Should I get a second degree?

Applying to College
1

<p>I graduated with a BA in Philosophy two years ago. I'm 27 and have $43 grand in student loans. Right now I work off and on at a warehouse/factory, making $11.50/hr. Other than that, I haven't been able to find a decent job and I have applied to a lot and still sending out applications. I did well and enjoyed my Philosophy courses but the electives I took killed my GPA, hence no grad sch. I didn't bother applying since I knew I didn't make the cutoff average. I got into another Uni to do a second degree; a BSc in Public Health starting this Fall, with the intention of applying to grad sch in Public Health to become an Epidemiologist. This is essentially a way for me to get a better gpa so I can get into grad sch. This school also has a 2-yr second program degree in Nursing, but it's too late for me to apply for the Fall, so I would have to apply for Fall 2015. I've to take two prereq courses for nursing and I plan to take those this Fall, then apply/change majors to nursing early next year and start nursing school next year in September 2015. If I get into nursing, my plan's to work throughout next year (at least, full time from January to August) so I can pay for nursing school myself. Since I would be doing nursing, there would be no point in me being in school and taking public health courses in second semester. I can just use that time to work and make money. Nursing is actually what I really want to do (epidemiology is secondary) and what would allow me to help people. I didn't know about the nursing program at this school until this year. I would've prepared myself for it and taken all the prereqs had I known last year. I want to live my life being of service to people. With either choice, I'm looking at 3 more yrs of sch. I will be 30 when I finish Nursing and 30 when I finish the BSc in PH. The thought of that doesn't make me too happy. Makes me feel like I've spent the majority of my 20s in school.</p>

<p>My concerns:</p>

<p>1) Nothing is set in stone yet. I don't know whether I will get into nursing. Both the public health and nursing schools are in the same faculty (Health Sciences). I'm thinking: since I've already been admitted into PH and it's in the same faculty as nursing, I have a good chance of getting in. I know I have to do really well on my prereqs to be considered. I just want to take a chance and try to see what would happen. If I don't get in, I can live with that because I know at least I tried. In terms of finding work in the city, I don't know how hard/easy it would be to get a job. It's supposed to be a good city for finding work, but I do know someone who moved there a year ago and it took him 6 months to find work, so I know it won't be all that easy. I plan to start applying asap and do anything I can get my hands on. I'm just worried about not being able to find anything at all. I've applied for all sorts of jobs here, even restaurant-type work, walmart, target, etc and still cannot find one.</p>

<p>2) More student loan debt. I would have to take out more loans (about 5 grand) to get me through the Fall, so I'm looking at 48 grand of debt in total, which's terrifying. The 43 grand I owe right now is a huge worry alone. </p>

<p>3 ) I was a nursing student before at my previous Uni and changed majors b/c I didn't think nursing suited me. I've a very reserved, quiet personality and the clinicals scared me a bit into thinking I wasn't cut out for nursing. I saw everyone else was more extroverted than me and didn't thin I fit in. I was doing quite well in my courses and although the clinicals were hard, I enjoyed the one-on-one interaction I had w/ the patients - this was my fav. part. I've also been told a number of times I will make a great nurse and I believe so too, at least now I do. I've also volunteered at hospitals and I plan to do it again in the Fall. I have been doing a lot of soul-searching and I'm sure the career would suit me now. Back then, I didn't believe in myself and didn't know all the things I know now. The only thing is to know that had I stuck with it then, I would've finished long ago. Now I'm considering going back to it years later and doing what I should've done long ago. I just want to give it one more try and if it doesn't work out or I don't get in, I can at least say I tried and maybe then I can say it just isn't meant to be. I just feel like I won't be able to live with myself if I don't give it one more try. If I do get in, I know there would be no giving up this time and I just have to do it, no matter how hard it is.</p>

<p>3) A one-year post-grad certificate program would enable me to be done with school quicker and get on with my life. I try not to compare myself to others, but I'm moving at a slower pace in life than most people. A big part of me just wants to be done w/ school for good and start living more. I feel like I have not been living much, just existing. As for the one-year programs, these're programs that help Uni graduates tailor their degree into specific careers, especially people like me who have liberal arts' degrees and can't find a job. I've looked into careers like Technical writing, market research, copywriting, careers that are supposed to be good for introverts. The copywriting program I've looked into is about 9 grand for two semesters, so it is expensive too but the market research program is about 6 grand so this one is cheaper. I was (and still am) interested in market research and I feel like my philosophy degree has given me the skills to thrive in that, although I think you have to be a people person for it and be good at making presentations/public speaking - something I'm terrible at. You've to be a people person as a nurse too, so in either case there's no way around it; I just have to get better at it. I'm naturally a very quiet person and it has been hard for me to change. This's another reason why I'm trying to go into the right career; I need something that would align with my personality. Many companies who hire market analysts also hire copywriters/writers, so I could probably do both and use my skills. I feel like I've wasted my 20s w/ not knowing what to do w/ my life and this option of doing a one-yr program is attractive to me b/c with it, I would be done w/ school next year and would hopefully be able to find a good job I enjoy, and start paying off my loans. I could start this September or in January and either way I'll be done next year. I know I'm not getting younger. The thought of being 30 and just finally starting a career (referring to the nursing option) is disheartening, especially when I could've finished years ago.</p>

