Choices

23Dec08

I have  always known that down the road, I want to teach. In part because it’s just something I want to do, in part because I know that a career in journalism is not conducive to also being a soccer mom–which, although I’m nowhere near that stage in my life right now, I know I’ll want to be when the time comes. But it’s always been in the grand master plan I’ve laid out for my life. Up until recently, getting my teaching  certificate was slotted for about five years from now.

And then… I entered my senior year of college.

The harsh realities of loan payments started to rear their ugly heads. After four years at a private liberal arts school, I’ve managed to accumulate more than my fair share of loans. Throw in the fact that there are virtually no student loan consolidation programs out there, and I’m looking at a pretty hefty portion of each paycheck going towards loans.  And before I could even make a dent in them, I’d be starting to think about heading back. Only then I’d be juggling the full time job, too. Just so that I could keep paying the bills.

It wasn’t a pretty picture.

So I’ve started to rethink my options. And basically narrowed it down to two. One is taking a few years away from my journalistic career to do Teach for America. The other is to pursue my teaching certificate at Saginaw Valley State University while working as an intern, freelance, or part-time reporter at one of the media outlets in the area. Here are some of the pros and cons to each:

• Teach for America
  • Pros–I would be helping make a difference in a low-income school district with kids who could really benefit from a role model. My first choice location is Indianapolis–the program there would allow me to not only get my teaching certificate but also my Masters in Education, and all within the estimated amount of loan forgiveness given to corps members. But no matter where I went I would have the potential of nearly $10,000 in loan forgiveness, plus guaranteed full salary and benefits.
  • Cons–It’s a two-year contract that would require that I move away from family and friends. I still suffer a bit from the small-town mentality, so that’s a consideration. It’s also pretty intense from what I hear from people who are currently members–you’re taking your education classes while teaching, essentially. And I don’t know much about the school partnered with the program. I wouldn’t be able to work in journalism during my contract… not on the same scale that I could at SVSU. I also don’t know anyone in any of the areas where I could be placed. The biggest one: it’s a highly competitive program and I have no reason to believe that I’d be a shoe-in. Focusing solely on this could land me without a job or a teaching program.
• SVSU
  • Pros–My loans could be put off for at least two more years. I’d still be close to home, but able to strike out on my own a bit more too (looking into apartments to live around there full time instead of coming home over breaks like I currently do). I’d likely be able to work on a paper somewhere at least on a freelance basis; there are a number of newspapers in the Saginaw area. It’s a respected program in the state, and its graduates are frequently recruited to work elsewhere around the nation, so I’d likely be able to get a job with that degree.
  • Cons–While deferring  my student loans, I’m also adding to my total debt load. I’d only be getting my teaching certification–no Masters in the deal there. There’s no guarantee that I’ll find journo work (though it is likely). It’s two more years (minimum) of traditional schooling.

Right now, I’m torn. Financially, Teach for America seems like the winner by far. And with the current economy, I should probably take that route. But familiarity and the potential to continue working as a reporter really has me drawn towards SVSU. In the meantime, I’m working on my applications for both.

Anyone have any advice?

***Side note on this choice: it didn’t come up because of the state of the journalism industry. I’m still really excited about the changes that I see happening (like the ones in Detroit), and I want to be a part of that transition despite the lack of job security. But I also want to secure my future plans, and this seems like the best route.

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Tags: Choices, Life, musings, School, Teach for America, Work