Don't have a HS Diploma and never been to college... now want a degree.
May 28, 2013 1:34 PM Subscribe
I want to work full-time, get a 4-year degree, and when I am done still make enough money to support 4 kids.
I am mid-40s. I dropped out of Junior High back in the 80s... got straight A's in science but was otherwise a lousy student. Got into a career which, 25 years later has allowed me to make 6 figures... and I hate it. My interests? History and Anthropology. I want to go to college and get a degree in one of the two (preferably Anthropology). So... still have 4 kids out of 5 at home and my wife stays home. I need to finish my degree (did I mention that I have never advanced beyond high school?), while I am still working, and when I am done I want to make enough money to support my family. Never mind that while I am intelligent, I am not educated in the traditional sense (call me self-educated). Pipe dream? Anyone done this? If so... how so?
I am mid-40s. I dropped out of Junior High back in the 80s... got straight A's in science but was otherwise a lousy student. Got into a career which, 25 years later has allowed me to make 6 figures... and I hate it. My interests? History and Anthropology. I want to go to college and get a degree in one of the two (preferably Anthropology). So... still have 4 kids out of 5 at home and my wife stays home. I need to finish my degree (did I mention that I have never advanced beyond high school?), while I am still working, and when I am done I want to make enough money to support my family. Never mind that while I am intelligent, I am not educated in the traditional sense (call me self-educated). Pipe dream? Anyone done this? If so... how so?
Response by poster: ***Sorry... have a GED (I didn't take a class... I took the test...cold... and passed). Didn't mention that.
posted by brownrd at 1:40 PM on May 28, 2013
posted by brownrd at 1:40 PM on May 28, 2013
Best answer: It is really REALLY hard to get a 4 year degree in a non-business related major without going to a lot of classes during the day. There may be some schools out there that could offer something in History or Anthropology with only evening and online classes but I'm willing to bet that those schools aren't at the top of their fields. Could be wrong though. Does your full time job allow for the flexibility of taking classes during the day or do you need to be there during normal working hours?
The other issue is that a 4 year degree in History or Anthropology isn't going to make you six-figures for a VERY long time (if ever). And those are two fields where the people who make 6 figures usually have advanced degrees and I'm talking Ph.D's not Master's Degrees.
posted by magnetsphere at 1:41 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
The other issue is that a 4 year degree in History or Anthropology isn't going to make you six-figures for a VERY long time (if ever). And those are two fields where the people who make 6 figures usually have advanced degrees and I'm talking Ph.D's not Master's Degrees.
posted by magnetsphere at 1:41 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
What does your wife think about this? If I were your wife, and you proposed going back to school (presumably nights) while I watched your four kids, and doing homework on the weekends, and with the eventual intent to quit your job, I would be... not thrilled. To say the least.
If you hate your job, I strongly recommend looking for a different job in a similar field or where you can use the experience you already have. Go to school part-time if you would enjoy it AND YOUR WIFE SUPPORTS IT, but don't count on getting a magical dream job that will ALSO pay as much as you are used to making now.
And no, you are not going to get a six-figure job in anthropology anytime soon. Like ever.
posted by celtalitha at 1:41 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you hate your job, I strongly recommend looking for a different job in a similar field or where you can use the experience you already have. Go to school part-time if you would enjoy it AND YOUR WIFE SUPPORTS IT, but don't count on getting a magical dream job that will ALSO pay as much as you are used to making now.
And no, you are not going to get a six-figure job in anthropology anytime soon. Like ever.
posted by celtalitha at 1:41 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Well, the degree part may not be as hard as you think.
Get a GED --- (you posted just as I was typing my response, so scratch that then).
Then do your best to attend an evening/part time program at a state college or start off at a community college and then transfer to the state college after two years. This will let you at least work some while in school.
That is possible.
As for career paths after that will pay you enough to support your family ---- I don't know much about how anthropology and history majors fair these days, but it's probably not all that great.
I would do the degree for your personal benefit because you want to and it seems you can afford to. But I would strongly recommend keeping your job while going back to school and not leaving it until you have a solid option that would work for you.
posted by zizzle at 1:42 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Get a GED --- (you posted just as I was typing my response, so scratch that then).
Then do your best to attend an evening/part time program at a state college or start off at a community college and then transfer to the state college after two years. This will let you at least work some while in school.
That is possible.
As for career paths after that will pay you enough to support your family ---- I don't know much about how anthropology and history majors fair these days, but it's probably not all that great.
I would do the degree for your personal benefit because you want to and it seems you can afford to. But I would strongly recommend keeping your job while going back to school and not leaving it until you have a solid option that would work for you.
posted by zizzle at 1:42 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
First of all, you need to get your GED. Then, your best course of action is to take classes at night at your local community college for two years, then transfer to a local college (like a state college) that offers BAs and has night classes. This will likely be best in terms of money/time/quality of education. If you can take two classes each semester, including in the summer, you'll be finished in about 6 years, probably.
You will be very busy for a very long time (speaking from experience here). Honestly though? I would not go back to school for history/anthropology, because to do anything meaningful (money wise and quality of job-wise) in that field would require you to get a Ph.D, and that's another 4 years at least, more if done part-time, and you are paid ABYSMALLY, if you get paid at all. Plus, you'd need to be willing to move ANYWHERE, as Ph.D. programs are highly selective and you probably won't get into a school near where you currently live.
I would choose something practical. You can do pretty cool things with accounting and still make good money.
posted by ancient star at 1:52 PM on May 28, 2013
You will be very busy for a very long time (speaking from experience here). Honestly though? I would not go back to school for history/anthropology, because to do anything meaningful (money wise and quality of job-wise) in that field would require you to get a Ph.D, and that's another 4 years at least, more if done part-time, and you are paid ABYSMALLY, if you get paid at all. Plus, you'd need to be willing to move ANYWHERE, as Ph.D. programs are highly selective and you probably won't get into a school near where you currently live.
I would choose something practical. You can do pretty cool things with accounting and still make good money.
posted by ancient star at 1:52 PM on May 28, 2013
This really doesn't sound like a great plan to me. Unless you had a solid, proven career path mapped out and validated by someone else in the field and could prove that this would be a net benefit to the family I would be very against it. It sounds like you aren't clear about what you're going to do with this degree when you're done. Which is understandable because not many people have that answer with these particular majors. There are things you can do, but you have to know what they are in advance. With 4 kids and a spouse who still depend on you, now is not the time to spend thousands of dollars on a time-consuming hobby that may have no future benefit.
