Seems like @SeekingHelpGrey might have left the conversation.
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When I returned for graduate school (library MLIS), it was about a decade after my undergrad days. I had to retake a statistics class since the one I took was “too old” – so I did that at the local community college. I’d say the class was about half folks like me and half folks taking it for the first time as they worked through their undergrad experience.
Hoping we hear back from the OP. Lots of good advice here.
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Oxford/Cambridge allow you to do a 2nd undergrad degree.
They’ve had a few American applicants/people who weren’t happy with their first degree and wanted a slightly better name. No ‘prestigious’ US schools would accept them getting a 2nd undergrad degree.
You can accelerate your degree as well and do it in 2 years with senior status (which is also very common) if you already have a degree.
I think fees are around $37,000/year for an international + maybe $13,000-$18,000 in living expenses which isn’t too bad if you’ve saved up some money. My parents would have given me the money if I had gone down that path.
You sound tortured, and I hope you can overcome all the regret. Many people would do things differently if they could do it all over. But you don’t need a do-over. It sounds as though you feel you’ll never succeed if you don’t disappear your past track record, though you admit it was fine.
You can likely get a graduate degree faster than another bachelor’s degree. Also, you can take remote courses through high-quality programs to create a more recent track record. You can use that to support your story that you were not focused on academics when you earned your bachelor’s degree but you’re older and wiser and have much better study skills, powered by a very specific career goal you’d like to prepare for as soon as possible.
I do not feel it’s necessary to take undergraduate courses, but it sound as though you’ll feel better if you can prove how well you can do now. Start with one class from a very respected school, and then take two classes at a time if you can manage that while working fulltime or as much as you have to work to pay your bills.
Do that for a year and then start applying to grad schools. It can be a lot cheaper to take remote courses through a good university than to take them on campus. Take the courses that might allow you to test out of some grad school courses or that are required for applicants. So, if you’re applying for engineering school, take math and physics and earn all A’s. Do some interning if you can swing that or work for a company that has engineers who may recommend you for graduate school if you contribute to their projects in some way.
You may even work for an engineering company and ask them to pay for individual courses to support your work there.
Whatever your plan, know that people with less-than-perfect GPAs and degree matches are often hired for what they, as individuals, bring to the company. I’ve been recruited to work in various fields for jobs that officially require specific degrees that I don’t have, but the fact that I have a BS and an MS that they can argue reasonably have prepared me for the responsibilities allows them to hire me–and I get the job done well.
So, stop torturing yourself and start building cred in the area you want to work in. Move forward in whatever ways are available to you or create your own opportunities.
I honestly feel that a career counselor and/or a personal counselor could help you sort out your anxiety and regret to make it easier to move forward without regret or sadness.
Nothing is perfect, and nobody is perfect. Many MIT and Caltech grads are in disappointing careers, and many people with marginal college performance are in highly paid jobs in major corporations. The barrier here is your perspective and understanding, not your college background.
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I was thinking of taking classes at community college because I struggle to study without structure. Self-study can be hard for me.
More to the point: I was considering Computer Science because I think it’ll pay well, and I think it uses the same kind of rules-based logic that I liked in Geometry back in high school. I might also consider biology or math. Beyond that I’m unsure.
I’m back. I check in every few days because I don’t want to obsess and think about this every day. It’s a lot to handle. I’m reading through the advice now. Thanks.
Deleted. Mixing up threads
Back your comment - regardless of your structure issues you did earn a degree. So you were a success. Don’t forget that !!
CS does pay well but that’s not a reason to study it. You’d need to want it / love it. Lots of jobs pay well - I have a history degree. Allegedly I’m doing ok.
CS requires a ton of math. You may not need another degree but probably a ton of remedial work. It’s a hard core degree. You need passion for it.
I want to make money - that’s as much about you as a degree.
What is your passion ?
I graduated a few years ago. I want to go back to undergrad because I find I learn better with structure and goals and deadlines; I can only go so far with self-study. I was thinking community college classes might be a good idea to start.
I don’t think I’m interested in being a school teacher. I started tutoring math because I wanted to learn it for myself. I actually like math more than I thought; I was just too messed up in high school to do the homework and too anxious to ask teachers for help after class. I also found I’m pretty darn good at algebra and geometry; my number sense was never that good, and that’s part of why I was convinced I was bad at math.
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To be honest? I am curious about computer science because I’ve found I’m decent at math. I’m also good with rules-based logic: I took the LSAT, I did well but had to withdraw my application due to the pandemic and family issues, and I got cold feet afterward for a variety of reasons. I actually still can apply this and next year. I may do that just to see what offers I get.
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Are you taking prerequisites at the CC? I am confused.
I recommend taking some time to decide what you truly love- CS, biology, math. I assume you are going for a masters. I see you may be thinking about law school.
Congrats on your lsat. Yes you need to love reading and writing but that’s a fantastic score that depending on the gpa can get you into top schools and a potentially lucrative career.
What have you done the past five years work or otherwise ?
NYU offers second bachelor degree programs — in CS, engineering, MIS, nursing, etc:
Also agree with the suggestions to give more thought to potential grad school options.
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I would look into graduate degrees in computer science or data analytics, etc… I don’t see any point in taking community college classes or pursuing a second bachelors degree.
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But how does someone do that if their original undergraduate degree didn’t prepare them for that?
One of my daughter’s friends just got a masters in data analytics after getting a bachelors in journalism. It’s possible. He needs to explore programs.
I just looked up the prerequisites for the program my daughter’s friend did: “ Coursework:
Applicants must have completed at least one college-level course in calculus and two college-level courses in statistics to be eligible to apply. Note that the statistics course requirements can be fulfilled by courses in statistics, probability, or econometrics. Sometimes a course with “analytics” in the title can fulfill the statistics requirement if the course focuses on statistics.
In addition to the above prerequisites, students are expected to have a working knowledge of linear algebra. For students who do not meet this requirement, we will require the successful completion of our short workshop in linear algebra prior to the program start date.”
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And even if the OP’s undergrad degree didn’t entirely prepare him for the MA degree he is now interested in, he could take prerequisite courses as a non-degree student at a BA-granting institution (i.e., not a CC). An entirely new BA or BS might not be necessary.
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Thanks!
Would you be willing to DM me the name od this program?
Sure. Your profile seems to be hidden, message me.