So I have decided to goto college ... finally.

[lopxtc]

Allot of people laugh when I say this, but I have finally decided to goto college ....

Up until now I have never needed to attended to college, and really even now I dont "need" to go, but recently I decided that I should get my degree before my money goes to waste. I went into the Marines right out of high school, had my 18th birthday in Boot Camp, and after four years I got out and went into the job market.

Allot of people know I am a Unix geek; 100% self taught and educated on Linux, HP-UX, and SunOS, so it really wasnt to hard to find work. Currently I work as a Web Admin with MasterCard, doing Application Server administration (Apache, Netscape, Tomcat, WebSphere, WebLogic you name it) and make a more then average salary for my position in the midwest. Even though I was easily employable it has always been a nagging problem with me that I never attended college, so I decided that the time has come to put an end to that. Looking through my benefits I discovered my GI Bill runs out in 2007 and if I dont use it by then I am SOL and lose that money. The problem I have always had is that my wife works weird hours and we have two kids to take care of, so coming across the time to goto college has been almost impossible.

Enter Phoenix online ... never really paid much attention to this University before, and when I saw them handing out information at my work I just about walked past them. Just so happens that I over heard one of their people saying that the GI Bill was useable at their college and this caught my interest. Long story short; I am turning 30 this year and on the 31st I start my first day ever in college. Talk about a weird feeling.

Oh well though I would talk about here in case anyone else might be interested :) ....

Aaron

[magmanl337]

If you go to any parties, make sure you aren't the first person to fall asleep.

[Kevmaster]

good to hear. good luck with it man.

[lopxtc]

Yeah should be a blast ... my big problem is going to be paper writing. God knows how bad my sentence structure alone has gotten over the past several years from email and such. Math, and science no problem, but any english type classes are going to require some relearning of paper writing techniques.

Aaron

[Kevmaster]

Yeah should be a blast ... my big problem is going to be paper writing. God knows how bad my sentence structure alone has gotten over the past several years from email and such. Math, and science no problem, but any english type classes are going to require some relearning of paper writing techniques.

Aaron

i've been doing academia for all my life (20 years) and i still can't write a good paper.

I just avoid those classes :)

[gimp]

Congratulations. You seem well educated and I've always assumed you had a degree. I can't write a decent paper either. Lucky for me I'm in my last semester in an engineering major, so it's not much of a problem. Any idea what your gonna get the degree in? I'm assuming comp sci. Should be a piece of cake for ya. Good luck!

[manike]

Congrats!

Going to college as a mature student is a very admirable thing. Enjoy and make the most of it.

I admire anyone that has the commitment to further their education. It's not easy but hopefully worthwhile.

Good luck!

[trains are bad]

I just avoid those classes

same, even though I'm good at writing papers I hate it. Now the most writing I do is handwritten lab reports in pencil, on torn out notebook paper half the time. I love it.

[TheDuelist]

I'm 36 and just finished my first semester in the fall. Your not starting that late. If anything you are at an advantage. Stay focused and good luck.

[Eagle]

Navy here, I went to school for a year after high school, liked it, but my parents weren't willing to foot the bill with the grades I was getting, so entered the job market for a couple years, that took me nowhere, so I joined the Navy. Almost 5 years latter, I'm getting out in about 2 months. planning on going back to work for the moment, but I'll probably do like you, use my GI Bill and College Fund a couple years before it runs out. I've heard alot about Phoenix online through the Navy, supposed to be pretty good for our kind, but expensive if you have to go out of pocket for anything. My LPOs wife is taking a course through them at a discounted rate by being a dependent, and it cost almost as much as it did for me to take a course in person less than 8 years ago. Good luck ya reformed jarhead.

[brianlojeck]

I'm 30 and in college myself...

I actually find it easier this time around (I flunked out 12 years ago), I guess not being a total dumbass makes it easier to study and stuff... but I don't envy you with kids. I'm married, but we just have a dog and a couple of cats...

Good luck. I know a couple of people in UoP, and they seem happy with the program. I'm not big on group projects for school purposes myself, but some people really enjoy that stuff...

[cphilip]

Good show! Always good to get more smart.

The question everyone asks is "You know how old I will be when I go to College? or "You know how old I would be before I could ever graduate College?"...

Answer. The same age you would be WITHOUT that degree!

Heck... I retire in a few more years. And have Degree's.... but seriously.. I am considering going back to school for something else when I retire! I not certain what I will be into at that point. But never the less.... I will go get whatever edumacation I need for whatever it is I am interested in at the time. I doing it for me. Your doing it for you family. Make the sacrifice now and you will never be sorry.

[teufelhunden]

Heck... I retire in a few more years.

Oh, God. May as well buy stock in wheelchair companies now.. and Depends too..

[RevBrown]

Well yer lucky its online.
You won't have to retake a class because you called your instructor a Worthless Goddarn Hippie( you all know I actually swore there)
Unless you send an email you didnt mean to send.

[lopxtc]

Yeah I am looking forward to it, get the basic classes out of the way and even the classes that are geared to my degree are probably going to be mostly refresher courses. Having almost 6-7 years of experience in my field already means allot when it comes to getting a job ... just figure that at this point in my career I have to chose to either have a life as an employee or start looking toward moving my career into the management fields. I got enough management as a squad leader and assisting the platoon commander while he was busy to last a life time, but eventually the only way to keep moving up is going to be a management position of some kind and I know that wont be possible without a degree of some kind.

Making the decision to go was the tough part, seeing that I currently make more then my parents combined it was next to impossible to buy the line; "If you want to make good money you need a degree."

Aaron