If you must go back to school, pick one of these:
a - time consuming
b - expensive
c - no future benefit
and eliminate it. You know, your working days won't be forever. A person in your position is better off cultivating your time outside work than trying to start over again at this point when you don't have to.
posted by bleep at 1:55 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you must go back to school, pick one of these:
a - time consuming
b - expensive
c - no future benefit
and eliminate it. You know, your working days won't be forever. A person in your position is better off cultivating your time outside work than trying to start over again at this point when you don't have to.
posted by bleep at 1:55 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I know several really brilliant people with fantastic (think Ivy League) traditional academic credentials in history and/or anthropology. The ones making enough to comfortably support a wife and four kids are no longer working in anything related to those subjects. The few who were lucky enough to have found work in history or anthropology are decidedly not making enough to support a large family, their sterling qualifications notwithstanding. For a non-traditional student getting a degree part-time from a community college or local state university... the chances would, obviously, be still slimmer.
I wonder whether the long time you've spent out of the educational system is making you over-romanticize intellectual pursuits somewhat. It's completely fair to feel that your intellectual passions aren't being satisfied by your current job-- but that doesn't mean that the only solution is to ditch your current life and pursue a whole different career squarely in the academic subject that most interests you. Actually, one of the surest ways to kill an intellectual passion, in my experience, is to make it the thing, the tedious nitty-gritty details of which you're obliged to spend 40-60 hrs/week stressing about.
Instead of worrying about a degree program and career transition right away, could you maybe look at this in a lower-stakes context, as you needing to feed your brain a bit more than you're currently doing? A single night course per semester in history or anthropology wouldn't be too demanding or expensive, but it'd keep you thinking and learning about those subjects in a way that might satisfy that itch. You could also try volunteering at a local historical society or museum-- that seems like a great way to spend more time cultivating your mental life, while not necessarily jettisoning the stable day-to-day living conditions you've got set up.
posted by Bardolph at 1:56 PM on May 28, 2013 [7 favorites]
I wonder whether the long time you've spent out of the educational system is making you over-romanticize intellectual pursuits somewhat. It's completely fair to feel that your intellectual passions aren't being satisfied by your current job-- but that doesn't mean that the only solution is to ditch your current life and pursue a whole different career squarely in the academic subject that most interests you. Actually, one of the surest ways to kill an intellectual passion, in my experience, is to make it the thing, the tedious nitty-gritty details of which you're obliged to spend 40-60 hrs/week stressing about.
Instead of worrying about a degree program and career transition right away, could you maybe look at this in a lower-stakes context, as you needing to feed your brain a bit more than you're currently doing? A single night course per semester in history or anthropology wouldn't be too demanding or expensive, but it'd keep you thinking and learning about those subjects in a way that might satisfy that itch. You could also try volunteering at a local historical society or museum-- that seems like a great way to spend more time cultivating your mental life, while not necessarily jettisoning the stable day-to-day living conditions you've got set up.
posted by Bardolph at 1:56 PM on May 28, 2013 [7 favorites]
Does your work allow for a month off? These days, many colleges offer condensed summer sessions for earning credits quickly -- one in June, another in July. If your schedule accommodates it, this can be a fast way of banging out some core courses just to achieve the credits.
posted by xo at 2:01 PM on May 28, 2013
posted by xo at 2:01 PM on May 28, 2013
Best answer: Where are you located? I think this could be possible if you live in a city with a huge university system, something like CUNY or the way that SoCal seems to have a zillion UC and CSU offshoots. There are programs for non-traditional students, and for at least part of the way you could take courses at night, on weekends, or online*.
If you live in a more remote area, though, where it's Springfield Community College and that's it, I think you might have a much harder time accomplishing this goal.
But I don't think it's a bad idea to start where you're at. You're in a situation where, frankly, ANY steps toward more education is probably a good idea.
My understanding is that some community colleges (and maybe also 4 year universities?) take students with GEDs but no high school diploma. Look into whether that's an option anywhere nearby. Meet with the admissions department and see what your options are. You may have to start at a community college (which I'd recommend anyway), and you may have to start by enrolling in a special program for GED enrollees. Whatever those hurdles are, jump them!
Then, later on, after a few years when the pre-reqs and general requirements are done, you'd be looking at transferring to a 4 year university. That's probably the point at which you'd be declaring an Anthropology or History major, and would probably need to at least figure out how to take classes during the day, because I speak from experience as an anthro major who worked through college -- you are just NOT going to be able to take every upper level course for your major in the evening. But I think that's far enough down the line that you should cross that bridge when you come to it.
*I would absolutely 100% recommend against doing an all-online degree to start with, though it may be an option if you find it's the only way to complete courses for your major, down the road.
posted by Sara C. at 2:16 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you live in a more remote area, though, where it's Springfield Community College and that's it, I think you might have a much harder time accomplishing this goal.
But I don't think it's a bad idea to start where you're at. You're in a situation where, frankly, ANY steps toward more education is probably a good idea.
My understanding is that some community colleges (and maybe also 4 year universities?) take students with GEDs but no high school diploma. Look into whether that's an option anywhere nearby. Meet with the admissions department and see what your options are. You may have to start at a community college (which I'd recommend anyway), and you may have to start by enrolling in a special program for GED enrollees. Whatever those hurdles are, jump them!
Then, later on, after a few years when the pre-reqs and general requirements are done, you'd be looking at transferring to a 4 year university. That's probably the point at which you'd be declaring an Anthropology or History major, and would probably need to at least figure out how to take classes during the day, because I speak from experience as an anthro major who worked through college -- you are just NOT going to be able to take every upper level course for your major in the evening. But I think that's far enough down the line that you should cross that bridge when you come to it.
