<p>Here is the situation: I am very poor right now. I have been going to college for 3 and 1/2 years now. I have my A.A. and I am now working in my B.S. degree in "Information Science", with a minor in psychology. Times are very rough right now: I have horrible panic attacks that I constantly suffer with, and I also may have PTSD. In addition, I have a constant urology issue that I suffer with (not an STD though). Next, we have bed bugs that just won't die and will cost a fortune to treat. In addition, I have a gastro problem that causes my stomach to constantly hurt. Finally, I live in an AWFUL neighborhood and it's very ghetto, loud, and it's very hard to sleep in. </p>
<p>I am now working though as a security guard. Don't worry, I am unarmed (just to be safe) and the only way that my PTSD effects me on this job is by sometimes giving me panic attacks on the job. Anyway, I am slowly working to pull myself out of this miserable situation. I am taking two classes right now for my psych minor, and I plan on taking two classes in psych in the summer just to get another student loan which will allow me to get a car that I can get to work much easier in. </p>
<p>Here is my question though: I am so desperate for cash right now because I have so many problems, that it just makes me just want to work constantly and not care as much about the future. I really have no idea what I want to do in the future anymore, and it's all become blurry to me. I thought I wanted to be a computer programmer, but to tell the truth, I don't really enjoy it that much. I am enjoying security though, and I may even consider a career in law enforcement. However, do be a cop in my town you have to have a bachelor's degree (it doesn't matter what it's in, just any bachelor's degree). My question is: Should I just keep going to college doing the IS degree even though I hate it, just to have a bachelor's degree, or should I take time off of college to really figure out what I want to do in life. I just don't want to wind up quitting college permanently. </p>
<p>Take time off from pursuing the degree. You can always go back to school when you can afford it and when you are in the right state of mind to pursue it. Given the struggles you are describing, you really are not any where near being in a state of physical and mental health to pursue a career in law enforcement right now anyway.</p>
<p>That said, if you are young, single, kid-free, and not afraid of hard work, and you need more money, how about doing something radical and heading up to North Dakota to work? I don’t say that facetiously. I have mentioned the possibility to my own sons. From my perspective, it sounds like an adventure to be a part of that energy gold rush, and plenty of stories report that the pay is not bad at all. Something to consider. You might be able to find a security job up there that pays a great hourly wage. Apparently, even the fast food workers make $20 an hour up there.</p>
<p>No, I’m not THAT adventurous. I wanna stay in my town for awhile, that’s for sure. However, at least this job seems to be panning out SO FAR. Luckily the job is at night, so it’s not that stressful. I basically, just sit down at a gate and let people in all day, and watch the camera to make sure that no one suspicious comes through the gate. </p>
<p>I only asked this question because I have two friends that are very close to me that I hang with all the time, and that are both from wealthy families. They constantly pressure me to continue my schooling no matter what. They tell me that, it doesn’t matter what you get your Bachelor’s in, as long as you have a degree. I disagree with them about this, and I think that you shouldn’t just go to college blindly because college costs so much money, and why waste all that time and money on a degree that you can’t even use? </p>
<p>Also, yes, I am kids-free, 25 years old, and single. So I have a multitude of options. </p>
<p>Did you ask your college exactly what credits remain for you to post your degree? If not, do so, then ask for creative advice on how to finish quickly. </p>
<p>Agree, meet with an academic advisor and find out what degree you can get ASAP with the courses you have taken to date. They should also help you figure out what additional courses you need toward getting a bachelorLs degree. Good luck! </p>
<p>By the way, taking more courses over the sumer to get an ed loan to buy a car seems like a very POOR plan–why not just work and use the earnings to buy a reliable used car instead of running up more debt?</p>
<p>Let me tell you that you have a limited amount of grant/loans you can take towards getting your degree. If you squander them, that’s it. I know many, many people who did. They took courses, dropped them, did poorly, and then when they were finally in position to really get that degree, they had exhausted their federal allotments, and so had to pay out of pocket every dollar themselves. That’s a real danger of just taking a shot gun approach and not looking at what you are spending of your federal allotment. It’s not a bottomless money pail. When it’s gone, you don’t get another dime. </p>
