DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Tonight I start my first class of school's spring/summer session. Guess all good things must come to an end. And I did have a great break! Reality sets back in for another 12 weeks, possibly longer. What I inherently procrastinated on though, was making a major decision. It's a decision I have been struggling with since two weeks before the end of last quarter. I now have until Thursday of this week to finalize it.

Let me first give you some background history. For those of you that don't know me yet or haven't picked up on the subtle hints of it via my blog and/or profile, I am a student studying Interior Design. This training is actually for another degree, to help in a major career shift. I had done insurance claims adjusting and claims management for nearly eighteen years prior to returning to school. My prior degree is a Bachelors of Science in Commerce ~ Marketing Emphasis.

So I have this decision that is now before me. What is it you might be asking? The question: Should I or should I not finish out the Bachelors Program? One of the three classes I have this quarter, Ecology, is my last class of the Associates Art Program. That leaves me the opportunity to walk away with some degree certification after putting all this time in ~ nearly two and one half years. But as with any decision, there are pros and cons to the process. At times I feel at a loss on making a decision because either way seems like a toss-up decision. I hate those types of decisions. Can you tell I am not the "A"-type personality?

The pros of completing the BA Program in Design:

• I can shorten my work experience requirement in order to take the National boards from 4 years to 2 years.
• Taking the Nationals sooner puts me that much closer to legitimizing myself as a 'thoroughly trained' Interior Designer.
• It could make it easier to obtain a position in the corporate environment. This actually may be inaccurate. I'd say that it is a 50/50 shot that I need a full second degree in Design to obtain a position, only proof of adequate training. I have a professor, who I hold in high esteem and view as my mentor. He has expressed that he'd rather hire someone with a business degree and adequate training in Design over someone who is just coming out of school with their first Bachelors degree in Design. He has also expressed that ultimately a new designer is going to get their real training performing the job.
  

The cons:

• I graduate instead with an Associates of Arts Degree, requiring me to complete four years of design job experience, rather than two, in order to qualify for the National boards.
• I will most likely have to dig into finances that I had banked specifically for another use. See I had set so much of my proceeds from the sale of my townhome aside ~ a portion for school and 3 years of living expenses with the balance set in an interest earning account to go toward the next house down payment.
• Will the AA degree verses the BA degree ultimately effect me when an employer makes a decision who to higher for a new position? Will it effect me in promotional positions once I am with an organization? It could, even with the fact that I have one degree already. And that would suck bigtime, if it came down to that!!!
• I am now forced to take an outside Art History class to complete my GE requirements set forth by FIDER (the organization which accredits art/design colleges). This was the blasted item that sent me into this whole forced decision process, in the first place. We will not revisit those circumstances other than to say I have more than adequate transferable GE units from my prior degree. I will probably be forced to take this class after December, which was my original 'out' date and do it at night while I am back to working full-time. I do not relish that thought.
  

So TIME is ticking. I think in my heart I know what is right for me. One way or the other I just can not let the fact that I am feeling 'spent,' burned out get to me. I may need encouragement from you all at times.

Let me know if you have any opinion in the comments section or via email if you like. School in 16 hours! (I think the happy face just departed and the somber look popped in.)