Grad School

[suchende]

I keep seeing references to school changing their timeline, and I was curious...


1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?

 

[rialaine]

School had played a part in setting up our timeline. I have since graduated & everything is beginning to fall into place.

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
I was in enrolled full time in Grad School and held an assistantship as well. SO was working fulltime.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
I began Grad School Jan 2009 and Graduated Aug 2010. (Yes, I did it in 1 year & it was a NIGHTMARE. I don't recommend it. But I was trying to finish as fast as I could so I could get a good paying job & we could move forward on our timeline.) I was 22 when I began Grad School and was 23 when I graduated.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
Yes, we both agreed that I needed to finish school so I could get a good paying job. Once I got the job our plan was to get an apartment/house then get engaged. We wanted to have a solid foundation to build our lives on. Plus we needed the extra money from my job to afford the ring & wedding.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
I met SO when I was enrolled in my Undergrad (B.S. in Communication) and towards the end of my Undergrad I was offered a Graduate Assistantship that would pay for my entire Master's degree (M.A. in Marketing).

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
I chose to continue with my M.A. because...well...it was FREE!
I had really wanted to finish my B.S. & go straight into the work force so we could move forward on our timeline. But I knew that this was an opportunity that I could not turn down. It would pay off in the long run to postpone moving in together/the engagement in order to get my Master's. It was a little disappointing at first because we were really ready to make the next step but that soon vanished when I realized that if I buckled down & really worked at it that I could finish in a year.....I BARELY made it, but I graduated!

Since then I have been able to get a great paying job and am currently entertaining offers from competitors. We bought our first house! And the ring is currently in the safe!

Here it is Christmas 2010. This time last year I honestly could not have pictured all of this! I guess I just want to let other LIW know that it will happen. Don't get discouraged! It does seem so so SOOOOO far away right now, but you guys will get there. And you will be REALLY happy that you followed that timeline. It truly does pay off in the end!

 

[AdanaEsq]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

SO is in school. I finished law school over 4 years ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Not sure how long he has left, he thinks he'll finish sometime in 2011 latest 2012.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
He wants to wait until he's finished or closer to finished before he gets engaged I think.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
SO is in an md/phd program. He's finishing writing his dissertation and thinks he'll be ready to defend Spring or next Fall semester.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Can't answer that question for him. I know he's wanted to be a doctor for awhile and he's very interested in genetic research for various reasons.

 

[MBKRH]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
I am just going to community college and hope to graduate this spring. SO has taken some classes, but I don't think college is for him. He has no intentions to continue with classes. I'm fine with that; college isn't for everyone.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done? Hopefully six months left.... I will be 28.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged? We haven't talked about it directly. Obviously since I am almost done, those must be his intentions.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc) undergrad

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)? It's a good field (paralegal) and I've gone through my entire 20's not knowing what I want to do. So, this is kind of my last resort.

 

[DuckLovingVegan]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
I'm in school getting my associate degree in nursing. So finished school five years ago.
2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
I have one year left I will graduate Dec 2011. I will be 24 when I'm done.
3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
No we don't want to wait until I'm done with graduate school. He just wants to wait until I graduate school next year and get a job. My SO doesn't plan on going to graduate school.
4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc) I'm in an associates program eventually I'm going to gt my masters.
5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)? I was already enrolled at the school so I decided to see if I could get in to the nursing program. I did so I didn't bother applying to get into a university.

 

[manderz]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
I'm in school. I lost my job almost a year ago and have been using a program through unemployment that will pay me my benefits for 2 years while I get my degree.
2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
I have 2 more semesters for my associates, but I want to go further than that. Once my unemployment is up, I'd like to get through my MSW as quickly as I can while working part time and making the best marks I can.
3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
We are already engaged, but will be waiting til I graduate and get a good job to get married. I'd love to already be his wife, but we have other priorities right now besides a wedding.
4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
I'll ultimately end up with my MSW so I can be an industrial psychologist.
5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
I was sick of working crappy hours. I want to have a life outside of my job, and I'll never get that without getting a degree.

