Career advice

[badass88gt]

So here's my story. Ive been thinking alot lately about going back to school. A little background, next month I will be 36 years old. Right now I am working in a paper mill type factory in the warehouse. I work 12 hour shifts, 14 days a month. Most of my days off are weekdays, I only get 1 full weekend off every month and I am really starting to hate it because of all the things I am missing out on with working weekends.

Here in town we have a Rasmussen College campus and they offer 100% online courses and I was thinking of going for a 2 year degree in the web design/development field, I believe they call it an Information Specialist Management Associate degree. I already talked to the people at the school and it will come to about $40K by the time I'm done including everything.

My job right now pays me well (for this area), about $42K/year. I can do the online schooling while I still work because I do get so many days off, but how does a guy decide if its worth it? That is a shit ton of money to spend on school, and I dont know if after earning a degree, would I be any better off?

I guess what I'm looking for is some advice on how to weigh the pros & cons, any personal experiences with a similar move, etc.

Thanks for anything you can contribute. ~~Danno

[Al]

I think you should look at a variety of schools. Go and check out UW Marathon county first. The UW system will cost far less than Rasmussen due to all of the scholarships and grants available. There are 2 year programs in the UW system. Also, you could choose to transfer into a 4 year college at a later date if all goes well.

I have heard a few bad things about non-accredited colleges. A friend of mine when to the PC pro college advertised on the radio and found out after graduation that his degree was not nationally recognized.

Your 42k/year income puts you right at the per-capita income level of the US yet also puts you around the 70-75th percentile in income. In other words, you are doing well.

BTW- at the end of my 4 year degree, my total bill is $24k after all of the schollarships and grants I recieved.

[badass88gt]

I edited because I added my age, in case it helps or anyone cares.

[Crawlin]

Dan,

I'm 29 and turning 30 in July. I am almost finished my first year of full-time schooling. It is totally worth it and I am so happy that I went. When I graduate from MSOE, I will probably be making half of what I was making in the car business, BUT with a shit ton less stress and more time for a family and a more rewarding experience.

As for what you are looking in to, that's a totally your decision type thing. I like computers, I like being online, but I realized that there are a TON more people ALOT more interested in that stuff than me. And kids nowadays are brought up around that stuff so much that some of them could do the job right out of high school that you'd be applying for with that degree. You have to look at that unfortunately. You'll get some age discrimination I'm sure. They might take someone younger because they might be willing to accept less money.

Is this program something you are truly interested in, or is it because you think there is a huge demand for it? You are right if it's the huge demand aspect, but realize that there are probably a crap ton of kids graduating too from that school, from Fox Valley Tech. College, from the UW-system schools that will be competing for that same job.

Is there anything else you like? I'm not saying sway away from it, I'm just saying weigh all options. Some of those schools have some neat "specific training" type courses. I thought I saw some criminal investigation type ones.

[JC70SS]

I like crawlin went back this semester, my second time around at UWM. Want nothing to do with my first major I completed in '99. Now I am going for an accounting degree and a CPA. Tons of jobs with big pay. I hate my job, in a nd out all day long and all night long, Satardays, spoiled brat kids. BTW I am 33.

[PureSound15]

I like crawlin went back this semester, my second time around at UWM. Want nothing to do with my first major I completed in '99. Now I am going for an accounting degree and a CPA. Tons of jobs with big pay. I hate my job, in a nd out all day long and all night long, Satardays, spoiled brat kids. BTW I am 33.

Good call. My father in law is a CPA and has done incredibly well for himself.

Danno I think you should look to the UW-system, too. It's very true that you'll end up earning higher pay just for having a degree (2 or 4) no matter what the subject matter. A degree shows that you're trainable, and have some initiative.

I think the web site stuff is neat, but how many website design firms are there in Wausau, WI? Or would you start you own?

I'd look at the job market there and find out if there is a job that you'd enjoy, and a degree that would help you get that job.

What's wrong with the side cash that mike is paying you to flex in front of him for hours at a time?

[TraceDaddy]

$40K seems awful steep. It will cost my daughter $20K per year at UW and that includes housing. I'd agree with Al. Look around a little.

[Rocket Power]

$40K seems awful steep.
I agree I spent less than half that on my associate degree and I took 14 more credits than I needed for my degree. Going back to school was way worth it, even though I was working fulltime and going to school fulltime (18 credits each of the last two semesters). Look into a tech college near you too, alot of time you can transfer to a four year after you get your Assoc. BTW I'm 38 and was 37 when I graduated

[fivonut]

40K for a two year degree is robbery!!! My 2 years in Electronic Engineering tech cost me $24K and I found out I got robbed at that amount. I got my EET in 99. Last Jan. I went back to get a BS in Management (that joke writes itself). Personally I think any field that involves computers or electronics right now is too flooded due to school like ITT, Phoenix, and Devry pumping out kids with 2 year degrees. You'll likely find yourself $40K in the hole and making less than you do now.

