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Original poster

I am so confused about where I am going (life wise)

25 replies

TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 19:48

Ok so I'm in my 3rd year at uni and not really sure where I want to go next. We have ds (2yo)

Dp's salary just about tides us over, we have a lodger and I have my student loan atm.

The problem is I still don't know what to (as a career).

I'd like to do an MA next year - my parents will pay the fees, but I won't get any loans etc so our income will drop.

Also I want to have another baby soon, while ds is still young - I know you can't rely on these things or plan them to a certain extent.

If I do an MA (which I would love) I still don't really have any idea what I would do and the money situation would be very tight. It would also mean putting off having another child.

But if I leave uni now and go and get a job I don't know what I would/could do and although I could go back to uni eventually it would seem unlikely that I would. However it would help to ease our money issues.

Part time job while I'm at uni isn't practical for many reasons.

So any ideas?

OP posts:
FrayedKnot · 08/01/2007 19:50

What are you studying?

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 19:53

HIstory - so doesn't lead to a particular career choice.

Also paranoid after careers talk cos have no part time job or basically anything that looks good on CV (though did work full time for a couple of years).

Life would be so much easier with 2 incomes coming in now. But would love to do MA and would probably lead to getting better paid job (or at least I hope it would).

OP posts:
gemmiegoatlegs · 08/01/2007 19:59

couldn't you do your MA part time?

Tortington · 08/01/2007 20:02

or through OU?

seems to me you could do with some income.

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 20:11

The only problem with doing it part time is that it takes twice as long and I'm not sure if it will cost more.

I will be back at uni in a couple of weeks and one of my tutors runs the MA course so I think I will go and talk to her about the particulars.

OP posts:
scorpio1 · 08/01/2007 20:12

my uni does MA evening classes-you wouldnt have to pay childcare if dp was at home with the little one, and you could potentially do full time work too.

good luck

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 20:15

PRoblem with OU is the MA in HIstory doesn't cover my 'specialist' area as it were. Have looked at the modules they do and although I have done similar they are nowhere near what I want to study adn what I am best at.

OP posts:
scorpio1 · 08/01/2007 20:16

is there something else that includes those areas then, that you could do at a higher level than a degree?and easily? its hard studying with children too

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 20:16

OUr full time MA is taught mostly in evenings. I don't pay for childcare at moment (I have lots of family close by).

I know I'm just bringing up more problems but this is actually very useful.

OP posts:
scorpio1 · 08/01/2007 20:19

student loans are available for four years, and your degree is three,isnt it? could your first year of MA be covered by another year of student loan?

also,there are agencies and organisations that do sponser students.do you have a local careers office or career advisor somewhere who would know more?sometimes its dependant on your age too.

belgo · 08/01/2007 20:23

I've been in a similar situation, with the added complication that I live in a foreign country. I opted for the studying and having a second baby option - and I tell you - they didn't mix! (but I was studying in a foreign language making things extra hard).I've dropped out of the course, and concentrating on the children for the time being, and am trying to have faith that things will work out for me job wise, somehow.

Try and work out what you want most, and what you will regret most in years to come, and I'm sure you will come to the best conclusion for you and your family.

CountessDracula · 08/01/2007 20:24

Could you delay the MA for a bit while you sort out what you want to do work-wise? You may find that some other further education is more appropriate

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 20:27

The MA course at the uni I'm at covers the areas I want to do. I know the tutors that specialise in those areas and they are very good (friendly, very supportive and push you hard). The uni is easy to get to and I am confortable there and happy there. I know the place, exactly where to get help, who to bug that kinda thing.

I'm in Bristol and have a choice of 2 in this town. The other doesn't have specialists in the areas I want to study.

I think this has brought home to me that I really want to do the MA. I think if we budget better we can just about stretch to it and if I do it full time then it is just 1 year which does appeal.

If I do get a evening or weekend job that could help, however my health hasn't been brilliant and at the moment I can't cope with the extra pressure, plus it would mean getting childcare for ds (dp often works into evening and part of weekends) and think that would cancel out any money I made.

