Going Back to School in the Evening and Online - A Student's Perspective

Whether you’re a young adult who entered the job market early or a parent who is sending their own children off to college, it’s never too late to start thinking about your continuing education.  And while college may seem intimidating (especially if you’ve been out for a while) there are many reasons why you owe it to yourself to return to school and get the degree you’ve always wanted (but never thought you could have).

Just ask Kelly Dartmetko, a hard-working professional, mother, and a recent graduate of Bay State College’s business program.  Kelly worked at Liberty Mutual in Boston for 14 years.  “Back when I was first hired,” she says, “you didn’t need a college degree to get a decent job in the business world. I was content with where I was and what I knew at the time.”

In the back of her mind, however, Kelly always dreamt of going back to school to finish up her degree. On top of that, the industry changed. Many employers were looking at employees to have full college degrees in order to give promotions or raises. 

She was looking for convenience, affordability, and flexibility.  She found all three in Bay State College’s evening division. 

“The staff and faculty are so easy to work with,” says Dartmetko. “They knew I wanted to take on the program aggressively, and they helped me finish my bachelor’s (coming from no transfer credits) in 2 years.”

Kelly has now been working at John Hancock for almost 5 years and has been promoted 3 times since starting school at Bay State College.

“I’m proud that I went here and I’m proud of what the school is doing in order to continuously improve. When I first started taking classes, the majority of students were right out of high school. Over the years, I’ve noticed there are more and more people coming back to school after having worked for years.  It’s comforting to know you’re not alone.”

Thanks to Kelly for sitting down to talk with us!