college, degrees, etc.

gymrat1279

What did you get your degree(s) in?
BS and MS in Civil Engineering.  Minor in Math.

How many times did you change your major?
None.

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
I worked for a year before going back to school for my Masters.

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
I have my Masters, probably won't get my PhD but maybe an MBA.

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
For my BS degree, I had a full scholarship and my parents paid my room and board.  For my MS degree, my job paid for a lot of it and I picked up the rest myself.

Was your family supportive?
Absolutely.

Anything else you want to say/add in?
I absolutely love learning and if I could do a PhD and not have to worry about working or the money to pay for it, I absolutely would.

I'm new to posting but have lurked for awhile.  I joined TK when I was MOH in my best friend's wedding.  This seemed like a good topic to jump in and post though.

oceana919

What did you get your degree(s) in?
Bachelors and Masters of Science in marine biology.

How many times did you change your major?
None. I knew I wanted to be a marine biologist by the age of five.

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
I took 1 1/2 years off between bachelors and masters. I was 20 when I finished my bach and wanted to take some time to relax a bit. I did some internships, went to Europe, had some fun, and saved some money before heading off for masters.

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
Currently working on the Ph.D. ::headdesk::

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
Bachelors was funded by combo of parents and scholarships. Masters and Ph.D. is all on loans. Not looking forward to the $100K I'm gonna owe the government when all is said and done.

Was your family supportive?
They've been incredibly supportive of everything I've wanted to do with my life. I couldn't have asked for a more supportive family.

Anything else you want to say/add in?
Planning a wedding while working on a Ph.D. = am I INSANE?!? lol

**Mutley**

What did you get your degree(s) in?
B.S. in Public Health
M.A. in Teaching

How many times did you change your major?
I transferred so my major changed from "Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies" to "Public Health."  However, they are essentially the same thing.  Obviously, I changed my area of study for my M.A.

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
I took a year off between undergrad and grad school to save $.

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
I might go back and get my Ed.D some day.  Right now, I am actually going the opposite direction and applying for an associate's degree in nursing.

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
Combination of all 3, but mainly scholarships.

Was your family supportive?
Of my undergrad and graduate degrees, they were very supportive.  My mom is having a major issue with the whole nursing idea.  She thinks it has to do with my MIL (who is a nurse.)  My mom seems to have completely forgotten that I was actually pre-med and finished out my pre-requisites in case I wanted to go into the medical field at a later date.  She has major jealousy issues when it comes to my MIL. 

Anything else you want to say/add in?
I went to both private and public.  I started at a private school for undergad and had to transfer to a public school for family reasons.  The private school wins.  No contest.  I even went back there for graduate school.  For me, there was a different type of community that involved the entire school.  Everyone was connected, from professors to admin to students.  It might have been the school but when they talk about being a 'family,' they definitely back it up. 

megandken

In Response to college, degrees, etc.:
What did you get your degree(s) in?
Undergrad- Bio,, Masters- Anth, PhD- PubHealth and Ev. Bio.

How many times did you change your major?
0, but I obviously switched it up for each degree

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
Yup- wouldn't have completed anything without that break

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
If anyone needs talking down from this ledge let me know.  I'm [still] not sure it was the right decision to keep going on (and on and on) with the education.

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
I was lucky enough that my mom paid my first 2 years of tuition at a state university and I covered living expenses and the rest of tuition.  Scholarship money increased as I advanced my studies.

Was your family supportive? Anything else you want to say/add in?
Do a really thorough cost/benefit analysis on each stage of your education.  Will a job you can get with a BA in *insert your field here* give you enough joy and/or pay to make your sweat, tears, and loan payments worth it?  I wish someone had really encouraged me to do this (maybe people around me were a little too supportive .

ekathleen684

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_college-degrees-etc?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:4dd253d8-9afd-470f-940c-06cefe336188Post:25cb8177-6091-4de1-989e-f80ae3195cda">Re: college, degrees, etc.</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm having a scholastic nervous breakdown.
Posted by Narwhal[/QUOTE]

This was me in May. Waitressing was a very appealing career move. It seems like it is taking forever to get my bachelors and there is so far to go!

