Financial Aid Options for Second Bachelor's Degree?

Paying for College
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<p>I’m not doing this second degree to avoid paying loans or getting a job. I have been searching for anything I qualify for. The problem is by taking a bunch of part time serving jobs, I still won’t make ends meet and I will be in a worse financial situation if I can’t pay down my loans. I cannot make ends meet now and I am living with my parents, driving my old car I paid for with cash and living as cheap as possible. I don’t eat out, I downgraded my phone plan to the basic text and minutes (no internet), etc. I don’t know what else I could possibly do.</p>

<p>I want to do this second degree to get me into an employable field and be able to pay off my loans down the road. I’d rather do something that takes only a few years versus trying to get a PhD and having my loans accrue interest for another 7 years without touching them.</p>

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<p>What about other office jobs?</p>

<p>Secretary at a college?</p>

<p>Admin assistant at a psychology department?</p>

<p>Some sort of teacher?</p>

<p>Childcare?</p>

<p>Quicker studies to be a dental hygienist? </p>

<p>Marketing?</p>

<p>Admissions counselor at a college?</p>

<p>Life coach?</p>

<p>Guidance counselor?</p>

<p>Answering the phones in Human Resources?</p>

<p>Shorter program for physical therapist if those jobs exist in your area?</p>

<p>Bookkeeper at a very small company?</p>

<p>Etc.?</p>

<p>I don’t see the point of a second bachelor’s degree. </p>

<p>You’ll just be borrowing more money in loans, with no guarantee of a career.</p>

<p>You say you don’t want to go into more debt for a Master’s with no guarantee of a job afterwards. Umm, that’s where your bachelor’s degree in psychology got you. Another bachelor’s degree sounds equally… not useful. More time, more debt, more waste.</p>

<p>You’ll be delaying your current student loans, but they’ll just gather interest while you get a second bachelor’s (which I really don’t see the point of). </p>

<p>Master’s degrees are often cheaper, take less time to earn, and you could even get a Master’s in psychology, communication, or whatever else. You’re talking about just borrowing money for a second bachelor’s anyway. Why not put that loan money to really further your education instead? Or, an undergraduate certificate program instead of a 2nd bachelor’s? Or, a post-bach pre-med or medical related post-bach if that’s your interest? A second bachelor’s sounds like a waste. Get a Master’s. Cheaper, quicker, and you’re looking at borrowing loan money other way.</p>

<p>You could do a Master’s in some fields in a year. Not to mention, for cheaper than a BA.</p>

<p>A second bachelor’s sounds like a complete waste of more debt and more time. BA’s aren’t as “high” of an achievement as they used to be to employers as they’re more common. You have one. Did it help you get a decent job? No. A Master’s degree at least can open up some job openings. Volunteer while doing a one year Master’s degree. </p>

<p>You’re in a predicament, but a second bachelor’s would do nothing for you other than giving you more debt… and more loans to eventually have to pay back. You’ll just be delaying the inevitable of paying your current student loans, while digging yourself in a deeper hole by borrowing more money just to stall having to repay your existing loans.</p>

<p>Surely there’s either some cheap one year’s Master’s that’s career applicable (online programs can be done while working), or some desk job that pays more than waitress.</p>

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<p>I would forget applying to research assistant positions. Many of those prefer grad students.</p>

<p>While not forget psychology and apply to other jobs that you qualify for? Surely there’s one.</p>

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<p>There is no way a master’s degree is cheaper than a second bachelors. Its not going to make me more employable if I have no idea what to do with it. Plus, “a cheap, online master’s program” offers no funding and will probably not pay off in the long run.</p>

<p>While all the positions you have listed are good ideas, I think you missed some of my earlier posts. I have been applying for ANYTHING I am eligible for. Its not working, I am not getting interviews or employment offers and I need a job that is directly employable. A nursing degree is directly employable at a bachelors level. I would make more entry level than I can right now. I would be in the same boat I am now if I took out loans for a master’s program. Its not going to make me more competitive if I have no work experience and its from some no name college that isn’t accredited. </p>

<p>I think you missed my point about research assistants-Hospitals hire research assistants to help with clinical research. Sometimes a bachelors degree and knowledge of medical terminology are the only requirements necessary.</p>

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<p>Thank you for your suggestions though. I have been trying to find a way out of this but its extremely stressful without having any savings. </p>

<p>In addition, there is no way a Master’s Degree would be cheaper than a second bachelors. I already have the general ed coursework done so I would go straight into the accelerated nursing program. I would be done in 2 years. The graduate courses I have done cost $900-1,000 per course. There is little funding in many of the online master’s programs and I still have the problem of not knowing what to study-a general master’s in psychology is not any more employable and won’t make me any more competitive in the job field.</p>

<p>The nursing degree is viable because I already have most of the pre-reqs, it would take a shorter amount of time and I could gain experience through internships and volunteering to add to my resume. I can’t get hired anywhere, even with my research and internship experience in psychology and several retail and serving jobs that I had as an undergraduate.</p>

