Considering a life changing change and unsure if I am making the right choice.

Wandering Hero

Just some background, I dropped out of college after 2 years with 30 credits I can transfer when I was 21 years old. I am now 26 and working at a small University in the Financial Aid department. I am on a salary of 31k a year.

I just interviewed for another position at the University. I have not gotten a response on if I got it or not but I seemed like a perfect candidate and the interview went well. It is not salary, it is hourly (the reason they gave this is because it is a semi-IT position and salary in those positions abused the employees with overtime). It will be the same pay or even perhaps slightly higher.

On the other hand, a big part of me wants to start looking for a more flexible job outside the organization (none inside is flexible enough) and I want to start going to college again which is an hour away. I would need to sustain part time or even full time job to pay rent. I would like to get my bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I will have to complete the SAT again to be admitted I believe and I am currently studying for that.

I feel that I could complete my degree in 2-3 years of hard work and it would drastically raise the amount of money I am making.

I currently live with a girlfriend going to school at the same college.

It's a complicated situation and I am not sure if I am doing the right thing or if there are any options I am not seeing.

Thank you for your help.

Radiation

Are you going to a really good name recognized school? At some point it isn't so much the school as you just having the degree, and who you know, and sometimes the certs.

Wandering Hero

Not particularly, no. University of West Florida. It is not an amazing well known school, but it is a regionally accredited school.

That matters to me, as I could go to school at my current job and get a huge discount (90%), but it's a generic "Information Technology" degree and it is only a nationally accredited for-profit institution.

I can't be too picky, as I do not believe due to my past performance I would be accepted to a very good school, nor does my current situation allow me to move somewhere to go to a better school.

zepherin

Here is something that should be posted on every guidance coucilers door.

Hr personnel see 100s of resumes for each position and do very little research into each school.

They prioritize the school they went too. Then schools they've heard of. Then pretty much any other accredited school. Some companies have expensive hr software that sorts and categorizes schools. Most have someone trying to go through as many resumes as possible to avoid staying late on Friday.

Radiation

Yes, that's what I was getting at. Even some shit online school, or one that works with your current U that has some level of distance learning might be better both for your schedule and goals.
I'm currently going to UMUC, which has worked really well with my schedule.
After your first job, the experience will trump the school anyways.

Wandering Hero

I've considered that. Unfortunately, the online school available does not have an engineering degree. I don't think I could get the same jobs I want with an Information Technology degree as opposed to a Computer Engineering one.

I'd essentially be looking at paying less money now, staying in a secure job now, not making this big scary change now, for making less money in the long run I feel.

I'm just trying to realize how realistic it is to work a part or full time job and still try to go to school an hour away.

Cauld

I work a full time job and go to school about an hour from my home. I seem to be good at it, but my work is somewhat flexible and I'm not driving. Also, my work is near my school. I've tried going back to school before this time and I never really stuck with it. The thing that really changed is my attitude. Before I was enduring school, but now I kind of enjoy it, and I have a much more 'get it done' approach then I've had before. Unfortunately, undergraduate classes tend to be less friendly to the full-time work schedule.

If I were you I would find out if there's any classes at the place you work that would transfer to the place you want to go. Take those first, since they're cheaper and more convenient. If you find out that you don't like school or don't want to do it you'll lose less. Otherwise the motivation of being closer to completion might help out once you finally transfer/go to the other school.

Insanekitten

I guess you have to ask yourself do you really enjoy what you're doing now, or do you want something else, something better?

I think deep down you know what you really want to do and that you really ought to just do it, so maybe to assuage your fears about taking the plunge you should sit down and crunch out some numbers to see if you're comfortable with the upcoming finances - such as how much it costs for you to live comfortably right now, what you've got in your savings, how much you would have to work to earn what you need to get by, and whether you'd be able to cut down on areas of your budget to help you get through schooling.

It might also be hard commuting to a school for 2 hours roundtrip, but if you're committed enough you will see it through! Also have you considered options that would ease this such as moving a bit closer to the school? Would it be possible for you to talk to your work and see about arranging telecommuting part time? Maybe sitting down and brainstorming some ideas to each of the problems/issues you can foresee in undertaking this venture may help you figure out if you truly want to and can do this and to take steps to seeing about making it happen.

radroadkill

(I'm not sure I have much advice to offer but I was surprised to see someone at UWF. It's where I went! Small forum!)

Terrendos

My advice to you is that getting a degree in engineering is going to be tough when you're also working. I'm not saying it can't be done; my Dad did it, and several of my friends did too. I would not count on 2 years, though, even with 30 credits to transfer. I think 3-4 is a more feasible goal. It's been 5 years since you took any of those classes, and I'm assuming they'd be relevant to an engineering degree (calculus, etc.) Everything in engineering builds upon earlier classes, so you're going to have an especially difficult time at first because I promise you won't remember everything you learned 5 years ago. You may end up needing to retake a few of those classes.

To some extent, it's going to come down to your level of dedication, and your natural talent. You're going to need at least one of them.

Radiation

What jobs are you hoping to get after your CE?
Or what field are you looking to get into?
If you arent sure, you may be better suited to go with the IT degree, and spend your time and money on honing the skills you will need to get you into your dream job.

DevoutlyApathetic

Does your place of employment do Associate Degrees? It may be a good idea to get a degree to your name for cheap, get practiced in juggling school and work and knocking out the basic classes you're going to take at either place. This is somewhat dependant upon the school you're transferring into counting most of your associates work from the for profit school but not entirely.

Also I'd be surprised if you have to retake the SAT's as an adult learner. Adult learners (which you are now) get treated completely differently than kids coming out of high school. This and if they'd recognize the associates degree are things you should take about with them, they likely have some sort of recruitment department.

Fake Edit: The site seems to classify you as a "transfer" student and while they want SAT scores you can just get the College Board to send them to the new college. They keep those scores going back decades.

Wandering Hero

Thank you for your help everyone. I really do appreciate it. I'm exploring my options at the moment and talking with admissions. I will provide updates when I can.

Enc

I'm an advisor in the Florida university system, and one of the nice things about most full time positions with the public schools is that they 1) have to provide a minimum of 6 credit hours a semester for two semesters a year for free (for USPS and A&P positions, but not OPS). Also, most employers within the state system are encouraged to promote educational advances with their employees (and this is part of why the system awards us so much Annual Leave time each pay period, to mitigate class time absences).

You need to get in touch with UWF's HR department, asap, especially if that position you applied for is OPS. In many cases you also lose your insurance (which the state BCBS system provides is worth another 10k a year easily) as OPS positions typically are without benefits.