Poll: Just not sure what to major in for grad school and which direction to go!

[Randyb100]

I voted for none.

My major concern is that you're half-assing your bachelor's degree by choosing Liberal Arts with a concentration in CS instead of pursuing the BACS. While this option allows you to avoid discrete math or calculus, the degrees are otherwise similar in terms of rigor.

I don't believe that specific courses or degrees are necessary for every job:

• For Supply Chain, certifications would be sufficient.
  
• Cybersecurity requires certifications.
  
• In AI, building a portfolio of projects would be beneficial.
  
• Teaching ESL requires actual job experience to receive offers, and a master's degree or TEFL certification is not always required.
  

There's a popular YouTube video featuring someone who made $378,000 a year as a freelance writer. Since you have experience on Upwork, you're likely familiar with the basics of freelancing. Essentially, once you accumulate a significant number of positive reviews, you can command higher rates and attract more clients. However, making a living as a freelancer is not easy.

Some jobs offer remote work opportunities, which could be a viable option if you're interested in traveling. This could be an alternative if freelancing or other options don't work out.

Pursuing an MBA isn't a bad idea, but I would suggest looking for a program that is both efficient and affordable.

The main issue here is that you're exploring too many different directions simultaneously. I recommend selecting one direction, giving it your full effort, and allowing the idea to either succeed or fail before considering another direction.

Thanks for the advice. The reason why I'm doing the liberal studies major is because I can take more IT classes. Instead of taking calculus and discrete math, I'm taking python and artificial intelligence. I'll come back later and do some Study.com math courses to transfer in. Another issue is that I will have to take a bunch of science classes. I would have to take chemistry with lab and biology or something. None of it had anything to do with computer science. Their degree is conferred as a bachelor of arts, not a bachelor of arts in liberal studies. 

With my company, certifications are not sufficient for jobs. They want people to be current or recent grads for internships and jobs. I can probably use my liberal studies degree to become a manager, but I have to have it done or work there for another year and a half in my current role. Certifications would not help.

Cyber does for other companies, but not for this one. They still want a degree. 

I am planning on expanding my portfolio and building one on Github. I just don't have anything to show right now. Taking classes on the subject will give me a foundation to use for project ideas I come up with. I can take homework assignments and turn them into small projects. I have quite a few ideas already but haven't had the time to code them.

Upwork is hard these days to use as a source of employment. I had a remote tech support job through it in 2015. I haven't had a single job through the platform since I came back this year. It's very competitive, but I'm working on doing their in-house certifications to get more jobs. I simply cannot rely on it for a sole source of income. I have access to writing websites that I do currently use as a side gig, but it is also unreliable as the work will dry up for weeks at a time. My old profile landed me tons of jobs back in community college. Now I just get people trying to phish for information.

That's why I was considering A State. Their program is practically an MIS. Half MBA, half specific tech fields. I could do all 4 concentration courses of one field and do 3 of another, so I could do most of the cloud and cybersecurity after doing the AI program or vice-versa. It's also only 10k total, and going will help cover my living expenses so I won't have to work as much while attending.

The other issue with not getting a master's degree is that it limits my growth. Sure, I can go back to trucking, but I'll be just that: a truck driver. I won't qualify to become anything beyond mid-tier management, and I would much rather have a chance to do so.

And as for exploring too many directions, that's just how life worked for me. I applied for a ton of tech jobs after community college. The job application process was too slow and I needed a job. I worked seasonally at Amazon and liked the job. I became a trucker because it pays very well, gave me a place to live, and there were a lot of jobs. I did very well with it and could easily go back into the industry if I wanted to. I just like tech, especially software, security, and AI. I would go to grad school just to have it as a hobby. My job requires a lot of walking and I get a good workout in every day. The benefit of this, besides health, is that I can sit and study without being fidgety. If I worked a full-time tech job that required just sitting all day, I wouldn't ever want to sit and make projects or go to school because I'd be itching to walk around or something like that. I may just stay in operations just for the lifestyle it provides so I can make tech my side thing. I could work on my portfolio, start my own company, work online, whatever, on the side of my main job.