<p>So, what would you do if you were in my shoes? Would you pursue nursing even though you're not sure if it would work out (e.g. not sure you would get in) and even if it does, it would take a few years to get there?. Or do something more immediate - a one-year program? Some days I think I'll go with the former and then the more I think about it I start gravitating towards the latter, so I am just going back and forth with my thought and can't seem to be certain with one choice. This's essentially a life-changing decision and I'm trying to be careful with it and do the best thing for myself. I'm being pulled into nursing and part of me also wants to do a one-year program and just get on with life. Any advice? What would you do?</p>

<p>I know I am older than most of you here, but I suppose you could still advice me. Sorry for the long write-up. </p>

2

<p>Wait, let me get this straight:

  1. You have a degree in philosophy but tanked the gpa so you couldn’t get into grad school or get any kind of job in anything.
  2. You want to raise your gpa by getting a second degree in public health, but you really would rather do nursing. So you’re going to major in public health and ask for more loans to get a degree you really don’t want or need because you’ll hope they’ll accept you into the nursing program:
  3. You are applying to a nursing program next year and expect to be admitted to the program and work in nursing the next year.
  4. If you can’t do the above, you want to spend possibly $6k to $9K in a certificate program where no job is guaranteed.<br>
  5. You currently owe $43K and you need to borrow more. </p>

<p>Okay, not to burst your bubble but you have to pay full costs for that second degree. You only make $11.50 an hour.<br>
How is it that the loan companies have not come to you for their money? </p>

<p>There is no guarantee that anyone will lend you more money for all of these career changes, or, that you will be employable. Did you know that some occupations do credit checks and will not employ someone with outstanding debt because it is a liability to the company? Especially in nursing because medications are accessible. </p>

<p>I also received a late degree but I stuck with one idea and one major.
You are making future plans based on information that is conditional and you’re willing to lose more money. To pay back those loans and interest, you will have to give about $3K to $4K per month of your check. You won’t earn enough to do that for a long time. You’re making $11.50 per hour. How will you repay your loans, they dont go away by declaring bankruptcy?</p>

<p>Here’s what I would do in your position:

  1. Work some more at $11.50 an hour and get my priorities straight for how to begin to pay back my debt.
  2. Stop generating more debt, insecurity, and more degrees, with average to low-average GPA’s, where there is no chance in heck of getting a job. You may not be able to secure any more loans because you are a financial risk.
  3. Go to a community college that has a phlebotomy certificate class and, while getting experience in phlebotomy, you’ll be earning more than $11.50 per hour and you’ll learn to draw blood. That should help you get into a nursing program.<br>
  4. Please go get some counseling help to find out why you keep generating plans that involve borrowing more and more money that you don’t have and can’t repay, otherwise, you will be 40 years old and in the exact same position with even more debt!</p>
3

<p>In order to get into nursing school, I have to take two prereqs (a stats class and a microbiology class), so my plan is to take those in the Fall, along with one public health course, totaling three. These two prereqs are also required in the public health program, so I would be fulfilling the requirements for the PH program as well. The PH degree would take me 4 semesters to complete. The school gave me the maximum # of course waivers they give to transfer students doing a second degree and that kinda helps because I would only have to take the core courses for the PH program only, which would take me 4 semesters to complete. I initially wanted to go through with getting a second degree in PH and then continue to grad school but I’ve reconsidered everything and know it might not be such a good idea. I know I would have to get a masters in PH (specializing in epidemiology) or just a regular masters in order to get a decent job in the field. By that time I would be in my mid-30s and my fear is that when I come out I might not be able to get a job. So I would be in my mid-30s, jobless, with lots of debt. </p>

<p>For the Fall semester, I would be getting about 5 grand in student loans and I plan to take the three courses mentioned above, then after completing them, change majors into nursing. If, for some reason I do not get into nursing, I could continue with getting a second degree in PH but I wouldn’t want to do that due to the fears mentioned above. In this case, I would just be at the school for one semester. I would just work and save up starting next semester (January), then do a college post-graduate certificate next year in September. The PH and nursing schools are in the same faculty That is why I’m trying to use this opportunity to see if I’ll have a chance. I already have most of the requirements; I just need the two remaining courses. I’ve told the academic advisor in the PH faculty my plan to change into nursing and she was the one who suggested I take the prereqs this Fall, then change programs next year. I did not know about the nursing program at this school, until about 3 months ago. Had I known a year ago, I would’ve planned better and taken all the prereqs. I never even planned on getting a second degree at all. I never intended on finishing my degree only to do another, it’s just the way things have worked out. I don’t intend on borrowing more student loans after this Fall. </p>

<p>I’ve already been approved for student loans, as I still qualify, and the amount has already been calculated. The school has been pretty helpful in processing my student loans application; it took them two days. I’m in Canada. Student loans work differently here than they do in the U.S. I do know people who have about the same student loans as me. Some of them defer until they find a decent job and are able to start paying. I do not intend on making $11.50/hr forever. I know I’ve a liberal arts’ degree and I wasn’t expecting to come out and start making big bucks. You do have to start from somewhere and get whatever job you can get in the time being. </p>