 

[jazzoboe]

Not a LIW anymore, but I am in grad school, so I figured I could reply!

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

I am in grad school, SO is working full time, but he is in a program where his company pays for him to take classes and get his Masters within the first few years of working there, so technically he is in school as well, but he hasn't started the classes yet.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

I have about 1.5-2 years left so I'll be about 25 when I finish. SO has 3-6 years to do his masters, just depends what group ends up working with, if he'll be working 40 or 80 hours a week, and therefore how quickly he can get through classes.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?

Well, we waited until we were both done with undergrad to get married. I graduated a year ago, but he a bit longer to go, so we actually got engaged before he was done, but planned the wedding for a couple months after he graduated and started his job. Getting completely finished with school was not so much a goal for us as feeling stable enough financially, and SO was lucky enough to intern a lot throughout undergrad which payed for his school plus left some extra, and he has a pretty awesome job now (at least considering how hard it seems to be to get a job right out of college for many people these days). We've also been together for 5 years and have known for 4+ of those that we would eventually get married, so at this point there doesn't seem to be any good reason to wait.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)

MFA in creative writing

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?

Instead of working? good one. No, I'm still working 20-30 hours a week as well, but my grad program is largely through correspondence with a faculty mentor throughout each semester so I can do work on my own time. Anyway, I decided about halfway through college that I really wanted to try my hand at writing fiction. Going into the graduate program when I'd never really shown my work to anyone before was terrifying, but the group of people in the program are amazing, and I just love it. Best choice I ever made, next to deciding to be with my SO

 

[Autumnovember]

I keep seeing references to school changing their timeline, and I was curious...


1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?

I got engaged in July but here we go anyway:

1) Just me.
2) 15 months, I will be 24 by the time I complete my second degree.
3) Unfortunately, we have a 14 year age difference so putting off being engaged because of me being in school wasn't the route we wanted to go. He has been financially stable for many years now so it has helped tremendously with any financial issues.
4) I graduated with my bachelors last May (should have graduated in 2009 if I didn't transfer schools). Now, I am in an accelerated BSN program for nursing school. I still haven't decided if I am going to pursue an MSN in the future.
5) I have always been interested in going into the direction of psychology. For a while, I wanted to be a high school psychology teacher and then I changed my mind when I started volunteer work at a hospital. So here I am, 7 months post graduation and finished my pre req's for my ABSN program for nursing school. I chose nursing school because I want to work with the mentally ill and I want to be in the medical field.

 

[suchende]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

SO is in school. I finished law school over 4 years ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Not sure how long he has left, he thinks he'll finish sometime in 2011 latest 2012.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
He wants to wait until he's finished or closer to finished before he gets engaged I think.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
SO is in an md/phd program. He's finishing writing his dissertation and thinks he'll be ready to defend Spring or next Fall semester.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Can't answer that question for him. I know he's wanted to be a doctor for awhile and he's very interested in genetic research for various reasons.

Can I ask how you'll handle the geographic challenges? I assume he'll have to apply for residencies, and if you're already practicing you're probably tied to your market.

 

[MayFlowers]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
Just me. SO finished about a year and a half ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
I will be graduating May 2011. I will be 22 when I finish.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
We are both okay with getting engaged before I graduate, but the wedding won't happen until after I graduate/start working

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
I am currently finishing up my undergrad. This could complicate things because as a teacher, I have to get a Master's degree within the next five years. I have talked to many teachers who entered into the workforce and then either took an educational leave of absence to get their degree in a year, or are taking online courses. I plan to do one of these. However, if I cannot find a job for the next school year, or if like rialaine I get offered an assistantship or fellowship I will be going ahead to get my Master's degree at my current school.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Well I have known for a while that I want to be a teacher. I can't become a teacher (except for a sub) without a degree. So, I have stuck it out. Though it has been tempting to quit school and just get a job somewhere, I know I will be happier with this in the long run.

