becoming a dentist

Becoming a dentist is not a cheap expense. I have been able to use my own money, to go to school thus far. I have been through 3 semesters of college and spent roughly $5,000. This has been my own money and I haven't had to take any loans or grants, scholarships or anything yet. I feel accomplished in that sense, but my bank account begs to differ. That is $5000 worth of investment that won't pay back very quick. Because of the long-term goal of being a dentist, it makes it difficult for me to work while going to school and still be on targeted schedule in 8 years.

The only way I can do that is to take out loans for school starting with my next semester of school and pursue that for the remainder of my educational career. The average dentist right out of school and ready to practice is in student debt $250,000. A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS!! There is no way I would be able to earn that much and pay for it myself. Thus my desire to be a dentist is a major road block to starting a family.

When I go on dates, and finding out more about  the girl I'm dating, we usually get to the topic of careers. Dentistry is a huge appeal to a woman because it is such a high-return job. They feel they would have security in their lives. What they don't realize or have counted is the cost. In the girls I've dated none could truly be in a job/career that would make it so  we could live on one income consistently, and with me part time, for 8 years. In the logistics mindset, it is stupid to start a family with someone who is still in school like me and will have a large amount of debt in addition to my own. In the Eternal aspect, it's nothing but a small set back.

I find it incredulously difficult to discern between my thoughts of not being ready for marriage because of money and providing or if it really is just me. I know God gave us brains to think for ourselves, and as such has left for us to choose. That includes using the thought process that is given to us to know whether something is a good idea or not. In my life, i  go back and forth constantly. It is an amazing idea, but i just don't know. There are so many variables in my life right now, and will be more and more variables later in life.