“To Go to College or Not to Go to College, That is the Questions”

When you’re younger your parents always talk about going to college and getting a higher education. This wasn’t the case with Debbie M.

“My parents weren’t supportive. I didn’t have any higher education background in my family.” Says Debbie.

Instead of going to college she got her hair dressing degree in a vocational high school. She left school with a trade, and her parents thought there was no reason for college.

When she was living in St. Louis and pregnant with her son Tyler, she knew she needed and wanted to go back to college. She was also having a hard time working as a hair dresser with her husband’s work schedule. She was put off for a few years while her son was getting old enough that she felt comfortable leaving him with a babysitter. Her plans were put off again when she became pregnant with her 3rd and final child.

It was in 2002 when her youngest child was 3 that she decided she could finally go back to college. She was doing the Medical Assistants program at WCTC. She thought she would want to work in a Doctor’s office, until she had a talk with one of her instructors.

Along came one of my instructors. She sat me down and said I should do the Nursing Program because the other class material came way too easy.”

She decided to listen to her instructor and met with the program director. She was accepted to the program and started taking the pre-requisites.

Debbie had been put off many years and had many obstacles in schooling. School took her longer than planned because she could only go part time since she had small children. Her family moved to Colorado. Even though she went to school there, she was still another year behind. With getting her more recent divorce; it has made it even more difficult.

“It’s difficult managing school, work, and being a single mother. I need to make sure I don’t short change my kids and schooling. I need to spend time with my kids, do homework, and make sure I graduate as planned.”

Instead of giving up with all the obstacles, Debbie is making sure she gives it her all. She doesn’t want to let her kids down.

She feels very highly about getting a higher education now and wishes she wouldn’t have waited.

“I wish my parents had been more supportive of higher education. I would have loved them to be more encouraging for me to go to college. I will always encourage my kids to follow their dreams and tell them that a higher education is very important.”