*I would absolutely 100% recommend against doing an all-online degree to start with, though it may be an option if you find it's the only way to complete courses for your major, down the road.
posted by Sara C. at 2:16 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Academic positions are HIGHLY competitive. Did I mention how competitive they are? Seventy-percent of most college classes are now taught by adjunct instructors who make maybe $1500/semester per class. And they don't have any benefits. I know because my husband does this. Don't put your eggs in that basket.
posted by michellenoel at 2:17 PM on May 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by michellenoel at 2:17 PM on May 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Also, yes, if you're serious about history or anthropology and you don't have someone holding out that 6-figure job If Only You Had A Degree, you can kiss six figures goodbye. I graduated from college with an anthropology degree 8 years ago and make mid 5 figures in the good times. More like 20-30K in the lean times.
posted by Sara C. at 2:18 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 2:18 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If you just want to get the degree, and you and your wife both agree on how to achieve that goal, then do it. And if your goal at the end is to get a different job, a liberal arts BA will be an asset, one that a lot of people parlay into starting very successful careers in various fields. But if your dream career is one that allows you to actually work every day exploring history or anthropology, especially if you need to make anywhere near as much money as you're making now, I think that the chances of that happening are nearly zero.
The number of people in the world who are employed in "history or anthropology" is tiny. I'm not really sure what you would consider to be "in" those fields, but you're basically talking about academia and a few related areas, most of which require advanced degrees from prestigious schools and long years of grueling work at poverty wages to even think about getting a real job.
Even if you did manage to get through a BA, MA, and PhD, all at top schools, always being at the top of your class, living for 10+ years on loans and grants and a grad student stipend and likely working 60+ hours a week while doing it, your job prospects are dismal. Someone in another thread on academia once compared saying, "I like studying [subject], so I think I'd like to be a tenured professor," to saying "I like playing basketball, so I think I'd like to join the NBA." And that's not too far off the mark. Most people who work as academics in the humanities are working as adjuncts, cobbling together a couple of part-time jobs to get above the poverty line with no benefits. For someone going on the job market in his 50s, a tenure-track job would be near impossible. And if you did manage to luck into a tenure-track job, the average salary for a full-time history professor is about $60k a year. That's what an associate professor at the University of Maryland, for example, makes, after five years on the job. And that would be the best case scenario.
I absolutely think you should look into jobs that you'll enjoy more, and you should explore the possibility of further education to get you into those jobs. But history and anthropology are great hobbies; they're not viable career choices for the overwhelming majority of people, especially not people who are the sole financial support for five other people.
posted by decathecting at 2:29 PM on May 28, 2013 [6 favorites]
The number of people in the world who are employed in "history or anthropology" is tiny. I'm not really sure what you would consider to be "in" those fields, but you're basically talking about academia and a few related areas, most of which require advanced degrees from prestigious schools and long years of grueling work at poverty wages to even think about getting a real job.
Even if you did manage to get through a BA, MA, and PhD, all at top schools, always being at the top of your class, living for 10+ years on loans and grants and a grad student stipend and likely working 60+ hours a week while doing it, your job prospects are dismal. Someone in another thread on academia once compared saying, "I like studying [subject], so I think I'd like to be a tenured professor," to saying "I like playing basketball, so I think I'd like to join the NBA." And that's not too far off the mark. Most people who work as academics in the humanities are working as adjuncts, cobbling together a couple of part-time jobs to get above the poverty line with no benefits. For someone going on the job market in his 50s, a tenure-track job would be near impossible. And if you did manage to luck into a tenure-track job, the average salary for a full-time history professor is about $60k a year. That's what an associate professor at the University of Maryland, for example, makes, after five years on the job. And that would be the best case scenario.
I absolutely think you should look into jobs that you'll enjoy more, and you should explore the possibility of further education to get you into those jobs. But history and anthropology are great hobbies; they're not viable career choices for the overwhelming majority of people, especially not people who are the sole financial support for five other people.
posted by decathecting at 2:29 PM on May 28, 2013 [6 favorites]
You may be interested in this other thread about getting a college degree in history/an Anthro-related subject.
I guess whether or not you could make six figures after getting the degree depends in part on what you are doing now. If you are working with computer coding now, for example, there are a lot of exciting digitization projects and other projects related to the digital humanities that are (sometimes) better funded than your average history or anthropology-related job. If you were working business, you might be suited for a switch to development, which is often relatively well-funded in non-profits than other positions.
I do not make six figures, but I do know people who got history degrees who are making close to that. (I graduated less than five years ago.) They all got master's degrees or other advanced degrees, but those degrees were all in fields other than anthropology or history. Some of them may still use what they learned, but not as the major thrust of their work.
That said, some community colleges offer quite strong classes in history and anthropology; some even offer ancient history and archaeology. Many state schools (like Penn State) also offer these classes, and you might be able to take them part time or as part of a program for students of a non-traditional age. Could you offer us any more information on the kinds of job you're interested in, or the kinds of jobs that you are not?
posted by jetlagaddict at 2:33 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I guess whether or not you could make six figures after getting the degree depends in part on what you are doing now. If you are working with computer coding now, for example, there are a lot of exciting digitization projects and other projects related to the digital humanities that are (sometimes) better funded than your average history or anthropology-related job. If you were working business, you might be suited for a switch to development, which is often relatively well-funded in non-profits than other positions.
I do not make six figures, but I do know people who got history degrees who are making close to that. (I graduated less than five years ago.) They all got master's degrees or other advanced degrees, but those degrees were all in fields other than anthropology or history. Some of them may still use what they learned, but not as the major thrust of their work.
That said, some community colleges offer quite strong classes in history and anthropology; some even offer ancient history and archaeology. Many state schools (like Penn State) also offer these classes, and you might be able to take them part time or as part of a program for students of a non-traditional age. Could you offer us any more information on the kinds of job you're interested in, or the kinds of jobs that you are not?
posted by jetlagaddict at 2:33 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
You can get the degree. There's no rush. You can take a class or two at a time. Who cares if it takes years? Years take years.
As for six figures: maybe this is possible if you combine your current career with the new degree somehow, so that you leverage the two together. Six figure incomes are hard to come by without investing many years, which is how you got to six figures.
If that isn't possible, it still might be possible for you to incorporate these things you love into your life after you graduate in some different capacity, maybe through travel or volunteer work, etc.
But you won't be able to try these things out for size without taking the first step, which will probably be Intro to College Writing or something.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:39 PM on May 28, 2013
As for six figures: maybe this is possible if you combine your current career with the new degree somehow, so that you leverage the two together. Six figure incomes are hard to come by without investing many years, which is how you got to six figures.
If that isn't possible, it still might be possible for you to incorporate these things you love into your life after you graduate in some different capacity, maybe through travel or volunteer work, etc.
But you won't be able to try these things out for size without taking the first step, which will probably be Intro to College Writing or something.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:39 PM on May 28, 2013
On the subject of whether to get a degree in history or anthropology specifically.
