Ever felt this way before about your choices?

[Drakemoore]

Been a little while since I've been on this forum, was probably most active around 2ish years ago, been feeling a little unsure about things lately and thought I'd share my experiences over the last few years and get a feel for what the people here think.

I'm sort of a late bloomer, I started attending Hodges University 2 years ago with their UPower program. I've been attending completely on financial aid with no out of pocket, just under a 4.0 GPA due to getting a B recently in a business related course, earned an Associates in Computer Information Technology not that long ago, working towards a Bachelors of Science in Software Development and I should have around 80ish credits complete by the middle of this year out of 120 required to graduate. I didn't use any test out methods prior to enrolling so I'll have around 80ish trimester based credits (each course is 4 credits instead of 3). The original / current idea was to finish the BS in Software and then take and complete the Masters in Information Systems that the university also offers. I'm currently also self employed working as a search engine evaluator while attending school for the last year, it doesn't pay a whole lot but it's certainly better than minimum wage and a job is a job.

I'm not going to pull my whole transcript and list it at this time as this is just a sharing and discussion right now, but I have a mixture of general education core, IT courses, business courses, ethics and computer programming.

But anyways down to the point. I sometimes feel like I'm not cut out for software development, and I worry that I could finish the program and still not be good enough to secure a position somewhere. Sometimes I even start thinking the grass is greener on the other side and I should have gone into electrical engineering or something more hands on, but that it's, sort of too late at this point to change and who knows, maybe I could feel the same way there. I feel like this is sort of a three faceted issue that I have.

1) I didn't really know 100% what I wanted to major in, but this program looked 'great' on paper and I've always been interested in and worked with computer technology. So I thought the program would be good for me to apply the knowledge that I already had into something that I could secure employment with either in the form of programming or information technology.

2) I didn't (still don't) have a lot of financial means to go to a standard university at the time, but I have started working some now in addition to attending school online so I've become more financially independent and capable at least.

3) I don't know how it is at normal universities, or at the 'big three' in terms of regular attendance at those universities online but I feel like in the program that I'm in, there's a lot of 'surveying' of topics, jumping from one topic to another either between IT, Programming, General Education Core and by the time I start feeling like I'm understanding a topic and becoming proficient, I'm whisked away to complete another course in a completely different topic. Is this just how university typically goes?

I've tried talking with some friends in a variety of industries, as well as other forums, and Reddit (of all places) in terms of what kind of career prospects I would have if I didn't go for programming after finishing my undergraduate. People in IT tell me not to worry about it and in most areas of the country that to IT employers for the most part they don't care what my degree is in as long as it's technology related and if I want to get an IT job as a fall back, I should aim to complete at least a small portfolio of certifications (Comptia, Cisco, etc) and I should be able to get an entry job easily enough, which I'm thinking of at least working on the certifications because I believe I can finish some of them easily enough due to personal and academic experience, and I can get discount vouchers because I'm a student.

Close friends and family on the other hand sort of have a, "Well if you don't like what you're pursuing or feel that you'd be good at it, then you should just give up while you still have Pell Grant, find something you think you'd love doing before you waste your financial aid." mentality.

I've even looked out of curiosity, again the grass is greener on the other side at the ABET electrical engineering degree at TESC, but I'd have to do a lot of catch up work.

So I don't know, I do apologize for ranting here as I know this forum is more focused on test out and all but I used to be an active member here and I figured I'd share and discuss my current situation. My current plan is to chug along in my current term and I'm going to try spending most of my free time studying programming and since I have an interest in 'Internet of Things' development I'm thinking about trying to program and experiment with Arduino to help perk my interest further in coding.

[yb1]

If I were you I'd stick it out. Reasoning: The Pel Grant is covering your entire degree and you are familiar with the program. It sounds like you are doing pretty well.

If you were to go to a brick & mortar State school and start doing all of your upper levels. I'd imagine you would have to redo classes for courses that will not transfer over and end up paying out of pocket for what is not covered by the Pel Grant.

I went to Hodges but for some reason that school just did not click with me. I also had a lot going on at the time, so that was part of it. I only managed to finish a few classes. I switched over to TESU and will have my last classes finished before I know it.


