When I get out of the military, I'm going to go to school full time for my degree. I've chosen to go home to Utah for the cost and QOL issues. My chosen major will English with an Emphasis in Professional and Technical Writing. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone out there had any experience with the cheaper schools, USU or Weber State, or if it would just be better to live a little more modestly and attend the U of U?
My father attended USU, and one of his friends teaches English at Weber. He recommends U of U, but I really don't know if it'll be worth the extra money. If it was just me, that'd be fine, but I will be supporting a wife and two kids on the Navy's college money (heheh).
So anyone have any ideas/opinions/rude comments?
However, one school of thought (no pun intended) is to pick the school you want to go to and worry about paying for it later. With a family, this is a hard choice to make.
Another choice, as you seem to be aware of, is to pick a school with a tuition cost that is more affordable, learning a skill, trade, whatever, so you can support (or help support) your family even if the writing thing doesn't pan out for you. There are no degrees for writing, by the way. There's English, of course, and various other things...
It's a hard choice. I know. Do what feels right. If you are religious, ask for guidance. Whatever choice you make, stand by it.
Still, it's a great way to attend the U and save a TON of money on rent, PLUS it's a fantastic environment for the kids--playgrounds for every fifty apartments or so. If you want to check it out you'll find housing units on the northwest and northeast corners of Sunnyside and Foothill. I also understand they've added additional units in the old Fort Douglas complex, but I don't know if those are family or single student housing. Weber State has nothing comparable for married students. Don't know about USU.
If you think that's an option, get on the waiting list ASAP. I'll be happy to answer any additional questions.
Oh, and I also don't know what programs they offer in Utah, but I went to OU, home of the Sooners,(Yes, I know, be quiet) and their English department writing programs were a joke. For professional writing, meaning actually get published in something besides a school paper, I went into journalism. They had a great creative writing program. Deborah Chester is one of the profs.
But that's OU. I don't know if Utah's schools would have the same type of programs.
Yes, I researched a little more, and Weber State and Utah State BOTH have degrees in "English with a Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis". U of U only has a base "English" degree that is literary based OR a teaching degree. So I guess the U is out. Plus, the tuition/fees would run about $500 a month--a little steep for my price range.
And no, I'm not out of the Navy yet (I wish). I went to "Great Mistakes" at the very beginning of 2001. I'm just planning a little early, trying to get my transcript up to snuff.
Funny, huh? I should've came into the navy as a journalist rather than as an Electronics Technician. But hey, then I wouldn't have my $40,000 bonus.
Hey, btw, what's it like being an RM as well as an ET? Heard they combined the rates.
I was at SSC, GLakes from 95-97
Save yourself some trouble. Let the Educational people go over your DD214 before you leave Sand Dog, and give them a list of the schools at each university you're planning on going to. Since you're not going into electrical engineering, not a whole lot will transfer, but I managed to scrape enough credits from my Navy time to bump me up to a Sophomore. Helped with the parking, at the time.
Oh, and that whole transitioning out program they'll make you go to...try and sleep through it. I actually bothered to listen, and it's a crock of blankety-blank blank. Just make sure you call the VA as soon as you get out and tell them you're going to school. Get the ball rolling on that money as soon as possible.
So what ships were you on? My last duty station was the USNS Big Horn. Sweet duty..
[This message has been edited by Netstorm2k (edited January 24, 2005).]
I earned a couple of tech degrees from the U of U, and only took a few literary classes (beyond the general required classes) from the English department, but as long as I have been paying attention, the U of U has not been wonderful for anything but literary stuff. (It is definitely NOT the place to go if you want to write science fiction or fantasy.)
I'd recommend checking on married student housing at Utah State (listen to Dakota) and seeing if they have something there that is comparable to what's at the U of U. (I live within walking distance of the U of U married student housing, and second what Dakota says about the apartments there.)
It would be cool if you and your family could live nearby, JB, but it really sounds as if Utah State might be the place to go--if they have decent and affordable married student housing. If not, then I guess you'll have to find some other way to decide between Weber and Utah State.
Best wishes.
That's one of the main reasons I homeschool--the schools in the Ogden District are, to be polite, less than extraordinary. And the Weber County schools in areas where poor students can afford to live are just a half-step above.