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<p>Gnome:<br>
Don’t go further into the Ph.D program unless you live in a very large metro area with lots of medical facilities.<br>
I work with a bunch of Ph.D students who are doing their internships and are really worried about finding jobs to pay off their $140K to $240K loans!!! The market is saturated and they can find part time, but not full time jobs.
I get asked, a LOT, by them about my profession, which is instant employment, but it doesn’t sound like you have time for a Speech pathology degree. It would not be a 2nd degree but you could enter into a Masters program with a Psych degree and exit employed before you leave the university. Masters degrees are requirements for speech paths. The profession is desperate; doesn’t pay like engineering or nursing, but its comfortable.</p>

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<p>Thanks auntbea, actually SLP was the first degree I considered. I am extremely interested but there is no way I could get into a master’s program with my grades. SLP is one of the most competitive master’s degree programs in my state-my local university receives 400 applications and accepts only 60 each semester. The average GPA for these programs is around 3.8. In addition, I hardly have any pre-reqs, so I could theoretically be accepted to the program, but then I would have to spend at least a year “catching up-” in total it would be about 3-4 years for my master’s including the clinical portion. It would be far too expensive unfortunately and my odds of getting accepted are slim.</p>

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<p>gnome, I can sense your desperation, but I’m going to reiterate, do NOT go get a BSN unless you have a passion for nursing. (If you’d love, love, love to be a nurse, go for it.) Nurses are employable at the bachelor’s level, but new grads are not stepping off the grad stage and into work. Experienced nurses get hired easily. New grads have to fight for spots in new grad hiring programs at hospitals. And pretty much everywhere, hosptials have stopped hiring ADNs, so you’re not looking better because you have a BSN. You’re duking it out with other brand new BSNs, many of whom have been through the same accelerated program and are older, have good work experience, etc. </p>

<p>I really, really don’t want to discourage you from a dream. Once the economy picks up, chances are a lot of older nurses will retire and the field will boom again. BUT, if sounds like you are grasping at anything you think will get you a job right now, and I’m afraid that you may be piling on more debt for a that well paying job that may take 6-18 months to land. </p>

<p>If you do think healthcare is the key to that immediate job, community colleges have programs for rad tech, ultrasound tech, PT assistant kind of things that will take about the same amount of time as the BSN (assuming you need the science prereqs before you can start), cost less, and get you a good-paying job. Friend of mine has a d in PT assistant program. Two years, 100% employment by 6 months. Good annual salary for their new grads.</p>

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<p>My area ( Seattle-Tacoma) is hiring LPN with a certificate from CC. My niece was working with one almost immediately and now she is getting her BSN from a 4 yr school, while she works.</p>

<p>Relocating can be helpful sometimes.</p>

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<p>I sincerely thank you for your input. Right now in my area those “certification cc programs” are overflowing with applicants. I have friends who have done the respiratory therapy program, etc. They aren’t hiring ultrasound or radiology techs right now in my area, there are too many graduates and not enough job openings. I can’t even get jobs as an admin assistant in a doctor’s office because you need to be bilingual, have at least a year of medical office experience and coding/billing experience. Even if I go get an MA degree, I’m not competitive enough to land the job because I don’t have the experience or knowledge requirements. Some of the programs are so full they have a wait period. There is a six semester wait period for the cc nursing school in my area. Even if I drove to the next closest cc there is a 4 semester wait, and that’s after I get accepted. I can’t find anything full time and I am literally terrified of what’s going to happen. I have been applying for cashier positions at target, best buy, etc. but I never hear back either. </p>

<p>I’m getting frustrated because I don’t know how many times I can say I wish I could relocate but its not an option. I have literally no money right now because I paid for graduate classes this semester and I’m lucky if I make $150-200 a week at my job. I’m trying to pay bills. My car is not reliable enough to travel, I have no way of buying a plane ticket and no friends/extended family in another state that I could move in with temporarily. I don’t have money for hotel stays and job interviews out of town. I don’t know what else to do. No matter what I do there is no way out.</p>

<p>I am actively applying for jobs, I am going to the career center, I’m putting in as much effort as I can. I have no idea what more I can do.</p>

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<p>I have even been looking in sales/marketing/human resources. All of these jobs prefer business applicants. I have been teaching myself any software skills I can get my hands on: adobe offers free trials for photoshop, indesign, etc. so I am learning those for marketing and sales positions. I am taking free library classes on quickbooks and other software. This semester I am volunteering at a research lab while I take classes and work my serving job. I have applied to every conceivable positions I qualify for on-campus/associated with my college too, but I can’t seem to break in. </p>

<p>I have even tried getting into retail management even though I really don’t want to work in retail. There are hardly any “manager in training” positions and the ones I do find, I apply to. However, most of the management openings prefer 2+ years of experience in management so I am out of the running.</p>

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<p>gnome, I’m sorry we veered away from the original question (any aid for a second degree) and toward giving career advice. We tend to be a pretty debt-averse group, which is a good thing most of the time. I think most of us very clearly see that you don’t have a job that covers even the basics and that you haven’t been able to find one, in spite a lot of looking. You’ve made it clear that you’re place-bound. </p>

<p>We’re really not trying to discourage you, but instead to take a second look at all the options and do as much as you can not to rack up more debt because the answer to the original question was no, there is barely any aid at all for a second bachelor’s.</p>

