Thursday, September 11, 2008

I is going back to school

So, it's official, I've started the process for going back to school. Now this is something I've tinkered with before... and been giving alot of thought to. My biggest dilemma has always been where/how/and for what. Meaning - at 30 years young, I have grown quite accustomed to the creature comforts that I am able to provide for myself, so the idea of not continuing to work in my typical setting isn't very practical, balancing a schedule of going to school, working, and having a life has seemed impossible. Where to go to school has been just as big of a question... I abhorred sitting in a classroom the first time around, add a few years and the life experience to me, and I can't see it being any more tolerable this time. So I started looking at alternative solutions, there are many. First you have specific trade schools, I'm not talking about going to school to be a diesel mechanic, but schools that offer more focused, practical classes, focusing on business, which I knew would be my focus... still I worried that I would spend time, energy, and money and be no better off, as many of these schools aren't as widely received. Then came thinking about online universities, which, to their credit, have became increasingly popular, and are becoming more & more recognized. Still, sometimes their setup is a bit different, and I want to ensure that my efforts wouldn't be futile.

So I finally did enough research to discover that a degree program that I've been bouncing around in my head for awhile, is actually being offered through an accredited university in my state, and I will be able to complete it 100% online! Woohoo! So I have began the process. I submitted my application, and sometime in October, should start the process of meeting with advisors, etc to determine what classes will transfer, what coursework I need, etc

So... what is it I'm seeking to do? Organizational Leadership... It's a Bachelor of Arts Degree - and is a rather broad based degree, it's also a bit newer than a traditional "Business Administration" degree (my previous major) - but after several years in a professional setting, I have come to realize is the perfect fit for me! My biggest question still outstanding, is I will first wrap up my Associate's degree (only need a few credit hours) and I need to determine if I will be doing that in Arts, Science, or Applied Science - as all of these would connect to my Bachelor degree. Perhaps meeting with an advisor will give me some more insight into that.

So, Organizational Leadership... are you curious to know more about it? I first heard the title a couple of years ago, and it sounded interesting, so I began reading up on it. This degree is rather diversified, it can be used in practically any industry. You can go here to read more about the degree.

So, I should begin classes in January of 2009 - My hope is that with some great budgeting, I'll actually be able to cut my full time job down a few hours while in school, so let's see how that goes.

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