Masters degree

[addiesue]

After 2 years of BS with vocational rehab they finally agreed to pay for me to get my masters degree. They will only pay if I am going full time. I am looking into online bc I have to work as well. I have to get the ball moving now. I haven't applied because I thought they'd still say no and I knew I couldn't pay. I wish I could start out part time and work into this.

Wish me luck, with 2 kids, a job and a number of other things going on in my life right now I'm going to need it.

[mimin]

that is incredible! I wish you the best of luck!
I'm single , not working, and couldn't manage part-time studies so in my book you're a hero :)

[addiesue]

I don't know how I'm going to do it. It's like they won't pay unless you quit work to go full time. As usual the system going backwards. I can't quit to concentrate on school without incurring debt and using food stamps. Plus I have a good job that the experience will prove useful with this degree. That same old danged if you do danged if you don't.

[sjean423]

I guess their twisted logic is that if you are working and going part time, you don;t need to get the masters to work, so they dont have to pay for it, so you can get a job in your field.

Using that logic they also don;t need to pay for ANYONE's education b/c you can always find a low level unskilled job answering phones or something.

I'm sorry that you have to make this choice. I can see that full time is probably impossible, with the fact that you still have to support yourself, and you have kids!

I was working on my masters part time when I had kids, and found that too much some times!

Since you have fought with them this long, I doubt their offer will get any better, I hate to say it but I think part time, when you can afford it will be a better choice. :(

Will the place you are working cover your classes? Many will? Check with your Human Resources Dept.

[ancientgimp]

I'm 9 years retired from voc rehab. The federal enabling legislation doesn't say anything about part-time vs full-time. You can appeal any decision voc rehab makes, you might want to consider appealing the full-time part. Where I worked (Michigan) appealing was not a big deal and often rather than launching the appeal process our district supervisor would just overturn the counselor's decision and go ahead and provide the service according to the client's preference.

Good luck!

[lynnifer]

I'm just taking one course online and finding it a lot .. and I'm off work right now.

Don't take on too much for yourself, setting yourself up for failure ... or you'll never do it. Good luck with your decision (and I'd appeal if you can).

[sjean423]

After readomg Ancient's post ..... go for part time, but appeal the decision!

[ginamarie]

Many colleges and universities offer creative scheduling for masters degrees, particularly MBA's. For ex. you take one class at a time and it lasts for 6 weeks and then you start a new class, etc. And this is considered full time. There maybe a creative alternative for you out there. The good part is that you get your degree faster than part time. Good Luck, whatever you decide.

[graybeard]

Good luck !!! It will be very difficult, but if anyone ca do it, its you....

[Ashley]

As many have said if you appeal their decision and state reasons why this isn't a plan of action you can manage, i'm sure you can turn it in your favor. For example, voc rehab in my state doesn't wanna help pay for vehicle modifications until my junior year of college and that's way too long for me, so i was told to simply write a letter about the reasons why their funding would add to my independence (when pertaining to school and job) right now, and if i justify it that way it's much easier for them to cave in. Just put up a fight! Good luck with everything i truly admire your ambition. I can tell you're a hard worker.

[addiesue]

Weird, they paid for my vehicle mods without blinking when I wasn't working or in school.

Of course then my truck blew up but that's another thread.

Will definitely look into appealing.

[bcsimpsons]

Wow, I am surprised they are making you go full time right out of the gate. I guess the only good/bad thing with the online route is that it is very self directed. Obviously a masters curriculum is going to be more intense then an associates but I took one semster of my associates all online while going through four hours of PT, 5 days a week. It was rough but if its something you really want then you will be able to do it. How old are your kids again?
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

Becky,
Chicago

[addiesue]

almost 11 and 7.
I took 6 hours online last semester to add on to my bachelors. I have a business degree and needed more social work to get in a Masters program in that field. Have no desire to use my business degree. Had to pay for that myself bc they wouldn't cooperate.
6 hours was rough and they were easy classes.

[Ashley]

unfortunately i find online courses to be full of busy work, but i guess they have to do that to see you're active in the course.

[addiesue]

yea I hate online classes. I do much better with the interaction of the others and listening to a lecture. I can't figure out another way though.

[smokymtn memories]

Good luck addiesue. I hope you can work it all out. I'll keep my fingers crossed and say a little prayer for you.

[orangejello]

I don't have any advice except to say good luck. I am trying to sort out my own school related issues right now and I know how stressful it can be trying to figure out/set up everything in order to start school. Throw in the trying to work within government programs and it can get beyond frustrating. I know a bit of how you must feel. But I think it's really great and I know you will find a way.

Good luck :)

[Kristi]

Wow. Masters! Rock on girl!! I must say you've got balls to go get your masters, raise two kids, and work. I know people that do that at my school and it is very admirable. I'd probably be bald from pulling my hair out if I had that much on my plate. Good luck!

I have VERY good Voc Rehab in SD. I'm 28 and they are still paying. They have also been very understanding like when I got really sick for a few years and couldn't go to school. They picked me back up with out batting and eye or when I broke my leg and had to drop all classes except the ones online.

Technically I am SUPPOSED to be going full time, BUT I can't go if my school doesn't offer the classes I need. This semester I am taking 8 credits, 12 is full time. Voc Rehab prefers that I go at least 12, but they also agree with me that I shouldn't just go full time and pick up classes I DON'T need. That's a waste of my time and a waste of their money.

I agree with what everyone says. There are ways to work around it. Sometimes it is just impossible to go full time.

[steveg]

When I went back to school to get my graduate degree my boss at the time gave me some good insight. He said you basically do three things - Family/social, career and school and you can't do all three well at the same time. Its true and there will be lots of give and take but you can do it.

Good luck!

[rita.jones56]

unfortunately i find online courses to be full of busy work, but i guess they have to do that to see you're active in the course.

That what I find too. They do need to monitor you to make sure you are active and doing work, but online classes are still so restrictive in my opinion. I actually find them to be more difficult and more work than normal classes. I avoid them whenever poissible, but they are definitely getting more popular.