GS1140 Assignment 1 Essay Example for Free

GS1140 Assignment 1 Essay The problem that I have chosen to write about is very personal to me. The problem I had was that I was not making enough money to survive on a monthly basis. I had a choice to either look for a job that paid better or go back to school. I began looking for another job but with my lack of a degree, I still wouldn’t be making enough to really have the life I want. I began thinking about school, but I needed to decide what I wanted to do with my life. I had spent my entire adult life as a wife and a mother and didn’t worry or think about a career or furthering my education. With my children all grown and on their own, and recently becoming single it was time to make a decision about furthering my education. I decided if I was going to pursue a degree there were four very important items that I needed to look consider: What to get the degree in; Where to go to get the degree; How much it would cost me; And how long it would take. I began considering the things I enjoyed doing and whether or not I could make a career out of any of them. I have been an Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper for about 12 years and it seemed the logical choice to get my degree in Accounting or Business but it wasn’t of very much interest to me. I began talking to people who really enjoyed their jobs how they knew what it was they wanted to do in their chosen career. â€Å"Do what makes you happy.† Was the first thing my mother told me and my dad said, â€Å"If you have a job you enjoy, you will never have to work a day in your life.† I have always enjoyed working on computers, trying to figure out how to do different things. When my computer would act up, I would try to fix it myself before I would have someone else try to fix it. It interested me and so I began looking at different degrees available in the computer or IT field. I decided that this is where I want to pursue my degree. I started looking into different schools in my area and what was available for a degree in Information Technology. There were several classes available at several local community colleges. I began to look into the different classes I would need to take but was extremely confused about all the different  pre-requisites and classes open. I had decided I was going to go and talk to a counselor at one of the community colleges when someone mentioned ITT Technical Institute to me. After looking online at the website, I concluded that this would be my first stop of my journey to a higher education. I called and made an appointment to talk to someone and go over my different options. Since my finances were such that I was barely making it now, the cost of school was a very big factor to me. I couldn’t afford to pay up front for school. I wasn’t sure about any programs available to me to assist with the financial aspect of my pursuit to further my education. The lady in the finance department at ITT Tech was very helpful in answering my questions about financial aid and the different scholarships and grants available. I found that I can receive a scholarship through the school that will cut down my tuition cost and with financial aid the balance will not be due until after I finish my schooling. This was a huge relief for me to not have to come up with the money upfront. School was really looking like a definite possibility to me at this point. The last question I needed answered was how long would it take for me to finish my education. The program at ITT Tech was set up in a way that I would be able to obtain my Associates of Science degree in as little as 21 months. Unlike a regular community college, I would not have to worry about the different pre-requisites and whether or not I would be able to find an open class. They addressed all my questions and concerns, set up the classes as I needed them, and provided the necessary books and reference material. Working full time, I didn’t want to have to worry about which class I needed to take first and in which order to take them. I really liked this approach and it was one of the deciding factors for me to enroll. In conclusion, I saw a problem that needed to be fixed in my life and am on my way to remedying that challenge. I researched all my options on how to fix the problem. I asked necessary questions and set my game plan in motion and am taking the necessary steps to further my education, better myself, as well as set an example for my children and others that it’s never too late to go back to school and learn something you love.