chipypony

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_college-degrees-etc?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:4dd253d8-9afd-470f-940c-06cefe336188Post:62090d53-0fe2-4cc3-9682-206a0290d114">Re: college, degrees, etc.</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to college, degrees, etc. : What did you get your degree(s) in? Undergrad- Bio,, Masters- Anth, PhD- PubHealth and Ev. Bio. How many times did you change your major? 0, but I obviously switched it up for each degree Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees? Yup- wouldn't have completed anything without that break Will you get your Masters or PhD? If anyone needs talking down from this ledge let me know.  I'm [still] not sure it was the right decision to keep going on (and on and on) with the education. Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship? I was lucky enough that my mom paid my first 2 years of tuition at a state university and I covered living expenses and the rest of tuition.  Scholarship money increased as I advanced my studies. Was your family supportive? Anything else you want to say/add in? <strong>Do a really thorough cost/benefit analysis on each stage of your education.  Will a job you can get with a BA in *insert your field here* give you enough joy and/or pay to make your sweat, tears, and loan payments worth it?  I wish someone had really encouraged me to do this (maybe people around me were a little too supportive ;).</strong>
Posted by megandken[/QUOTE]

Some times I try to talk myself out of the PhD thing, but my family would be disappointed. Thankfully it's all free or I would definitely not be here. I did my BS in three years so I didn't have to keep paying for it. At least for me, the job market is kind of sucky so it was easier to do school for free for 4 or 5 years than try to work and find a job I'd probably hate

megandken

I totally feel your pain Chipy!  I think one of the things grad school can teach you (even if it's through observing other people) is the value of quitting.  Even if you don't do it.  Even if other people don't get it.  A good lesson for a lot of the over-achieving women I know (that's probably anyone who felt the need to reply to this thread?).

sswilson11

What did you get your degree(s) in?
Civil Engineering
How many times did you change your major?
None
Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
No, I left to go away to school 12hours after my highschool graduation to get a head start.
Will you get your Masters or PhD?
Yes I will eventually get a Masters in Project Management after I pay down my loans
Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
All 3
Was your family supportive?
Very Suppotive

nefariousmango

What did you get your degree(s) in?
Molecular, cellular, and developmental bio, a few classes away from minors in literature, neurology, and biochemistry.

How many times did you change your major?
Twice- Started neurology/evolutionary bio double, then did lit, now doing MCDB

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
I had a head injury my senior year, so I took a semester off before college, then left that university on medical leave and took a year off, then started another school and did two years there before taking medical leave for PTSD related to the head injury, and a semester later started at my third university.

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
Probably

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
I had a full ride at my first school, which also had a 99% rate of their graduates being accepted to their first-choice medical schools so it was a great deal, but when I took medical leave I had to give it up which is part of why I didn't go back.  My parents are paying for tuition now (in-state), I'm so grateful that they're able to take out the loans because FI's student loan payments are already a huge weight for us to be carrying! 

Was your family supportive?
100%

Anything else you want to say/add in?
My mom failed out of 3 undergrad institutions, then got into Yale for her MA and Berkeley for her PhD.  I've always found that encouraging- if you're good at something and you try hard, past mistakes can be forgiven.

raw1299

What did you get your degree(s) in?
i have a associates in science/mathematics. going for my BS in biology right now. 

How many times did you change your major?
when i transferred from community college to my university, i was listed as chemistry, i changed it a week later.

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
nope, i've been taking classes during the summer too, so i can graduate early. i should be the class of 2012, but will be walking summer 2011.

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
hell no, im done!

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
for the first year at community college, i had a scholarship. about a few thousand paid from my parents, and currently taking out loans for the rest.

Was your family supportive?
yes, definitely.

Anything else you want to say/add in?
been with my boyfriend for 4 years

Baby4538

What did you get your degree(s) in?
B.S. in Biology
Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology

How many times did you change your major?
once from English to Biology

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
no

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
I have a Ph.D. (I'm 27)

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
For undergrad, my parents paid a bit (books, some spending money, etc.), I paid a bit (I have some loans), and I was on scholarship (which paid the bulk of it). For grad school, I received a stipend which included tuition.

Was your family supportive?
Yes. Very. They wanted me to do whatever would make me happy within reason. And my dad was extremely happy that I didn't come home after graduation(s) but had school or a job to go to.

Anything else you want to say/add in?
Love my field and I'm glad I (finally) have a bf who loves me and not my degree or is intimidated by it.

Acrosthec

What did you get your degree(s) in?
I have a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Psychology.  I also have a J.D. (law)

How many times did you change your major?
I didn't.  I did add Psych as a second one though.

Did you take any time off before getting any of your degrees?
I took a year off between undergrad and law school.

Will you get your Masters or PhD?
I am currently working towards my MBA.

Did you pay, your parents pay, or did you get a scholarship?
Parents paid for undergrad (and I got a small scholarship), and then I got a full scholarship to law school.

Was your family supportive?
Absolutely.

Anything else you want to say/add in?
Not really.  Law school was hard.  I'm glad it's over.  Sometimes I wish I had just pursued Psychology further instead of taking the law route, but other days it's a blast.