myloveisasailor Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 So, I am about to be 34 (in may) and i stay at home and DS is my full time job. he's an only so he really does seem full time. I am passionate about computers and technology and it has come up in the past couple of days about me going back to school (online) to get a bachelor's in IT. In the past, I had issues even getting his school work done with him due to IBS, but i am on a medication now that is working so I'm feeling great! My husband is also in school and just started work on his bachelor's degree. Our house isn't gross by any means, but it definitely gets messy, and things (especially laundry!) do fall to the wayside sometimes. My son is happy and played with though and that is most important to me. So, am I crazy to consider trying to better myself with education? :) Thanks everyone!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Definitely not crazy! Go for it - the sooner the better. Life is too short to pass years by wondering what we could have done. When you find something you want to do and finances allow, do it! Messy houses are fun houses. Dust bunnies make great pets. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Nah. Set your son up on code.org and he can do his IT homework while you do yours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I'm in college now, but my son was older when we started. I also have an only and we homeschooled from first grade through graduation. I would consider how your schedule will work, would you take online classes? In person? I assume you are homeschooling now, would you continue to do so? In other words, how would you balance your time? Housework? Mine tends to vary as ds is in college too and still living at home. I'm a single parent though, so less pulls on my time housework and meal wise, and cleaning tends to get put off more. I gave up caring too much. :coolgleamA: As for college, I find it to be extremely rewarding. Homeschooling my son has made me a better college student. Would I have started sooner if I could have? I don't know. I enjoyed the early years of homeschooling, ds and I have a very close relationship because I was able to devote so much time to his upbringing and education. I certainly could have made time for school if necessary, but I didn't feel the urge back then. Only you can really say if it's right for you. Could you start part time and see how it goes? I know quite a few mothers of young children at my school. They are doing well and most have pretty defined parameters about how they shape their education - such as credit hours and balancing online and/or in person classes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I went back to school in May 2015 through Utah State online. I'm doing a 2nd bachelor's half-time so it will take me 6 semesters rather than 3. USU charges per credit so it doesn't cost me any more tuition to go PT rather than FT. I don't see any IT degrees offered through USU online but here are some schools that do: Arizona State https://asuonline.asu.edu/online-degree-programs/undergraduate/bachelor-science-information-technology University of Maryland: http://www.umuc.edu/it/index.cfm I would make sure that whatever school you decide to go through is a respected non-profit one because you don't want to spend money on a degree that employers won't value (my last employer had a policy where HR automatically screened out any resume listing a for-profit college for positions requiring a degree). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I'm 50 this year, and I started back to school. You can do it! I work in higher ed, and before you sign on for an online degree, please please please do a lot of research. If you can get an online degree through a state university, I'd suggest that route. Be extremely careful of proprietary (and sometimes predatory) online "universities". Many have come under fire lately from the feds due to fraud. And most are very expensive, even if they do offer financial aid. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I will be 53 in June and finishing up me 2nd BS this summer, starting grad school in the fall. My husband is also in school. OUr youngest is now 11 but was 9 when I started back and I love it. Make sure you can be okay with a few dishes in the sink or a house that isn't Good Housekeeping clean :) We keep ours neat and uncluttered but deep cleaning...eh...it gets done when it needs it. You mentioned your age but you are young :) And to quote Sophia form the Golden Girls...when she mentioned going to law school and Dorothy commented that she would be 96 when she got out...she said "I'll be 96 anyway!" :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 You can totally do it, but I would consider what you want to do with the degree. Degrees in IT get out of date if you don't use them, and getting IT and tech jobs part time without a strong expertise can be tricky. Do your research to figure out whether this timing makes sense. If I were suddenly widowed, I would move in with my parents (or possibly stay put and get a nanny...), put my kids in school full time, and do a 9-month intensive become-a-developer program. I already have a bachelors of science, but it is old, so I would hope to refresh that way. Though I'd love to pursue something now, I don't think there would be career options open to me that would fit with our current lifestyle. If you just hope to better yourself and have that piece of paper, then this may be a great time. Emily 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Yes but do be sure that your degree is earned through a school with a good reputation in the IT world. There are lots of online degree factories out there, not all are respected but they'll still take your money! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I don't think it's a bad idea at all. I would consider degrees vs working afterwards. Are you wanting to go back to work after getting your education? If not, consider if the degree will be too old when you decide to go back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 If I were suddenly widowed, I would move in with my parents (or possibly stay put and get a nanny...), put my kids in school full time, and do a 9-month intensive become-a-developer program. I already have a bachelors of science, but it is old, so I would hope to refresh that way. FYI, I just read an article warning about the pitfalls of those "boot camps". https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/03/17/why-students-are-throwing-tons-of-money-at-a-program-that-wont-give-them-a-college-degree/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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