At the beginning of the year, I made the decision to pursue my Masters degree (MLIS) and do an online program from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I can't remember the last time I was that excited and I couldn't wait, but that's exactly what I had to do. I was admitted to the fall semester and it was only April when I found out. So there was nothing but time to kill. First it was just waiting to enroll. I was really excited...lol. As soon as the time came, I was enrolled. That morning at 8:20 I had all my courses picked out and the deed was done.
Well, then there was that whole job thing. You know, the one where I didn't have a job. Yeah, that. Ouch. The program that I was admitted into was going to be about $4300 a semester. That was for two courses/semester and then of course the cost of books. Initially, this wasn't a problem. Rob and I were pretty confident that I would be able to get a job and with his G.I. Bill, there would be no need to worry or take out loans. But seeing as how time was passing and I was still unemployed, my masters dream was going with it. The job at Back Bay was my last hope and when that didn't happen, I had no choice but to move my start date until the Spring semester. Surprisingly, it was fairly easy to do and everyone was great about it.
Do you know what time gives you? A lot of time to see stats and process information and decisions. It also gives you time to make changes in decisions that you were going to go with. Well, that is exactly what happened to me. During the time from April to now, I have read blog after blog about the MLIS and the outcome for people with those degrees. It wasn't looking promising, especially with the news of all the cutbacks in the library field...hours and closures and so on. While Rob and I were going over the money, it became apparent that my masters was going to cost us about 30K!! OUCH! I hadn't even thought about that. Over two years, I was going to spend 30K on a degree that I wasn't even sure I would get to use. I mean, come on. Here I am with a college degree, 23K in student loans, and unemployed!!! Was I freakin' insane?! Clearly.
After much thought, I decided that as much as I liked the idea of getting my masters degree I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on something that I might not even use. With that I made the decision to pursue something that I had been throwing around for awhile now...well, something that started around the time that I was in college and has resurfaced a few times since. After speaking with my dad and Rob, of course, the decision was made for me to get a skill. That's right...I am joining the medical field!
I started Tidewater Community College in pursuit of an A.A.S in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Radiology was my long ago thought, but Sonography , Ultrasound to some, is where it eventually landed. It should be a third of the cost and a pretty solid career future. A good deal all around. I am currently enrolled in Medical Terminology and Basic Human Biology, since I only made a D in Biology during my college years...bahahah. What kills me about BHB is that it's being taught out of the Anatomy and Physiology textbook...but it's a prereq for A&P. Weird. Oh, well. Next semester I think I'm only going to take one course, A&P. Everyone has always said it is so hard and I don't want to mess up my stellar GPA that I am planning on starting this semester.
Now the only thing to do is see where the Lord takes us and enjoy the ride.
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