Option A vs Option B vs Option C- College Related

meepitsmeagan

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#1
I know I've commented on and asked for school opinions SEVERAL times. Our situation has tweaked a little in the past few months, though, and all of my friends/family are sick of hearing me whine/sort all of this out. Basically, Josh is pretty much stuck here in MI between his grandma being extremely sick and his new awesome job with Pfizer. All fine and dandy until I decided that if I ever want to be happy in my workplace/make a decent living at the same time, I need to return to school. We've talked through all of the options, and he supports whatever I decide. So, Chazzers help, please.

Option A:
Go to school locally for a BA that I'm not SUPER interested in (Hydrogeology), but it is kind of related to my dream field of Rangeland Management. Be able to keep working at my current job and live at home with Josh. Job outlook is probably decent for MI, but will have me doing the same thing for the rest of my life: testing water. OR I could go for a BA in Environmental Sciences and Geology, and try to focus a lot of efforts into forestry and wildlife and get a job with the DNR post graduation.

Option B:
Go to school at Purdue (IN) or Wilmington (OH) for a BA in Agronomy and Soil Sciences, which is a little more interesting but doesn't give me an ideal job outlook as far as my personal interests. Live there, and visit often. Would most likely thrive with a job in MI, as Crop Agriculture is big around this area.

Option C:
Move back out West (either Oregon State, U of Wymoing, or CSU) and go for my ultimate dream job. Try to manage moving back in the summers, seeing if I could get a seasonal range job somewhere local for my summer internships. Job placement/outlook is good, but would probably land me permanently in the west. Colorado does have a Pfizer in Denver and we could see if there would be anyway to transfer back out there.

My mind is seriously exploding. I have so many packets of courses laying all over for different schools. I'm at the point now where any research I do on other schools/major ideas just make me cry.
 
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Locke

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#4
If I were you, I would go with Option A.

I think it's the most secure option in that you would still have a job/still be making money, stay with DH, and go to school in a program that has good job prospects at the end of it.

Also, keep in mind that just because you get degree in BlahBlah, does not mean you can only look for jobs in BlahBlah. Skills, knowledge, and experience can easily transfer between jobs, even if they aren't entirely related.
 

CaliTerp07

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#7
When Zach and I went for premarital counseling, we got some really good advice. At each decision, ask yourself, "What is best for my marriage? Not what's best for me, what's best for my spouse, what's best for my career, but what's best for your marriage.

Are you guys going to be stronger because you are closer, or because you're pursuing something you're excited about? Will absence make the heart grow fonder, or more frustrated?

In my marriage, no way in heck could I handle either of us moving away for years. Even for my dream job in my dream location, if Zach couldn't come, we wouldn't go. Your marriage is not mine though.
 

Airn

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#8
When Zach and I went for premarital counseling, we got some really good advice. At each decision, ask yourself, "What is best for my marriage? Not what's best for me, what's best for my spouse, what's best for my career, but what's best for your marriage.

Are you guys going to be stronger because you are closer, or because you're pursuing something you're excited about? Will absence make the heart grow fonder, or more frustrated?

In my marriage, no way in heck could I handle either of us moving away for years. Even for my dream job in my dream location, if Zach couldn't come, we wouldn't go. Your marriage is not mine though.
I think that's great advice.

I know nothing about your marriage, so like Cali said, it's your relationship.

Out of your options, I would go with A. It seems the safiest and easiest. And I think trying things out before going full tilt into them is the best idea. But if you know it's what you want and you know that your marriage can deal with all of that, then go for it.

I just don't know very many people that could deal with B and C. My relationship was long distance from the start. After a year and a half, we had to make the decision to end it or move in together. I think being apart can make you appreciate what you have, but it can also be very draining. Especially if your SO is your best friend. My dream job wouldn't be my dream if I couldn't have my SO with me.

Best of luck :)
 

meepitsmeagan

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#10
When Zach and I went for premarital counseling, we got some really good advice. At each decision, ask yourself, "What is best for my marriage? Not what's best for me, what's best for my spouse, what's best for my career, but what's best for your marriage.

Are you guys going to be stronger because you are closer, or because you're pursuing something you're excited about? Will absence make the heart grow fonder, or more frustrated?

In my marriage, no way in heck could I handle either of us moving away for years. Even for my dream job in my dream location, if Zach couldn't come, we wouldn't go. Your marriage is not mine though.
I remember you giving this same advice to me on a different thread, and it is CONSTANTLY in the back of my mind. And it is part of the reason I am having such a difficult time. Because, if I were single, I would be living/going to school in Laramie, Wyoming. But, I'm not and I'm feeling kind of stuck and claustrophobic. That makes me sound terrible... It's not how I mean it.

I will come back to this and explain myself better, as I have some things I really need to get done here at work.
 

CaliTerp07

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#12
I remember you giving this same advice to me on a different thread, and it is CONSTANTLY in the back of my mind. And it is part of the reason I am having such a difficult time. Because, if I were single, I would be living/going to school in Laramie, Wyoming. But, I'm not and I'm feeling kind of stuck and claustrophobic. That makes me sound terrible... It's not how I mean it.

I will come back to this and explain myself better, as I have some things I really need to get done here at work.
Sorry, I don't mean to make things difficult! It really has been a helpful way for us to frame decisions though.

I understand your point of view. If I were single, no way in heck would I still be in Northern Virginia! I'd be on the beach, in warm weather. This place makes my head spin...but I married someone who has security clearances and works on government contracts--so we're here for the foreseeable future.

Can Josh try to get jobs out west, and you put off school for a semester or two until he finds good employment out there? Try for a transfer, apply to different companies, etc, but do it BEFORE you start school out there, so that you can move together instead of him chasing you.
 

meepitsmeagan

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#13
Sorry, I don't mean to make things difficult! It really has been a helpful way for us to frame decisions though.

I understand your point of view. If I were single, no way in heck would I still be in Northern Virginia! I'd be on the beach, in warm weather. This place makes my head spin...but I married someone who has security clearances and works on government contracts--so we're here for the foreseeable future.

Can Josh try to get jobs out west, and you put off school for a semester or two until he finds good employment out there? Try for a transfer, apply to different companies, etc, but do it BEFORE you start school out there, so that you can move together instead of him chasing you.
No! It really IS a good thing. Because my marriage is my number one priority.

Yes, I've been trying to look at schools that are within an hour of different Pfizer's so that he can possibly transfer, which is why I'm looking heavily at CSU. Pfizer has a plant in Denver, and Fort Collins is about a touch over an hour away, so if we move somewhere in the middle it would be reasonable for both of us.

I'm not rushing to go back. I probably have a year or so of classes that I could take here before I transfer into a program and that could give us some time to get things sorted out. Also, I'm making sure that I'm making an educated decision that I will stick with, as before when I've felt rushed (for instance, right out of high school) my grades started to slip and I got really stressed.

I'm going to go talk a counselor for Option A and see if there is anything that would be a better fit and go from there.
 

meepitsmeagan

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#14
I just wanted to update this by saying that I finally found what I think will be the perfect fit. I can live at home, easily commute, and the major is VERY similar to what I would be doing in Rangeland.

I'm going to apply hopefully this week, and maybe even get started by the fall. I feel like I'm going to cry, I'm so excited. Thanks to everyone, especially CaliTerp, for helping me to keep my priorities straight and to help me through this decision.

I will be going for a BS in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis on Ecosystems and minoring in Biology.
 

CaliTerp07

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YAY! So excited for you to have found something that seems to work from all sides :) Glad you were able to balance everything!
 

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