Finishing my Degree: wait till Obama gets the Education Corps going?

[FirstLight]

I have an AA and have been unable to get back to school to finish my degree...three kids and single parenthood don;t give me the luxury of taking the time off to do it, and I'm in a rural mountain town between Sacramento and Reno, niether commute is very appealing, especially if I were to try and work too...

Anyway, I may have an opportunity to get enrolled for Spring, and I really want to get my BA in English and Poli Sci, with a teaching cred in secondary Education (middle schoolers are my fave age) But I am also scared that I won't be able to make it happen with financial aid unavailable to me...(long story, bad student loan and no relief in sight)

What's the deal with Obama's Education Corps? will it be up and running by the end of 09 of we are lucky? Now would be a good time to get in on that...and yet I always seem to miss the boat when it comes to applying for things, either I missed the deadline or I find out about it with a week to spare!
There are some Liberal Arts BA programs online...and I wonder if that will get me any closer...or are online schools not as good?

any comments or ideas? I worry that this may take a super long time to get through it, I would like to think I only have 18 mos of eucation left, but who knows? it seems that most of the online courses I see are for Masters programs... do you have to have a Masters to teach?

[Oregone]

1. If you can do it, do it now...

I may get flamed for this...but don't plan your life according to political promises that may never be put in place. Keep your head out of the sand to see what is going on, but as far as basing projections on election promises, its hit or miss.

[grasswire]

2. do you rely on student loans?

I honestly would be afraid that possibility is going to be totally gone as we get further into recession.

[FirstLight]

4. The student Loans I took out in the 90's are in default

bcause I couldn't finish my education, and the big sell was "byt the time you graduate, you'll be making SO MUCH, it will be EASY to pay off" but with an AA and a speckled past and 3 kids, I can barely stay employed, much less earn anything to save...

Since the loans are in default, they will also disqualify me for Pell Grants, so my only recourse is either a Govt training program or scholarships... which is labor intensive to apply for, but I guess if I know what I wanna do I can do it.

What sucks is that i have 2 very different skill sets: I can do Life sciences and biology, physiology, etc, or I can do english and arts and journalism. I have a background as a freelance journalist, but can't seem to get anywhere with the local news group, they are cutting left & right...and Education would be fine if I could actually get a credential, but there's that damn degree thing again...

I feel like I am going in circles - It is the ULTIMATE catch 22

can't get the career job to lift out of the gutter without the education, can't get the education without starving my family and even then I can't get a pardon on my student loans (part of the reason they went into default was the 3 yrs of abusive marriage where I had NO ability to take care of anything or keep it deferred...but there is no grace for victims of Domestic Violence, I even contacted the DOJ and the DOE about THAT!)

So I feel like I am doomed to be a receptionist my life and kep bouncing from bad job to bad job with no health care and no rom for family emergencies, etc... and I make between $8-10 an hour, and my hours are about to get cut to 10 a wek in January.

the whole thing makes me want to scream

[Merlot]

6. My thoughts...

If you can do the life sciences and biology, physiology etc, have you considered a medical career? From what I hear, they are in short supply and you would have a better chance of getting a scholarship. Also, you can get a degree, work in the field, and continue advancing your education.

As for English, arts and journalism, I don't see that going very far (take it from a fine ars major...you need more education). If you do want to teach, I believe you can get experience as a substitute teacher, but I'm not sure if you have to have your bachleors to do that. You can get a job teaching with a fith year after your bachelors, and most teacher go for the masters becasue it gives them more pay and opportuities.

Anyhow, first things first, decide what you think is the best fit with your family and schedule. Good Luck.

[grasswire]

8. you can rehabilitate your student loans

If you set up a payment plan with them and make the designated number of payments -- I think it is six months -- then your loan is considered rehabilitated and you can get more student loans (maybe grants too). I know someone with $60,000 in loans that were in default who has just done this. They were very kind and understanding in setting it up. She could not pay the $400 per month they originally wanted, and negotiated a reasonable amount.

It's worth checking out.

Incidentally, the advice from the employment experts is that two segments of jobs have security and longevity now. Health-related jobs, and government jobs.

[juno jones]

3. I hope something gets implemented soon.

I have a kid to send to college. An education corps would be perfect. I remember the days of $10 a credit CA colleges, I nearly choked when I saw the fee schedule for my son's JC here in WA.

So funny, we were just talking about Berkeley. I lived in S. Lake Tahoe for a few years, from '97- 2000 and then later in Grass Valley. Are you North Shore or South Shore?

[FirstLight]

5. South Shore!

I went to LTCC for the aa degree, now I just ned to find a way to transfer, but moving off the hill is really not probable at this rate. My kids are established in school, and being a sinle mom, leaving my entire spport system would be a bad move.

I grew up in Oakland/Berkeley hills! nice area, I'd encourage you to send your kid to Community College first, then transfer...it is way more cost effective (especially if you don't have kids!)

[juno jones]

9. South Shore!

My husband (San Jose) and I were involved with LTCC's theater department for awile, great school! We still have a bunch of friends up there. Have you been to the Valhalla Ren Faire? We built it for 5 years! We lived over by the 'Y' and then we caretook a resort in the shadow of Heavenly...

We are getting the kid's AA out of the way. He is currently in a WA program called 'running start' where he takes community college classes for HS credit. He will get his AA in the next 18 months-he graduates from HS this spring. I'm hopeful he'll be able to find a good school, those first two years already in hand.

Good luck with your pursuits. And say 'hi' to the lake, and that awesome Mt Tallac! Emerald Bay, WOOO! :hi:

edit to add, we would never have left Tahoe, but jobs were too seasonal for us.

another edit, I know it's out of state, but have you looked at Reno? It's a far closer and kinder trip to and from Tahoe as oppose to Sac, Davis, Turlock, etc.

[FirstLight]

7. kick...

for the night crew...

always good to have more input