 

[AdanaEsq]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

SO is in school. I finished law school over 4 years ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Not sure how long he has left, he thinks he'll finish sometime in 2011 latest 2012.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
He wants to wait until he's finished or closer to finished before he gets engaged I think.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
SO is in an md/phd program. He's finishing writing his dissertation and thinks he'll be ready to defend Spring or next Fall semester.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Can't answer that question for him. I know he's wanted to be a doctor for awhile and he's very interested in genetic research for various reasons.

Can I ask how you'll handle the geographic challenges? I assume he'll have to apply for residencies, and if you're already practicing you're probably tied to your market.

He has a fair amount of connections here in NY and NJ so he's hoping he'll stay around here. He also thinks he won't do his residency right away since he's also starting a charter school here in NYC. If we end up getting married before he starts his residency then I'll probably move with him if he winds up out of the tri-state area.

 

[mariewest]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
SO and I are both currently in school.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
SO will be done in June. My classes will be finished in May, but I have summer to work on my thesis. We will both be 25.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
I would like to get engaged soon. SO wants to wait until he is able to find a job so he has money to pay for the ring since he is currently working for tuition.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
We are both in graduate programs. SO is getting his MA for Teaching, and I am getting my MS for PR.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
SO wanted to get his Masters for education right after he finished his BA in English so he won't have go back to school later. After I graduated from my undergrad. I worked for a couple years, but then decided to go back to school since I wasn't getting the type of jobs I wanted. SO was going to school in a different state then I was working, and I couldn't find a job in his state, so I decided to apply for school where he goes instead. SO chose the program he is in because the can substitute teach and the school will pay his tuition and he will be certified in multiple states. I chose the program I am in because it is only 1 year and it is specifically PR (not general communications), and because it is where SO is and we are able to live together.

 

[kagordo4]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
We both are.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done? I 'm working on my MD, first year is almost half way done So is working on his Undergrad in Public Health, he wants to be a P.A and has a while to go as well.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged? The jerk better not be waiting until I'm done, lol. I feel like I'll be in school forever.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
I'm in med school so I'm working on my M.D. SO is working on his Undergrad.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Um I actually didn't know I was graduating until the semester before I graduated. When I started LIW I thought I had two years left and then suddenly Spring semester came up and SUPRISE my advisor sent me an emailing telling me to fill out my application for graduation in Summer and start applying to med schools like yesterday. Um oppies. Any way, I was lucky that this school accepted me because about 99.9% of med schools had filled already after interviews and the like. So now I'm stuck paying out the butt for a private school but it's cool. I'll be a doctor in the end, yay.

 

[Autumnovember]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

SO is in school. I finished law school over 4 years ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Not sure how long he has left, he thinks he'll finish sometime in 2011 latest 2012.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
He wants to wait until he's finished or closer to finished before he gets engaged I think.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
SO is in an md/phd program. He's finishing writing his dissertation and thinks he'll be ready to defend Spring or next Fall semester.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Can't answer that question for him. I know he's wanted to be a doctor for awhile and he's very interested in genetic research for various reasons.

Can I ask how you'll handle the geographic challenges? I assume he'll have to apply for residencies, and if you're already practicing you're probably tied to your market.

He has a fair amount of connections here in NY and NJ so he's hoping he'll stay around here. He also thinks he won't do his residency right away since he's also starting a charter school here in NYC. If we end up getting married before he starts his residency then I'll probably move with him if he winds up out of the tri-state area.

SO lives right by NYC in NJ Is his school in NJ? My ABSN program is in north jersey...