Here's the thing.
If you need to have a college degree to progress in your field, out of this job you hate? And it doesn't much matter what that degree is in, you just need to hold that qualification? Major in history or anthropology for sure. Because it's going to be hard enough getting this degree without also having to force yourself to stay diligent with studies you are otherwise not interested in.
If you are 100% super duper extremely POSITIVE that what you really want to do is work that involves history or anthropology in some way, I would do more research on what that means, specifically, before you get to the point of getting a bachelor's degree in that. Because like others have implied and I outright said upthread, no way in god's green hell are you getting a six figure anthropology job anytime reasonably soon after getting a degree. I doubt that many fully tenured history professors or curators at major museums make that kind of money.
If you're more committed to having a job you enjoy more than what you currently do, and continuing to make the kind of income you currently make, I think your question is a bigger one than "should I go back to school for anthropology". I think that question is probably going to involve a college degree -- and I still think it's better for that to be in a field you don't hate -- but I don't know that I can recommend that you major in history or anthropology if the real goal is to have a great career where you'll make megabucks.
posted by Sara C. at 3:00 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Here's the thing.
If you need to have a college degree to progress in your field, out of this job you hate? And it doesn't much matter what that degree is in, you just need to hold that qualification? Major in history or anthropology for sure. Because it's going to be hard enough getting this degree without also having to force yourself to stay diligent with studies you are otherwise not interested in.
If you are 100% super duper extremely POSITIVE that what you really want to do is work that involves history or anthropology in some way, I would do more research on what that means, specifically, before you get to the point of getting a bachelor's degree in that. Because like others have implied and I outright said upthread, no way in god's green hell are you getting a six figure anthropology job anytime reasonably soon after getting a degree. I doubt that many fully tenured history professors or curators at major museums make that kind of money.
If you're more committed to having a job you enjoy more than what you currently do, and continuing to make the kind of income you currently make, I think your question is a bigger one than "should I go back to school for anthropology". I think that question is probably going to involve a college degree -- and I still think it's better for that to be in a field you don't hate -- but I don't know that I can recommend that you major in history or anthropology if the real goal is to have a great career where you'll make megabucks.
posted by Sara C. at 3:00 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Could you get the degree? Absolutely. Would you be able to support a family of six with a job based off of your BA in anthropology/history? Probably not. I guess the answer to the second question might change based on a few factors:
What exactly do you want to do with this degree? Is there a way you can use the degree to make a parallel shift into a related career from your current one? Or are you set on totally restarting your career in something history or anthropology related?
How old are your kids? Are they mostly teenagers who will be 18+ by the time you finish school in six or so years, or are they much younger? Are you planning on supporting them past 18 (helping them pay college tuition, etc)?
Is your wife willing to go back to work? I doubt any entry level history or anthro jobs for someone with only a BA are going to pay more than $40K or so, so if you don't want to be living close to the poverty line you're going to need to be a dual income household.
I think that getting a college degree can only help you get a job you don't hate in the long run, but the feasibility of your post-graduation plans are going to depend a lot on the above factors. Clarify your career goals and discuss your plans with your wife.
posted by fox problems at 3:10 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
What exactly do you want to do with this degree? Is there a way you can use the degree to make a parallel shift into a related career from your current one? Or are you set on totally restarting your career in something history or anthropology related?
How old are your kids? Are they mostly teenagers who will be 18+ by the time you finish school in six or so years, or are they much younger? Are you planning on supporting them past 18 (helping them pay college tuition, etc)?
Is your wife willing to go back to work? I doubt any entry level history or anthro jobs for someone with only a BA are going to pay more than $40K or so, so if you don't want to be living close to the poverty line you're going to need to be a dual income household.
I think that getting a college degree can only help you get a job you don't hate in the long run, but the feasibility of your post-graduation plans are going to depend a lot on the above factors. Clarify your career goals and discuss your plans with your wife.
posted by fox problems at 3:10 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Studying stuff you're interested in is a real luxury. Sure, for shits and grins go to school part time to get a degree. Start out at a community college and then transfer to a university. That's the cost effective way to do it.
Study what you want.
Do not think for even a minute that a job awaits you in anthropology or in history. They just don't exist.
So whole you're turning your brain on with the study of these subjects, think about ways to make the skill set you do have work for you.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 3:19 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Study what you want.
Do not think for even a minute that a job awaits you in anthropology or in history. They just don't exist.
So whole you're turning your brain on with the study of these subjects, think about ways to make the skill set you do have work for you.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 3:19 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: They just don't exist.
Well, this just plain isn't true and is the kind of hyperbole that leads to a lot of confusion.
There are lots of jobs out there that deal with history or anthroplogy.
You could be a history teacher. You could work for a local historical institution or educational nonprofit. There are probably some governmental jobs that deal with history (I'm especially thinking of all the historical sites run through the National Park Service). There's also a whole world of library and archiving jobs. Corporations hire historians to keep track of company records, and there's a long history of anthropologists working in the corporate world. (Did you know that the green button on a copy machine was designed by an anthropologist? One of my favorite fun facts.)
Hell, I got my first film industry job for an international producer who wanted an assistant who wouldn't embarrass her in front of important non-Western VIPs, and who could also write grants and do research and who was familiar with the nonprofit landscape. And thus, an anthropology major.
That said. A lot of those jobs require more education than just a BA in history. And even though there are jobs, they're not nearly as plentiful on the ground as a job in accounting, or in high demand like nursing, nor does the degree come with sought-after technical skills. And while, yes, I got a job with my anthropology degree, well, I will tell you that my first day of work, I was paid in samosas.
I don't think it's wise to scare people out of setting goals and accomplishing things by saying THERE ARE NOOOOO JOBBBBSSSSSSSS, but it's probably important to also be realistic about what jobs there are and what those jobs are actually like.
posted by Sara C. at 3:39 PM on May 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Well, this just plain isn't true and is the kind of hyperbole that leads to a lot of confusion.
There are lots of jobs out there that deal with history or anthroplogy.
You could be a history teacher. You could work for a local historical institution or educational nonprofit. There are probably some governmental jobs that deal with history (I'm especially thinking of all the historical sites run through the National Park Service). There's also a whole world of library and archiving jobs. Corporations hire historians to keep track of company records, and there's a long history of anthropologists working in the corporate world. (Did you know that the green button on a copy machine was designed by an anthropologist? One of my favorite fun facts.)
