I miss my old life.

[Crankin]

Do it!
I am 55 and "starting over." I had a very good career as a teacher, making high 5 figures. Easily commutable for a few months a year. I worked in a good place and had a lot of respect. I wasn't burned out, but I was bored. My life was focused on how quickly I could leave work to ride...
I went through the essays, etc last year at this time. Had a stressful interview with 5 other applicants.
The one thing I would say is evaluate your time management skills and ability to read quickly and write in a scholarly style. This is my second masters. My kids are grown and my husband can support our lifestyle. If I had the stresses of small kids or worrying about money, I would not be doing this. I look at it as my job.
I was in a doctoral program when I was 27. I lasted a year, in a 2 year program. The time was not right. I did well academically, but I was a wreck. I decided I wanted a family, instead. It was the best decision I ever made. So, there's a time for everything.
When I finish, I have to work full time for 2 years to get my license. It can't be in a "fee for service" environment, since insurance requires therapists to be licensed for that. So I will be spending 2 years, probably working in a stressful job, with difficult clients when I am 58 years old. When I am almost 60, I will be able to join a group practice or work independently. My goal is to work a flexible schedule until I can't or don't want to work any longer. Am I nuts? Maybe, but it's exciting. Most of the people in my program are making considerable financial sacrifices to be there. The tuition is 18k a year. Many are working a lot of hours. I could not have done it like that.
Good luck!

[Flybye]

MY OLD LIFE IS WAITING RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!!!!!!!!

How is everyone else hanging in there???????

May 8 May 8 May 8 ....chant with me......

[shootingstar]

Eek! I'm taking the GREs on Friday (and should be studying right now) as the first step towards applying to a MPA program. Going part-time year-round (and still working full-time), it will take me 4 years

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts here. It's good to have a realistic view of what I'm potentially getting myself into.

It is true, once you have that coveted degree, you have it forever. Just keep that degree paper..it's a legal document.

Dearie did his MBA a few years after completing undergrad in civil engineering. MBA took 7 yrs. of evening part-time courses to complete his MBA. He had daytime, full-time job. He loved it. Yes, it helped alot.

Not sure I want to embark on 3rd university degree studies at this time in life. I've had to supplement my degrees with several courses over the years to keep current and for certain roles.

So glad I completed my Masters ages ago, immediately after undergrad..which undisputedly helped my career over the years.

So my hats off to those going onto their 2nd career/degree change, etc.!

[snapdragen]

Good job "cousin" -- May 8, May 8, May 8

[WindingRoad]

FlyBye hold on, you are almost done! I understand your pain, I'm finishing my masters in biology and starting professional school this fall. Yeah I'm completely insane. This master's program has been wild: I have 15 credit hours of 400 - 600 level biology classes. I have a calendar of just test dates. It's spring break as of today and I'm happy for that but only so I can study and get caught up. So yes I know the neurosis that IS grad school. BUT we will eventually finish and we will be all that much stronger for pushing ourselves to the limit and knowing that we beat it.

I miss 'some' of my old life too but I must say as crazy as my new life may be, it is still a more fulfilling one and I would make the same choices again. I think most of us would. It's all going to be worth it in the end.

[Mr. Bloom]

Hey Fly! Hang in there! May 8 May 8 May 8

[Crankin]

I don't miss my old life! I have one more year to go and the time is going very quickly. On Monday I register for summer classes (just one) and registration for next fall (my last year!) is in 2 weeks. I have learned so much in my internship this year. Taking the classes is sort of at the point of boring now, but necessary. The only way to learn this job is to do it. I have my internship set for next year and I am so glad I chose to do the program with 2 internships; I need to exorcise all of the "teacher" identity out of me.
I *am* worried about what's going to happen when I get a job. I have to work full time for 2 years to get my license, and I have never worked in the summer in my whole life. I am hoping to find a job for my first 2 years where I can do some hours in the evening, so I can have riding time... what was I thinking???? OK, priorities need to be set. Once I have my license, I plan to work part time.

[Flybye]

I have to work full time for 2 years to get my license.....

We must have different regulations than one another. I sit for the National Counselor Certification next month and then I apply for licensure once I have my score. Once that is in place, the only difference post licensure will be the next tier - I start out with an LPC and then move to LCPC with more supervised hours. In order to be a school counselor, the only thing I will have to do is apply, which I think we do at the end of the month.

Not sure I want to embark on 3rd university degree studies at this time in life.

Not thinking I want that either, ever!!

Good job "cousin"

Just trying to make the family proud

Yeah I'm completely insane. This master's program has been wild: I have 15 credit hours of 400 - 600 level biology classes.

That is just crazy. I had a couple of 16 credit semesters. Hard, hard, hard, and BUSY!!! Hang in there!

Hey Fly! Hang in there! May 8 May 8 May 8

Hey back! Thanks! Good to say Hi!

[Crankin]

Flybye, we are in a similar program, but my license is the LMHC. I can sit for the exam once I graduate, but I can't put the "L" in front of of the MHC until I have accrued about 3,330 hours of working, post degree, with some supervision requirements, too. I am pretty sure these are state of MA requirements. With the huge number of licensed social workers, psychiatrists and PhD level therapists in this state, it was a fight just to allow masters level clinicians in counseling practice and get on insurance panels. The school counselor program is a totally different track here, where you have to meet state dept. of education requirements. Some of those people do a dual program, where they do one community internship, so they can sit for the LMHC exam and one internship in a school.

[malkin]

Go Go GO!!

I admire you students!

I perked up at a doctoral program that floated by a couple weeks ago, but the cost was a shocking $825 per unit (eek!)