Unsure what course of action to take...re: college career

<p>About me / my current path:</p>

<p>Age: 22 | Years of College Completed: 1 | Major: Graphic Design | Minor: Business / Marketing </p>

<p>Dilema: Unsure of where to go from here...I am currently attending UWO, a public university here in WI, with goals to transfer out in 2 years to Seattle Pacific University to achieve my Bachelors in my remaining 2 years of college. However, after these first few weeks...I am not feeling comfortable in campus and am not thrilled with the education path either. (I don't feel like I'm learning enough or rather, I'm feeling stuck taking some courses (not all) that don't apply to my major or minor interests.) Money is also a concern for me...and I'm slightly worried about the amount of debt I'll have by the time I'm out of UWO vs the education I've received in that time.</p>

<p>DO I...drop out and wait an entire year before I can apply to my local Technical college's Graphic Design program?</p>

<p>I'm concerned that I'm "not getting any younger" and that by the time I'm 27 and finally have a Bachelor's Degree, part of me struggles with that fact that I was so behind everyone else. </p>

<p>The path I'm currently on looks something like this:</p>

<p>(Graduated High School in 2011.)
(Went to a private christian college in 2011-2012.)
(Left that college in 2012 to determine a better career path)
(Discovered Graphic Design while working and decided on UWO in 2014) </p>

<p>(I am currently on track to stay at UWO until 2016 to complete basic courses as a GD major and BUS minor - 2 years-- and Transfer to: Seattle Pacific University for my remaining GD work and Bachelors Degree -- 2 remaining years.) </p>

<p>Total amount of Debt: (30,000 from UWO) + (44,500 from SPU) = ~74.5k (assuming my parents won't be able to help.)</p>

<p>What that plan would look like if I went the Tech. route:</p>

<p>(Progress automatically delayed by 1 Year) - Next application deadline is May 2015.
(Start classes at Tech College in 2015 - age 23)
(Leave Tech College with Associates in Graphic Design in 2 Years - 2017 - age 25)
(Transfer out to SPU to obtain Bachelors Degree - 2 Year Completion Program - 2019 - age 27)</p>

<p>^ Do you think I'll have a better skill set if I were to choose the Technical School route, even though my progress will be delayed by a year? </p>

<p>How much I would be saving: Debt from WCTC: (none - covered by savings.) | ~44,500 from SPU once I transfer and graduate. </p>

<p>Something else to think about: I wanted to achieve a Business or Marketing Minor with my Major as a Graphic Designer...if I were to go the technical school route, would I still be able to accomplish this with my remaining two years of degree completion at SPU, or would adding something like that in to that equation that late in the process (junior year) cost more time?</p>

<p>The only other thing I could do is Double Major with 2 Associates degrees from the tech school, but would that be too much to take on and/or double the costs? (seeing as they accept payment per credit.) It's around 8,000 to obtain an Associate degree in Graphic Design at WCTC. </p>

<p>I really need some help in deciding where to go with this. :( I'm stuck between Time, Skills Earned and Cost.</p>

<p>YOU cannot and should not borrow more than the federal maximum each year. That is $5500 the first year and $27K over four years. More than that and you’re going to find it impossible to pay off your loans because you’re paying so much in interest each month; consider too that you’re not entering the most lucrative of careers. </p>

<p>Each school has a deadline by which you can effect a “total withdrawal” and still have a shot at reclaiming some percentage of your tuition investment. So if you’re going to leave UWO, you need to know what that date is right away.</p>

<p>Another thing to note: if you dropped out now you would have to wait a year, but that is also time to save more money for college. </p>

<p>I don’t know what you should do here, but I can tell you that your guidance counselor at UWO can help you to work thru these options a whole lot better than any of us can thru this forum. Make an appt or three to speak with him or her soon.</p>