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BWdem4life

(2,378 posts)
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 10:03 AM 4 hrs ago

My daughter just shared the happy news...

She has earned her Associate of Arts!



She is 29. Me being poor, (and a single dad to boot), I was unable to pay for college. I warned her very strongly against student loans, and told her there was really no rush. I myself have no degree - I washed out early due to the high cost (even in 1987 it was too much for me), went to work and never got one.

Opportunity came when she broke up with her boyfriend in 2020 and moved in with me and my fiance. At that point she was 25. I told her that as long as she was going to school, she could pay $200 rent. She took the bull by the horns, got financial aid and worked part time, went to community college.

Persistence has paid off and she has her first degree. She is now at a good, but relatively inexpensive 4-year institution, working on a BS in Chemistry. Why chemistry? Heck if I know... I was lousy in Chemistry. But I'm sure it will open all kinds of doors for her. She had to move in with her grandma because it was too far away, which is actually very helpful to my mom as her husband has cancer now

At any rate, that's my boast for the day!

34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
My daughter just shared the happy news... (Original Post) BWdem4life 4 hrs ago OP
Congratulations, this is wonderful news FakeNoose 4 hrs ago #1
Great news. Good for her. underpants 4 hrs ago #2
Good news is great to hear! Not boasting at all! Hope22 4 hrs ago #3
Chemistry? Excellent choice Easterncedar 4 hrs ago #4
Yes, not easy, but leads to a lifetime of delights and employment. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz 3 hrs ago #8
#1 reason to boast, and good for you AND your daughter. a kennedy 4 hrs ago #5
Sending the vibes to all of you! Faux pas 4 hrs ago #6
The little things are actually big things when you cachukis 4 hrs ago #7
Fantastic! MLAA 3 hrs ago #9
Congratulations to you and your daughter. debm55 3 hrs ago #10
Fantastic news! No wonder you're proud.... Tanuki 3 hrs ago #11
WOW, SUPER for her!! robleb 3 hrs ago #12
Congratulations to her and you! You have every reason to be proud and boast! liberalla 3 hrs ago #13
Woohoo! iluvtennis 3 hrs ago #14
I am a chemist and it is a pleasure to welcome a young woman to our profession. NNadir 3 hrs ago #15
Congratulations to you both! Chemistry is an awesome choice. woodsprite 3 hrs ago #16
This is great - TBF 3 hrs ago #17
Congratulations, well done by all. Chemistry is a wonderful field which can lead to many opportunities. c-rational 3 hrs ago #18
Good for her! I know you must be very proud. I wish her well. LoisB 3 hrs ago #19
Kudos to your daughter zeusdogmom 3 hrs ago #20
Congratulations! And some advice from a former academic administrator MyMission 2 hrs ago #21
That's just great! people 2 hrs ago #22
Congratulations! I know exactly how you feel yobrault1 2 hrs ago #23
A BS in Chemistry can open doors Biglinda 52 2 hrs ago #24
Well done sir! LittleGirl 2 hrs ago #25
Very inspiring story! karin_sj 2 hrs ago #26
Fabulous! Tell her all the good people on DU are proud of her!!! Karadeniz 2 hrs ago #27
I will! nt BWdem4life 2 hrs ago #29
That is a wonderful accomplishment!! CrispyQ 2 hrs ago #28
Congrats! Wishing all the best for her and you! (n/t) Moostache 1 hr ago #30
Congratulations to your daughter! DemonGoddess 1 hr ago #31
Fabulous! leftieNanner 1 hr ago #32
Terrific news!!! calimary 1 hr ago #33
I've been telling a lot of kids that an AD will net them a job that pays the bills Warpy 1 hr ago #34

FakeNoose

(35,321 posts)
1. Congratulations, this is wonderful news
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 10:08 AM
4 hrs ago

Your daughter made some great choices and she did the hard work to get ahead. Meanwhile you gave her awesome advice, and you gave her a chance to spread her wings. It's a win-win!

Easterncedar

(3,289 posts)
4. Chemistry? Excellent choice
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 10:10 AM
4 hrs ago

She’s not taking the easy road. Of course you are proud. Well done you! Thanks for sharing the good news!

