Posts Tagged ‘masters degree’
Posted by Jeff Davis on March 4th, 2009
To procrastinate or not to procrastinate? That is the question. College is not easy whether you attend online or on campus. But then again, is it really supposed to be? It is just one class after another and deadlines to meet and class participation and both group and individual assignments. Whew! It is a procrastinator’s worst nightmare! Lucky for me that I do not fall into that category.
One thing about the online classroom environment and flexibility is that they tend to go hand in hand. My online classes at the University of Phoenix were very flexible in my opinion. They allowed me to get my work done ahead of time when I had family or work commitments and we all know how life can often get in the way of pursuing our goals. Although I liked the flexibility that was provided, it might not be suitable for just anyone. There were often times when it was difficult to stay on focused and on track, but I managed and without missing out on the important things in life. Yes, there were some last minute assignments and many a sleepless night but it was all worth it in the end.
This is one online school where deadlines had to be met. The class syllabus always informed the students of all due dates for assignments from the very beginning on the first day of class. I always appreciated this so that I could better manage and schedule my time between work, family, and school. If I knew of a family obligation coming up, then I could simply make sure that my class work was done ahead of time.
It used to be that the University gave us one week off between each class and I liked this because it allowed me to regain my sanity, if only for a brief time. Unfortunately, that has ended now and there are no breaks between classes. When one class ends, a new one begins the very next day. Working on my Master’s degree, I am used to this schedule now and actually glad about it since it will allow me to graduate a few months earlier than it would have previously. If you gain nothing else from your online experience, you will gain a new appreciation for time management.
Tags: flexibility, flexible, masters degree, online classes, online classroom environment, Online college, online experience, procrastinate, Time Management, university, University of Phoenix, UoP
Categories: Flexibility of Online Programs, Student Voices
When I decided to return to school, I knew that I would have to go into more debt to do it. I looked for a school that was reasonable in terms of cost, but that was still about $1000 a month for school. That was money I didn’t have, so student loans were again necessary.
I had worked while going to school for my bachelor’s degree, but wound up taking student loans to supplement my lifestyle. I think the same thing happened with my master’s degree. While my employer paid 75% of the cost, I still took some student loans. I hadn’t planned to pursue my PhD at that time, so I thought I would just pay off the balance as I progressed in the workplace.
The limits for the federal student loans do go up as the type of the degree increases. So I knew the limit for Stafford Loans was about $140,000. I am pretty close to that limit at this point. Now that I’m nearly at the end of my degree program, my cost is reduced to approximately $1000 per quarter and I pay that out of pocket.
I know I should have looked for scholarships, but there just wasn’t time. Also, there didn’t seem to be as many scholarships targeted toward my demographic, field of study, or degree level. I also didn’t think my school provided many resources for financing - they basically presented the bill and expected the student to figure it out.
Knowing what I know now, I do wish I had been more fiscally responsible and minimized my loans (and my lifestyle). I am now still in deferment, but make small payments each month to help bring this balance in line before I graduate.
Going back to school was a big decision for me. I decided that it was a good time to start - I was in my late 20’s, no kids, no significant other, life was easy. I wanted to finish school before my life got too complicated. While that sounds very neatly packaged, I had several fears about returning to school. Could I do the work? Could I balance the schoolwork with my work and social life? Could I afford it? Would I stick with it? What happens if I’m not good at it? I had to work through each of those quesitons (and still do have to work through them) as I am still working on my degree.
Could I do the work? I think we are all afraid of failure to some degree. While I enrolled in a PhD program, I wasn’t sure I was ready. My master’s degree program came relatively easy for me - I got a 4.0. One reason I selected the school I enrolled in was because they graded on a Pass/Fail basis. That meant I didn’t have to strive for the A’s, but could do the best I could and likely would pass. That took some of the stress off.
Could I balance the schoolwork with my work and social life? While I was working on my courses, I took every opportunity to do my schoolwork. I read chapters during my lunch at work. I often stayed late at work to post or write papers (I was more focused at work and tended to slack off - oops, I mean become less disciplined - when I got home. I found that discipline was the most important key to success. My social life took a hit, but I tried not to lose too much of that. I didn’t want to miss out on all the fun - then being in school might have been too much for me.
Could I afford it? Money was a big challenge. It was costly to return to school and I wasn’t making a lot of money. I took out students, but I knew that if I did that for the whole degree, I would run out of available loan money. I have always paid my way through school and wasn’t going to start asking for handouts for this degree. I did eventually move in with my best friend to save on some living costs - that was a huge help!
Would I stick with it? Honestly, this was where the discipline came in. My track record has been, if it gets tough, get out. Why put myself through the pain if there was an easier way out. It has continued to be a long, challenging road, but I am determined to finish. I want those letters (PhD) after my name!
