Which potential job should I pursue?

Which job should I pursue?

• I just graduated in December with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. I was offered a probation officer job in West Chester, PA for 32000 a year. I graduated from West Chester University and I know how highly expensive the living is there. It would literally take 15000 a year to live there. That leaves me no room at the end of the month for any error. In addition, my car is about to die for good and I will be needing to get a new car which will leave me with a car payment. I am not satisfied with having a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. I was to definitely expand my education. As I neared the end of my bachelor's degree, it really dawned on me that I would most enjoy working with mental disorders and addictions within the criminal justice system. I plan on going back to graduate school at a university near the Poconos where my family lives. I will be living rent free and will be able to afford a car payment. I was also offered a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) job in te Poconos. It will definitely help me in my path towards the psychology field. My question is am I doing the right thing by not taking the probation job? I do not want to struggle and I am not content living in that area or spending half my income on rent alone. I also am not sure if I should pursue my masters degree in a field that allows me to become a criminologist. I've read that criminologists make more money, but I feel more happy becoming a counselor of mental disorders within the CRJ system. Either way I am definitley going back to school, but what do you guys think? I guess I asked several questions...

• Answer:

  Your answer is in your explanation, especially the last paragraph. "I do not want...I am not content living in that area...I feel more happy..." are clear answers. It doesn't matter what any of us think, you have done your thinking and need to follow through on it. That will be the right thing for you to do.