MLAA

(18,478 posts)
9. Fantastic!
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 10:29 AM
3 hrs ago

A degree in Chemistry will serve her well, either directly using her degree or in another field just demonstrating she was smart enough to achieve such a difficult degree! Go, daughter!

Tanuki

(15,240 posts)
11. Fantastic news! No wonder you're proud....
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 10:35 AM
3 hrs ago

I'm beaming with pride on her behalf and I don't know either of you! But her intelligence and hard work are definitely paying off and creating a bright, rewarding future for her!

NNadir

(34,448 posts)
15. I am a chemist and it is a pleasure to welcome a young woman to our profession.
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 10:57 AM
3 hrs ago

I regard it as a very satisfying career, one that serves humanity in subtle but essential ways and offers the highest level of intellectual satisfaction.

Congratulations all around. I wish your family every success in the world.

woodsprite

(12,162 posts)
16. Congratulations to you both! Chemistry is an awesome choice.
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:00 AM
3 hrs ago

It reaches into so many areas. I have friends and family who have chemistry backgrounds that have found their spots in fashion merchandising, fire protection engineering, art conservation, historic preservation, a paint company, and medical fields, to name a few. It's so exciting as a parent to see doors open for our children.

TBF

(33,986 posts)
17. This is great -
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:04 AM
3 hrs ago

you did a lot just by providing housing! I am certain she is grateful for the support, and it is a blessing that she's able to help your mom in return. (My siblings and I did state colleges too - we were the first generation in our family to go to college)

c-rational

(2,846 posts)
18. Congratulations, well done by all. Chemistry is a wonderful field which can lead to many opportunities.
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:11 AM
3 hrs ago

MyMission

(1,994 posts)
21. Congratulations! And some advice from a former academic administrator
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:34 AM
2 hrs ago

I suggest she take 12 additional credits in education so she can be certified to teach!
Working in higher ed for many years, I suggested this to many students, and the ones that did so were always grateful. Majoring in Science, History, English, Art whatever, having a teaching certificate can open doors and offer options after graduation. I'll add that I did not do that, and ended up teaching with a provisional license and needed to go back to school for 12 credits to get certified. That's my unsolicited advice. Please share it with your daughter.
I know you're proud of her!

yobrault1

(143 posts)
23. Congratulations! I know exactly how you feel
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:37 AM
2 hrs ago

I did the same with my daughter, she got her computer science degree over a 10 year span but ended up with $0 student debt because she stayed home, worked to pay for every semester until she was done. Now she makes more money than I do but she is not burdened with massive student debt and can save towards buying her first home.

It's very rewarding, even though I could not pay for her education, I provided, as did you, an enabling environment for her to achieve her goals.

Biglinda 52

(83 posts)
24. A BS in Chemistry can open doors
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:40 AM
2 hrs ago

My neighbor's daughter has a BS in Chem and she's a food chemist. She also has a side (unpaid) gig with America's Test kitchen as a recipe tester. Congrats to your daughter!

LittleGirl

(8,378 posts)
25. Well done sir!
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:43 AM
2 hrs ago

I finished my degree at age 45 and I was so happy about how long it took and how important it was to me. I had to get a couple of student loans while I took classes so that my employer could repay me when I passed the test. They wouldn't cover every single class but it helped to pay for 95% of them. When I got reimbursed, I was debt free. Good for her! I'm so happy to see another young woman put in the work to be successful! Yay.

karin_sj

(1,038 posts)
26. Very inspiring story!
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:48 AM
2 hrs ago

Congratulations to her for being such a responsible and caring person, and to you for raising and supporting such a great person!

CrispyQ

(37,988 posts)
28. That is a wonderful accomplishment!!
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 11:55 AM
2 hrs ago


And a good degree, too! It was his knowledge of chemistry that saved Captain Kirk from the gorn.

leftieNanner

(15,662 posts)
32. Fabulous!
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 12:56 PM
1 hr ago

If she chooses to go the distance and get a PhD in chemistry, the grad school will be free and she will be paid a stipend.

My daughter did, and is now an assistant professor in that field.

Congratulations 🎉

Warpy

(113,067 posts)
34. I've been telling a lot of kids that an AD will net them a job that pays the bills
Wed Oct 30, 2024, 01:22 PM
1 hr ago

and once they can do that, they can sart thinking about working on that BA or BS without incurring a crippling amount of debt . It's not the easiest way, but it can be done.

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