To Stay Put or Move

[britboi04]

So here's my decision dilemma:

I attended a state university for my undergraduate degree (French and Int'l Affairs) and have lived in this town for almost 6 years. It's a small, southern town, stiffling, and I know it's never where I had envisioned myself living. I truly feel as though I've gained all I could from my years here.

For my career field, I'm very interested in getting into international higher education, specifically study abroad administration. I studied abroad twice and did an internship abroad with my university's international programs office (which is actually well known and offers quality programs.) I worked in the office as a student and now hold a position within the office and they have just notified me they are going to begin training me for a promotion within the office that would be even more great experience within the field.

As a backup, I applied to my university's graduate program in Higher Ed. as they do not have a program in Int'l Education, but I figured this would be a back up and if I had to stay at least I would be getting the international experience by working in the office.

To make my decision even more difficult, because I work for the university, I can get 6 credits of grad school paid for each semester, thus rendering me virtually debt free (aside from my undergraduate debt.)

I've applied to multiple other schools with programs actually in Int'l Education that are in bigger cities where I'm pretty sure I would like to live.

The decision may be null and void as I've yet to hear anything back except from my current uni. and one other school, but I still can't help to think how I should make this decision.

Especially if I get acceptances from other programs but no financial aid offers.

At what point do you sacrifice initial financial well-being so that you may live your life how you want it? It's not to say that I couldn't be happy and fine where I'm at, but I think I'd just be settling and constantly be bored and over it. On the same token, I recognize there is the possibility I could move to one of these larger cities and not like them (though I find that hard to fathom as anything seems better than this current hell hole I'm in, and having been abroad I know I am a big-city kind of person.)

The decision is made all the more difficult by the current state of the economy. My parents and grandparents are telling me I'd be crazy to leave this job when there are so many without a job, let alone one that actually like. And I do like my job for the most part. There is the facet that moving up is based on how much you suck up to the director, if they like you, and people retiring rather than skillset and knowledge, and that worries me that eventually I might hit a ceiling. However, isn't this the case anywhere you go?

There is so much to think about and I hear such conflicting things: 'There's no reason to go into debt for grad school unless you're in med. school or law school,' 'Follow you dream,' 'You have to do what makes you happy,' 'Why would you quit your job in this economy AND when they'd pay for your school?'

Does anyone have any advice to give me as I think this through? I know I can't really do anything until I get my letters back, but it still doesn't stop me from thinking about all of this anyways.

[rising_star]

I'm debt-averse. So, I'd stay where you are and get the degree there. Why? First, because the work experience and promotion will be invaluable experience that will prepare and qualify you for similar and better positions elsewhere. Second, because degrees in higher education are rarely funded.

[edgrad]

I think it depends on how much undergrad debt you currently have and how much you would need to take out for grad school. If you only have 10k debt from undergrad and would only need to take out 10k or 15k for grad school then moving might be good move since living in a location that you love or at least like is important. I always say do not take out more debt then what your current salary would be once you graduated. For instance if your starting salary after grad school is 40k do not take out more then 40k in loans (undergrad + grad school combined) Good luck waiting to hear back from schools. I am also in a similar boat--I have applied for higher ed programs and am waiting to hear back and hoping finaid works out.

So here's my decision dilemma:

I attended a state university for my undergraduate degree (French and Int'l Affairs) and have lived in this town for almost 6 years. It's a small, southern town, stiffling, and I know it's never where I had envisioned myself living. I truly feel as though I've gained all I could from my years here.

For my career field, I'm very interested in getting into international higher education, specifically study abroad administration. I studied abroad twice and did an internship abroad with my university's international programs office (which is actually well known and offers quality programs.) I worked in the office as a student and now hold a position within the office and they have just notified me they are going to begin training me for a promotion within the office that would be even more great experience within the field.

As a backup, I applied to my university's graduate program in Higher Ed. as they do not have a program in Int'l Education, but I figured this would be a back up and if I had to stay at least I would be getting the international experience by working in the office.

To make my decision even more difficult, because I work for the university, I can get 6 credits of grad school paid for each semester, thus rendering me virtually debt free (aside from my undergraduate debt.)

I've applied to multiple other schools with programs actually in Int'l Education that are in bigger cities where I'm pretty sure I would like to live.

The decision may be null and void as I've yet to hear anything back except from my current uni. and one other school, but I still can't help to think how I should make this decision.

Especially if I get acceptances from other programs but no financial aid offers.

At what point do you sacrifice initial financial well-being so that you may live your life how you want it? It's not to say that I couldn't be happy and fine where I'm at, but I think I'd just be settling and constantly be bored and over it. On the same token, I recognize there is the possibility I could move to one of these larger cities and not like them (though I find that hard to fathom as anything seems better than this current hell hole I'm in, and having been abroad I know I am a big-city kind of person.)