<p>“I only asked this question because I have two friends that are very close to me that I hang with all the time, and that are both from wealthy families. They constantly pressure me to continue my schooling no matter what. They tell me that, it doesn’t matter what you get your Bachelor’s in, as long as you have a degree. I disagree with them about this, and I think that you shouldn’t just go to college blindly because college costs so much money, and why waste all that time and money on a degree that you can’t even use?”</p>
<p>Keep in mind that people are not necessarily born wealthy. Some people your age could be descendants from relatives who worked very hard to get where they are. For generations, education was part of the American dream. There are a few exceptions now, but that possibility still is true. At one time, a college degree meant the difference between a menial job and a well paid career. While this is still true, there are college grads today who have difficulty finding a job. Still, your friends’ values may reflect their family’s values, and it worked for them. They are trying to help you achieve what they have. </p>
<p>“I think that you shouldn’t just go to college blindly because college costs so much money, and why waste all that time and money on a degree that you can’t even use?”</p>
<p>There are certain majors that are not much help in employment.Information Systems often leads to a job.It seems that continuing to work on your degree leads to some possibilities: a job in IS, and also law enforcement, and possibly others you may be interested in. Stopping, even though you don’t like it, doesn’t lead to either. If you get your degree, and even work in IS, this doesn’t stop you from pursuing something else in the future.</p>
<p>The short term solution to needing more money is to work more now, at the wages you can earn, but if you got your degree, your earning potential could be higher. Are you trading a little more time earning less, for the potential to earn more, if you work more now? Still, you need a certain amount to survive, so perhaps the decision to work more hours and take one class instead of two might work.</p>
<p>Yes, I have asked my college what credits are required to finish my degree. The problem is that I have A WHOLE LOT of classes left to finish my degree. I have finished my A.A. portion of the degree, but really have only taken like 3 classes to major in IS. It would take going to school another two years FULL TIME in order to complete that degree. I was taking out a colossal amount of loans and I stopped doing that THIS semester because I knew that they eventually would get very hard to pay back. </p>
<p>So what I did was to take a detour from school, and I dropped out of one of my classes this semester that I had to take “in person”. I then went and took a week class to get my Class D license to become an unarmed security guard. So I am now working as a security guard and the bread and butter of my money comes from my 40 hour a week, security job. </p>
<p>My goal is to now to put a Bachelor’s degree on hold until I can figure out what I want to do in life, because to tell the truth, I don’t want to make a decision THIS BIG until I know for sure what I want to do with my life. So what I now want to do is to go to school for something fast that makes like maybe 13 bucks an hour or so, with minimal education. Any suggestions for me? By, the way, I think I’m going to forgo the loan idea and I think I’m going to pay for this education out of pocket. </p>
<p>Yeah, you folks are right. I already took out SOME loans this spring so that my father and I could pool our funds together to get a car. We did that, and we got a car that we both share. However, it is a major inconvenience sharing the car, because my father works, and I work and I often find myself having to take a cab to work. This is a major hassle and I just want my own means of transportation so that I don’t have to fool with this anymore.</p>
<p>As it stands now, I am thinking about just forgoing the car and just getting some health insurance instead. I know that the last day to get health care is on Monday the 31st and if I don’t get it then, then I am screwed and can’t get ANY health insurance anywhere, PERIOD until the next enrollment comes around. However, I know that I can’t get health care by then and can’t afford it, so I’m just screwed on that one. I can get some health insurance through my job though, and I am eligable for that in like 70 days or so, so I think that I will hop on that. I have heard that I can’t get it through my job though, until November when the marketplace opens up again. So I seriously thought about taking out the loans this semester so that I could afford the ungodly high deductible that I need to pay to start using my insurance. Also, keep in mind that I am going to need some REALLY good health insurance to combat all of my problems, so I priced it online with several insurance companies and the price is going to be catastrophic, so I may really need to take out that loans to pay for it. </p>
<p>After that, I am done with taking out loans though. You all are right and I need to find a way to just start making it in life without the loans because I don’t want that well to dry up when I start REALLY needing it. So again, what I am thinking of doing is to go back to my old community college and find some type of very short program to enroll in that would allow me to make at least like 13 bucks an hour. Any ideas on some type of degree or certificate like this, that has a lot of job opportunities? </p>