Did not finish college - now what?

[Anonymous]

I'm also 39 and a half, OP!

You could work as a receptionist. They don't need experience. If you work as one in a very small company they'll have you doing other stuff too, and you'll learn administrative tasks. Then you can go to bigger and bigger companies and bump up to administrative assistant. I earn over $75k as a legal secretary and started as a receptionist at a sole practitioner law firm.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the other poster about looking for a receptionist/ administrative role and working up from there.

When I was 25, I was so lost and working retail. Then I found a job at a government contractor as a receptionist. I learned so much from the employees there. The company offered tuition advancement, so I didn't have to pay anything out of pocket. So I was able to get a degree fully funded by my employer and moved up from there. Sure it took a couple of years of night classes but worth it!

Good Luck, OP!

[Anonymous]

Sales jobs pay well.

But if you want to be a teacher, why don't you try to get a job in a local school system-- like secretarial or driving a school bus? I know MoCo gives tuition reimbursement for a certain number of credits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have exhausted my financial aid. I owe 75,000 in loans, 10,000 being directly to the school. I had no help or guidance as a child. I took out the maximum amount to live on every year. I did well, but I wasn't driven. I dropped classes for random reasons, took classes that didn't apply toward my degree, and eventually had to work full time when my ex left and I couldn't support myself without working more. I would do things so differently if I could go back. It has been a while since I've been out of school. I have no interest in any more loans. I was a biology major and there is no way I could pick up where I left off. I would love to be a teacher, especially preschool, but that takes more schooling and more loans for a job that pays less than what I currently make. But, I want stability. I also, if things progress with my boyfriend, want to start a family of my own and would love to stay home to raise my own children. I feel like I'm waiting for someone to financially support my dreams, but I'm great with kids and would love to fulfill that role of mother and homemaker.

Thanks for answering as I was the one (and then got beat up on) taking out loans.

[Anonymous]

Get a professional certificate. Medical billing? Peruse the local community college register - they list which certificates are available and how many classes you need to attend for each. Then use Glassdoor to see which of those offer a salary trajectory better than you have now, and decide if it's worth it.

[Anonymous]

I really get the impression you don't want to work or to go to school.

I have exhausted my financial aid. I owe 75,000 in loans, 10,000 being directly to the school. I had no help or guidance as a child. I took out the maximum amount to live on every year. I did well, but I wasn't driven. I dropped classes for random reasons, took classes that didn't apply toward my degree, and eventually had to work full time when my ex left and I couldn't support myself without working more. I would do things so differently if I could go back. It has been a while since I've been out of school. I have no interest in any more loans. I was a biology major and there is no way I could pick up where I left off. I would love to be a teacher, especially preschool, but that takes more schooling and more loans for a job that pays less than what I currently make. But, I want stability. I also, if things progress with my boyfriend, want to start a family of my own and would love to stay home to raise my own children. I feel like I'm waiting for someone to financially support my dreams, but I'm great with kids and would love to fulfill that role of mother and homemaker.

You are depending on someone else for your stability. Wake up. I had a kid when I was 19. I had no guidance and no responsible adult figures in my life. I didn't go to school. But I worked hard and found my own independence. It looks like you are looking for your happily ever after and constantly 'hitch' yourself to whatever man you are with. I am not saying there is anything wrong with being a SAHM. In fact, I think that is admirable. But, based on your pattern (taking money out to live on, looking for a man to financially support you) - you don't seem to WANT to be independent or working. There are plenty of careers to be had that don't require schooling. There are also careers (such as nursing) in which you can get your foot in the door with an AA. What do you WANT???

[Anonymous]

Get a job in a university that offers tuition remission as a benefit, as an admin or something similar. You can go at night for free, or greatly reduced rates. You still have to pay taxes but it is a great perq.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the concept of being mid 39s! Or 474 months old.

What do you want to do with your life, what do you enjoy? Plenty of schools give credit for experience now, and have online options. Have you looked into ways to complete your degree in a direction that will help you? Does your desired path require a degree?

Most schools that give credit for experience are diploma mills/for-profit schools. Don't go that route OP.

Many are diploma mills, but I'm not sure if most are. But it doesn't sound like op is looking at executive MBAs, so you're probably right on this case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my mid 30's and work as a household employee, childcare/assistant type stuff. I couldn't afford to finish college and can absolutely not afford to go back now. Are there any options for me? Any chance of finding an actual career without returning to school? Any chance of making a living wage?

Why don't you take loans and finish what you started?

That's not great advice. People who can "absolutely not afford" to go back to college shouldn't just take out loans when there's no guarantee of light at the end of that tunnel.

Get a Fed ladder job and work yourself up from the bottom.

+1

What is a "fed ladder job"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a job in a university that offers tuition remission as a benefit, as an admin or something similar. You can go at night for free, or greatly reduced rates. You still have to pay taxes but it is a great perq.

This, if you want a degree. Also low level fed jobs or low level university jobs or receptionist jobs will probably still pay more than child care jobs and give you more portable work experience.

[Anonymous]

Get a real estate liscense and go into property management

Learn to be a locksmith

Insurance broker.

[Anonymous]

DH's admin does not have a degree. She makes $80K. She has a lot of the same skills that a child care worker has. She is responsible for him. Where I tell my kids in the morning to remember their library book, their lunch, their change of clothes for after school, she reminds DH to bring the back up presentation just in case, texts him where he needs to be next, and schedules his appointments so that he's has time to get from point a to point b.

DH is great at his job but she is the organizational executive that allows him to be great.

His admin is retiring. She's been with him for 20 years. He is looking for someone new. He doesn't want someone with a degree who is going to want to move up. He wants someone that he is going to pay well and reward well who will stay with him for a long time.

[Anonymous]

OP – You need a reality check and some good career counseling advice. Your best bet is to look at NOVA Community College or Montgomery Community College depending on where you live to get assessment of how many credits you do have which might be applied to certificate programs as mentioned in areas of possible interest to you. Since you were a biology major, you might see if there are any med tech, medical billing as mentioned, medical coding or related health care certificate of degree certificate programs (AAS) and to see how close you would be to be able to complete one. It might not be your dream job, but to build on the education you do have in a field where there is growth potential and need would make sense to investigate health care.

As noted, with your experience, even if you gave up a day job, you should be able to command top dollar as a Nanny/Sitter possibly even a late afternoon after school to evening position or weekend nanny. You also may want to consult a loan representative to see if there is any chance for loan consolidation and to see how much you need to be paying.

Unless your BF is a professional with a high paying job the idea that someone will be willing to let you be a SAHM and work off your $75,000 in college loans is a pipe dream. A community college in a certificate or AAS degree program might be doable from present income if you can find the right job and a lot will depend on how many credits you might already have. Approaching age 40, you want to have a game plan to build upon the education credits you have in a field that has the possibility of promotion and a certain wage level AND benefits as you do need to consider health care and be looking towards retirement.