March 18th, 2009
Last week, someone casually mentioned to me that this would be an ideal time to return to school full time to obtain the kind of degree that would allow me to do the job or have the career that I want rather than settling for what my current abilities will allow for in the job market.
Initially I dismissed the idea thinking that it just wouldn’t be financially possible for me to do that. Then over the weekend I started doing some research on the idea. After doing some math of course. The math worked out, much to my surprise so of course, I had to start researching what I would major in if I were to go back to school full time.
Let me first tell you, I’m not a very good student. I have to work extra hard not to be distracted, because I’ll be honest, it doesn’t take much to distract me, it’s not as simple as showing me shiny things but being a blogger, I am naturally distracted by the internet. As I write this, my internet is not up, I am only writing and yet the temptation is beginning to really wear me down.
So naturally, I have my doubts about being able to be a full time student. Successfully anyways. However, I have always felt that if I could finish a bachelor’s degree, I would have a lot to contribute so now that there is actually opportunity for such, I can’t exactly back away now and say, oh no, that’s not for me. Well, I could but then I’d be mad at myself forever.
So from the research I’ve done, it’s looking like the University of Texas at Arlington or Texas Wesleyan University might be the two leading, and closest, universities to offer a discipline like what I’d be after.
They both offer a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Communication Technology and I would minor in Journalism. Wesleyan is actually my boss’ alumni college, his eldest sons’ and a current associate attorney, and a former attorney’s so that’s one thing in Wesleyan’s favor. But they still can’t beat UTA.
The University of Texas at Arlington is actually my first choice and that’s because I’ve attended classes there before, I know the campus fairly well, or at least the buildings where I had classes, and the big bonus is that tuition would be free for me because I make less than $65,000.00 a year. I make WAY less than that. 
I’m so in.
Here’s why this is something I’m seriously considering. I don’t want my son to start life like I did. In debt. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but from the moment I found out I was pregnant with my little guy, I’ve wanted to give him every advantage I could, and this is just one more of those that I’d like to give him.
If I am successful, my son will be the first of my mother and fathers’ children and grandchildren to go to college, finish college and go forth with a degree, that was actually paid for by his parent. I would like for my son to start life fresh, with a degree and a clean slate. I’ll take out loans, work a second job, whatever I have to do to facilitate his college career being as unadulterated as possible with work and worry about money. Sure, he’ll work – but not like I’ve had to during school. I’d like him to work for play money while his mom handles the expenses, so that his mind can focus on what’s important, the education.
So am I going? Common sense points to yes, finances point to yes, the economy even points to yes. This is still a fairly new idea to me, ideally I’d go this fall, or the fall of 2010, in order to be finished before my son graduates from high school. I still need to think about it some.
If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
