Has anyone gone back into Higher Education?

[susanb]

I am looking for advice; I am seriously comtemplating giving up my parttime job and going back to University to do a degree with the aim of becoming a teacher. I have weighed up the pros and cons and have worked out that with the financial help I'm entitled to we would be slightly worse off than we are at the moment (although obviously I would have to pay back the Student loan in the long term). Presently I would say we are comfortable financially - we don't have any problems paying the bills but haven't holidayed for years and have one old banger to get around in.

Basically I'd like to know if anybody else has attempted a degree full time with kids. I have a supportive partner who works full time, and a couple of family members who could help out with our son who also starts nursery in September 5 mornings a week. Does anybody think I'm nuts or should I just keep plodding along with my present office job (which is pretty boring but very flexible!!). The university is also about 20 miles away so I'd have to look at travelling time/costs as well and I'm not sure about book costs and things like that.

I would appreciate ANY advice. Thanks

[susanb]

Hi medicmum

I've only just started uni this year and have a 4 year old son and a partner who works shifts = nightmare!

My address is [email protected] if you want to chat.

Susan

[medicmum]

Hello everyone,

I'm a 25yr old mature student studying medicine(2nd year) and i have a 2yr old daughter. i'm currently having difficulties with childcare due to finances and long hours. I also have to commute everyday as i live 2 hours away from uni. would like advice and chat from mums in similar position or otherwise.

[susanb]

Hi tamum

Yes, thats another thing that cropped up from my 'research'. Obviously being a teacher means I could miss out on all ds's plays/sports days etc.

[tamum]

Hi susanb, this isn't answering your question, but something relevant just occurred to me this morning. I had taken time off work to go to my ds's sports day, and was wondering who else would be there. A friend I usually see at these things wasn't there, because she's recently taken up a teaching assistant post. Now, I know this is a terribly minor thing, but it just hit me that although you get the holidays, by going in to teaching you lose all flexibility during term-time, and I started to think about all the plays, concerts, sports days that I would have missed if I'd been a teacher. Trivial, but worth considering maybe?

[susanb]

Hi everybody

I'm afraid I'm still after advice; to save you reading down the whole thread, I posted about giving up my dire part time office job and doing a degree full time with the aim of becoming a teacher.

You are all very kind and gave me some fantastic words of encouragement but I still cannot decide what to do! I've been accepted with open arms to a university but have also spent lots of time researching into teaching as a profession and have found that it makes grim reading. Basically, everybody I have spoken to/read about who has gone into teaching has negative things to say with regards to the heavy workload/inflexibility etc, and how so much is expected in the first few years. Don't get me wrong - I didn't for one minute think of teaching as an 'easy' option and am prepared to work damned hard if I choose to do this. If I was a childless woman I would definitely pursue this. I guess what is holding me back is the effect on my son. If I do this, I would qualify when ds is nearly 8. If I went straight into teaching after this, it would obviously take up a huge amount of time (as I have frequently been warned) and I would still need a childminder before/after school plus I've been told about various other extra curricular activites that teachers are expected to get involved in. Do you think it would be better to wait 5 years to start studying and at least then my son would be older and of an age where he wouldn't be so dependable on me. I am also worried that by doing this, I'll regret it and wish I'd waited and focussed far more on my ds.

I suppose ultimately I have to make the decision of where to concentrate. A fulfilling career is extremely important to me but so is spending time with ds in his early years. I am also 25, so am thinking that I have plenty of time. On the other hand, I don't know if I can stand my job for the next 5 years.

Out of interest, how did others get involved in whatever careers they are in and why?

[susanb]

Hi Custardo - you are full of very wise advice!!

Deep down, I know I really want to do it, I'm not afraid of the hard work involved and would embrace the chance to actually use my brain. Its just the practicalities of life getting in the way. I phoned my tutor today and she is going to try and find out the timetable (if its been done yet) then I can get an idea of when I'm expected to be there. My partner works shifts every week (he's a fireman) so with regards to spending time in the library, etc, he does get time off during the week to help care for ds.

Keeping ds at his present nursery shouldn't affect his school place so I guess I should stop feeling guilty. Basically the pros are looking ahead to get a decent job for my family and myself and probably feeling that I'm achieving a hell of a lot more than I am now. Cons are less money, perhaps more stress with sorting out childcare, running up a Student loan debt of about 10K whereas, at the moment, although I don't earn a great deal at least I'm now living on borrowed money and lets face it, with a child, mortgage and a house to do up, we need every penny we can get!! Saying that, we don't live on the poverty line, it would just be a case of learning to be more economical.

By the way, I completely admire you for your obvious dedication to bettering yourself.

