I just applied for college ... Again

Hey there!

So some of you know of the internal debate I've been having for a while now. Do I go back to school and get a degree? Deluxe has not cared nor required a degree for any of my advancement and my current position would require that lovely strip of paper for almost any other company. That being said, I've wanted to go back to school for a while but I could never decide what for. Business Management seems to be the target but then it's really the difference between Project/Operational Management like I was doing or Software Management which is sort of the path I'm on now.

There was a point relatively recently when I felt that I was near the end of my days at Deluxe and had started to look elsewhere for employment. I'm still with Deluxe and I stand behind my decision to stay as long as things change - both with myself and within a few areas we've identified as needing improvement. However, when I was looking about the internet for potential new opportunities I found that some companies will trade the paper for experience - which I have. But there are companies out there that simply want the degree. It doesn't even have to be a degree that pertains to the job you're applying for. And that's what kills me. I won't mention any companies specifically but one in particular disappointed me in this particular area. Require a degree, that's fine. But at least make it pertain to the position.

Anyway, all of this has led to me re-debating the need for a degree. If I stay with Deluxe then I don't "need" one because Deluxe knows what I'm capable of. If I ever want to leave Deluxe, I'm handicapped without one. If Deluxe ever gets bought out or whatever and we get reviewed for our own positions - which I've seen happen elsewhere - I could be screwed. I don't want to wake up when I'm 40 and which I had gotten the degree "way back when." I'm already almost 30 so if I'm going to do this, now's the time. I should have done it a long time ago.

All of that being said... I applied for Gen Ed classes at LAVC today. Cal State won't allow me to directly apply for a 4-yr degree because technically I've gone to college before. Those credits are over 10yrs old and so they don't transfer but they still consider me a transfer. And I can't transfer without the full set of Gen Ed courses. The good news is that JC is significantly cheaper and easier. I should be able to blast through it in a year or so including Winter/Summer semesters. Then I'll spend 2 years at Cal State and be done with my Bachelor's. Of course I'll want my Masters but we'll cross that bridge later.

Deluxe does offer really good tuition reimbursement but it's not worth the paperwork for the JC and they only pay for 2 courses per Semester. I'm planning 3-4 courses per Semester. I only need 13 courses for Gen Ed. So I should be done in a year or so.

This better be worth it... This next year is going to be boring as sh*t. I've already done this once before!!! That reminds me ... Sorry mom!!!