I have a friend who has nothing more than a HS diploma and makes more than I do after only 6 months on his job. He's working for a union shop. Talk about a kick in the balls!!

[Crawlin]

he was saying he was MAKING 40k/year, not that the school cost that. atleast that's what I got out of it, haha

Dan, also look into scholarship/grant opportunities that are available for older students.

I just got my financial reward letter in the mail from MSOE. I have 27k out of the 30k/year it is taken care of in grants/scholarships/loans. VERY little is the loans that don't have to be paid for until AFTER you graduate anyways. So for a whole year, I just need to come up with $3000 out of pocket and books.(which have averaged about 400/trimester so far.

I agree with fivonut about the amount of kids being pumped out. It's what I was trying to get at earlier post.

The old g/f was trying to get a job in dec. of '09, and she has her finance degree and a masters in finance too. Got VERY lucky with a hookup but otherwise was SOL in the job market. The headhunters/recruiters all had said that if she had any accounting background they could have placed her right away. Might be a bit boring? But you'll have to decide yourself of supply/demand type jobs you are wanting to get into!

[Rocket Power]

he was saying he was MAKING 40k/year, not that the school cost that. atleast that's what I got out of it, haha



I already talked to the people at the school and it will come to about $40K by the time I'm done including everything.

[Lash]

http://finance.yahoo.com/college-education/article/109081/in-hard-times-lured-into-trade-school-and-debt

[pOrk]

That school is a scam, GO BACK TO SCHOOL but NOT there.

[TraceDaddy]

Maybe something like PC Pro?

[xxsn0blindxx]

Maybe something like PC Pro?

Do NOT do PC Pro. Be wary of any school that advertises as much as they do and makes big claims about the money you will make afterwords. Like others have said, find a reputable tech or UW school. Honestly web development is a crowded field to get into unless you're getting into the back end programming side of it and even that is tough to get a job in right now. IT spending is down right now and isn't projected to rebound for at least a year and then all the unemployed, experienced guys are going to get hired first.

[94greenbandit]

I would definitely look into the UW schools. I got my EET from ITT a while ago and for what you pay and what you get isn't worth it. Plus a lot of these Technical schools, their credits don't transfer to traditional schools if you are looking for doing a graduate degree in the future

[fivonut]

I would definitely look into the UW schools. I got my EET from ITT a while ago and for what you pay and what you get isn't worth it. Plus a lot of these Technical schools, their credits don't transfer to traditional schools if you are looking for doing a graduate degree in the future

Exactly!! The school I'm going to now would not take my ITT credits. ITT tells you they are accredited but they don't tell you it's only a national accreditation. Most school have and require national and regional accreditation before they will accept credit transfers. Biggest mistake I ever made was going to a school like ITT.

[Lash]

Maybe something like PC Pro?

Read the link in post #12

[Crawlin]

he was saying he was MAKING 40k/year, not that the school cost that. atleast that's what I got out of it, haha



I already talked to the people at the school and it will come to about $40K by the time I'm done including everything.


So much for reading comprehension, haha

[97z2801ss]

I go to school at WCTC costs like 2500 a semester, I love going to class its cool to meet new people and afterwords Ill enjoy what I am doing... for a career

[badass88gt]

A major problem is with my work schedule I cant do a classroom setting because of swing shifts.

[lordairgtar]

A web developer with 1-4 years of experience can expect an average salary of just over $37,000, while someone with 5-9 years of experience might receive as much as $60,000 pay.

[badass88gt]

Yeah, I'm finding that it may not be worth it, I will probably try and learn the stuff just as a hobby and see where that takes me.

[Gregor]

So you work days and nights? You can be a part time student while you work. If your hours stay the same but your days shift.

MSOE is worth it in the end. And there are a bunch of places that hire on that alone. But the cost is very expensive. And the courses are a bitch.

I was going to start school at Gateway Technical College in electrical engineering. Get my ASSOC And then transfer my credits to MSOE. And get a BS in clinical engineering. This would cost me about 30k in school and get me a job in Clinical engineering Which is about 50-60k a year.

[badass88gt]

I work 12 hours, either days or nights, 6:30-6:30. Last week I worked Th,F,Sat,Sun nights. This week I work Th,F,Sat days. Next week I work M,T,W nights. The week after I work Sun,M,T,W days, etc etc etc.

