Monday may just decide my fate (rant inside).

I cut this way back from the original post.

Long story short, I threw away Engineering school and associated scholarships a few years ago due to family/financial issues and personal stress level. Entered a program for Homeland Security at the local comm college with a transfer agreement to another local University.

In the mean time, I got a job with a government agency dealing with an up-and-coming facet of healthcare. The benefits would make a UAW worker blush. I'd like to make a career out of this and planning on going to grad school for Social Work to continue down this path.

Monday I meet with an advisor so I can transfer in the fall. There is a chance that the classes I took while in the Engineering program won't transfer, setting me back bout 1.5-2 years.

Another University, about 4 hours north, will take all credits from both the Engineering program and the Comm college. It may require me giving up the job and living a year on campus there.

I'm weighing the options of possibly going into more debt and attending school longer or biting the bullet and taking a year "off." In the meantime, I could always ramp up my hours with the national Auto Parts chain whenever I end up.

If you'd like to make a career out of your current job, then i'd just go ahead and do that.

Yeah, thanks for listening to me being a whiny bitch @ 1:00.

I'm just not sure if it's worth the (conservatively) $10k of debt for a few semesters of working/school where I could presumably take a year off of work and hopefully get back into the agency. I plan on going back for my Master's of Social Work, which would fit right in with my current line of work.

FYI:

I don't know anything about the particular facet of health care you're working with, but you ought to look into the long term career prospects of social work....IIRC, most people who go to school in that field hold the jobs they trained for less than a decade....you don't want to be saddled with debt for something you no longer even do.

YMMV

Does your position not qualify for any type of tuition reimbursement, or tuition assistance, for professional development curriculum that you complete while employed there?

If you have the job career you like, do not give it up. There's no guarantee you'll get it back.

What about online education?

Mazda787b wrote: hopefully get back into the agency

There's the answer, don't quit a good job to try and get the same job. You have leverage over an outside canidate at the moment, don't give that up.

Are you an actual federal employee or a contractor employee? Are you in a federal intern program leading to a permanent position? Is the federal position based on you graduating with a degree?

If you'd rather PM me than give out the specifics you can.

Mazda787b wrote: In the mean time, I got a job with a government agency dealing with an up-and-coming facet of healthcare. The benefits would make a UAW worker blush. I'd like to make a career out of this and planning on going to grad school for Social Work to continue down this path.

What exactly is the question than?

moparman76_69 wrote:

Mazda787b wrote: hopefully get back into the agency

There's the answer, don't quit a good job to try and get the same job. You have leverage over an outside canidate at the moment, don't give that up.

Exactly. I have three possible career paths right now. No school debt. I am making enough to get by until I'm ready to move on. I'll only go to school right now if I can afford it without a loan.

In government, and to some extent private industry, just having a degree, any degree, is worth something. Government and larger companies tend to put up the ceiling on folks who do not have the proper level of educational credentials.

I'd think you'd be better to find out what your engineering credits get you closest to, even if its something not related to either field.

Plus, a BS In Engineering will get you into just about any Masters program. I've known engineers who went for a PHD in History.

1. Don't quit your job.
2. If you're going to go to grad school, then it doesn't much matter what your undergrad was. So figure out the shortest path from where you are to any bachelors degree, and take it.

Thanks for helping me see through this E36 M3, I appreciate it.

I work for an agency that is funded through federal and state funds. Social Work is not my career path, but would allow me to advance into a more administrative role as everything were to progress. That, or something along the lines of a Master of Public Health. I currently am a part of a Pilot Program being rolled out by CMS (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services) to improve quality. Contract renewal is in Q2 2014, so parameters could change. My position isn't technically 100% secure, but outlook is very good.

One of the few benefits I do not receive is tuition re-reimbursement due to budgetary concerns. I have exhausted all available internet courses/distance learning.

I cannot speak directly for my workplace, but I know they have re-hired workers previously. Either their program funding ran out, they had to take a leave of absences, etc. The benefit is there is the experience carries over into other similar agencies nationwide.

To clarify, I am nowhere near close to an Engineering degree. Public Safety/Homeland Security, actually.

There is a Homeland Security degree? Sweet jesus... how long before kids are referring to the US as the "Fatherland" and goose-stepping around in the gheyest boots they can find?

Secret tip:

Colleges are a for profit business just like Comcast. Threaten them with going to Dish and they will take those berkeleying credits if you have $ to pay for what you are enrolling in.

Confession:

I'm not sure if that tip will work at all but I am pretty sure I'd try it in a heartbeat even if they sent security up to lay a beatdown on me. I'd just flash my Homeland Security 101 access key card and chill things.

I imagine in you first couple years you were only taking gen ed credits that should transfer anywhere. If it isnt a very big school you're coming from its possible they just don't have the data to properly evaluate your transcript, I'm in the middle of this right now, with a few engineering credits actually, going from UDM to WSU. Just a matter of finding somebody who can provide the proper paperwork and getting ahold of syllabi and course descriptions.

No, there is no Homeland Security degree. It's a Public Safety degree with a certification in Homeland Security from FEMA thanks to some extra classes. Primary focus is actually on disaster management and mitigation.

If there is anything that Homeland Security 101 teaches is that Terrorism is probably the most insignificant threat you face. It's more about the realization that things are still severely lacking in how we are prepared for natural disasters.

There is obviously a focus on security. However, it is more in the respect of effective use of intelligence/counterintelligence and risk management. The terrorism components are covered, but it is conveyed that the response to an incident overlaps no matter what caused it (be it a bombing, earthquake, or tornado).

I just don't see the value in paying for the classes twice. I don't know if the money I would spend to stay local truly outweighs the possible money lost by having to having to finish things up elsewhere.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: I imagine in you first couple years you were only taking gen ed credits that should transfer anywhere. If it isnt a very big school you're coming from its possible they just don't have the data to properly evaluate your transcript, I'm in the middle of this right now, with a few engineering credits actually, going from UDM to WSU. Just a matter of finding somebody who can provide the proper paperwork and getting ahold of syllabi and course descriptions.

keep in mind that some places aren't accredited in a way that allow courses to transfer …

my first degree (AAS in Civil Eng.) wouldn't transfer ANYWHERE) the degree was from a Technical Institute

the second degree (from the same school) came after they had upgraded their accreditation .. ( AAS in Electronic Tech.) some, even most of the credits would transfer, they were now a Technical College

now a degree from there will transfer anywhere (all courses) assuming you're taking degree courses as opposed to diploma courses … they now are a Community College

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Sweet jesus... how long before kids are referring to the US as the "Fatherland" and goose-stepping around in the gheyest boots they can find?

QFMFT!

For all those cared. It will take me a bit longer to finish my schooling. However, everything is right on course for me to finish out everything as I had planned.

I should be in a good position by 30 to obtain the position I'd like to ultimately uphold. I guess I over-analyze things a bit.

Good news, everything went better than expected!