Work Force Development Grant, should I do it?

[cookderosa]

As some of you may know, I was recently laid off from my job of seven years as a Laboratory Technician. This was devastating to me, but it propelled me to finish my B.S. in Liberal Studies from EC by the time the place closed. Now, I have a new challenge. I am eligible for a workforce development grant through my state which pays for $6000 worth of tuition for up to two years. I have taken all the tests and I qualify for the program. The problem is, the school has to be in Indiana and I have to attend full-time, and the degree must be directly related to a field on the list of Indiana's Hoosier Hot Fifty Jobs. DWD: Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs Data It's all right if the program is distance-learning, but the institution must be in Indiana. I live in southern Indiana, so most of the northern schools are too far away to drive anyway.

This makes it difficult, because the only school which has cheap enough tuition is Ivy Tech, which is a two-year community college.

Graduate Tuition:
Indiana State University: $328/hr
University of Indianapolis: $300/hr
University of Evansville: $690/hr
Indiana University: $226.55/hr (2006 rate, 2009 not posted yet, TBD)
Purdue: $8240/year
University of Southern Indiana: $242.80/hr
Oakland City University: $500/hr
IU Southeast: $300/hr
Martin University: $520/hr
Marion University: $12,000/semester
Butler University: $410/hr
Indiana Wesleyan: $445/hr
Ball State University: $3500/semester

The only school with tuition cheap enough to finish an entire degree for $6000 or less is Ivy Tech, with tuition at just $99.65/hr. They do allow you to go back and get an Associate degree even if you have a B.A. already, so I can go there as a degree-seeking student if I want to. I'd really rather work on a Master degree though!

I think that most people who take advantage of this program have no degree at all. The lady at the workforce development center acted confused when I told her I already had a degree, and she kept referring to Ivy Tech as though it was the only school she had dealt with. She said I have to appy and be accepted to a program first, and then I take them the tuition bill and they pay it. She said they also pay for books and school supplies. It seems like a good deal, but if the degree program costs $10,000, I would be stuck with the left over $4000 to get a degree...

I need help deciding on a degree program, a school, or if I should even do this at all.

Has anyone else ever qualified for a workforce development grant? Any advice would be appreciated!

I think you already know what to do.
"I'd really rather work on a Master degree.....I would be stuck with the left over $4000 to get a (n) (Associate) degree..."
Some associate degree jobs are specific and will offer a good return, nursing for example. Keep in mind that kind of question is more about changing careers, not if you should take a grant. Most of the jobs on that list that require associate degrees are in health care, and will require clinical hours.
My two cents, would be to leave that money in the pot for someone like you who is now unemployed but doesn't have the resources to access groups like ours, or pay $99/credit. You have bigger fish to fry.

*another thing, how many credits can you buy at WNMU for $4000?