Hell, I got my first film industry job for an international producer who wanted an assistant who wouldn't embarrass her in front of important non-Western VIPs, and who could also write grants and do research and who was familiar with the nonprofit landscape. And thus, an anthropology major.
That said. A lot of those jobs require more education than just a BA in history. And even though there are jobs, they're not nearly as plentiful on the ground as a job in accounting, or in high demand like nursing, nor does the degree come with sought-after technical skills. And while, yes, I got a job with my anthropology degree, well, I will tell you that my first day of work, I was paid in samosas.
I don't think it's wise to scare people out of setting goals and accomplishing things by saying THERE ARE NOOOOO JOBBBBSSSSSSSS, but it's probably important to also be realistic about what jobs there are and what those jobs are actually like.
posted by Sara C. at 3:39 PM on May 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Lawd... I hate thread sitting. Just a couple of things and I will not answer this thread again... I never said I expected to make 6 figures. I have no expectation of doing that. My wife is fully on board. I could end up teaching at a private high school. Who knows. I will be in my 50s before this comes to fruition, if ever. My current job is a soul-sucking drag, but I have been doing it for 20+ years and it's a huge source of stress. I spend countless hours doing something I hate. I have a 5 year plan to be debt free, and dammit... I want to do something that I actually like for the 20 or so productive years I have left. If I had done the right thing back in the 80s I wouldn't have asked the question. Those who are telling me it will be difficult... thank you. That's what I need to hear. Carry on.
posted by brownrd at 3:42 PM on May 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by brownrd at 3:42 PM on May 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm in my early 30s, unmarried with no kids, but am otherwise you -- a lousy student turned GED holder who went straight to work after dropping out of school, although I have a much, much lower salary and only 15 rather than 25 years in the biz. Even with my comparably foot-loose and fancy-free lifestyle, I have permanently relegated my almost-sickening desire for a 4-year liberal arts degree to the status of "pipe dream."
Logic: I cannot afford to stop working, but pursuing a liberal arts degree means I'd have to take classes during the day, so something has to give way... and it's not going to be my paycheck. I hate being a cube drone as much as the next person, but I also need to eat, and I am very aware that my overwhelming personal passion for languages and art will not (ever!) be able to put food on the table if I run off and get my yearned-for BA in Linguistics. Learning about stuff like that has become something of a luxury, and it is not one that I can presently afford.
Through my employer's tuition reimbursement program, I was able to take a couple of online college courses offered by an otherwise altogether decent brick and mortar school. The instruction and material left so much to be desired that they permanently disabused me of the notion that I should continue to pursue any sort of degree online. It was seriously upsetting to realize how little of what I wanted -- sweet, sweet knowledge and meaningful, intelligent discussion -- would be provided in exchange for $1800 per 3-credit class. I swung a 4.0, but I was stressed out of my mind being at work 50+ hours and then coming home to do 30-40+ hours of school work week after week. (Does your employer offer tuition reimbursement?) I can't imagine what it would be like with four kids at home -- the time sink is INTENSE.
In my years of experience and research, there has never appeared to be a way to pursue a non-business-related post-secondary education while continuing to possess any full-time career -- it always seems to come down to one or the other. Maybe this perspective will change if/when I am inevitably laid off, but for now, giving myself the opportunity to 'officially' expand my mind will remain on the back burner until the point at which I can reasonably ensure that I will remain fed, clothed, and housed for the duration.
Until money and time start to grow on trees, I'm just learning about my favorite subjects through Saylor. They have 'majors' and 'minors,' quizzes and readings and assignments, but instead of a degree, you just get a certificate of completion for each course. The classes are often developed by professors from places like Harvard and Yale, and each one I have taken has been vastly superior to ALL of the costly 'official' classes I took online -- Saylor's coursework can be fairly intense, nuanced, and thorough (although I did pass the English 101 final exam without even having looked at the course itself).
If learning for learning's sake would satisfy you, I'd highly recommend going the 100% free route just to see if you can hack the time outlay and learning curve that college-level school work requires (surprisingly steep after being out of school for 1.5 decades, as I found out). For example, here is Saylor's history program. At the very least, free online courses can definitely help to prepare you for 'real life' classroom work, which is tough business. Good luck, I've got my fingers crossed for you!
posted by divined by radio at 3:44 PM on May 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Logic: I cannot afford to stop working, but pursuing a liberal arts degree means I'd have to take classes during the day, so something has to give way... and it's not going to be my paycheck. I hate being a cube drone as much as the next person, but I also need to eat, and I am very aware that my overwhelming personal passion for languages and art will not (ever!) be able to put food on the table if I run off and get my yearned-for BA in Linguistics. Learning about stuff like that has become something of a luxury, and it is not one that I can presently afford.
Through my employer's tuition reimbursement program, I was able to take a couple of online college courses offered by an otherwise altogether decent brick and mortar school. The instruction and material left so much to be desired that they permanently disabused me of the notion that I should continue to pursue any sort of degree online. It was seriously upsetting to realize how little of what I wanted -- sweet, sweet knowledge and meaningful, intelligent discussion -- would be provided in exchange for $1800 per 3-credit class. I swung a 4.0, but I was stressed out of my mind being at work 50+ hours and then coming home to do 30-40+ hours of school work week after week. (Does your employer offer tuition reimbursement?) I can't imagine what it would be like with four kids at home -- the time sink is INTENSE.
In my years of experience and research, there has never appeared to be a way to pursue a non-business-related post-secondary education while continuing to possess any full-time career -- it always seems to come down to one or the other. Maybe this perspective will change if/when I am inevitably laid off, but for now, giving myself the opportunity to 'officially' expand my mind will remain on the back burner until the point at which I can reasonably ensure that I will remain fed, clothed, and housed for the duration.
Until money and time start to grow on trees, I'm just learning about my favorite subjects through Saylor. They have 'majors' and 'minors,' quizzes and readings and assignments, but instead of a degree, you just get a certificate of completion for each course. The classes are often developed by professors from places like Harvard and Yale, and each one I have taken has been vastly superior to ALL of the costly 'official' classes I took online -- Saylor's coursework can be fairly intense, nuanced, and thorough (although I did pass the English 101 final exam without even having looked at the course itself).