I have met many people who are working with degrees in a completely unrelated field. So to reiterate what I just said: Finish up and then worry about what to do next. Maybe you can get an internship this summer working as a software developer to see how you like it and if you can see yourself in this role.

Personally I am trying to break into IT, so on top of the classes I am currently taking at TESU for CIS I have enrolled in my local CC cybertraining program so I am aiming for A+, Net +, Sec + by June and CCNA in the Fall. I don't know where I want to go but if I pad my resume now I have hope that I'll land somewhere good.

So yes I suggest stick it out. At the end of the day you should be able to graduate debt free. At that point either start working or go travel the world. (Perhaps even as a digital nomad with your new programming skills!)

[cookderosa]

There are 3 reasons to get a degree as I see it - 1) you know you were born to do that thing. 2) you need it for your career. 3) you can earn the degree for free

I also think our society has this overly romantic notion of work. Sometimes work is just work. You do it for 8 hours a day so you can fund your other 16. It doesn't have to be bliss - I'm sure the coal miners didn't ask themselves if they were living their passion or being fulfilled. You can do that stuff "after" work. *unless you're looking for your career to be your identity, but that's something different.

Unfortunately, you're in a pickle. If you leave now, not only will you have no degree, but you'll have loans coming due. Suck it up and finish. Land a job, keep your eyes open so you can learn the skills you think you lack (everyone starts somewhere, don't evaluate your skills against someone with tons of experience, that takes time). Pay off your student loan and in that time get your feet wet in this career. If, after 5 years, you're still not sure, then do something else. (and you CAN pay back your loans in 5 years or less )

EDIT to add: if you haven't taken out any loans, you are only using a Pell, that changes things.

[davewill]

There are a lot of tech jobs that are NOT primarily coding, that can proceed from a Software Development degree. There is test engineering, field support engineers, technical sales reps, project management, QA, tech writing, IT of course, and a whole lot more. Plus there are so many niches of software development, one of them may end up calling your name. Try casting your net a little wider.

[Drakemoore]

@yb1

Thank you for the reply and sharing your current experience. I've taken courses for A+, and currently have a course for Sec+, so I've been thinking about taking practice certification exams and possibly going down and just getting certified since I can get discount vouchers, I think up to 50% off. From what I understand though ideally you do it in the proper sequence, A+ - > Net + - > Sec+ and then CCNA like you said because each of those in that order renews the previous certifications automatically.

@Cookderossa

You are correct I don't have any loans at the moment, First generation degree seeker, I'm riding purely on Pell and Florida state grants which almost doubles the amount of financial aid but of course I can only use the Florida grant at Florida universities. The only local university to me is the University of Florida which is about 30ish miles one way. In theory I could technically attend there I think and manage to cover the tuition at least, but I'd have to travel the distance, relocate near it, or find a completely online degree program there and possibly start over from scratch. So I don't know, something I'll have to think about.

Edit: I glanced at UF just out of curiosity again since it's been a few years. I'd have to probably spend at minimum 1 year or more at a CC just to meet the transfer requirements due to Foreign language / physics, bio, and chem + lab requirements on most of the topics I'm interested in. Or CLEP out of Foreign Language but I never took it growing up so I'd be learning completely from scratch which doesn't sound too practical.

@davewill

Thank you for the insight and letting me know what's out there and that I shouldn't limit my horizons purely to programming alone.

[dfrecore]

I agree with everyone here, an SD degree is valuable in and of itself, once you get it, there are so many ways you can use it, and so many different ways to go with it. And just think, once you get it, you'll have a great 4-yr degree, and no debt, leaving you free to pursue what you want.

If you were my kid, I would tell you to press on and finish. At that point, I would not tell you to get a higher degree, but instead to go out and get a job! At that point, you can start exploring what you want to do, including figuring out if a Masters is necessary AND will take you where you want to go. That is really hard to do from where you're at now.

[Drakemoore]

@dfrecore Thank you for the insight, I appreciate it and I'll definitely keep what you said in mind.