 

[AdanaEsq]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

SO is in school. I finished law school over 4 years ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Not sure how long he has left, he thinks he'll finish sometime in 2011 latest 2012.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
He wants to wait until he's finished or closer to finished before he gets engaged I think.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
SO is in an md/phd program. He's finishing writing his dissertation and thinks he'll be ready to defend Spring or next Fall semester.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Can't answer that question for him. I know he's wanted to be a doctor for awhile and he's very interested in genetic research for various reasons.

Can I ask how you'll handle the geographic challenges? I assume he'll have to apply for residencies, and if you're already practicing you're probably tied to your market.

He has a fair amount of connections here in NY and NJ so he's hoping he'll stay around here. He also thinks he won't do his residency right away since he's also starting a charter school here in NYC. If we end up getting married before he starts his residency then I'll probably move with him if he winds up out of the tri-state area.

SO lives right by NYC in NJ Is his school in NJ? My ABSN program is in north jersey...

No he's at Columbia. we both grew up in Brooklyn so we're hoping to settle down here hopefully.

 

[slg47]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both? just me

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done? 1.5-2.5 years...will be...27-28?

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged? we waited until my SO graduated with his PhD and moved out to be with me. after living together for a year we were engaged!

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc) PhD

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)? I think it will be easier to get the type of job I want with a PhD, as far as the program, initially I went to the school because we thought it was somewhere where SO could find a job (and he did!)

 

[Autumnovember]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

SO is in school. I finished law school over 4 years ago.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Not sure how long he has left, he thinks he'll finish sometime in 2011 latest 2012.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
He wants to wait until he's finished or closer to finished before he gets engaged I think.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
SO is in an md/phd program. He's finishing writing his dissertation and thinks he'll be ready to defend Spring or next Fall semester.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Can't answer that question for him. I know he's wanted to be a doctor for awhile and he's very interested in genetic research for various reasons.

Can I ask how you'll handle the geographic challenges? I assume he'll have to apply for residencies, and if you're already practicing you're probably tied to your market.

He has a fair amount of connections here in NY and NJ so he's hoping he'll stay around here. He also thinks he won't do his residency right away since he's also starting a charter school here in NYC. If we end up getting married before he starts his residency then I'll probably move with him if he winds up out of the tri-state area.

SO lives right by NYC in NJ Is his school in NJ? My ABSN program is in north jersey...

No he's at Columbia. we both grew up in Brooklyn so we're hoping to settle down here hopefully.

Thats great! A good friend of mine attends their grad school. We're not too far from each other!

 

[suchende]

He has a fair amount of connections here in NY and NJ so he's hoping he'll stay around here. He also thinks he won't do his residency right away since he's also starting a charter school here in NYC. If we end up getting married before he starts his residency then I'll probably move with him if he winds up out of the tri-state area.

interesting. i ask because i'm in law school now, next to a med school, and residencies/geographical limitations are always the topic of conversation when we talk about JDs dating MDs.

 

[AdanaEsq]

Autumn: definitely not far which is why SO doesn't mind the idea of applying for residency in NJ (probably northern).

Suchende: for me it's not a huge deal mainly because he's thinking he'll do research first before he gets into a residency program and he's pretty confident he'll get a spot here in NYC or not too far away. I'm also open to moving and working in a different sector or possibly taking another bar exam to practice law if he ends up somewhere far off but most likely only if we're married.

 

[UnluckyTwin]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
We both are.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
We are both 24 now. SO is still in his first year-- the Master's degree takes about 2 to complete and the PhD takes another 2-3 years. He is not sure yet how far he will go (if he will just quit at the Master's or continue on to PhD). It hinges on me, really-- I am in a PhD program that is supposed to take 5 years to complete. I just made 2.5 years and got my Master's this semester, so I am supposed to have another 2.5 years to go. If I finish in that time, he will probably stop at the Master's, we'll both move to another city where I can get a job, and he'll finish out a PhD in that city. BUT, very few people have actually finished my program in 5 years, and it's more common to take 6-7. So, if it ends up taking me that long, he can finish out his PhD here and then we can both move at the same time to get jobs. If I finish "on time," I'll be 27 (as will he) but he will still have a couple years left to get the PhD (if, of course, he still wants it-- he may decide he is fine with a Master's).

