Adult child going back to school

[Amethyst]

If you’re willing, please share your success stories of your child who got a degree in one thing, and went back to school for something completely different. 

[City Mouse]

Back in the 1990’s my sister , and her then husband, graduated with degrees in forestry. They quickly discovered that u less they wanted to work in the timber industry, that there were next to no forestry jobs that paid a living wage. The both eventually went back to school and became special education teachers.

[Lori D.]

As you can see from my signature, DS#1 falls under your question.

He first went to the community college and earned an AAS in digital film/video (and the AA for transfer).

He then transferred to a medium/smaller Christian LAC and earned a BA in a general Christian studies.

After not being able to land a job beyond entry-level food service with the AAS and BA (which he had thought to combine and work in media production for a Christian ministry), he did some career testing and narrowed down that his real strength and interest was Mechanical Engineering (which I have known since he was 2yo, lol).

He went back to the community college and knocked out the 2 years for the Eng. transfer program, and then transferred to the local big public university and completed his BS in Mech. Eng.

He has been working very happily for over a year now at the small local engineering firm that he started as an intern with while taking classes.

Pros:
- education is never wasted; his BA allowed him to explore personal interests in worldview, theology, and ministry, and he has been volunteering with youth ministry at his church for years now, since earning his BA
- he earned several scholarships, both at the CC and the LAC, which helped reduce costs, and he had no debt
- he is now doing what he loves, and will be able to continue to progress in his field, with a good salary/benefits

Cons:
- there is no financial aid help for a second Bachelor degree
- trying to work to pay for the second degree while taking classes was very hard on him physically, and he had no time for any kind of social life (all his time was spent either at work or school)
- it took him 4.5 years, plus 2 summers with intensive summer session classes, to complete the BS, as he couldn't manage more than 12-13 credits/semester what with working

Edited March 3, 2023 by Lori D.

[Kareni]

My daughter majored in Latin and minored in Geology as an undergrad. After graduation, she went to South Korea where she has been teaching English. Last fall, she completed a two year long online TESOL master's programme. TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Is this the sort of information you are looking for, @Amethyst?

Regards,
Kareni

[Tap]

Son earned:

17yo I think he was 1-3 classes short of an AA in science transfer package with a focus in chemistry

21yo BA in Theology and BA in Ministry

24yo MA in Ministry

27yo BS in Accounting. 

He is very math science gifted so started there. Ministry is his passion so he pursued an education there. He knows he needs to make money to support a family, and that is hard to do in the ministry, so he got an accounting degree. He is working on his CPA cert and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't go back for a degree in finance. 

[Heartstrings]

Not quite the same, but my husband started college for the first time at 30.  We had a mortgage and 1 kid, then 2, then 3.  He worked the whole way through.  Undergrad wasn't so hard, but graduate school with 3 kids was a hard couple of years for both of us.  He graduated at 40, got his masters at 42.  We'll have the student loans as a keepsake forever, but it all did mean a huge uptick in income.  I can't imagine where we'd be financially if he hadn't gotten his degree.  The jobs he had still pay the same as they did 15 years ago, but with inflation....   

[Harriet Vane]

9 hours ago, Kareni said:

My daughter majored in Latin and minored in Geology as an undergrad. After graduation, she went to South Korea where she has been teaching English. Last fall, she completed a two year long online TESOL master's programme. TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Is this the sort of information you are looking for, @Amethyst?

Regards,
Kareni

I'm interested in your daughter's TESOL programme. Which one? Do you have a link by chance? I'm interested in pursuing an option like this for myself. 

[Bambam]

I'll be watching this with interest. My oldest graduated with a BS in a science. Worked at a school lab and did research for a couple of years and now is applying to PhD (skipping masters) programs and one safety MS program (just in case others don't work out). Same science, single, and all these programs have funding, so we'll see how this works. 

[EKS]

I earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry over 30 years ago.  Since 2015 I have earned a master's degree in gifted education, another master's degree from an interdisciplinary humanities program, and am currently working on a second bachelor's degree in mathematics.  I may decide to get a master's in applied math afterwards.  Because apparently I'm insane.