[jamest]

Here is a great site by the Dept. of Labor. It provides some insight into careers, required education and job prospects.
http://www.bls.gov/oco/

[moels]

Dan, just go back to being a Chippendale. You were making great money doing that weren't you?

[badass88gt]

Yeah but my weiner got sore and I didnt like the colors it would get after a show.

[SSLEVO]

You may struggle to make the 42k you are now a year until you get some experience. That will suck at first but you will be working normal hours and probably will have the weekends off like a lot of us. Hell, its hard enough making more than 50k with a full blown 4 year engineering Degree in this economy, at least with my 2 years of experience.

[Crawlin]

if you are wanting to do some online courses, atleast then check with the UW system type schools as to which transfer.

here at MSOE we actually have a website we can look on and see what specific class is accepted for credits for one of our classes. I didn't want to be in school as long as I would have been this semester, so I looked online and found that certain classes from MATC online and upper iowa and university of pheonix online were able to be transferred for my microeconomics class. So now I can take those online, and the requirements are pretty lax on what your requirements are, but i'm sure the "homework" is still the same.

So definitely check into the transfer stuff for maybe the local tech area schools and think beyond that.

I'd rather make $5k LESS per year and have a set schedule that allows me to have all weekends home with my family than to make that extra dough.

[TraceDaddy]

Read the link in post #12

Read link in this post. http://www.linkedin.com/in/larrydreifke

PC Pro is just one of obviously dozens of options. The New York Times story focuses more on the dubious marketing practices of various schools rather than the benefits students can derive. I don't think that's unique to for-profit schools. I constantly have software vendors and consultants that over-promise what they can do. It's up to me to separate the wheat from the chaff. (And I'm sorry, but Culinary Arts is rarely a high paying field. You do that for the love of it. The same can be said of auto body.)

As far as my experience, I attended PC Productivity, though many years ago, and it opened doors for me. I won't discount the possibility that their business practices may have changed over time. (I don't even know if PC Productivity and PC Pro are one and the same.) I will say that I applied my previous experience to my new career path so I didn't have to start on the bottom rung of the ladder.

I'm also on the ITT Advisory Committee. Was does that mean? Not a whole lot. I have no vested interest in the school. (I do have an ITT coffee cup and thumb drive.) Never even attended a class. I'm just one of dozens of real world managers they call upon to review curriculum and give direction on what is important to hiring managers TODAY. They just want to know what we are looking for in candidates. I'm sure many schools do this. My point would be, yes they are in the business to make a profit, but they will do much better in that regard if they have happy, successful, placed graduates in the field.

Every student's return on investment is going to be different. Going in with your eyes open is the key. A degree, from anywhere, is not going to get you a job. How you apply it, and yourself, will. I currently have 3 groups and 4 developers in Web Dev specifically. Before I interview, I do look at education. I don't believe I've ever dismissed a candidate though based on what school they attended as long as it was relevant. I have dismissed them based on experience and interviews. You're looking to get into a fast-changing technical field. If I ask you a technical question I either expect a direct answer or a poised response on how you would research one. Any curriculum you complete in IT will be obsolete in 3-4 years. After that I need to know you can continue to learn. I also want to hear about how you used what you learned in school to address a business need.

Good luck in your search. It's good to hear you're looking to take charge of your own happiness rather than bitching about how life isn't fair and it's everyone elses fault why you can't get ahead. Be careful in your decision and don't be afraid to ask questions. It's your money.

[wrath]

I suggest you do some research, polling family and friends, about their careers to see what you want to do.

Some jobs just don't pan out for the cost of schooling.

Historically, most jobs pay 1/3 of what they are billed out as. So if you can find out how much a company farms their work out for you can then figure out about how much the average employee makes.

Graphic design is a classic one that gets severely abused. Usually you end up working for a company that bills your time out at $125/hr but you will likely see less than $20/hr of it. Web design is another career in which companies abuse.

You need to carefully think about going down an education path in which you accrue more than 1 year's salary worth of student loans.

And you really need to be careful of which school you go to if you ever plan on leaving the state. There is only one school in the State of Wisconsin anyone has heard of outside of Wisconsin... and that would be University of Wisconsin Madison. If you're a college sports fan you have heard of Marquette but that's about it. No MSOE, no UW-Milwaukee, no Cardinal Strich, no Carroll, and definitely no PC Pro School.

DeVry, ITT, Kaplan, Phoenix... all universally referred to as WEFB (why even farkin' bother) everywhere. They're fine for continuing education but they tend to be degree mills because you can easily skate through your educational career without trying very hard.

And make sure if you're doing anything engineering or technology related that the school is ABET accredited and not on suspension.