going to college when you have kids

PinkandYellow

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 6:28 am

I have two little ones at home and I'm going back ot college in september. I was freaked out before but after reading this thread I'm evenmore so. I work part time (25 hrs a week) and will be doing college online. I am taking 3 courses, although I've been warned to take only two (esp im not the brightest, kwim). I need to take 3 to be considered full time in order to get full scholarship and go for free, cuz we can't afford it. dh knows he'll have to do more then he is doing now and I plan on cutting back on some of my work but still I'm so nervous. I'm accting major but not planning on going for my cpa.

zufriedene

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 6:38 am

I'm the type that doesnt miss classes and has to really be involved in order to succeed, read things over twice and trully concentrate in order to have reading comprehension. No way could I have done anything so major while the "kids"were growing up, that I also did with all my energy. so after 45 I took up academic studies, and I enjoy every minute of it.
But for those that can handle 10 things at a time , dont mind coming late to class or missing out altogether . go right ahead,In any case you'll need your dh to chip in with shopping, errands and keeping the house clean enough not to create a health hazard!!
I stopped polishing the silver, ironing shirts and baking kokosh cake. R U ready for all those necessities lacking???
I didnt really contemplate in advance and then just made the necessary changes when I realized I wasnt
.doing them anyway.
Good luck to all new students.

rexie

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 3:53 pm

rexie wrote:

Without doing a Masters, you can become a sonographer or graphic artist. I know someone in each of these 2 fields who have only bachelor degrees in these majors. I don't know if that is changing though.

I wanted to add to this. I was speaking on the phone today with my friend who is doing sonography. I have more information if you’re interested.
You need to commit for 4 years. For the first 2 years, my friend went to a community college and the last 2 years, completed her degree in sonography at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. In order to be admitted to Downstate, you need to have 60 credits first. Maybe you can do those 60 online. My friend did it at a community college because community colleges tend to have cheaper tuition. Certain classes must be completed as part of that 60 (sciences, psych, math etc.),. Go to the Downstate website for more info. According to my friend, the 2 years of sonography needs to be done at a college and not online because its very hands on, you do a lot of the classwork in a lab and in a medical setting.
On the Downstate website, it says the starting salary in NY for sonographers is $50,000.

Go here for more info:
http://www.downstate.edu/CHRP/dmi/index.html
On the left side, there are tabs to click on and look through.

Different areas to work in (from the site):
• Obstetrics-Gynecology
• Abdomen (liver, spleen, kidney, etc.)
• Echocardiography (heart ultrasound)
• Small parts (breast, scrotum, thyroid, and musculoskeletal)

BusyBeeMommy

Sun, Aug 03 2008, 8:50 pm

PinkandYellow wrote:

The laws are changing regarding working as an accountant with only a BA in 2009. A MA will be required then if you dont have a CPA so find out! I know cuz my neice is studying very hard to get her CPA so she wont have to get her MA.

BusyBeeMommy

Sun, Aug 03 2008, 8:58 pm

I looked a lot into the nursing field which is in high demand. If ur ready to commit, u can go to school full time for two years, which gets u an AS degree, take the NCLEX (certification test) and u become an RN and good to go! The starting salary with this degree is about $60,000 plus benefits inc. medical insurance for a FT job. The schooling is rigorous (sp?) and its full time for 2 years - but that's it!

Also, if ur motivated and u want to speed up getting ur degree in other fields, look into the Raizel Reit program AKA TTI. U can take chumash tests and navi tests and hebrew language tests that are really not hard and get credits for them! it's also much cheaper than regular college classes and it contributes to the 120 credits u need to get a BA.