All of this is to say that it can be done.

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

I graduated with degrees in philosophy and writing.  Then I became a paramedic after working in human services for a few years, as those were the only jobs I could get with my degree.   I earned a master’s in education and I do a lot of speaking and curriculum design.  But I also kind of want to stop being a paramedic soon, and I’m trying to figure out what to do. Getting my teaching certification and teaching would be a pay cut and I could no longer homeschool.  So I don’t know.

But I know very few people who work in anything related to their first undergrad degree. 

[LaughingCat]

I earned a BS in Biochemistry at normal age, worked in the field for 2 years, decided I was not interested the paths available to me, and went back (to different school) and got a BS in Computer Science.  Computer Science was a much better fit and I worked in the field for years before the children came along (and still working ~5 hour/week actually).

I only had to complete the required courses for the 2nd degree -- I did it half time over 3 1/2 years, working at a (different) biochemistry lab that knew what I was doing and allowed very flexible hours.

As a side note -- my parents, Mom especially, thought I was making a HUGE mistake and told me so in no uncertain terms--she actually apologized to me about the whole thing years later. 

 

[mom2scouts]

My DIL got a degree in education because everyone told her she'd make a great teacher. She taught for a few years and she was a great teacher, but she didn't enjoy it all that much. She went back to school and got a degree in computer science and now has a high paying job that she loves. Fortunately for her, her mom was a professor at the university and was able to get free tuition for her.

My son started at university, got deployed overseas by the National Guard, and when he came back he didn't finish the degree he started. He realized it wasn't what he wanted to do. A few years ago he went to a community college and then transferred to a university to use his GI Bill in a different area of study they he enjoys much more.

[Amethyst]

11 hours ago, Kareni said:

My daughter majored in Latin and minored in Geology as an undergrad. After graduation, she went to South Korea where she has been teaching English. Last fall, she completed a two year long online TESOL master's programme. TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Is this the sort of information you are looking for, @Amethyst?

Regards,
Kareni

Yes, this is the kind of information I’m looking for. 
 

I know people do it. I did it myself. I have a BS in Accounting before going back for dental school. 
 

My youngest has a degree in Biology and she is scheduled to start PA program in the fall after a gap year working in research. But she has always seen herself as a creative type and went into bio for the practicality of going into healthcare. But she wishes she had chosen differently. And I have a hard time telling her to go pursue art. As some of these examples have shown, people tend to go back for something practical after having first chose the impractical. So, I was sort of hoping someone would give me an idea of a career that is both creative AND practical. Lol. Does such a thing exist?

[KSera]

4 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

So, I was sort of hoping someone would give me an idea of a career that is both creative AND practical. Lol. Does such a thing exist?

Graphic design? Digital arts (like video game graphics and such). My artsy kids so far have gone with keeping the art as a hobby and not a job.

[freesia]

Just now, KSera said:

Graphic design? Digital arts (like video game graphics and such). My artsy kids so far have gone with keeping the art as a hobby and not a job.

Yes, graphic design is what I was going to suggest. 

[regentrude]

DD graduated in 2018 with BS in physics and in an interdisciplinary humanities majors.

Got a job. After a couple of years, she went back to school to get a MS in computer science (while working FT) and is now a software developer. 

[Arcadia]

Architecture school at my alma mater is filled with artistic people who didn’t mind creating aesthetic buildings. 
 

If she likes fashion, fashion merchandisers do have to have an artistic bend while knowing what appeals to their clientele. The ones we know also does the mannequins at the window displays so that people would be attracted to come in. 
 

My neighbor’s child is majoring in graphic animation which she loves. She is a freshman so no either about career paths. An ex-colleague works for Electronic Arts in Canada and is happy there. His PhD was in engineering but his job when I worked with him was in computer graphics similar to Star Wars movies level.