[Tortington]

my Mil - same experience. its personal preference isnt it - i personally wouldnt feel guilty over nursery - unless it made the chances of a better school place available - then it would become a dilema for me. all the time any guilt i had was superceeded by the knowledge that i would be able to get a better paid job and provide a better life for my kids.

i took english and my pidgeon hole was bombarded constantly in my final year for me to do PGCE.

the bottom line is that you have to weigh it up, for me there really wasnt any choice MIL could muscle in all she wanted - she was looking after my kids while i tried to make us some kind of future than the drug infested council estate in northern england i was on. so not much choice there.


maybe a pro and con list?

i think what i am saying is if you really want to - nothing will stop you - nothing. however the decision of how important this move is - is the real decision.

mail me anytime

[susanb]

Hi Custardo

The thing is, I need to do a National Curriculum subject for my degree so I've chosed English and History which will probably mean my classes will be at specific times.

I'm still having second thoughts! -although I am the sort of person to think of all the bad points before the good. I'm applied for my Student Loan, and the University have given me an unconditional offer so thats that sorted. My main problem is now childcare, but as I mentioned before it all depends on my timetable. I'm currently trying to contact the tutor although I've got a feeling they don't do the timetables till next month. I've also got another dilemma - ds has been offered a school nursery place; he's already at another nursery which he loves, but basically the school nursery is supposed to be 'better'. Anyway, the downside is that at his present nursery they can start at 8.15 therefore making it possible for me to get to University at 9.00 whereas, the school nursery doesn't start till 8.50 which would mean that some days I couldn't get to University until gone 9.30. I know the simple option is to keep him at his current nursery but then I start getting big guilty feelings and thinking maybe I should wait a few years?

On the other hand, I'm feeling pretty miserable at the moment, work wise so I expect he's picking up on that and think I should concentrate on the big picture.

My other 'problem' is my MIL who I would have to rely on to help me out. Basically, she has a heart of gold and I trust her with ds BUT she can be a domineering busybody (particularly so at the moment) and I'm wondering if I can stomach her muscling in on ds!!

Sorry to waffle.........

[Tortington]

i think i have said this before but when i did my degree i picked the timetable to fit in with childcare rather than studying what i would have liked!

[marialuisa]

I don't know where you'll be studying but IME most unis have timetables (more or less) agreed by July. If you can keep a good relationship going with the tutor then perhaps she'll be able to let you know? It's worth bearing in mind that you'll probably need childcare for time in the library, to see tutors etc..so hopefully your MIL is flexible?

If you really are miserable then it's probably best to go for it, adapting to one salary and debt is always going to be hard and it's possible that you'll only manage to save a little anyway as the nest egg gets eaten in to by knackered boilers etc..

[susanb]

Hi everyone

I'm afraid I'm after more support and advice! Sorry to bore you all!

Basically, I'm still in the process of making plans to do a degree in September with the aim of becoming a teacher. I recently submitted an essay to the English teacher as I haven't studied for a few years and she wanted an idea of what level I was at and thankfully she said it was really good and they would welcome me with open arms. I have took steps to apply for my Student Loan. My worries at the moment are that we'll have to live on less money if this comes about and also, although I have my MIL to help out with child care, I won't find out about lesson times until much nearer the time, making it alot harder to arrange stuff in advance. I just wondered if anybody had this problem and how understanding their tutors were.

I would also be interested in hearing from any teachers, past and present with any helpful advice about teaching as a career as I don't know anybody close to me who has taught.

I am also having a few doubts that I'm being a bit crazy to do this now and keep wondering if I would be better to wait a couple of years when my son will be at school full time and I could also make an effort to save in the meantime to help out with living costs when I do decide to do it although ultimately I know I'll be miserable in my current job.

What does everybody think?

[susanb]

Just to update you on my situation - I recently met with the English teacher at the uni I want to go to - she was very helpful and has asked me to submit a written essay on a book I've read to get an idea of my written English (because its been a while since I sat my A Levels and she wants to make sure I could cope at degree level). Anyway, have finally written the piece and sent it off - I'm now dreading her phone call and whether she'll thinks its okay but no turning back now! Also applied for first stage of Student Loan but, god, things are so slow and I'm still waiting to hear back from them.

Thanks once again for all your helpful advice and encouragement.

[Tortington]

susan,
i agree with you, no regrets!

it comes accross that you plan your finances and so the way i dealt with everything wouldnt really help - as bascically i waited until they sent me letter upon letter and then eventually filled it in! then i moved ( not becuase of them - just becuase!) and waited til they contacted me again - then i changed jobs cos my boss was a bully and waited until the final letter of the final letter was sent to me again - they can have it when i have got it!

