I’m a 25F currently in a dental hygiene program, and I’ve been looking for a flexible part-time job. I applied for a dental assistant position that offers hands-on training on Saturdays along with 8 weeks of online coursework. I already have some experience with dental X-rays through my clinicals at school, but I’m not certified and this program guarantees certification and says they will help match me with a dental office after completion.
The issue is the cost. They gave me two options: pay $6,800 upfront, or do flexible financing which will be $8,500 through a loan with a 24.95% interest rate. With the flexible financing option, I would pay $10 a month during the 2-month training period, then $267.75 a month after completing training. They mentioned this payment could be taken directly from my paycheck if I get hired. If I don’t get hired after training, they offer financial assistance for up to 3 months. Right now, I’m in school full-time for the next 3 semesters and only available to work Monday afternoons, Wednesday afternoons, and Friday mornings (about 12 hours per week this summer). The expected pay range is $18–25/hr, and I would likely need closer to $23–25/hr just to cover the loan payments and have basic expenses like gas for school.
FYI, My dental hygiene program tuition costed me about $9,980 and that's without the payment for the national board exam and state exam which overall would be $11,100 once I take those.
Does this sound like something reasonable and should I move on forward with this opportunity or would it be smarter to look for other options?