All I need to make this descision is a crystal ball showing me the future for each option and then it would be simple

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 08/01/2007 20:27

What future options does this MA give you that you won't have without it?

scorpio1 · 08/01/2007 20:30

if full time course was a year, student loan company will fund you. they also provide a childcare grant, which is dependant on earnings.can be up to 85% of costs.could you maybe wait a year until your child gets pre-school funding, to reduce the cost further? you would get 15 free hours at a nursery.

beckybrastraps · 08/01/2007 20:32

I agree with CD. I did a PhD after my degree which took three years to show me what I didn't want to do with my life. Actually, I don't really regret it, as I feel I did gain a fair amount from it, but it meant delaying my entry into the profession I really wanted and yet another year of studying. Also I had no family commitments, so I could spend 8 years as a full time student and it didn't really affect anyone but me. In your position, I think I would perhaps go for some careers counselling to get a bit more focus.

Aderyn · 08/01/2007 20:33

As someone who is struggling to finish my MSc whilst I have 2 young children, I would recommend postponing your plans to do an MA until your second child (if you have one) is a little older or your first child at school.

Perhaps if you entered the world of work, you would have a clearer idea of what further study and qualifications were relevant for you.

Have you looked at the Prospects Web site?
here It might help you to get some ideas of what you could do with your degree.

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 20:36

Ok what I would love to do is become a lecturer in HIstory. To do that I would need to do more study.

HOwever I am not fixed on a career - its what I would like to do, but I've no idea if I could, whether I would have the right skills. It also doesn't pay fantastically, but otoh with dp working as well we would be comfortable enough (especially compared to how we are now - it would be much more than dp is earning now).

It would be easier in a way to settle on office work or something - which would mean I could earn in the short term, and in the long term with 2 incomes we wouldn't be so tight for money all the time. It would also be easier in many ways. IT wouldn't involve taking hard desicsions or setting my heart on something I turn out to be crap at.

But I love history. I have a passion for it, a real passion. I am good at researching and working on things. I am good at it. Its something I want to share with everyone (IYSWIM).

OP posts:
Bucketsofdynomite · 08/01/2007 20:42

Personally I would finish the degree in the summer then get a nice easy office job and start relaxing a bit (but saving too) while you ttc then hopefully get pg and then go on maternity leave.
Have faith in yourself that you will return to uni, there's plenty of time to do your MA and find a relevant job later or maybe even do a PHD. You'll be older, wiser and maybe have kids at school but hey, that means some free childcare! You'll have more of yourself to offer the MA, you could get totally immersed in it without the guilt, stress and baby puke.

Bucketsofdynomite · 08/01/2007 20:45

Just wanted to add getting a job this year needn't be the last job you ever take. If you're that passionate about history you will return to it eventually and I'm sure your family will benefit having your enthusiasms forced on them while you wait(my mum was a bit like that so all family holidays were educational!)

Original poster
TheArmadillo · 08/01/2007 20:48

thank you very much for the posts.

I am going to think about these ideas for a while - they have really given me more ideas to think about.

Thank you

OP posts:
amicissima · 09/01/2007 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bucketsofdynomite · 10/01/2007 08:49

Wouldn't recommend teaching unless your heart is set on it, it's no 9-5 job. Personally while I've got small kids I'd want a job I could leave in the office and not have to take home with me.

Judy1234 · 10/01/2007 09:24

I have 3 children at university so these conversations are played out all the time (although they don't have children themselves yet which is obviously your complicating factor). As you have children and want to work you need a job that will easily pay for full time child care. So work back from that. Look at what jobs graduates do which have high salaries.

Why not apply for the graduate entry programmes the big companies offer?

Judy1234 · 10/01/2007 09:25

You're in Bristol? My daughter's friend graduated there this summer and started in London on £60k a year at an invstment bank although I must say he's probably more the exception than the rule for graduate starting salaries.

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