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<p>I understand and appreciate that. But now I’m up against a wall-what do I do if I have no viable career? Do I go back to school now and try to redirect my career? or I hunt for a job, neglecting my bills because I can’t afford to live on my PT serving job and hope that something comes up? </p>

<p>I really just don’t know what to do now because I feel like there’s no way out. I realize being debt-averse is important. But then what is my next step if there are no jobs out there for me and I need to live and pay my bills?</p>

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<p>It seems like there is no real answer to that question, so that’s where I’m at right now. I’m just looking at going back to school because I need to make a viable career out of my situation.</p>

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<p>You need to be more intrepid. You do not quit your job while you look for another,but you have to have those eyes,ears and antennas out there looking for opportunities If there are truly no jobs where you live other than min wage, part time or highly trained positions for which it is not pragmatic or workable for you to aspire to get any time soon, then you need to move. Yes, I 've had friends in that situation in parts of WV, Mississippi, upstate NY where the well was that dry. But usually there is a niche of skilled jobs for which one can train and get a decent paycheck. Like using medical equipment. Some special skill. If you are not capable of being able to search these things out yourself, then you are indeed going to have a tough time finding a job ever, until you learn it. That is just a fact of life. There are people out there with the degrees, and they can’t find a job, because they can’t seal the deal in getting one.</p>

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<p>I am not unintelligent enough to realize that what I’m doing is not working-the problem is finding out what does. Obviously I need to network and make some more connections. I have several positions that I found at a local hospital but I have no connection to anyone at that hospital. Since they hire within, I am keeping my eyes and ears out for anyone who knows how to get in contact other than by emailing HR, which is what I have done and it hasn’t worked. I have asked my former internship leader to keep her eyes open and see if anything should come up that I qualify for. I even asked my family doctor to let me know if there are any jobs with pharmaceutical company sales or research studies that he knows of and could possibly point me in that direction.</p>

<p>Its not that I “can’t seal the deal,” its the process of getting to the employer. If I could get the interview to make them see I am worth the time, then it would be a non-issue. I am seeking whatever knowledge I can get. By posting on these forums I have learned quite a bit. I don’t understand how asking questions qualifies as “not capable of being able to search these things out yourself.” I am actively seeking new avenues and asking about different ways to go about it. I am finding “these things” out and working at it. I realize its not an overnight process; however, I am not going to belabor the reasons I cannot relocate any longer. I am researching every job board in my area and looking at employer, recruiter, any websites related to employment in my area.</p>

<p>My point in this thread was to (as one option) consider training myself for a different field.</p>

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<p>Gnome: I would still suggest SLP because in 3 years you’ll either be in the same situation, in a worse situation, or in something you will work hard at but actually like. Three years goes by quickly. Did you know that most of our graduates minored in psych because of all of the psych requirements we were required to take, so you are halfway there. Contact our parent organization, ASHA, American Speech Hearing Association, via phone and ask them for suggestions. Tell the office your grades and the info about your state flagship and ask them if they have any suggestions re your GPA. </p>

<p>You sound like you’ve tried your best to support yourself and find work and this isn’t working, so you have to change your situation, it will cost you at first and you’re going to have to rely on your parents good hearts, but it will get better. So reorient, change your focus, and do something that will feel good for you. You’ll turn it around. You will be surprised at the level that people will be willing to help.</p>

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<p>My only concern is funding. Graduate classes are 900-1200 per class. Even if I was accepted into a state school, my grades are not good enough for fellowships and I couldn’t get a TA position because I haven’t taken the appropriate pre-reqs. I would essentially have to pay for 3-4 years of graduate school tuition with just loans. That’s really rough. In addition, to being a full time student, I will have to work to pay for housing and food. Without an RA or TA position, that is going to be mighty difficult since course are offered at weird times. i.e. 1-4pm on Thursdays</p>

<p>I will call and ask for information but I think I will be in over my head in loans with that situation. And that’s assuming I even get in, there’s a big chance I won’t be accepted with my lackluster grades and no real SLP experience. Grad school admissions are rough.</p>

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<p>Have you considered trying to get a job at your local university. Even if you get a clerical position that may not pay a lot of money- you will get one really good benefit; tuition remission. IF the school that you get a job at has a grad program, then you could essentially go to school for free. Yes, the tuition will b taxable income and you will have to pay the fees, but it will be much less expensive than paying loans.</p>

<p>You should also apply this same strategy to looking for work in other companies; look for a company that has good benefits, even if you will be making less money. You have to get your feet in the door, but that entry level position will give you the opportunity to move up in the company.</p>

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<p>I have definitely been applying to any position available, that I qualify for (administrative, secretarial or business office related) at both my local university and community college. However, it is extremely hard to get a job in any of these offices without knowing someone “within.” They generally promote within and hire within. I would love to be an admissions rep for my college, but they are mainly hiring for leadership positions/executive positions. There is not much entry-level work available.</p>

<p>I have been looking for anything full time with benefits. Its extremely hard to find a position. I have two interviews scheduled for this week, so hopefully something works out, but one is only for a part time, temporary, job.</p>