Thinking of getting back in school (venting & searching for ideas)

[ChaoticSilly]

You probably don't remember because I'm such a habitual lurker with an abysmally low post count, but my girlfriend & I broke up a few months ago. So now I'm living alone in the big (well, average size) house. The only problem is the house note is a bit too big for comfort - I've been able to handle the bills myself so far, but I feel like I'm one stroke of bad luck away from losing it and I think my employer realizes it. I've been forced to work way too many double shifts, am constantly being blamed for things beyond my control and all my cries for improvement are being ignored.

To put if frankly, I'm thoroughly disgusted with my job, so I've decided to sell the house, move back in with my mom (go ahead, call me a loser, I don't care anymore) and possibly use my savings & 401k money for tuition to get back in school. I'm just not sure about what to go for.

I'm not a "people" person. I'm really turned off by business type majors like marketing and finance. I am really good at math and science though (logical type things). I'd love to major in IT, but I'm afraid with all the out-sourcing going on these days (not to mention Memphis isn't exactly a technological hotbed) that I won't be able to find a decent job. I've thought about pharmacy school, but I don't think I can handle 1 or 2 years of prep courses then 6 years of pharmacy school (I'd be 42 when I finally graduated). I wanted to take electrical engineering when I graduated from high school (I'm a geek, I admit it), but just couldn't get the money thing to work out (and again, I'm not sure about the job market here). Now I think I have the money problem solved, but can't decide what I should take or if I should even get back in school.

Feel free to offer suggestions, call me a dork, or tell me to get a life. :crazy:

[Spinzonner]

1. How do you feel about teaching ?

Maturity can count for a lot.

Financial rewards are another matter, of course.

[ChaoticSilly]

3. Never really thought about it...

...but I can't really see myself being too comfortable as the center of attention in a room full of people.

I don't really care about how much money I make, as long as it's enough to pay the bills.

[Spinzonner]

5. You can get used to it

and don't forget, you'll know more than they will (except for a few of the brilliant ones, of course).

It's a matter of developing confidence for all but the pathologically shy and there are some treatments and drugs for even those cases.

[DemoTex]

14. Maturity counts for NOTHING! NOTHING! Don't kid yourself and others.

I am a 57 year-old, medically retired airline pilot (17,000+ hours flying time), with an engineering degree from Georgia Tech, and 250+ air combat missions in Vietnam. I cannot even approach a teaching job in NC or SC without going back to school to qualify under Bu$h's "No Child ...". I cannot even substitute teach at a subsistance level.

I can write a short story that makes you weep. I can differentiate 2-D-Cos-theta untill the cows come home. I can teach almost every novel written by William Faulkner. But I can't do that without expensive hoops.

Fuck those hoops. I'm writing for a living. Just like I did in 1986.

[Spinzonner]

18. Nobody suggested maturity was a substitute for training

and getting college credentials or that he make a career (wage wise) out of substitute teaching.

He was asking about possible careers.

Your desire to join the profession without meeting their qualifications is not relevant to his question, however relevant it may be to your situation.

[SheilaT]

2. First off

(as Dear Abby or Ann Landers once said) how old will you be in 7 or 8 years if you don't go to school?

The real question is, do you want to do pharmacy school?

I'd suggest heading over to your local junior college (hopefully there's one nearby) and take the preference testing thing. See how you score, and if anything you're strong in inspires you.

I did that a year ago, and I came up in an area where law was suggested. At my age (I'm 56) I have no desire for law school, so I'm now enrolled in a paralegal program, will have my AA degree and paralegal certificate in December, and I'm happy as a clam.

It's more than OK to be a geek. There are lots of short-term programs to get into. There are technical schools -- DeVry is on that might be in your area -- that offer programs in electrical engineering kinds of things.

Good luck! Feel free to PM me (I love nothing more than offering advice) and no matter what, let us know what you eventually decide.

[ChaoticSilly]

13. My ex-gf got me interested in the pharmacy thing

I think I would like it at least. The medical field seems like it's going to be booming for a few years, but I don't know if I can handle being a poor (as in money hopefully not grades :silly:) student for that long.

[SheilaT]

17. I understand that

pharmacy school is VERY difficult. Plus, it's a long haul, so make sure it's what you really want. And if it is, go for it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. My hubby got out of teaching and now owns his own business

fixing computers. He loves it. You might do IT and computer repair both, so if the IT job never materializes you can go into biusiness for yourself.

[outraged2]

6. How about....

If you like science and technical, what about geology and/or physical sciences? Geology is very useful ifor a variety of businesses and fields and with global warming and various other environmental problems it seems to me there would be a lot of good opportunities now and by the time you are finished with school... Just an idea.

[ChaoticSilly]

9. I like that idea

Geology or even meteorology sounds interesting. I might have to do some research on possible jobs in this part of the country. Thanks! :D

[amazona]

15. nooooooo

You would not believe how "boom or bust" geology/geophysics is as a career.

Just don't do this to yourself.

There are not lots of good opportunities out there, there are lots of good people with degrees who never got real jobs. There are master degree'd geologists selling retail and waiting tables. Why hunt for new sources of petroleum when we can just steal it from Iraq? :-(

IF the price of oil stays high, there will be job opportunities in this field, but I have learned that the price doesn't stay high, and the backlog of un/underemployed geologists, geophysicists, and petroleum engineers never gets quite exhausted.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[ChaoticSilly]

16. What about meteorology?

Is it similar to geology as far as job availability goes?

[HEyHEY]

7. Take fly-tying!

Not much money in it...but really cool

[ChaoticSilly]

11. Umm... what is fly-tying?

[sbj405]

8. My advice - Don't go to school unless you know what you want to do.

I went to school for something that I thought I liked and now I just have a degree and a different job that I don't like. If you are considering switching fields entirely, I would suggest working in that field first. Even if it's volunteer, low wage, whatever. You will at least get a sense of what the job is really like and perhaps make some connections to get into school or whatever.

Also, if you're really into something, don't worry so much about the job market. I think it's better to be doing something you like for less money or in a different location than stuck in a high paying job you hate.

I guess the bottom line is figure out what you WANT to do rather than what you should do. Good luck!

[ChaoticSilly]

10. I agree about deciding what to do first

I went to junior college when I was 19 (my mom worked 2 jobs & I worked full time to pay tuition while I went to school full time) to get a degree in computer engineering technology. I really liked the field, but after graduating with honors and looking for almost 15 years, still can't get a job with it. Moving isn't really an option - all my family is in Memphis & we're too close for me to handle living that far away (not to mention missing my mom's banana split pie).

[Red_Viking]

12. Go back to school!

I highly encourage you to. After 15 years in the working world, including a long stint at Dell, I left high tech behind and went back to law school. I'm 38, and you bet I'm older than the average student. Who cares? Some folks there are older than I am. Doesn't really matter; most of my new buddies are younger and don't seem to mind.

Leaving the corporate world behind and taking this risk are the best things I've done. Just started my second semester yesterday. My grades were OK, not great, but OK, especially for someone who hadn't been in a classroom in 15 years. And, I'm enjoying myself and learning a lot to boot.

My boyfriend and I are both in school. I'm 38 and he's 40. We're having a blast, and we're less freaked out by little things than the 23-year-olds. I'll be 40 when I graduate. But hey, I'll be 40 anyway! May as well do something I've always wanted to do.

By the way, I intend to use my powers for good. I'm through chasing the money--time to chase the bliss. If it's possible, I want to do some kind of work with non-profits or with human rights groups.

So, go for it! You're never too old to start over, that's my motto. :P

Good luck--

RV