The decision is made all the more difficult by the current state of the economy. My parents and grandparents are telling me I'd be crazy to leave this job when there are so many without a job, let alone one that actually like. And I do like my job for the most part. There is the facet that moving up is based on how much you suck up to the director, if they like you, and people retiring rather than skillset and knowledge, and that worries me that eventually I might hit a ceiling. However, isn't this the case anywhere you go?

There is so much to think about and I hear such conflicting things: 'There's no reason to go into debt for grad school unless you're in med. school or law school,' 'Follow you dream,' 'You have to do what makes you happy,' 'Why would you quit your job in this economy AND when they'd pay for your school?'

Does anyone have any advice to give me as I think this through? I know I can't really do anything until I get my letters back, but it still doesn't stop me from thinking about all of this anyways.

[dzk]

You have a perfect job for your career path and cheap graduate education (and you're clearly an important asset if you are being promoted). By staying, your worst-case scenario is to stay in the same situation you are now. By moving, your worst-case scenario is to graduate with greater debt and no prospects. And remember, not only will the program cost money, but your cost-of-living will increase.

Economically, it does not make sense to move. If you can tolerate this area for a few more years, you will gain valuable experience and a graduate degree, be able to pay down your debt, and invest for your future. Your work experience, in the end, will be extremely valuable -- perhaps more so than your degree, unless you are attending a world-class program.

[britboi04]

Thanks to everyone, all great advice to think about.

My debt from undergraduate is quite high because of all the work abroad I did, it's over 25K.

I guess it really doesn't make much sense to go into further debt for graduate school when I'd be getting such relevant work experience, making contacts, and getting my grad school virtually paid for.

If the worst I have to put up with is living in this town for a few more years, then that's a trade off I'm going to have to weigh, and it seems minor in the grand scheme of things.

I guess I just worry that I will feel trapped--when I was in undergrad my friends and I would postulate as to why so many people stay in this town, it's like they get trapped. So many that we referred to it as the blackhole. I guess I never really saw myself falling into that situation, however I've done well for myself here to get such a relevant position so early on; especially considering this economy.

So now, I suppose the only reason it would make since to possibly move is if I get an acceptance from another school with a good financial aid package.

I really appreciate the insight, and if anyone else has some, please contribute. I'll be thinking about this one until I have all my letters laid out before me.

Good luck to each of you too!

[rising_star]

britboi04, it strikes me that you should probably branch out and start to explore some of the more positive sides of where you live. Yes, people have and will always call it a blackhole. But, it doesn't have to be. For a town its size, it has far more cultural and outdoor opportunities than you would find in most other places (trust me, I've lived in both). There are a lot of hidden gems, particularly away from campus, but you have to be willing to explore. And honestly, that will be the case anywhere you live. So, I recommend that if you stay where you are, you make new friends that are from elsewhere and use them to help give you a new perspective on the town. They will want to see and do things that you may not have heard or thought of in the past. And, keep in mind, you could move to a big city and find it just as isolating and difficult to do things as a small town based on transportation, cost, etc.

[britboi04]

britboi04, it strikes me that you should probably branch out and start to explore some of the more positive sides of where you live. Yes, people have and will always call it a blackhole. But, it doesn't have to be. For a town its size, it has far more cultural and outdoor opportunities than you would find in most other places (trust me, I've lived in both). There are a lot of hidden gems, particularly away from campus, but you have to be willing to explore. And honestly, that will be the case anywhere you live. So, I recommend that if you stay where you are, you make new friends that are from elsewhere and use them to help give you a new perspective on the town. They will want to see and do things that you may not have heard or thought of in the past. And, keep in mind, you could move to a big city and find it just as isolating and difficult to do things as a small town based on transportation, cost, etc.

rising_star, you are right. I suppose though I have been here for almost 6 years, there probably is another side to town, away from campus, that I am not familiar with.

I suppose I am thinking about the big picture and overall mentality of the town, but I have made some very close friends who share a lot of my same interests and outlooks on life. The problem is with it being a college town, the friends are always cycling out.

I also realize that the move to a bigger city could still prove isolating because of the higher cost of living and starting all over aspects, however, I suppose I am concentrating on the opportunity factor a bit too much.

If I end up staying put, I'm just going to have to develop a new outlook, cause for all of its negatives, there are positives, even if they seem fewer and harder to find to me. If one only dwells on the negative, well, that's what you'll see.

Plus, should I get the promotion, traveling will be a part of the job, so at least I'll get out every now and then.

[britboi04]

Well, two acceptances came for me yesterday! I was really shocked...I was accepted to NYU's International Education program and George Washington's International Affairs program. I thought at best I'd be waitlisted for these schools, but wow...NYU's pogram was definitely a top choice for me. I'm still waiting on GWU's International Education program, that probably was my 2nd top choice, but I feel very honored to have made it into the Elliott School.

I don't see how I'm going to be able to make this decision....

No word on any financial aid offers yet. Hopefully those will come; that would certainly help with the decision.