[SamboM]

susanb, I think you're right about web design, doesn't sound like you really want to do it. What's the point of going from one thing you don't really want to do to another?

My Dh is currently thinking of a career change as he is fed up with Law, thinking about going back and becoming a doctor! I don't think he'll do it though as I think he wants to do it more to get out of what he is doing now than any burning desire to become a dr.

I think you just have to weigh up the pros and cons, I don't think being a teacher is a bed of roses, though boring it probably isn't!

[susanb]

I meant £3K not £3!

[susanb]

Hi custardo

The thing is my part time job at the moment only brings home a small amount of money and if I were to take out a student loan we wouldn't be that much worse off month for month (although obviously I would be living off borrowed money!) I was orginally going to study through the OU but that basically means: 6 years to get a degree, which would cost be approx £3 and still working in a job I hate. I just thought it would be better to take the plunge, get the Student Loan and luckily I've got a partner who will support me emotionally and financially.

Nevertheless I am never one to take huge risks and normally tend to plod along with whatever I'm doing and have never been in any debt!!

But as I said before, I don't want to look back in my life and think 'I wish I'd have done that@.

[Tortington]

about money - the new system when first introduced was in th middle of my degree and meant that the ceiling was 10k before earning back previous to that for me at least it was 15k.

i agree with sambo that a degree isnt the way for everyone - i know my sons wont go to uni - its just not in them - and its about your goals - my goal was to prove to myself i was a person with a bit of nogin - i always maintain seriously no sh*t i did it for the picture, i did it for self fulfillment - and that feeling come on a par with my wedding day and the births of my children becuase i worked so damed hard heart and sould through allsorts of hardship with three tiny children a job and everyone calling me insane

but i did it! and the proudest person is me
as its hard work and financial misery - think seriously about your motivations

good luck!!!!!!

[susanb]

Yes SamboM I see what you are saying and this is a big issue on my mind about going into studying for a degree.

I didn't want to become a teacher at 18 after doing my A Levels and went straight into an administration type job which I enjoyed to an extent but by the time I left was completely fed up of it. At the moment I'm doing a secretarial job - I hate the work as I find it very mundane BUT its very flexible which is extremely important at the moment with a 3 year old son and a partner who works different days (and nights) every week.

Over the last couple of years I have felt the urge to go into something like teaching and must admit, when at school was initially interested in journalism. My choice is either making the move from a routine office job to something more challenging in an office environment OR going into something completely different, ie, teaching. God, isn't life difficult??!! My only other interest would be something like web design but am not sure how to get into this. I also think this would be settling for 'second best' as I would always think 'what if'. What do you think?

[SamboM]

Just a quick note on this 14k ceiling. I did A levels and then went to university to study Law but dropped out due to illness and never went back.

My DH also went to university, studied History, and then went back later (after working for a few years) and did a 1 year CPE (Law conversion course) + finals + 2 years articles. He ran up £20k in debts and has finally paid them all off.

He has a good job with a City law firm

However, I (with no degree) have a better paid job than him. I just worked my way up.

I realise that if you are going to be a teacher you need a degree, but for eg in IT (which I work in) you need an aptitude but not neccesarily a degree. Many of my colleagues didn't go to uni and some of them earn in excess of £100k.

I think what I'm trying to say is that Uni is not always the answer, I know people who have spent a lot of time and money studying only to find that they earn no more when they have finished. Sometimes your 3 or 4 years would be better spent working you way up in a more aptitude based job (eg IT, Journalism etc)

[M2T]

6 years?? That would mean all of mine would be written off!! Cooooool - I think I'll look into this.

[ForestFly]

I am doing a degree in social science as we speak. Open University though and i love it. Do work when they have gone to bed, and find it a lot more rewarding than the c**p i used to watch on t.v. Good luck!!!!!!!!

[tallulah]

25 years?!!!!! I'm sure I read somewhere that it was 6

[M2T]

Agree with Tallulah here... if you don't earn enough you don't pay it back. The old system gives you 25 years to start earning the amount to pay it off.... if you don't in that time scale then it's written off!! That means I have (quick calculation using fingers... ) 14 ,15 and 16 years left on my current loans. >groan

[tallulah]

I did but it was under the old system & I still don't earn enough to pay it back. I assume the new one works in the same way & you can defer repayments each year until you earn enough?

[susanb]

Hi

Just a couple more questions! - did anybody take out a student loan? If so, is it worked yearly and what if your income goes up (or down) in that year - is it changed? Also, I know about the repayment amounts (you don't have to pay it back until you earn over £10K) but what if you don't get a job for whatever reason - are you still eligible to pay?

Thanks
Susan