saved up $72,000.00, a solid chunk of that from having worked from 13-19, and the other $4X,XXX from being frugal and making financially sound decisions. I still have two years to go on my contract, and under current plans will get out with $115,000.00 in capital + G.I. Bill. I'll have just turned 23.

My plan currently is to become a Pharmacist. I do know I want to make at least 6 figures following schooling, and as it stands that's my main goal. I've taken classes while in service, and I'm trying to get over an associates in biology before I leave the service.

[Anonymous No.405871]

It should take 6-7 years to finish all the pre-reqs + a Pharm.D/certification on my current trajectory, meaning I'll start my career around 30/31.

I feel behind, very behind. Partly by my decision to join instead of going to college, and partly mad at my parents for delaying my schooling, though I know their intentions were good. Does anyone else feel this way? I'd like to hear what people think about my plan, and my current financial situation, and any advice or insights that they have into what I've laid out.

[Anonymous No.405875]

nobody gives a shit, you retarded autist

do whatever you like as long as you don't get into debt

[Anonymous No.405877]

>>405870
>>405871
Don't sweat it, at all. Pharmacy is a really solid career choice, friend of mine has been out of school for 2 years and is already making over $150k/yr. A really big chunk of the people he was in school with were late twenties and in their thirties, some having worked as pharm techs others changing careers, so you'll probably be average age in your class.

There's a ton of opportunities as a pharmacist too. The markets that are in demand will pay top dollar for you to relocate there, so you shouldn't have a problem getting the salary you want if you're willing to move for it. Also, kind of irrelevant for you, but the government will actually pay your student loans if you agree to go work in some shithole or middle of no where that's desperate for pharmacists... no need with a GI Bill though.

Also, from everything I know, it's very easy to move up the corporate ladder if you're competent and a hard worker in pharmacy. This is mostly a result of a lot of people going into pharmacy because it can be a cushy high paying job without a lot of responsibility/stress, so a huge portion of pharmacists are content with just staying as floaters or staff pharmacists instead of looking for a promotion.
I can only really speak to Walgreen's structure, but I can't imagine other chains are too different; if you make it to district supervisor, you're looking at base pay of about $400k + around a $10k per year bonus for every store that met it's expected targets.

Also, as of 2 years ago, Walgreens was paying upwards of $98k starting for saturated areas, and upwards of $125k for areas that had demand for pharmacists.

Worst case, you can always re-up as an O-5, but we're talking really extreme here.

Again, don't sweat it, you aren't that far behind and you're pretty much set with a PharmD.

[Anonymous No.405878]

>>405877
Also on the age/timeline thing, I think you're off. You're 21 now and if you finish that biology associates you should come out of the AF with most of your per-requisites taken care of at 23. Lets say you take another year to complete your pre reqs and 4 years for pharmacy school. That has you starting your career at 28, which isn't bad at all for a doctorate. If you can knock out your per-requisites by taking summer classes before you start the pharm program, even better.

It sounds like you have the right mindset and discipline to pull it off too, so you're not nearly as far behind as you think you are.

[Anonymous No.405901]

>>405875
You gave enough of a shit to respond, so thanks for your time, but since you put forth the effort it'd be better if you'd contribute.

[Anonymous No.405907]

>>405878

You've been incredibly helpful, and I appreciate the articulate advice you've given

I hadn't realized the potential in being a Pharmacist. I always assumed you started at around $100,000 and progressively moved up, retiring around the $160,000 or so mark. I'm pretty competitive, and plan to defer marriage until my mid-thirties or so; I'd like to focus on my career. Hearing that there's ample opportunities up the latter is reassuring.

Awhile back I'd heard there was a surplus of Pharmacists as of now, but as with everything, the numbers fluctuate. Numbers I'd read a year or so ago might be vastly different than those today.

Worst case, re-upping would be something to consider. Hell I just read an article in Stars & Stripes that they shelled out $20,000.00 a year in bonus pay to Pharmacists, so they must be hurting for them.

Addressing the time line, I'd heard that most Pharm.D programs won't even look at you if you don't have a bachelors in Biology. Is that incorrect information? I suppose it changes year to year, but that was the general consensus I'd gotten, and factored it in.

[Anonymous No.405908]

>>405907
ladder*

[Anonymous No.405943]

>>405870

OP, do you mind if I hijack for a bit? I wouldn't mind a bit of advice as well, I'm in a similar boat except far less net worth.

[Anonymous No.405947]

>>405943
Go ahead man

[Anonymous No.405990]

>>405947

Aight. Sorry for taking over, I might just greentext. I hate creating new threads.

>18 years old
>Finished high school with reasonable results, nothing overly special
>Have around $15,000 AUD sitting around saved from a couple of years of work
>For the last two years, I also completed a two year traineeship in IT with the government alongside year 11 and 12, got a Cert III and IV alongside HSC
>Come the end of school, I started searching for a job with just the basic qualifications that I have now
>After months of no responses and "Sorry, but we hurr durr hurrrrr hurr", I realise that I need to go to university before I'll even be able to get a minimum wage job
>In June of this year, I get offered some casual work cleaning up the database at the place where my Mum works
>Still doing that, saving money
>It's only a contract role though, and it'll most likely end when I finish cleanup of their database
>So once again, I'll be left without work
>Strongly considering going to UNSW or Melbourne University next year if I can get in, I'll be able to get Austudy as well having worked for a year and earned enough to meet threshold
>At the same time, I have reservations in regard to university, don't want to go $100,000 into debt, nor do I want to spend years not earning any money to put into investments
>Was considering doing a Bachelor of Engineering, however at this point I'm also considering Finance/Economics or something similar
>At the same time, I could apply to do a paid traineeship with the government again and potentially land a position doing engineering type work on radio comms and transmitting equipment for an aeronautical body
>This one guarantees a job after two years
>Don't really know which path to take

Basically, I just want to put myself in a position where I'm earning $100,000 annually. I don't want to be poor, /biz/. I don't want to work at a supermarket for the rest of my life.

What do you guys recommend that I do with my life?

[Anonymous No.406022]

>>405990
>M-MUH HOPES AND DREAMS

[Anonymous No.406036]

>>406022

It isn't a hopes and dreams post at all. I'm asking for reasonable advice to not end up as a failure.

Thanks for the contribution anyway, fuckhead.

[Anonymous No.406047]

>>406036

[Anonymous No.406148]

>>405877
Can confirm this for my wife. Makes a solid £85k a year not including her 2 pharmacies we own

[Anonymous No.406675]

>>405907
Might depend on the school, I'm going off what I know.

Pic related is the prerequisites for UH CoP which is also the pre-pharm program.

I'd imagine you'd knock most of these out with a Biology Associates, then you could transfer in as pre-pharm and finish whatever you're missing in a semester and then move onto the PharmD. No bachelors required.

Just check if it's the same story at whatever school you're looking at.

[Anonymous No.406727]

>>406022
>>406047
go back to the hellhole from whence you came
>>>/b/