Thanks for the advice everyone and the more “entertaining” posts as well. Making this change will take some effort in that if I go to an academy I will need to move to whatever state it in to establish residency meaning I must live there a year before starting school. Im also a bit concerned about financing the whole thing because I already hold a degree and this makes me ineligble for financial aid. So its all coming out of my pocket with loans and what I can scrape together. Im not sure if I can even finance the entire 4 years. Anyway, Saltysailor I spoke with a woman in admissions. She is sending me an application packet to fill out. I am going to start the process of getting my TWIC this week.
[QUOTE=gomer;50529] Making this change will take some effort in that if I go to an academy I will need to move to whatever state it in to establish residency meaning I must live there a year before starting school.[/QUOTE]
A lot of these schools allow in state tuition for out of state students. They have some type of agreement with other states. You should see if your state qualifies. So being a resident of that state is not required to get the lower tuition.
I dont qualify for those programs since Im seeking a second degree. It would have made things alot simpler though.
If I could do it over again I would have done something else. But if I were to do the boat thing I would with out a doubt have gone the academy route.
Well said!
You already have a degree? Then what about the Grad-License program at New York Maritime? Only 2 1/2 years, and you get a Master’s Degree and a 3/M License.
I think Im going to call this week and speak to financial aid to get some specifics about attending. I think the academy is the way to go overall so I think im going to find out definatively how much I can finance through loans. This way Ill know if I can use my savings and loans to get through all four years. It sounds like the coursework will make it impossible to have any kind of real job.
Hi New3M,
I actually saw that program it is is something Ive been thinking about, but I want to go into the engineering side and it sounds like that is for deck officers. It may be worth looking into further since it would be quicker which means less money I have to come up with.
Hiya!
I’m doing the same thing as you Gomer, except that I’m north of the border… 35yo in the IT field, bored of that kind of job, starting next September in the Navigation program at the IMQ (Marine Institut of Quebec). Since I already have a degree I’ll have less than 20 hours/week of school, so planty of time for part time job…
I’ll be out of the school at 39 with one year of seatime (the program is 4 years : 3yr at school and 1yr of “internship” (split in 3))…
A friend is just over 30 and left for the summer on the Euronav’s Cap Pierre as a paid cadet after his 1st year at that school…
Good luck with the financing, but you’ll probably find something to make that dream come true!
Cheers,
Jo
Hi malone,
Its nice to see other people doing this that are in their 30s or 40s. I called a couple of the academies yesterday and discussed the costs. I think the best best for me now is SIU or to apply into the suny grad program. I want to work as an engineer but the Suny program is doable for me financially since its about 2 years, so I think either route will work. Good luck with your schooling up in Quebec.
I’d have to go with a strong ‘no’ as to you going to Academy route. The job market, to say the least, has not been good, and you’re talking about not only a four-year committment, but a four-year committment during which you’ll not only not be earning money, but will be paying for school. This is looking to me to be a big gamble for you. In essence, you are gambling that in four years, your new license will not only pay off the money you spent on school (or the loans you took out), but put you in a rewarding career. You’re also gambling that you absolutely don’t hate the job, and trust me, this is not a job you can just decide you like from home. It’s very hard for get good jobs out of school if you’re not “special” in some way. And as a mid-thirty something, you’re going to be even less “special” than the average graduate, of which there are so many already.
If you try to start and work your way up it will be more of a headache breaking in to the industry. But you will actually be earning money for your time and if it doesn’t work out, you haven’t wasted years and/or thousands of dollars. If you do go the academy route I’d urge you to go engineer. I think you’ve already stated you would but I’d just reassert that. You do not want to be a 35 year old “non-special” third mate with zero experience and college debt to pay off, especially if the job market is the same or worse four years from now. And I do firmly expect it to be worse.
If you’re going the engineer route I’d say the academy is the way to go. Don’t worry about getting a job when you’re finished, you’ll have one. Engineers are in demand. Engineers with some ‘seasoning’ are really in demand.
[QUOTE=gomer;50531]I dont qualify for those programs since Im seeking a second degree. It would have made things alot simpler though.[/QUOTE]
You might want to check on that. The state academies receive MARAD funding to defer the out-of-state tuition for all students who are enrolled in the license programs at the schools (and it sounds like you are seeking a license).
Many of my classmates were on their second degrees and from out of state. They paid as much (or as little) as I did.
Here’s Texas Maritime’s 2011 Tuition Schedule - it explains what I am referring to.
Good luck.