Stress and then some
I'm happy to see
another career-changing blogger here, but I can't decide if her narratives are more comforting (aha--someone who can empathize with me!) or just compound my anxieties. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm approaching the do-or-die portion of my A&P course or
her most recent entry that made me have that dream where I find myself in the middle of the halls at high school on finals week, the bell has rung, and I can't even remember my schedule. . . I guess in the balance of things, knowing someone else is surviving the craziness is the bigger thing. Quite comforting, actually. It's kind of like when I shattered my knee and the best part of going to rehab was seeing how far other people progressed--or how pathetic some were (honestly, there was an old lady who even cried when they slapped the TENS unit on her. . . I LOVED that thing!)
Seriously, though, it's interesting to see that it doesn't matter what level education you're battling. Whether you're a rank beginner taking your first transcription course or going for a major degree, the stresses are the same. Carol points out great advice about picking a reputable school, and I agree fully that online degrees have come into their own, as far as credibility. Of course, there's a huge difference in the number of scam schools at the various levels. Medical transcription is infamous for those hotel seminars that try to convince SAHMs how they can make $60K/year working part-time hours of their choosing (ha!) if they just take this matchbook course. From what I see, the higher the credential, the more a school has to meet standards and accreditation. Many traditional universities have embraced online education and they're just not going to throw away their reputations by slapping up a course worthy of those late-night Sally Struthers commercials. Indeed, they have to meet the professional organizations' requisites before they can even offer a degree, or it's useless.
Coming from MT, I know very well how little accreditation can mean on the other end of the spectrum. The so-called standards simply were watered down repeatedly until they have no meaning. This makes it really hard to figure out where to get your education. The consensus amongst the majority of working MTs, editors, QA folk, and MTSOs is that if you simply pick one of THE two online courses (M-TEC or Andrews), either will pretty much ensure you're not just employable, but sought after. Many of their grads have multiple job offers before they've had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief at the end. In this case, oddly enough, I believe having a certificate from either online school maximizes your employability, at least when you're applying to nationals or other 'net-savvy MTSOs. Even that community college course--though it may meet the same standards (many don't come close)--will not register a blip on the radar when trying to break into the field. Unless that school has a great working relationship with local clients to help with job placement, you may hit a wall very quickly. Unfortunately, the trend is not to local, in-house jobs, but telecommuting, and even a great local school isn't likely to even get you an invitation to test for such a job without experience. Whilst a diploma from those two online courses is often a fast track to a job, any lesser course does not give the benefit of that kind of reputation. Besides actually giving you the best possible foundation to hit the ground running, I believe that reputation is a priceless benefit of choosing either school.
It was quite a surprise when I started looking into CTR. As the requirements for educators is so much more strict, there are considerably fewer options. I was shocked to see so few accredited courses for CTR, but it did narrow down the search quickly. More surprising was hearing that where I get my training isn't going to matter to employers, only the fact that I am or will be certified as a CTR. In rummaging around the job bank, I see that's true. In the ads, they all want CTRs with experience and certification, though they also list internships for new grads needing those hours before they can even take the exam.
It sounds like Carol's travels to her master's degree have similar considerations and stressors as far as the general educational concerns and integrating a career change into the family dynamics. As I find my own nose sore from pressing ever closer to the grindstone, maybe she'll pass some hints on the personal stuff, like how to get teenagers to pitch in and how to actually get dressed out of the closet instead of the laundry basket. *grin*