If learning for learning's sake would satisfy you, I'd highly recommend going the 100% free route just to see if you can hack the time outlay and learning curve that college-level school work requires (surprisingly steep after being out of school for 1.5 decades, as I found out). For example, here is Saylor's history program. At the very least, free online courses can definitely help to prepare you for 'real life' classroom work, which is tough business. Good luck, I've got my fingers crossed for you!
posted by divined by radio at 3:44 PM on May 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh, that actually changes quite a lot, then. Because, yes, actually, there are jobs for history majors and anthropology majors. Some of them do require more training and some of them require further certificates and degrees, but there are quite a lot of fields in which a history or an anthro degree is useful and a benefit. They just don't pay six figures very often, unless you have a cool anthropology industry job or are a top-flight curator.
Is there any chance that your job could be transferred to one within a university or a college system? Almost all universities and colleges offer free classes of some kind or another to their employees for credit, and after a certain number of years, there is also a tuition benefit for any children going to college as well.
I would also second the comment about time. History and Anthropology classes will all involve a lot of reading and writing. A lot. Many hours of your time will be spent reading and writing. It might be worth it to ease into taking one class, so that you have that as a gauge of what time you can spare. Maybe do an interesting EdX or a Coursera class, and do all of the suggested reading? Your ability to adapt to taking college classes will be improved if you come into it prepared to take notes, to analyze lectures and cogently parse them, and to do long-term assignments. I would also suggest talking to a friendly neighborhood/college librarian about citation and paper managers like Evernote, EasyBib, and Zotero. While not as useful for intro classes, they are phenomenally useful for more in-depth assignments, and you will again be at an advantage if you come in with those skills.
If you really do have time to devote to this now, I would take five or six of the hours you would be using to study to volunteer. Intern at a historical society. Teach local kids. Get experience, get connections, find out which age groups you like or if you hate all people, figure out what kinds of organizations you would like to be involved with in the future. Help with museum adult programming, or become a docent. Make it a family thing. Don't stick with the skills you know, figure out the skills that you will need. (For example, GIS classes, or business/accounting/grant writing classes.)
posted by jetlagaddict at 3:57 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Is there any chance that your job could be transferred to one within a university or a college system? Almost all universities and colleges offer free classes of some kind or another to their employees for credit, and after a certain number of years, there is also a tuition benefit for any children going to college as well.
I would also second the comment about time. History and Anthropology classes will all involve a lot of reading and writing. A lot. Many hours of your time will be spent reading and writing. It might be worth it to ease into taking one class, so that you have that as a gauge of what time you can spare. Maybe do an interesting EdX or a Coursera class, and do all of the suggested reading? Your ability to adapt to taking college classes will be improved if you come into it prepared to take notes, to analyze lectures and cogently parse them, and to do long-term assignments. I would also suggest talking to a friendly neighborhood/college librarian about citation and paper managers like Evernote, EasyBib, and Zotero. While not as useful for intro classes, they are phenomenally useful for more in-depth assignments, and you will again be at an advantage if you come in with those skills.
If you really do have time to devote to this now, I would take five or six of the hours you would be using to study to volunteer. Intern at a historical society. Teach local kids. Get experience, get connections, find out which age groups you like or if you hate all people, figure out what kinds of organizations you would like to be involved with in the future. Help with museum adult programming, or become a docent. Make it a family thing. Don't stick with the skills you know, figure out the skills that you will need. (For example, GIS classes, or business/accounting/grant writing classes.)
posted by jetlagaddict at 3:57 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
More salary data: A private school teacher in the town listed in your profile has a starting salary of between $30k and $45k. I'd imagine that the salaries on the higher end go to teachers in hard-to-fill positions (special education, hard sciences, etc.) or those with advanced degrees. The top salary for any private school teacher in your town appears to be about $65k. Public school teachers do a bit better, with starting salaries between $40k and $60k and a top salary of more than $88k. But again, these jobs can be difficult to get, especially in fields like history, where there are tons of graduates and fewer competing employers than in, say, physics. And you have to really like teaching, which is its own form of stress and exhaustion.
Again, I am not, in any way, saying that you shouldn't get a college degree. Nor am I saying that you shouldn't study something you love. But if you're trying to find a new career, especially when you have a large family financially counting on you, I think your first priority ought to be to research what kinds of careers are interesting to you and pay enough to live on, how people get those careers, and whether they're feasible for you at this stage of your life. "Do what you love" is an awesome aspiration, but presumably you're already doing what you love by having a big family that you care about, and so you may need to sublimate other areas of your life somewhat in order to support that love. I think you need to reverse the order of your thinking: figure out what job you want first, then figure out what you need to do to get there. Because you don't have the luxury of fucking around for half a decade so that you can maybe be a teacher or who knows what else.
posted by decathecting at 3:59 PM on May 28, 2013
Again, I am not, in any way, saying that you shouldn't get a college degree. Nor am I saying that you shouldn't study something you love. But if you're trying to find a new career, especially when you have a large family financially counting on you, I think your first priority ought to be to research what kinds of careers are interesting to you and pay enough to live on, how people get those careers, and whether they're feasible for you at this stage of your life. "Do what you love" is an awesome aspiration, but presumably you're already doing what you love by having a big family that you care about, and so you may need to sublimate other areas of your life somewhat in order to support that love. I think you need to reverse the order of your thinking: figure out what job you want first, then figure out what you need to do to get there. Because you don't have the luxury of fucking around for half a decade so that you can maybe be a teacher or who knows what else.
posted by decathecting at 3:59 PM on May 28, 2013
As others have said, job prospects for those degrees don't looks good. (On preview, you covered that in your followup)
But you have a dream of going to college, maybe there are other reasons for that than just job prospects. Maybe you want to show that you can do that with a GED, maybe you want to be a role model for your kids going to college, maybe something else.
Community college, in addition to having classes in the evenings, tends to be cheap, at least compared to nearly any 4 year school. There are a lot of more basic classes to get out of the way, and paying more for those doesn't make sense for many people. No reason not to try taking a class a few evenings a week and see how it goes. Maybe you'll get something out of it, maybe as a self-educated and self-directed learner you'll find the pace of the class very slow, but that's how things go until you get into more advanced courses that cover the things you are excited about.
If you have a particular four year school in mind to transfer to, read the sections for transfer students and the degree programs that interest you in their catalog before you take more than the most basic classes in a cc program. If it's nearby, see if you can go and talk to someone there as well. If there is an office that specializes in "non-traditional students", try there first, it's likely that they have a number of transfer students from the local cc and can help you figure out what you need to take to spend the minimal amount of time on your degree. If they advise something that goes against what the catalog said, be wary.
