Should I go to a community college for Dental Hygeine after having almost 3 years at a University (Philosophy)

I've been going to the University of Illinois for the past (almost) 3 years. This whole time I've had no idea what I want to do with my life, so I have been taking mainly general education classes. This semester I had to choose a major, so I chose Philosophy and was planning to pursue a career in Law.


Anyways, I hate it here and have been dealing with Clinical Depression and Comorbid Anxiety for the past 2 years, which has had a negative impact on my grades recently. So, I've decided I can't take it any more and I think I am going to move to Arizona with my boyfriend (of 3 years) because he got an excellent job offer there from a Fortune 500 company.


My question is basically this: Is it reasonable to purse an Associates Degree in Dental Hygeine (at a community college in AZ) after I've already gone so far at a somewhat prestigious University? And, will it actually take me the full 2 years to get the degree since I have already taken 3 years (including gen eds) at a University?

Should I go to a community college for Dental Hygeine after having almost 3 years at a University (Philosophy)
If how you feel has been effecting your grades, you probably won't be graduating next year. Usually, once the downward spiral starts, it's hard to pull up. I think the move to a community college is a good option. No, you won't have to attend for a full two years, unless the courses you need are only offered at certain semesters. If that's the case, you may end up only taking one course per semester. You've probably done most of the pre-req courses like English 1 %26amp; 2, psych, soc, and a required math course. You'll probably have to take anatomy 1 %26amp; 2, chem 1 (%26amp; maybe 2), and micro. Then you're just left with the courses specific to dental hygiene.





Community colleges have a whole different atmosphere than universities. There tends to be more adult learners, class size tends to be smaller, help is more readily available. and many more courses are available at night. Community colleges tend to feel more personal, and that can make it a much more enjoyable experience. I've done both at different times during my education. I think there are some definite pluses at community colleges.





You're smart to consider getting yourself a career, instead of pushing yourself, especially when it isn't working. Working as a dental hygienist is honest work, and the pay isn't bad when you consider the amount of time invested in school. Most importantly... you can ALWAYS go back to school to follow your law (or whatever you decide to pursue) degree in the future. Once you're working, settled in, and life starts to level out, you might find your interested in pursuing a degree again.





Don't let other people tell you that you'll never finish your degree if you become a DH. You'll only never do something, if you convince yourself that you can't. I attended a university to major in architecture right after high school. At the time, I was more intreested in partying, than studying. I left school and went to work in a family run business. While I worked there, I went to a community college and became a nurse. A few years later, I went back and got my bachelor's. I worked as a nurse for several years, then decided to go back to school and get another bachelor's in bio. A couple of years after that, I decided to go back again and get my master's as a PA. Even now, I'm considering going back to school.





Too many kids feel pressured to get that degree right out of high school, even if they really don't feel ready for it, or even know what they want to do. A lot of the time, they drop out and end up working at jobs that won't get them anywhere. Can somebody say, "Welcome to Wal-Mart"? At least you're thinking about your future, and getting a decent career. I think it's a very smart option, and that you definitely should go for it. Just remember to always keep your options opened. You're NEVER too old!





Best of luck! Enjoy AZ, and life!
Reply:Transfer to Arizona State, it's kind of like College but a 1/3 less.