[klmama]

Amethyst, I can't count the number of incredibly talented people I know who majored in the arts and are now doing something else because they need to eat, pay rent/mortgage, and pay back student loans.  I also know several others, like your dd, who majored in something practical, got good jobs that covered all their expenses, and pursued their art as a hobby or side hustle.  Between the two groups, those seem to be the happier ones.  One young artist who went into CAD told me that being creative to meet someone else's requirements significantly diminished the pleasure of doing it for fun.  Just something for your dd to consider.  Before changing paths, it would be worth talking to people working in the proposed new field to find out how it has affected them. 

[Kareni]

3 hours ago, Harriet Vane said:

I'm interested in your daughter's TESOL programme. Which one? Do you have a link by chance? I'm interested in pursuing an option like this for myself

Her programme is through Lancaster University in England. I believe this is the correct link. 

I know that there have been changes since she went through the programme; I believe it split into two different areas of interest. If you have questions, I can pass them along to my daughter.

Regards,

Kareni

[Amethyst]

11 minutes ago, klmama said:

Amethyst, I can't count the number of incredibly talented people I know who majored in the arts and are now doing something else because they need to eat, pay rent/mortgage, and pay back student loans.  I also know several others, like your dd, who majored in something practical, got good jobs that covered all their expenses, and pursued their art as a hobby or side hustle.  Between the two groups, those seem to be the happier ones.  One young artist who went into CAD told me that being creative to meet someone else's requirements significantly diminished the pleasure of doing it for fun.  Just something for your dd to consider.  Before changing paths, it would be worth talking to people working in the proposed new field to find out how it has affected them. 

This is how dh and I think. Keep your art for yourself. Dh LOVES his woodworking hobby. But if he had to face deadlines and create pieces which he didn’t like, it would take all the joy out of his hobby. 

We have told dd to research different fields and get back to us. Medical artist program sounded like it would right up her alley, but she found that after a super expensive masters programs, there are maybe 50 jobs in the entire US. 

When in high school she wanted to be a fashion designer. Ok, go do the research research. She actually called someone in NY who talked with her. The woman liked her career but described it realistically. The hustle. The hours. The low pay. Dd chose against that. She wants work/life balance. 
 

I think dd still wants to pursue some kind of elusive dream career. When I tell her to get a job that pays well and has some flexibility so she can pursue her art during her own time, I feel like I big bad meany (and she lets me know that she thinks I am!)

Sigh. 

[73349]

For some people, there are so many interesting topics that it's possible to do a series of careers and hobbies, all of them interesting in their time. I have a family member who got a bachelor's in music and math, went into accounting and became a CPA but also studied computer security because it's interesting, then a couple of years ago walked away from the big corporation and became an EMT and then (mid-thirties) a paramedic. (Person also plays multiple instruments for fun, has changed religions, and speaks 3 4 languages. 🤷‍♂️) I have a similar bent, but it's not as obvious in my career to date as in other pursuits.

Edited March 3, 2023 by 73349
I forgot to count English.

[Frances]

1 hour ago, Amethyst said:

Yes, this is the kind of information I’m looking for. 
 

I know people do it. I did it myself. I have a BS in Accounting before going back for dental school. 
 

My youngest has a degree in Biology and she is scheduled to start PA program in the fall after a gap year working in research. But she has always seen herself as a creative type and went into bio for the practicality of going into healthcare. But she wishes she had chosen differently. And I have a hard time telling her to go pursue art. As some of these examples have shown, people tend to go back for something practical after having first chose the impractical. So, I was sort of hoping someone would give me an idea of a career that is both creative AND practical. Lol. Does such a thing exist?

I know so many people, including my husband, who are highly creative and artistic. At some point, most chose not to pursue art as a career, but rather as an avocation. Partly because they didn’t want the joy sucked out of their creative endeavors by turning it into a job and partly because they knew how financially difficult it would be to make it in the creative professions. I am surrounded by upper middle class people who have the time and money to pursue their art because they chose non-art well paying careers. I’d say about a quarter of my neighbors and friends fall into this group. I know my husband has never, ever regretted his decision to not pursue an artistic career, after having both art and STEM majors in undergrad. He doesn’t love his job, but he loves that it gives him the time and money to pursue his creative endeavors, financial security, travel, etc.

