Questioning my path - older student/2nd career

[txslp2ndcareer]

Hi everyone! 

I am 49 so I'm starting this later in life.  An SLP friend suggested I just go ahead and start leveling classes ASAP.  With time NOT on my side, I  found the easiest university to apply to and still get started this spring (USU)  I'm currently in COMD3100 -Speech Science and COMD3200 - Child Language Development.  I will say the video lectures are very interesting, the professors and TAs have been super kind, helpful and responsive and I love the material.  BUT my kids have taken online classes for years as homeschoolers and also classes at our homeschool co-ops and I hate to say it but their classes seem WAY harder than these.  

So it got me thinking - will these issues work against me significantly? 
*My undergrad degree is out of field (BA in Interdisciplinary Studies with Teacher Certification).  
*My undergrad degree GPA is 3.3 (I was a 19 year old stupid freshman and bombed my first year).  My major/upper Div GPA 3.8.   
*It will take me 10-11 classes and at least a $10,000+ investment just to level and it will HAVE to be in an online program (I've heard for SLP Grad schools, online is possibly looked down upon?)
*I have limited grad schools to apply to as there is only one in driving distance and the rest would have to online and not private (makes no sense to spend 50K plus on a degree I'll use for 10-ish years no matter how much I love it.)

Bottom line: I just don't have time and money to waste - mainly time given my age, but also money when you consider the short term of my career.   Do I go forward with leveling classes at USU (mostly) anyway and hope for the best?   Or maybe I should switch to something else?  I want to further my education for personal satisfaction no matter what; SLP was just my highest area of interest. But maybe SLP is  too unrealistic given my circumstances of age, family situation, location, etc.  I do have other interests that align much more closely with my undergrad degree and my former career and life experience and are half the investment of time and money, offer in person classes locally, or at least aren't stigmatized as much as the SLP program when it comes to online vs in person classes. 

Anyone older like me OR maybe been in a similar situations?  I am 100% ok for y'all to give it to me STRAIGHT.   I want to know what you would do if you were me.

Thanks for reading!
Ronda
 

Edited January 19, 2020 by txslp2ndcareer
too dang long!

[meadymalarkey]

To my understanding, the disparity in graduate experience (online vs in person) isn't massive, but I may not know everything there is to know about that. I've been told that what matters is licensing and what you're aiming to get out of the experience (research, clinically, what you ultimately want to specialize in, if anything).

I will say that my bridge program's later classes were more challenging than the first few, but they're focused to fill in gaps in existing knowledge/experience. This may be why they seem easier to you, but then I haven't seen yours. 

A 2nd career is frightening to commit to, though. I think that if I were in your position, I wouldn't worry a lot about undergraduate GPA, online/offline, age etc. I would be more concerned with whether this career will give you what you're looking for in the next chapter of your life. If you've worked with similar populations and you know it's up your alley, all the better, but if you haven't yet you may want to look for ways to do so, either through observing, volunteering, or a related job. I didn't know if it was the right move until I started working with the population regularly. If I had just started a bridge program without that, I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have much clarity. 10k is absolutely a lot of money, but it's a lot less when you know you'll feel inspired and fulfilled. 

[txslp2ndcareer]

Thank you!!!  Great advice.  I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and reply (I know it was long!).  I 100% want to work with kids with speech disorders (as well as dyslexia and dysgraphia).  My background is in elementary school teaching 1st grade and 2nd grade as well as Gifted and Talented and PPCD (mainly kids with "simple" speech delays but some with autism as well.)  I have a wonderful experienced SLP friend who has allowed me to come to some to some of her appointments and I was sold, hooked, down the rabbit hole after the first one. My heart was full and I knew that was what I wanted to do.  It's like I'd been searching for something and I found it.  But I am a "dreamer" by nature and sometimes the reality doesn't line up with the dream - even if I want it with all my heart.  I know that sounds contradictory - a dream is worth it right? It IS doable.  But I am older and not willing to go into debt either for this.  The 10K for prereqs is no biggie - can pay for that as we go along, and if I can get into an public school in Texas for Grad work, same thing applies.  But so many are double, triple or even quadruple (Baylor!) the cost, it's just not fair to ask my husband to fork out that money from our family budget at this time in our life.  And he is the level headed one in the family and is *usually* right.  <sigh>

That's what spurred this post - he feels like I can lean more on my background and still have the type of job I like (one on one work) with a similar population through literacy work.  It would take not only less money, but way less of my energy and he does know me.  

I think I will keep my two USU classes and plug along.  It can't hurt and 2 classes is certainly not breaking the budget!   Then in the meantime I can work towards the *right* solution for me.  My SPL friend said she would go up to the grad school closest to me with me and talk to the admin director and see if they had any advice or direction for me.  They do not have an undergrad program so she said they should be willing to help since they are my "goal school" and there is no one else to talk to (as in the undergrad dept).   She is very well respected and knowledgeable in the field locally so I think that's a good idea.

Thanks again for your time!