Starting College or Going Back

[MRD]

Thanks all. I don't want to give it up. I have really enjoyed being a student again. But I have to carry 12 hours in order to get financial aid and if I am working full time, I don't know that I can carry those hours. The other issue is that the classes I need are only offered in the daytime, so need a job that could work around that.

I appreciate all the kind words, but I am not sure what's going to happen yet, but I have to be prepared for all the possibilities and one is that I will have to quit school for now and go back to work full time.

What ever happens is going to happen. I am trying to learn to live with that philosphy. I don't have a lot of control over this situation right now.

And there is a distinct possibility I may move back to Florida. A job opened up in the field I used to be in, in the local office here where a friend works and she is trying to get me to come in and apply and interview for it. Not what I really wanted to do, but I can make decent money. Enough to support myself here.

But thanks all.

[Lil Bit]

I made the Dean's List!!

[MRD]

Yay! Way to go.

[just1paul]

Congratulations Lil Bit

[Stargazer]

Great job Lil Bit!

I had to register for classes today at CSU at a mandatory orientation for transfer students. There were two groups, the "adult learners" (aka old fogies like me) or "traditional" (teens and twenty-somethings). The problem is that I don't really fit into either group. They were taking the "adult learners" off to teach them how to use the library and their online accounts. Umm...just because you're 15 years out of school doesn't mean you're not computer savvy. Then they were talking to the kids about student life and dorms and junk like that. So I skipped out on half of it and went to eat lunch with hubby. I consider it their fault for not covering my niche.

[Gutmutter]

Congrats Lil Bit! You crack me up Stargazer. Perfect occasion for a Kindle. Go with the old fogies and read while they cover what you know. Of course lunch with hubby is even better.

[Stargazer]

God, I would have loved to have had a book with me, Gutmutter, electronic or no. The whole thing was as lame as those things typically are. The only useful component was that I was able to talk to my advisor and they gave us a tour of campus.

It is rather annoying sometimes that colleges don't seem to have any plan for nontraditional students like me. All the programs geared toward them are along the lines of, "learn to use a computer", "how to read a syllabus". Grrr. They act like we lose IQ points just because we've been out of school for awhile. Now granted, I know that some older people do not know how to use a computer and perhaps never went to college at all when they were younger. I understand they need that sort of assistance. But it would be nice for colleges not to treat all of us that way and assume that there's at least a couple that have kept up with technology and remember how to be a student. I guess that a nontraditional student like myself would have to organize their own community of like-minded individuals, but if a student is like me, they don't have time.

[schmoo2]

Back to discussing school as I am at a crossroads. I know it is a good one either way, but just looking for input.
History: I am 55 years old, and have had my own business for the last 8 years as a consultant/programmer for a specialized ERP/manufacturing system. I knew that the work would be drying up in the next few years because the company that owns the product (bought it 4 years ago) is trying to kill it off. Which worked good for me because it drove the support to me since they didn't want it. Busines has been good. But the recession hit mfg hard in this area, and as the business cut back, so did my work. So although still pretty good income, not nearly what it was and I'm still looking at it dropping off more when these companies move to the parent companies 'newer' products, or other systems.

so, I decided to go back to school, in accounting. I started in accounting over 30 years ago and life takes you where it does. But I love accounting, and I am tired of dealing with the latest/greatest and keeping up with the kids in programming, latest changes in computers (yeah, I know I'll still have to deal with it in accounting, but thats okay)

meanwhile, the plan was to work towards a bachelors degree in accounting , taking the preliminary gen ed courses at the local, very respected, community college. Cost and access to on-line classes and better schedules make it desirable. Then after I got through the AS (2year) I could go to the local state college, very respected in this area.

Now the glitch. I'm in my 3rd quarter at the 2 year level, and the professors have noticed me (guess getting perfect scores on the first few tests will do that?) - and they have informed me that I would be a candidate to go for the CPA with an associate degree. Which means switching over to loading up on the accounting courses on the front (which I really, really want to do) - but they do not transfer to the 4 year college I planned on. There are others in the area that will accept them, but this one has the reputation to get into big businesses in the area.

so, really considering going for the 2 year Accounting degree which will still probably take me about 4 years because I have to work - and going the CPA route. That is something I can always add to my business right away - and may be the best situation. Keep up some consulting/programmng and add in the CPA business. I think that will get me to a goal and a viable solution at my age that sticking it out for the 4 years may not add any value. Or if I want to, I just choose to go someplace else to finish it. But I am 55, and if 2 years takes me 4, 4 years may take me 8 and I just can't take that long to get into an income producing situation. The combination of a CPA and my business background should add up pretty well.

so I've pretty much decided what I am going to do, just looking for a little reassurance I guess.

[PWS]

That makes sense to me, schmoo---I mean your main goal for the accounting degree was the work, right? Is there a big difference in the type of work/payment for work for the 2 degrees? I know nothing about the field--in fact being a CPA sounds like a higher level of skill to me than a BA in accounting, which shows how little I know I imagine. So what would you gain from the accounting degree, other than the emotional satisfaction of being a BA? Is there a big monetary effect? It seems no, once you factor in that you might only be working another 10-15 years.
Also, nothing to stop you from working say, online, for a BA in another field once you are a CPA.

[canuckinchile]

My dad was a CA in Canada (same as a CPA), and I think this makes sense for you. I guess you just have to decide how much time you want to invest. You have to consider your health, long term goals, and when you want to retire. My dad was comptroller when he retired and then did contract work, which was easy to find. Good luck Schmoo! Either way, it sounds like you are doing really well, so congrats