Should I bother going to grad school?

[darien]

Last year, I applied to an MLS program, and was accepted. I didn't get any sort of financial aid. Upon discussing this with my husband, I found out that he had brought us to the verge of bankruptcy (again). For this and other reasons, I decided to divorce him.

I deferred the MLS program for a year, and got to work on getting ready to separate. I got a low-paying teaching job at a place I really like. My kids are going there now, and I get 2/3 off their tuition and free aftercare.

I have to reapply for financial aid and register for at least one class for the upcoming summer semester, or my admission to the MLS program will be revoked. Since I am soon to separate from the husband, I guess I could get some financial aid this time. I need to keep my teaching job, though, because I just can't send my dc to another school. The older dc has some issues and needs a small, supportive place; the younger one would have to go to a poorly rated school with no aftercare.

I applied to the program mostly thinking that being a librarian would be a good job for a homeschooling mom to have. I'm not sure I have a good reason to go, anymore.

[JTA Mom]

Do you want to be a librarian?

What are the job prospect? Salary?

These are all things I'd look at. If you really want to be a librarian and are willing to move to get a job, then go for it.

If it's just something 'interesting' but not something you want, you wouldn't be willing/able to move and/or the salary is too low to sustain you & your little ones, then don't do it.

Would getting a MS/MA improve your earning potential if you switched to another 'interesting' field? If so, I'd switch concentrations and go for it.

Ami

[Ellien C]

I'd think REAL hard about an MLS. It's usually an expensive degree and being a librarian doesn't pay that well. If it's what you TRULY want to do - then yes - go for it and enjoy yourself. But if you think an MLS and a Library job is your ticket to financial freedom, do some hard core research on the payback period and Return on Investment.

[bobandjess99]

Honestly? unless you hate teaching and are pining to become a librarian, you would have much better prospects just staying a teacher, and you could pursue you master in teaching (can be done VERY cheaply online, btw) and have much better propects and pay scale than the MLS.

[readermaid]

I hate to be a downer because I LOVe being a librarian, but it's a really tough job market in this field. I have an MLS and am currently under employed. Theoretically, you could make decent money and have a flexible schedule as a librarian. If you can find a job, anyway.....

[daytripper75]

Go into some local libraries and speak with librarians. In my area there are NO jobs. Full time jobs are dissappearing quickly and being made into part time jobs to save on benefits. It's really sad what's happening to the profession.
If it is your passion in life, go for it but it might also be a good idea to wait and see before commiting.

[witchygrrl]

I have 3 librarians in my life (two specialized in archives). One has had her job for years, but with the current economy can't fully retire yet (she's 62). The other two are younger--one has a job through a local university temp agency, does not get benefits, etc, and the other got her degree last December, and after a year and a half, finally got part time work at an art museum. So it's rough out there. I'd say get the MA in education instead, and get a better paying teaching job.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by darien

I applied to the program mostly thinking that being a librarian would be a good job for a homeschooling mom to have. I'm not sure I have a good reason to go, anymore.

I, too, work in a library. I'm not a Librarian (that is a title of respect for those of you who have gotten your MLS), but have worked several different jobs in a library... cataloger, development manager, clerk, admin, even technical services. My jobs have been decidedly VERY inflexible.

Also, libraries are SHAMEFULLY underfunded right now. That puts the burden on the directors to cut costs as much as they are able and results in more pressure on the managers and department heads. The full-time people are seriously over-worked and under-paid. The administrators tend to have to do a lot of community/business networking (as the library is a core element of the community).

So, if you want to work at a library for the flexibility to home school, AFAIK, you certainly wouldn't want to work in a public library.

[mtm]

leave a job you like with almost free tuition for the kids for grad school, no way!

[Smithie]

I think you are going to have to let this go. Since you obviously can't rely on STBX to support his kids, the task falls to you. A single-parent librarian is not going to bring in enough to support her children in a middle-class lifestyle. If that's your goal, you need to pick another career.

What I would do, if I were you, is to keep the current job for at least another year, until you can reasonably transition the dc to public school (perhaps in another district, MOVE if your current district is not suitable for the long term). Private school tuition, even half-rate private school tuition, is not something your family will be able to afford long-term.

Realistically, every person in your family is going to pay the price for your STBX's failings, including your dc. In the coming year, you can find out what the child support situation is realistically going to be like, get his checks garnished if you need to in order to get a consistent monthly payment, and look around at all your options. Long-term, teaching at the elementary level is probably not going to make the salary you'll need. But for the first year of separation, having a job with a built-in aftercare solution for your dc is going to give you much-needed peace of mind as you plot your long-term course.

[Facepalmer]

I'm kind of new here, but I had to reply to this.

I'm a library worker (non-degree'd, so while I can't be officially classified as "Librarian" try telling that to the public) and right now there are several Librarians I work with that would kill for you job with childcare benefits right now.

IMHO, the last thing in the world I would do right now is go back to school for a MLS. Most libraries are laying off staff right now, even the better funded districts. To go $30-40K in debt for an MLS right now, only to be laid off would be a killer in this economy; in fact, I have several co-workers who are now facing this problem. I also have co-workers who have worked for our district for 20 years or more full time, and are now facing layoffs or reduced part time hours.

Most library districts are not hiring right now, and for the few positions that do come open, competition is fierce. Earlier this year in my department we had one part-time position open up and received over 500 applications for it.

My advice to the OP is to keep her current job, and if she wants to work in a library, maybe do a few volunteer hours here and there.

[darien]

Thanks for the clarity, everyone. I'll be skipping the MLS and hanging onto what I've got!