Need Advice

[Gin820]

Hi everyone!
I am new but I hope I can get some advice.

A little background...

I am 23 and married to a wonderful man and we have 2 little boys ages 4 and 2. I have worked in the mortgage business for the last 5 years. I absolutely hate it and want to be a LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor). I live in FL and I have to earn a Masters in Counseling and then study under a licensed LMHC for 2 years to earn the license. In a few months I will earn my AA through an on-line program with Western International University based in AZ. So now I have to think about my BA.

The dilemma....
I chose the on-line route b/c of my 2 little ones. I needed to be home with them in the evenings due to my husband's work schedule at the time.
Now, I have more flexibility as he works a 9-6 job now.

I can choose to continue my on-line studies with Ashford University, a private, for-profit university located in Iowa. They have a physical campus that students attend but also often on-line programs. I can earn my BA in psychology. Full time classes are 5 weeks long and taken 1 at a time. This will give me flexibility and the major that I really want. However, since I have no face to face time I do not see how I can properly network. Plus, there is no internship requirement so I will not get relative experience when I graduate.

Or, I can attend Saint Leo University, a private, non-profit university well known in FL. I cannot earn my BA in psych, it would be a BA in Human Services. The classes are very similar and the program requires an internship for completion. Not to mention the face to face meetings with my professors and classmates. Better networking. The downside is that to go full time I have to take 2 classes at a time lasting 8 weeks. I can go in the evenings, but will spend a lot of time away from my family.

I have already chosen my MA program and can be accepted either way as both schools are regionally accredited. I need to choose soon though b/c St leo classes start in 1 month.

Any advice or comments will be greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks!

Gin

[Gin820]

Nobody has any comments? I know it is being whiny, but it's a really tough decision for me.

Any opinions?

Thanks guys.

[eko311]

Wow! I totally have a comment, I don't know how much help it will be.

First of all, I have to say that I totally admire you because I am in an area of commercial credit and have often thought that I would like to be an MFT (marriage & family therapist) or even go for a MA in counseling psych and then eventually a doctorate... and I keep second guessing myself. Plus I have no children. So first of all, you are an inspiration to me!!!

With that said, one of the reasons that I have been holding myself back from going into the realm of psych is because of what I think of the job market. I have done research about the types of positions and what they would pay, and my concern is getting a job to support myself after going into debt and getting that degree. I suppose I should mention that I am currently single, so I have to support myself completely.

So... back to the point. My advice is to attend the program that allows for better contact, networking opportunities, etc. Because you need those connections to get that first position. Once you have experience, it won't matter so much where your degree is from anyway!

Hope that this helps a little.

[KeepRockin]

I'd always suggest physical classes over an online degree if you're going into psychology/human services- human interaction is what the field is all about. Yes, the online programs are acredited and will give you eligibility to apply to graduate school, but is it really smart to study PEOPLE through a COMPUTER?!?!?!?! How would admissions people look at that when applying for your masters? (I just got my MA in Counseling Psychology, so this stuff definitely means something to me)

I'd stick with St. Leo's. You might need to find a part-time nanny to stay with your kids a few nights/week, but the payoff will be awesome in the end. If you live near a college, you won't have trouble finding a reliable babysitter...most college career or activity offices have job postings for student employment, so check with them on what you can advertise for.

Get enrolled in the courses you can take, find out where you can hang fliers around the campus to advertise a babysitting position, and interview several candidates, including a back-up (call references, etc.) before classes start next month.

[Gin820]

Thanks to both of you. That does help. I really miss the human contact of actual classes.

To Eko...please go for it. The mortgage and commercial credit industry will suck the life out of you eventually. Please do it. Follow your heart. If you hate it or the $$ is just too low, try again. (Easy to say, I know, but truly if I can get a degree, anyone can :) )

To Keep Rockin...
I agree. It doesn't make a lot of sense to study people from a computer. Do you think a BA in Human Services would deter me from earning a PhD in psych later on if I chose? Or should I try to find a way to earn a BA in psych? I'm afraid of screwing myself up for later options.

[eko311]

Ooh! I can answer that last one. I don't have a BA in psych and when I've met with people about MA/PHD programs it has not been and problem.

Thank you sooo much for the encouragement!!! I really need it right now!!!

[KeepRockin]

Thanks to both of you. That does help. I really miss the human contact of actual classes.

To Eko...please go for it. The mortgage and commercial credit industry will suck the life out of you eventually. Please do it. Follow your heart. If you hate it or the $$ is just too low, try again. (Easy to say, I know, but truly if I can get a degree, anyone can :) )

To Keep Rockin...
I agree. It doesn't make a lot of sense to study people from a computer. Do you think a BA in Human Services would deter me from earning a PhD in psych later on if I chose? Or should I try to find a way to earn a BA in psych? I'm afraid of screwing myself up for later options.
I'd check local requirements for PhD programs...what courses you'd need as pre-requisites and if they are part of that Human Services program.

What about this--http://www.saintleo.edu/SaintLeo/Templates/Inner.aspx?durki=521&pid=521 ?????

was the program you were looking at different than this one? would this be a possibility???

[Gin820]

That program would be my first choice, but it is only offered at the main University center and a few surrounding centers. I live in another city, Ocala, and it is not offered there. It would just involves too much driving and with gas prices we have to conserve however we can.

But, the classes in the HS degree are almost the same as the psych degree. HS is just a little more hands on and applied, which could turn out better sometimes.

Thanks for the support. :)

[Gin820]

I was just admitted to Saint Leo University!!! Yeah!!!

I go tomorrow to register for classes. It's starting feel real now. :)