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
We both plan to wait until we finish school and get jobs to have our "commitment ceremony" (not a legal wedding)-- it's purely practical: hosting a party for our family and friends is expensive and, as graduate students, we are highly broke. If a fairy dropped $10,000 at our doorstep tonight, we'd start planning the ceremony tomorrow.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
We are both in Masters-en-route PhD programs (me in sociology, him in math).

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
After college I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a job and I had one professor who really encouraged grad school. I knew that to get a decent-paying job with a nonprofit I'd need a Master's, so I decided to go to grad school and get one straight out of undergrad (where I also majored in sociology). Once I got into the program, took a bunch of classes, and started working on my thesis, I decided I liked it and would continue to the PhD. (I still have no idea what I want to do when I finish and unfortunately there won't be any more school for me to take my time deciding!) My SO actually went straight out of undergrad into the same PhD program as me, so that's where we met. After our first year (right after we started dating) he decided he really hated it and quit. He spent a year tutoring for Sylvan in math (he had double-majored in math and sociology in college) and decided during that time to join a math PhD program figuring he'd like it better than sociology. So that's what he's doing now. And he does like it better. And he sees now that it took him a while to find the job he did have during that year of being out of school and you really do need more than a Bachelor's to get the kind of job he wants (one with a lot of autonomy). So he's planning to stick with it.

 

[megumic]

Also a newlywed, but also in school.

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?

Just me.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?

Done May 2011.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?

Got engaged after my 1st year, got married after my 2nd.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)

Law school.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?

Worked after undergrad for several years and wanted to go back for a law degree. Best decision I have ever made.

 

[lapelirroja]

I keep seeing references to school changing their timeline, and I was curious...

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
Me only.
2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
I will be done in 2011 and will be 25. BF will be 26.
3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
BF is waiting for me to graduate and start working to contribute to our earnings. There's not much to save for a ring when he is supporting me through my expensive grad program.
4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
Masters degree (MPAS) - Physician Assistant
5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
Wanted to practice medicine

Seems like a long time to wait, we've been together 6.5 years now but... I'll get there eventually. Can't wait to have a paycheck!

 

[Indylady]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both? Neither, but at least one of us (but most likely both) will be by the fall.
2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done? TBA--depends on the programs we're accepted to, but probably about 3-5 years.
3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged? No; but, we're also both working at the moment, so that makes it easier.
4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc) TBA--both grad school.
5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)? Grad school is necessary for both of our intended careers. Personally speaking, I really enjoy being in school, and I am looking forward to going back.

 

[HaloBelle]

1) Who is in school, you, your SO or both?
Well, interesting answer. We met in high school and wound up at colleges near each other so for those 4 years - the both of us were. Then he got accepted into a 1 year program for his masters and I happened to have a job on campus - for that year, just him. He has graduated and I have a career now but I am starting an online graduate program (required by my job) next year and it will be in addition to the job and last about 5 years. So, for the next five years, just me.

2) How many years do you have left, and how old will you be when you're done?
I have 5-7 years left of being a part time student, I will be 28-30 when I finish.

3) Do you, your SO or both want to wait until you graduate/start working before you get engaged?
No. We wanted to both finish undergraduate and he wanted to finish his graduate degree and get a secure job.

4) What sort of program are you in? (Undergrad, MA, PhD, MBA, etc)
I will be in an online graduate non-thesis program.

5) Why did you choose the program you're in (both instead of working and instead of a different program)?
I was thinking about doing it full time anyways but i found a job that will pay for it if I work for them. It was a win-win, I get the program I want and a career.

The engagement at this point depends on the BF getting his first secure job. He is old fashioned and wants to be able to "take care of me" even if I won't let him. :