Divined by radio's story about the lack of sweet, sweet knowledge is something that I've heard of from many people who've gone back to school later in life. From friends who've attended a four year school and then taken community college classes later on, I've heard that the cc students tend to be more serious about their classes -- perhaps because they need to do things like consider the time and money required for classes versus an existing career and family.
Whatever field you decide to end up studying, look into what jobs are available and how available they are before you get to the point where you are taking on debt or quitting your job.
If you are interested in teaching, you may need some sort of teacher certification. Plan how this will happen as part of your degree program, many colleges, especially state schools, make it fairly easy to add a few classes and get a teacher certification for that state.
posted by yohko at 4:00 PM on May 28, 2013
But you have a dream of going to college, maybe there are other reasons for that than just job prospects. Maybe you want to show that you can do that with a GED, maybe you want to be a role model for your kids going to college, maybe something else.
Community college, in addition to having classes in the evenings, tends to be cheap, at least compared to nearly any 4 year school. There are a lot of more basic classes to get out of the way, and paying more for those doesn't make sense for many people. No reason not to try taking a class a few evenings a week and see how it goes. Maybe you'll get something out of it, maybe as a self-educated and self-directed learner you'll find the pace of the class very slow, but that's how things go until you get into more advanced courses that cover the things you are excited about.
If you have a particular four year school in mind to transfer to, read the sections for transfer students and the degree programs that interest you in their catalog before you take more than the most basic classes in a cc program. If it's nearby, see if you can go and talk to someone there as well. If there is an office that specializes in "non-traditional students", try there first, it's likely that they have a number of transfer students from the local cc and can help you figure out what you need to take to spend the minimal amount of time on your degree. If they advise something that goes against what the catalog said, be wary.
Divined by radio's story about the lack of sweet, sweet knowledge is something that I've heard of from many people who've gone back to school later in life. From friends who've attended a four year school and then taken community college classes later on, I've heard that the cc students tend to be more serious about their classes -- perhaps because they need to do things like consider the time and money required for classes versus an existing career and family.
Whatever field you decide to end up studying, look into what jobs are available and how available they are before you get to the point where you are taking on debt or quitting your job.
If you are interested in teaching, you may need some sort of teacher certification. Plan how this will happen as part of your degree program, many colleges, especially state schools, make it fairly easy to add a few classes and get a teacher certification for that state.
posted by yohko at 4:00 PM on May 28, 2013
I think you should reframe your thought process a little. Right now I read you as: "I hate my job. I like history. I wonder what jobs I could get if I studied history?"
You should mentally rephrase that as "I hate my job. I'd really like to do $X instead. What education/training do I need to do $X?". So spend some time researching outcomes that appeal to you and then find out what you need to study to get there
posted by no regrets, coyote at 4:04 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
You should mentally rephrase that as "I hate my job. I'd really like to do $X instead. What education/training do I need to do $X?". So spend some time researching outcomes that appeal to you and then find out what you need to study to get there
posted by no regrets, coyote at 4:04 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you think you might like teaching high school, and you're prepared to for a massive cut in pay, I think pursuing a degree in education might be a feasible plan of action. It's actually quite common for people to switch to teaching as a second career. There are lots of options for where/when you can take classes, and you can pick a subject area that hits some sweet spot between what you're interested in and what is in demand--like, if you can stomach the thought of teaching in the sciences or technology, I'd suggest that over a social science or history emphasis.
However, I wouldn't recommend get ting a degree in history or anthro with the plan of teaching uncertified in a private school--there's a significant pay differential, and I believe there's more competition for private school jobs precisely because the bar is set lower.
posted by drlith at 4:04 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
However, I wouldn't recommend get ting a degree in history or anthro with the plan of teaching uncertified in a private school--there's a significant pay differential, and I believe there's more competition for private school jobs precisely because the bar is set lower.
posted by drlith at 4:04 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Is there any chance that your job could be transferred to one within a university or a college system? Almost all universities and colleges offer free classes of some kind or another to their employees for credit
At many schools, very few credit hours are covered. Some schools ban employees from taking more classes than that at once (or rather, they ban students taking more than x credit hours from being regular full time employees, and student jobs don't come with the tuition benefit) -- if there is any chance you'd be continuing to work while pursuing your degree, look very carefully at those policies before taking that job.
posted by yohko at 4:09 PM on May 28, 2013
At many schools, very few credit hours are covered. Some schools ban employees from taking more classes than that at once (or rather, they ban students taking more than x credit hours from being regular full time employees, and student jobs don't come with the tuition benefit) -- if there is any chance you'd be continuing to work while pursuing your degree, look very carefully at those policies before taking that job.
posted by yohko at 4:09 PM on May 28, 2013
This isn't about how many figures the job can pay, it's about how one can feel productive at a junction in life where you find yourself loathing what you're doing and thinking that anything, anything could and would be better than this "soul-sucking" experience.
The only problem with that is that "getting a degree in History or Anthropology and finding a job where I am fulfilled intellectually, karmically and financially" is laughable to anyone even peripherally involved in academia. Academia is more soul crushing than any "white collar" field I've ever documented, worked in, or seen. And on the whole, the pay is borderline insulting. At least in IT they pay you.
That being said, maybe find a hobby? Take a couple History classes and write a paper or two and think about trying to write a book on the side? Depending on your job, maybe just do it on their time. I don't judge.
Anecdotally, my sister in law makes a very comfortable income teaching at an upscale, west coast university. She doesn't teach History or Anthro though.
I've said this before, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Your job sounds good. Your kids are probably counting on it.
posted by Sphinx at 5:37 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
The only problem with that is that "getting a degree in History or Anthropology and finding a job where I am fulfilled intellectually, karmically and financially" is laughable to anyone even peripherally involved in academia. Academia is more soul crushing than any "white collar" field I've ever documented, worked in, or seen. And on the whole, the pay is borderline insulting. At least in IT they pay you.
That being said, maybe find a hobby? Take a couple History classes and write a paper or two and think about trying to write a book on the side? Depending on your job, maybe just do it on their time. I don't judge.
Anecdotally, my sister in law makes a very comfortable income teaching at an upscale, west coast university. She doesn't teach History or Anthro though.
