Going back to college to get a 2nd Bachelor's Degree - how does this work?

Jason L. · 04-24-2008, 04:20 AM

I graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1994 with a double major in Applied Mathematics and Statistics/Economics plus a minor in Business with a 3.34 GPA. At the end the math was ridiculously arcane to the point where you barely used numbers - just letters [mostly Greek]. I just barely made it through the math portion.

Like most college graduates I haven't used any of this after I graduated. I couldn't tell you how to solve the simplest of Calculus problems.

I have been in the IT field for almost a decade. I'm sick of it and I want to do something else. I could rant about this for a while but I'll just leave it at that.

I have been thinking about what field I should get into next. I've always liked number crunching. SUNY-Stony Brook is/was a science school and didn't offer degrees in Accounting/Finance while I was there. I took a couple of accounting classes for my Economics degree but that was it.

Now I'm thinking of getting a job in accounting/finance. I assume that I will have to go back to school - which is fine with me. If I go back to college for a 2nd bachelors degree, likely in the Dallas area, I'm not sure how it works. I will not be going for a masters degree. I just want enough schooling so that I can meet any job requirements.

1. How does the application process work? I already have a degree so they know I can do the work.

2. How many credits would I need to earn for another degree? I assume that I won't have to start from scratch.

I will probably submit a separate post about what the accounting/finance field is like. Any comments are appreciated.

SethH · 04-24-2008, 04:47 AM

I guess my question is why not just do a master's degree? An MBA with a concentration in finance or accounting would prove more valuable, I would think, than another bachelor's degree. I would also not expect it to take much longer (if any).

Jason L. · 04-24-2008, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SethH

I guess my question is why not just do a master's degree? An MBA with a concentration in finance or accounting would prove more valuable, I would think, than another bachelor's degree. I would also not expect it to take much longer (if any).

The short answer is: I don't want to work that hard. I will turn 37 soon. I have made good money working as a contractor overseas the past 4 years. The money isn't that important. I just want a professional job with health insurance that allows me to put in my 40 hours a week, go home, relax, and enjoy life.

Holadem · 04-24-2008, 07:30 AM

Fine.

A 2nd bachelor degree is still a mistake, and a tremendous waste of time.

- There is a ridiculous variety of masters degree programs out there for all kinds of needs and circumstances. There are many out there where you won't have to "work that hard."

- A lot of master's degrees only take 1 year of full time study to complete.

- You are assuming a 2nd bachelors would require less work than an masters. Not necessarely (actually, probably not), even accounting for classes common to both bachelors.

- Very little professional value added with another bachelor's degree (which is the whole point in your case). Especially since the first bachelor was a double major. I've never heard of anyone impressed by that. 2 masters, 2 PhD, yes. 2 bachelors is just DUMB. Sorry.

Reconsider.

--
H

KurtEP · 04-24-2008, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason L.

The short answer is: I don't want to work that hard. I will turn 37 soon. I have made good money working as a contractor overseas the past 4 years. The money isn't that important. I just want a professional job that allows me to put in my 40 hours a week, go home, relax, and enjoy life.

In the accounting field, you'd normally have to pay your dues before you could get a job like that, unless you're looking to be some kind of clerk. I'm not sure why you'd want to do that, given your background. It's mind numbing work, from what I've seen.

I'd suggest taking some time off and summoning up some motivation. There are a lot of avenues open with your background, some of which are quite interesting and challenging. However, I don't think any of them are strictly 40 hour jobs.

As to the school process, it's probably changed a lot since you applied. The requirements will vary by school. Pick a school, go to their website and see what they have to say. If you have any questions, call or email them. Not sure whether credits that old will transfer to a new degree, but again that depends on the particular school. I'm also not sure your old SAT would transfer or is even necessary.

All that said, I'd really suggest graduate school. If you want accounting, look for a Master of Professional Accountancy or something similar (if that degree is still around). It will prepare you to do accounting at a high level. Keep in mind that the accounting should be trivial for you with an applied math background. I took some 30 credits of accounting after graduating with a minor in math and the lowest score I ever got on an exam was around 95%.

A couple of other suggestions. If you like math, consider boning up on the old calculus and statistics and taking the actuary exams. They're hard, but actuaries make serious money and usually have great working conditions. Also, consider operations research or industrial engineering. Lots of math but really interesting stuff (took a course while getting my MBA and my sister is an ABD in IE making great money in industry). You might be able to open some doors with the right MBA program, but I probably wouldn't really bother unless you're going to a name school. I tend to think an MBA is a bit of BS, but I'm biased since I have one. Finally, if you're really up for a challenge, go get your JD. With your background it will be hard for you to adjust, but it's worth it in the long run, since it totally changes your perspective.

EDIT: Also, it might be worth taking a few of the grad school admissions tests like the GMAT and the LSAT. If you ace either one, you can begin to look pretty seriously at business or law school (hey, it worked for me). On the other hand, if you do poorly, time to look at other options.

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DaveF · 04-24-2008, 08:27 AM

I suggest you find some professional coaching / guidance before committing. You're planning a major life change -- you don't want to enroll in a four-year degree unless you know that's the right choice to accomplish your goals. It's possible it's the completely wrong choice, and will not get you where you want to go.

I agree completely with Holadem (and others). My experience is that you want the advanced degree. You want, on your resume, the M.S. or MBA. That will be more advantageous than three Bachelor's degrees from two four-year programs.

As for working hard: how is a 12 to 24 month Masters harder than a new 4-year B.S.?

But, you need to talk with people in the field(s) you're interested in and find out what is needed to get employment. It might even be that you can find a job that will put you on your desired career path, and that will pay for your education.

Kreisler · 04-24-2008, 10:57 AM

I don't think you need more education.

If you like number , you could always try Actuarial Science. They make good money, but it is very hard to get licensed.

Its a good start for Insurance related work, banking and even finance since all measure and calculate risk...

Malcolm R · 04-24-2008, 12:29 PM

I strongly agree with those who say you should seriously consider a Masters degree before a second Bachelors. Most Masters programs are only 30-45 credits, which is likely less than you'll be required to take to earn another Bachelors. Like others here, I'm confused as to why you feel that's more work?

If you do decide on a second Bachelors, you should first narrow it down to what school(s) you are interested in, then inquire about their transfer credit policies. Each school has wide latitude to set their own policies about what they will accept for transfer and what they will not, so the amount of transfer credit you will be able to use from your prior degree is going to vary widely depending on the policies and degree requirements of the school you select. If possible, continuing at SUNY-Stony Brook for either degree would probably maximize your use of past credits. Do they offer any online programs that you could take from Dallas?

Unless the school has an expiration date policy about credits (i.e. not more than 10 years old, etc.), you should be able to transfer most of your general education requirements (math, english, humanities, communications, etc.) from your old degree to your new degree, allowing you to concentrate on the specific program requirements rather than re-taking a bunch of Gen Ed courses.

You might also consider a technical certificate program or perhaps just an Associate Degree in accounting. It would indicate a continuing quest for education on your part and would likely be cheaper, faster, and just as useful as another BA. Just make sure it's an institution accredited by one of the major regional accrediting bodies.

Bob Graz · 04-24-2008, 07:12 PM

I felt I worked far less in getting my MBA than getting my BSEE. I'm not sure why you equate getting a Masters degree as something necessarily harder than some undergraduate degrees. Add me to the list of those thinking that adding another undergrad degree is a mistake.