Spring semester

Hey everyone- quick question. I'm too short of $ to register for classes this spring (roughly $2K per with books and fees) but I am absolutely not changing to WNMU.
That said, I'll have an entire semester of down time- and I tried that before, I'm not good at it LOL.
What I DO have, is about $300 I can use for my education, or just hang onto. Since $300 isn't enough to take a grad class anywhere, and HES doesn't take transfer credit- I was thinking about doing some CLEPs. I could knock out 4 of them in the business core for that price. I'm nowhere near enough credits to earn a business degree (I estimate needing about 51) but this could be something to just "do" on again-off-again as time allows- not actually enroll or have the intent of enrolling unless I really got the inclination.
Thoughts?

*P.S. keep in mind I'm a culinary & hospitality teacher, so technically, it's more in line with my field than the degree I'm earning now.

Save the cash or peck away at another undergrad degree?

 

Personally Jennifer, I would save the money.

Maybe spend some time with the opencourseware initiative to keep you up to date with your school work.

 

I agree - save the money. Can you access a syllabus from Harvard and start "working on the course" until you come up with the cash?

The other point to consider is that you are going to have to go to Cambridge, and that $300 could be saved for airfare, etc.

Shawn

 

Many schools will allow you to audit a course for really short money; maybe audit a course similar to one you're going to take at HES to get a head start?

 

How about buy the text book for your next class (after your break) and start to read it to get a jump start? Dont't spend the money on the CLEP's, use your time and money wisely to prepare for your classes that you need. Just my opinion.

 

Jennifer,

$300 would be darn close here:

Louisiana Tech Tuition


courses


Programs

I also like your idea of working towards a bachelors in business. The Harvard degree might be a long time coming and at least you will have the bachelors in business to fall back on in the event you move into another field.

 

here's some other relatively cheap classes:

San Juan College:

Tuition

Clovis College

Tuition

Adams State College

 

I think maybe I should explain my reasoning! *lol*

Your main goal is to complete the HES program. A business undergrad would be a nice to have-- but it does not really have anything to do directly with your future plans.

Especially now with the current economy, I would not really be spending money that does not have a specific use in terms of meeting your current educational goals.

If you want to learn for the sake of learning, I would recommend brushing up with free courses offered online.

 

Jennifer, what is your ultimate goal? I realize you currently teach culinary and hospitality at a CC, so just curious why the Masters in Psych are you hoping to do something in the mental health field or just pursuing a Masters you are interested in so you can get the Masters plus 18 to further your teaching career?

 

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I plan to stay at my community college forever LOL. I have been there 17 years this January. Within the next few years, I will keep doing what I do- writing curriculum, teaching two nights per week, and committee work. I also have been asked to put a new program online, so that will take up much of my free time in 2009. When our new program takes enrollment, that will open a third teaching dept for me (this new one will be fully online- so still won't need to be on campus more than 2 nights per week!). Right now, we are also building a new facility which I will have some part of - not sure about my role - but for the next 6ish years all of my work will still be part time and freelance by my choice (I homeschool days). I am also going to explore a little cross training in some student service positions (admissions, advising, financial aid, testing center), but not for a while yet- I also have to think about that more and work out a good plan.

When the time comes that I can return to work full time (maybe 6 years) I will start an aggressive attempt at getting back into full time and then eventually into administration at my college or elsewhere. Wayyyy back, I was the dept head- my dear friend is in that role now. I want to be ready (finished with my ALM and working full time) if he moves on, or if our division dean moves on. My master's degree in liberal arts is the "check" that fills the dean requirement- being full time is a necessity at a college like mine where we have essentially no turn over and everything happens internally. If I end up only teaching, my master's degree allows me to add psychology to my list of subjects that I can teach while I plan. Adjunct salary doesn't change based on earning a degree, but full time teaching does- so having earned a BA degree will already guarantee me a pay bump when I go full time, ALM even more so. (BSBA would allow me to teach business at my college)

That's my plan.

(back up plan- the "other" college in our area is always looking for social science dept teachers, full time. I wouldn't be opposed to teaching psychology there if I had an opportunity for full time work at the precise time that I needed it and "my college" had nothing. BUT, I'm not really interested in starting my retirement clock back over at zero, and giving up my network- but I would if I had to)

 

Thanks everyone!

I'm not changing schools no matter how hard Kevin lobbies LOL.

Alright, I guess I'll just hang tight and do what I can do from home for free. I'll listen to Shawn, Bruce, and Randell and save my money like a responsible adult should do Awww shucks.

Besides, I need to go finish my term paper, not sure why all this is preoccupying my mind. My semester isn't over for another 6 weeks!

 

Yes, that's a great idea. THANS! I'm in my groove now, I would hate to slow down!!

 

Sorry for jumping on board so late, but I agree with lovetheduns. If a Harvard degree is your goal, then save your money for the spring semester and continue with your degree when you are financially able.

 

Hey, I'm just trying to keep up with Randell. (At one point I had both a masters and a doctorate going at the same time.)

I'm not advocating changing schools, just to pick up classes where you can so that you can always point them to COSC or somebody when the time comes.

Best of luck with Harvard.

 

Yup, I agree with most of the replies....SAVE YOUR MONEY!

 

Don't you need 18 graduate credits to teach at a CC?

 

You make me sound nut !! Now you sound like my wife!!

 

Reading that your plans require you obtaining a Masters to check off the box AND that you are not interested in switching to a different school, then save your money Harvard probably won't be getting any cheaper and you may need the money to fund your EA classes one day (education addiction )

 

I'm right there with you I have somehow acquired an additional 90 undergraduate hours along the way which means I'm going to have to finish another bachelors so as not to waste them.

 

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Our AS business degree is in the applied tech division, so no.