What happens if I’m not good at it? This was another major hurdle. I did not get a lot of feedback on the quality of my work. I thought it was good, but was it PhD level? I really didn’t find out for sure until I completed the Comprehensive Exam and was successful. That was my validation that I was good at this. Too bad that came after several years of classes.
I’m still afraid - but now I’m afraid of not finishing. I’ve put a lot of time, money, sweat, and tears into this pursuit. I think if I stopped now, I’d be letting myself down as well as those who have supported me. So I must persist. It’s still scary, but it’s doable.
Posted by Jen Zeman on September 21st, 2008
Graduate school seems like a logical progression once you achieve your undergraduate degree. However, the reality is graduate school does not have to be the next step in your life and you have to ask yourself honestly, “Is grad school right for me?”
I recently had to ask myself that very question and the truth, at first, seemed hard to bear. I’m currently in a career field where, realistically, a master’s degree is not required to achieve advancement to within a significant salary level. However, I felt that grad school was a logical progression and reasoned that I should have my master’s degree. My reasoning? I believed people looked upon those with a master’s degree more favorably based upon the rigor demanded by graduate school and that a master’s degree would automatically open more doors for me (whatever those doors may be). I decided that I really had no desire to earn a master’s degree in the business field (which my employer would pay for), but instead insisted that if I was going to complete a master’s program, it would be in a program that I would enjoy. So I applied and was accepted into the online liberal studies program at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. I reasoned with myself that if I handled taking three undergraduate courses a semester while working full-time, I could easily handle two grad courses a semester.
The day the fall semester began I reviewed and re-reviewed the syllabi for both classes. Suddenly, my heart was filled with fear versus enthusiasm. The reading alone for one of the courses would easily consume twenty hours a week. I realized I had taken on much more than I could possibly handle. This precipitated me to contemplate why I was even taking grad courses in the first place. Confusion set in and I agonized whether I should attempt the courses or drop them both. I’m not one to quit anything, so this decision left me anxious and depressed. I had several other important activities that I wanted to accomplish on my personal time and these classes would put these activities on hold indefinitely, which was something I really did not want to do.
After a good five-mile run (highly recommended for clearing the mind), I came home and wrote two lists: pros and cons of taking grad courses. The pros list had two items while the cons had approximately ten. I realized that a liberal arts master’s degree while interesting, would not guarantee me that my writing would improve or garner me any more opportunities than my bachelor’s degree and work experience combined. I also realized based on these two facts that it wasn’t worth accumulating an additional $25,000.00 in debt for school loans. My husband is also taking classes, so with me in school as well we really would have no time for one another, which was not acceptable to me. I decided right then to drop both classes and put grad school on the backburner. It wasn’t easy, but I knew in my heart it was the best choice for me and for those close to me. I was relieved instantly.
If you are asking yourself whether grad school is right for you, consider these questions first:
- Does my career field require an advanced degree? Be honest with yourself here.
- Do I have the time to commit to the rigorous requirements of graduate courses? Just looking at the syllabi for my grad courses made me realize it is vastly different than undergraduate work and would take a considerable amount of time to complete.
- Do I want to spend the money on a graduate degree? If so, will it truly be a good investment for me? If a graduate degree won’t help you advance financially, it may not be worth it.
Take the time to review your options. Two sites I found helpful are http://gradschool.about.com/cs/shouldyougo/a/should.htm and http://www.spsu.edu/cccenter/counseling/career/Gradschool.htm. They provide targeted questions and realistic answers to help you with your decision.
Posted by alex on August 15th, 2008
Becoming a certified Teacher is an incredibly difficult task that requires not only a top-notch education, but also the know-how to earn the proper certification and specialized skills that being a teacher require. Almost all traditional online schools offer teaching degrees including Masters and PhD programs, but oftentimes it’s difficult to balance the specific courses needed in becoming a teacher with the requirements that a typical Degree program demand.
This is why Achieveyourcareer.com has launched a partnership with Marygrove College. Marygrove’s Teachscape Degree program is designed for people working towards their teaching degree who have the time constraints of a full time member of the workforce, rather than a full time student. You will take 10 courses towards your Master’s and will be able to finish the degree in less than 2 years, taking only 2 courses per semester. The curriculum is designed for teachers who need to earn their Master’s degree without putting their jobs on hold. And Marygrove College’s track record speaks for itself as far as the success of its graduates.
Earning an Accredited Masters in Teaching is essential to anyone who wants to become a teacher, but most prospective students don’t even realize how many options they have when it comes to getting an education. Getting the right education is about options, and making sure that you make the right decisions could make all the difference when it comes to the success of your career.
