Swirling In Endless Options - Help?

[davewill]

You're in your thirties. Stop worrying about what your parents want, and make this decision based on your own wants and needs. They aren't the ones doing it. If the motivation doesn't come from within, I can practically guarantee you'll never finish.

[Heartstrings]

I think all parents want what's best for their children. I am in my 40s and have 20+ year career and they still want to see me going higher. I think you need to choose a career and then complete the education that goes around it instead of choosing a degree and the deciding your career. For example, I had a friend from undergrad who dropped out of college and she started working at Walmart at the bottom. It took years but now she manages her own store and makes more than me even though I have more education. Now she is back in school getting the degrees to compliment her experience. Choose a field to work in, network, gain experience, and then decide to go back to school to compliment your experience and move up. A degree alone won't do it for you.

[bjcheung77]

Decide for yourself what you need and want, most of the time I recommend a trifecta of certs, degree, experience and you want a balanced mix/match of them. If a degree is what you want, then go for it, otherwise I would recommend getting some certs and experience to round out your qualifications better... Advice is just that, you're going to be getting pointed in all directions, find the one that suits you most or modify those recommendations so it suits you...