Anyone know anything about Radiology programs?

[Dmmetler]

Apparently, S has decided that she wants to pursue radiology.  So I guess I'm dealing with college admissions again this year....yay, me!

 

She now lives in a different state, so she doesn't qualify for the free TN CC tuition anymore, and the CC closest to her doesn't have the program, so she'd likely be looking at the one here, which would be 13K/year before financial aid. for a 5 semester radiology tech AAS program.

 

She's looking at a 4 year BS in Radiographic Science at the private health care university here. It's about 20K/year in tuition and fees before financial aid. 

 

In both cases, she should have the grades/test scores to qualify for admission, but won't be competitive for merit aid. (for the BS, she'd be applying for a general ed program and would then have to apply for the specific program after 30 credits).

 

She's only been able to work part time, so her income is under 20K/year. She's living with her boyfriend, but is not married, and will be turning 24 soon. 

 

Is the 4 year degree worth enough more long term to justify the extra cost and time? Would there be any AS that it would make sense to get and then try to transfer into a BS program in Radiographic Science, since the MS CC doesn't have one? 

[cintinative]

I wonder if she got a job within a hospital with an AS  if they would help cover the tuition for the radiology BS for her.  I know a lot of nurses do that here.  Is there a teaching hospital near her?  

[Dmmetler]

4 hours ago, cintinative said:

I wonder if she got a job within a hospital with an AS  if they would help cover the tuition for the radiology BS for her.  I know a lot of nurses do that here.  Is there a teaching hospital near her?  

Yes, more than one (we have the UT medical college system with it's hospitals and the Baptist Health Care college/University, which has it's own hospitals, plus the allied health/nursing focused CC campus, all in the medical district But the other side of it is that there are a LOT of students and graduates. She's not within an easy commute of the teaching hospitals in MS. And as long as she's with her boyfriend, I don't think moving will be an option (right now, I'm kind of annoyed at him for buying a house in MS vs TN-he's been encouraging her to go back to school, bit apparently didn't think about the financial coats of losing the TN Reconnect...). 

[Roadrunner]

All I know is they are super competitive in CA and require perfect grades. My nephew tried to get into one and couldn’t. If your area is anything like that, I would concentrate on taking prerequisites for the program at a CC one or two at a time and acing them. 

[popmom]

In case it’s of interest, Wallace State in north Alabama has a Diagnostic Imaging program and a Radiology Therapy program. Edit to say I’m not sure what the tuition is. I don’t think it’s worth it in that field to get the BS. My SIL did the program at Wallace St years ago, and she has done really well. 

Edited November 21, 2022 by popmom

[Melissa B]

Two of my family members earned the AS as radiology techs and then went on to a one year radiation therapy degree. They are both happy in their field and make about 80k per year. I've heard nuclear medicine and sonography are also good AS degrees in a similar field. I'm not sure what added benefit a BS degree would have?

[MagistraKennedy]

On 12/24/2022 at 8:29 AM, Melissa B said:

Two of my family members earned the AS as radiology techs and then went on to a one year radiation therapy degree. They are both happy in their field and make about 80k per year. I've heard nuclear medicine and sonography are also good AS degrees in a similar field. I'm not sure what added benefit a BS degree would have?

Thanks for posting this--- my junior is contemplating radiology/ultrasound and I was wondering the same thing.