Thinking of dropping out…bad idea? - Page 2

[shayinme]

Originally Posted by EFmom

I would absolutely stick it out. You are so close it would be (imo) a huge mistake not to. You've already done 90% of it.

Yes, religion isn't a major that in and of itself is going to get you a great job or earn you a lot of money. But there are many, many jobs that require one to have a bachelor's degree, period, and you shut yourself out of all those positions if you don't have one.

I work at a university. If you quit now, you may find that it is much harder to get your degree later. Program requirements change, so you may find that all sorts of things have been added by the time you go back. Also, some credits may have a statute of limitations, if you will. If you try to go back too many years from now, you may be looking at retaking a bunch of things.

Having a bachelors is a prerequiste for graduate work. You mention you might want to go back for a bachelors in psychology, but in terms of the job market, that's not all that much better than a BA in religion.

To piggyback off this post, if psychology is the route you end up taking, I personally would finish the BA and go to grad school for psychology. Like others have said just having a degree opens many doors and while being a SAHM maybe what you are planning you never know where life will take you. The thing is a not finished BA isn't going to mean much and its true requirements change and if too much time passes you may not be able to utilize all the credits you have.

I will say as one Mama who went to school as a parent to another, I think its normal to get to the end and feel like giving up. I remember working on my senior project that was due in like a week and I was up at 2 am having a writers block saying I could not do it. I did it and while you said the only positive you can think of is a sense of accomplishment, I'll say for me that was a huge deal when I finished and got my degree.

To this day aside from my kids, I am actually more proud of getting my BA than I was when I got my Masters. In part because it was a journey and a struggle and in the end I did it..it sounds corny but for me it was true.

[claddaghmom]

I've been having these thoughts, too. I was so so close to bridging a master's (when you take master's classes at the same time as bachelor's) and graduating. And then I messed up a stacked section of classes (prereq for my req for my capstone) and now I am going to be in school 6 months longer...the point being I am going to be in FT school through my pregnancy and birth.

Of course, I don't hold a candle, complaining about 2 kids, to your 5 kids!

What about reducing the load? I know I can't do that b/c I have to be FT for the scholarships...but do you have to? Are any of the classes online so you can be at home more often?

[Summertime Mommy]

Well now I really don't know what to do. There is one class that I am takin now that I have missed a lot of. I just took an exam and I was super sick but had already rescheduled because of dd so I didn't want to reschedule again. Of course I bombed the exam. This couse is also the capstone course of my program.

Yesterday I emailed my professor and detailed all of my problems for him and his response was that the only way he would even pass me in the course is if I attended every class from here on out and made stellar grades. I just don't think that is possible. I have already withdrawn from this class once so if I withdraw now, I will have to appeal to even be allowed to retake it. I don't know what to do.

[Summertime Mommy]

I think I am going to try to get a medical withdrawal due to my kids, then take a semester or two off and come back when my youngest is a bit older and life is a bit more manageable….this would be ideal, i think.

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by Summertime Mommy

I think I am going to try to get a medical withdrawal due to my kids, then take a semester or two off and come back when my youngest is a bit older and life is a bit more manageable….this would be ideal, i think.

I think that's a good plan. You can't focus on your studies right now, and there's no real urgent need for them now.

I would encourage you, when you go back, however, to finish up the work for the degree you're in. You can always pursue a different/another degree, but showing that you can finish one degree will help down the line.

Your degree isn't 'worthless'. I'll spare you my rant on the value of a liberal arts education. You've learned valuable skills and ways of thinking.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Summertime Mommy

Well now I really don't know what to do. There is one class that I am takin now that I have missed a lot of. I just took an exam and I was super sick but had already rescheduled because of dd so I didn't want to reschedule again. Of course I bombed the exam. This couse is also the capstone course of my program.

Yesterday I emailed my professor and detailed all of my problems for him and his response was that the only way he would even pass me in the course is if I attended every class from here on out and made stellar grades. I just don't think that is possible. I have already withdrawn from this class once so if I withdraw now, I will have to appeal to even be allowed to retake it. I don't know what to do.

Originally Posted by Summertime Mommy

I think I am going to try to get a medical withdrawal due to my kids, then take a semester or two off and come back when my youngest is a bit older and life is a bit more manageable….this would be ideal, i think.

(((Hugs))). February is such a tough time in the school year. The assignments have piled up and the year seems endless.

Many colleges have student support services to help students struggling for a variety of reasons. If your college offers such a service, have you contacted them? They may offer some practical help - child care co-ops, support networks, study assistance....

If there is no service, then perhaps you could speak with the Dean of your faculty. Perhaps some of the lecture/course work could be done by independent study instead.

You have already invested a lot in your education. The faculty and the college have a lot invested in you too. It's in their interest to help you graduate. Most school are fairly sympathetic to family demands. I would think a religion faculty, in particular, could be persuaded to be supportive.

If you are certain that you will return to complete your degree, then taking a leave may be a good idea. If you don't return though, it will be problematic explaining to potential employers why you didn't complete your degree when you were so close to finishing.

Best wishes.