This probably isn’t what you want to hear, so I apologize in advance.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Frances

[Bambam]

4 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

This is how dh and I think. Keep your art for yourself. Dh LOVES his woodworking hobby. But if he had to face deadlines and create pieces which he didn’t like, it would take all the joy out of his hobby. 

We have told dd to research different fields and get back to us. Medical artist program sounded like it would right up her alley, but she found that after a super expensive masters programs, there are maybe 50 jobs in the entire US. 

When in high school she wanted to be a fashion designer. Ok, go do the research research. She actually called someone in NY who talked with her. The woman liked her career but described it realistically. The hustle. The hours. The low pay. Dd chose against that. She wants work/life balance. 
 

I think dd still wants to pursue some kind of elusive dream career. When I tell her to get a job that pays well and has some flexibility so she can pursue her art during her own time, I feel like I big bad meany (and she lets me know that she thinks I am!)

Sigh. 

I'm afraid we are in that category too. One of mine, the one with a BS in science, is very artistic. Won awards. But it is very hard to make a living in art, and if she had to do something to someone's else criteria, she would not like that at all. She needs a wealthy patron who would let her do whatever she wanted, but, alas, such a thing no longer exists, and there are bills to pay, etc. She did originally set out as a double major (art being the second major), but she really didn't enjoy the art classes several much - time restrictions, assignments, etc, so she decided not to pursue that. 

I would encourage her to keep researching to hopefully find a career that she can enjoy and it pays well enough she can be self-supporting. Both my dh and I are very practical people, and not really encouraging of non-practical/pie-in-the-sky dreams.  We also are not interested in funding another degree. If she wants this, this is hers to own and fund and follow and research. 

Mine has really enjoyed the research she has been involved with. Sometimes it takes time to find what you enjoy + can support you. Life can be tough. 

 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

My 20 year old self would hate me for saying it, but I was never going to pay the bills writing stories and poetry.  What I did find was a job that pays really well in my geographic area that allows me ample downtime and days off to read books, create and spend time with my family.

I still write. But while I have the creative writing degree, I wish I’d skipped that and done something practical from the start. 

[Amethyst]

2 hours ago, Frances said:

I know so many people, including my husband, who are highly creative and artistic. At some point, most chose not to pursue art as a career, but rather as an avocation. Partly because they didn’t want the joy sucked out of their creative endeavors by turning it into a job and partly because they knew how financially difficult it would be to make it in the creative professions. I am surrounded by upper middle class people who have the time and money to pursue their art because they chose non-art well paying careers. I’d say about a quarter of my neighbors and friends fall into this group. I know my husband has never, ever regretted his decision to not pursue an artistic career, after having both art and STEM majors in undergrad. He doesn’t love his job, but he loves that it gives him the time and money to pursue his creative endeavors, financial security, travel, etc.

This probably isn’t what you want to hear, so I apologize in advance.

@FrancesThis is exactly how I feel so need to apologize. In many ways you, and others here, are validating what I think.
 

It is just difficult seeing her struggle and yearn for something else. I want the magic wand that will make her happy and fulfilled and generously compensated in her career. 

[Hilltopmom]

My brother got a degree in Geology then worked as a hiking and rafting guide before guiding at a facility for incarcerated youth (hike vs jail). He was an EMT as well. 

He then went back to school for nursing when his kids were babies and has been an ER nurse, EMT director, & is now back to nursing in the ICU this time. (Yes- adrenaline junkie) 

Now he does his hiking and skiing as a hobby, but nursing pays the bills generously and allows a flex schedule to include time to ski, fish, hike and raise kids. 
 

 

[Faith-manor]

I am 54 and my BAs are in piano performance and music education. I am currently working on my degree in aerospace engineering taking one or two classes per semester. It is tough, and yet, also rewarding. But, I also have a high earning husband so I do not need to work full time while doing this. I doubt I would be able to manage that.

As much as I do not regret my original degrees, I can honestly say they were not practical for someone who ended up with motherhood trashing her musical career. I didn't know it at the time, and am glad so was able to pursue my passion. But they are really of no use to me these days other than the pure enjoyment of practicing new works just for my own self satisfaction.