I've said this before, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Your job sounds good. Your kids are probably counting on it.
posted by Sphinx at 5:37 PM on May 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Maybe do an interesting EdX or a Coursera class, and do all of the suggested reading?
I actually think it might be a good idea, for someone not exposed to any formal schooling past junior high, to take a REAL college course to test the waters. Pay the non-matriculated student rate to take Anthropology 101 and see what you think of it.
I remember, even coming straight to college from an elite high school where I took a demanding courseload, the shock of going to class and being told to go home and read all of, say, Freud's Civilization And Its Discontents and be ready to discuss it at the next class meeting.
I don't think you get that same "welcome to college, nerd!" sense of shock from taking an online just-for-fun class. Because in those kinds of classes you sort of get out of it what you put into it and there's no sense of shame at not having done the reading, or seeing the big red C on an exam you didn't study for, or worrying what it'll do to your GPA.
That said, on the other hand, if you want to ease back into the idea of a formal classroom situation, yeah, do Coursera and see whether it's up your alley. I'm a huge history nerd and love to listen to the Yale undergrad course lectures on iTunes U. It makes me miss college a lot.
posted by Sara C. at 5:47 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
I actually think it might be a good idea, for someone not exposed to any formal schooling past junior high, to take a REAL college course to test the waters. Pay the non-matriculated student rate to take Anthropology 101 and see what you think of it.
I remember, even coming straight to college from an elite high school where I took a demanding courseload, the shock of going to class and being told to go home and read all of, say, Freud's Civilization And Its Discontents and be ready to discuss it at the next class meeting.
I don't think you get that same "welcome to college, nerd!" sense of shock from taking an online just-for-fun class. Because in those kinds of classes you sort of get out of it what you put into it and there's no sense of shame at not having done the reading, or seeing the big red C on an exam you didn't study for, or worrying what it'll do to your GPA.
That said, on the other hand, if you want to ease back into the idea of a formal classroom situation, yeah, do Coursera and see whether it's up your alley. I'm a huge history nerd and love to listen to the Yale undergrad course lectures on iTunes U. It makes me miss college a lot.
posted by Sara C. at 5:47 PM on May 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Your job sounds good. Your kids are probably counting on it.
Yeah, that's what I came into say. If I had a father who took six figures and chucked it for arts-major poverty I would be unhappy, especially if I was nearing university age and counting on some support. I would also be pissed if a Dad who had previously home in the evenings suddenly absented himself from a great deal of family life. Even if I was a grumpy teen who would never actually admit it.
Why not take a few classes in the subjects that interest you, and ramp up outside interests which could restore some of the soul that the job may be metaphorically sucking? Volunteer work with offspring helping alongside you is great, but there're loads of other options -- and do look at things you can do with your kids, because the % of your life that you have with them with you is not all that large.
And, if realistic/possible, up your focus on the career you do have with the aim of making more money, so you can retire out of it as early as possible.
posted by kmennie at 7:25 PM on May 28, 2013
Yeah, that's what I came into say. If I had a father who took six figures and chucked it for arts-major poverty I would be unhappy, especially if I was nearing university age and counting on some support. I would also be pissed if a Dad who had previously home in the evenings suddenly absented himself from a great deal of family life. Even if I was a grumpy teen who would never actually admit it.
Why not take a few classes in the subjects that interest you, and ramp up outside interests which could restore some of the soul that the job may be metaphorically sucking? Volunteer work with offspring helping alongside you is great, but there're loads of other options -- and do look at things you can do with your kids, because the % of your life that you have with them with you is not all that large.
And, if realistic/possible, up your focus on the career you do have with the aim of making more money, so you can retire out of it as early as possible.
posted by kmennie at 7:25 PM on May 28, 2013
I would also be pissed if a Dad who had previously home in the evenings suddenly absented himself from a great deal of family life. Even if I was a grumpy teen who would never actually admit it.
Coincidentally, I know someone who started an undergrad degree at about age 40 with teenage children. Doing homework turned into a family activity. His situation was different than the OP's as he wasn't the primary wage-earner, which afforded him greater flexibility. To be specific (and perhaps actually answer the question), this acquaintance went to community college in a state where large numbers of people transfer to universities from community colleges (that's probably an advantage), did all the low level requirements with top grades and then transferred. You probably want to talk to an advisor at the community college and see what they can tell you. Does your state have a program where your community college grades can guarantee you transfer admission to a state university? How can you figure out which community college classes are accepted as equivalent to which requirements at which universities? (There's almost certainly a website where you can look this up.) Does your state have any options for doing a four year degree online if that's the only way to get it to work with your job?
We don't know what the OP's job is and the issue is that if he's at all vulnerable to a layoff, he may well have difficulty finding another job with similar pay without a degree, so in that sense, it's a good investment for his family. It strikes me that he probably wants to assess the questions of whether getting a degree (any degree) is a good move overall and whether he can use that degree to ditch his current job separately. If he gets value from having any degree, he might as well study something interesting, even if he ultimately can't quit his job and be a historian.
posted by hoyland at 8:04 PM on May 28, 2013
Coincidentally, I know someone who started an undergrad degree at about age 40 with teenage children. Doing homework turned into a family activity. His situation was different than the OP's as he wasn't the primary wage-earner, which afforded him greater flexibility. To be specific (and perhaps actually answer the question), this acquaintance went to community college in a state where large numbers of people transfer to universities from community colleges (that's probably an advantage), did all the low level requirements with top grades and then transferred. You probably want to talk to an advisor at the community college and see what they can tell you. Does your state have a program where your community college grades can guarantee you transfer admission to a state university? How can you figure out which community college classes are accepted as equivalent to which requirements at which universities? (There's almost certainly a website where you can look this up.) Does your state have any options for doing a four year degree online if that's the only way to get it to work with your job?
We don't know what the OP's job is and the issue is that if he's at all vulnerable to a layoff, he may well have difficulty finding another job with similar pay without a degree, so in that sense, it's a good investment for his family. It strikes me that he probably wants to assess the questions of whether getting a degree (any degree) is a good move overall and whether he can use that degree to ditch his current job separately. If he gets value from having any degree, he might as well study something interesting, even if he ultimately can't quit his job and be a historian.
posted by hoyland at 8:04 PM on May 28, 2013
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Making six figures working in anthropology, though--not too many people do that, especially immediately after they get an undergrad degree.
posted by box at 1:38 PM on May 28, 2013