This is going to be a bumpy ride

As I sit here this morning thinking about what I want to write in this blog, I'm finding it hard to put into words what is going on in my head. I have been doing a lot of research for my chosen profession for one of my classes and it's been eye opening to say the least. I'm not sure I said what my chosen profession is but it is Registered Dietitian and I am going to Kaplan University online for a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science. I had a great plan and that was to go through the 4 year program at Kaplan and become a Nutritionist. Then get off disability and get a job in a health club or wellness center while I went to a brick and mortar university to get a Bachelors or Masters in Dietetics and get certified as a Registered Dietitian and then work in a hospital or government agency helping people learn to live healthier through what they eat.

Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans right? I had to research my profession like I said and part of the research involved learning the certification process through my state to get certified as a Nutritionist, since that's what I'm at Kaplan for. I found out that in the state of Ohio, they do not consider Nutritionist as it's own profession and if a person wanted to practice any sort of nutritional counseling, they have to be certified as a Registered Dietitian or Licensed Dietitian only. That in itself would be so bad because the state website says that getting a Bachelor of Nutrition Science is good for qualifying to take the exam to get certified, IF it's from an accredited school and Kaplan is not accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. When I first signed up for Kaplan, I knew that I wouldn't be able to get certified as a Dietitian but didn't realize until I did this research that I wouldn't even be able to become a Nutritionist in this state. There are only 11 states or so that are this strict about certification and there are quite a few that let people become certified as Nutritionists just with the education I'm receiving at Kaplan, but I don't live in those states and don't really want to move again.

My dilemma is what do I do now? I'm on disability so I don't have a ton of extra money and don't own a car yet, so going to a brick and mortar university is out of the question right now. As I see it, I have 2 options: 1- I stay at Kaplan and keep gaining college experience and knowledge that may transfer to another school when the time is right OR 2- Finish off the terms I'm already registered for and take the hit on the loans coming due when I leave school until I figure out how to go somewhere else. I'm leaning towards the first option because I really am learning quite a bit, just in the 3 short weeks I've been there and it is helping me feel like I'm accomplishing something for a change.

What would you do if you were me?