Good Luck! LOL

gonewiththewind

Sun, Aug 03 2008, 11:08 pm

I went back to school for my MA when I had seven kids. You can do it, but you need to do it smart. There are more options than ever today, but you have to really do your homework beforehand to decide what is right for you. College is not for everyone, there are other options that can bring in money.

bobbe

Mon, Aug 04 2008, 2:06 pm

FYI, not al places of employment accept Raizel Reit degrees. I just did nursing school - a very tough 2 year associates degree. The 4 of us who were summa come laudes were all frum: the valedictorian has 3 little kids and she had a lot of help from her husband and sisters and, since she had to take a babysitter anyway, she took someone who cleaned for her. I'm not sure if she had cooking help or not. I was #2 with minimal help from my family, no cleaning lady, AND I married off a daughter in the middle of school. On the other hand, I started when my youngest was 11, and she did not have it easy. The other 2 are girls - very nice, sweet ones who need shidduchim. (I'm still a new poster, but I guess that last statement proves I belong here). I wish I had done it when I was younger, but it wasn't an option because of the lack of support. If you can recruit your husband and family to help, then just DO IT. And, unless you want to go on to higher education in which case your GPA does count, don't feel that you must get straight "A's." Remember the old riddle: What do you call someone who graduates from medical at the bottom of his/her class? Doctor.

anon

Mon, Aug 04 2008, 2:32 pm

happy2BaMommy wrote:

bobbe wrote:

FYI, not al places of employment accept Raizel Reit degrees.

Ironically the board of Ed will take this degree (as long as you are certified). A lot of the more modern orthodox, well paying yeshivas won't.

lol, that's because the frum schools know more about it. And the board of ed is understaffed.

octopus

Mon, Aug 04 2008, 2:38 pm

anon wrote:

lol, that's because the frum schools know more about it. And the board of ed is understaffed.

There are nothing wrong with these schools. If the state recognizes it, then who cares? I did excelsior college (correspondence college- the kind that Raizel rite ppl do) and went to touro for my Masters.
The well-paying schools want to see that you attended actual classes. As if actual classes prepare you for the classroom! Sorry, but only the actual classroom can prepare you for the classroom! And I know what I am talking about!

cassandra

Mon, Aug 04 2008, 3:27 pm

That's true with any field. What you learn in law school doesn't really help you as a lawyer, and what you learn in the first two years of med school doesn't really help you as a dr (ok, maybe the 5% of information you retain does on occasion.) It's all on the job learning. Yet, it still matters in these fields where you went to school. I guess it's a way of wheedling the applicants.

BusyBeeMommy

Mon, Aug 04 2008, 9:07 pm

bobbe, with a BA degree thru RR, u can go into probably most masters programs. The MA programs are what count when employers are looking to hire.

It's amazing that u did nursing school at ur stage of the game and I really admire you! DH is in nursing school now (the rigorous 2 year AS program u were talking about) and I know how hard it is. Incredible!
I have a BA in education but I switched my track and plan on getting my RN too. Was gonna go 2 full time school starting sept but I'm expecting #2 then so I cant. I will B taking pre-req. this year (A & P, Microbiology...) and I hope to start a 15 month program esp. for those w/ degrees in other feilds to get my BSN. I'm very nervous about it as I will have then a 9 month old and a two year old plus DH will B in full time school too. Really scarey but I feel the fast FT way is the way for me. I think it will B really tough to have 2 babies and B in FT school, but u really give me encouragement! Thank you!

Any tips?

ilovestrollers

Fri, Aug 22 2008, 3:33 pm

I started law school with a six month old. I went part time, so it took four years. Halfway through, I had my DD. It really was not too bad. I did not work at all, and money was very tight. Now B"H, I finally graduated, and will I"YH start working in a couple of weeks.

I basically studied about two solid weeks a semester, and lined up extra child care for those times. DH started law school a year after me, so sometimes we both had to study, and that was difficult. I did not get amazing grades, but did decently, and I passed, so that's whats important.

amother

Thu, Aug 28 2008, 11:51 pm

I started college when my first child was about 10 months and didn't stop until I got my master's in special ed - a total of of 4 1/2 years in Touro and two more children later. Once you start, I say don't stop. It was hard but worth it. I did take off summers. I thought classes were easier than online courses - less work at home and more interesting and motivating. You have to be very motivated to work at home and be able to tune out to whatever else is going on. In the master's program I did some courses online - one of them ( a computer course) took six hours a week of work. I prefer getting a babysitter and doing that in school. I found the touro boro park program reasonable.