My major is Crime Scene Investigation (CSI). This major involves learning about various issues that are related to the investigation of crime. They include criminal justice, crime scene technology, criminal justice reporting, fingerprinting and courtroom presentation. The role of a crime scene investigator is to assess a crime scene to obtain evidence that is crucial to the creation of a case. Crime scene investigators also have to brief other members of the law enforcement about the results of the investigation. They also need to be able to testify in front of a court of law and explain the evidence that they have collected from their investigation.
Crime scene investigators qualify to work for local police departments and in private agencies. The Crime Scene Investigation Unit in the Miami Police Department usually uses some civilian CSIs to enable them to solve some of their crimes. Some other police departments in the Florida such as Tampa only hire sworn police officers in their crime scene investigation units.
There is a positive job outlook for CSIs. Data from the Bureau of Labor statistics shows that the number of jobs for forensic science technicians in 2016 were 15,400 and it is estimated that there will be 17% growth in job opportunities from the year 2016 to 2026. This positive outlook is also maintained in the State of Florida, my local state. The demand for CSIs is likely to grow by 20%. There are more opportunities in West Palm Beach, Tampa and Orlando Florida. The mean annual salary for the job in Florida is $46,850. Florida is also one of the states with the highest levels of employment of criminal investigators it has an employment of 6,240 where the annual mean wage is 74,180 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018b).
The job of a CSI also has a good pay. The 2017 national median pay for forensic science technicians was $57,850 per year and $27.81 per hour (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018b). Other jobs which can be done by the individuals that major in CSI are criminal investigators and detectives. These people are responsible for solving crime or preventing the violations of the Federal, State and Local governments’ laws. The mean annual wage for these jobs is $83,320 while the mean hourly wage is $40.06. The current employment is 105,350 and the wage is expected to rise by 0.6%. The percentile wage for the jobs is $42,880 for the 10th percentile, $55,830 for the 25th percentile $79,970 median, $105,240 for the 75th percentile and $135,530 for the 90th percentile (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018a).
People that have majored in CSI can be employed in various industries. One of them is local government which has a mean annual wage of $71,340 and employs 42,820 people. Another industry is the federal executive branch which employs 40,570 people and pays $106,040. The State governments employ 21,020 and pay them $64,010. The Postal Service in the federal government also employs crime investigators and detectives. They employ 490 individuals with a mean annual wage of $97,010. The criminal investigators can also work in colleges, universities and professional schools. Currently the learning institutions employ 240 individuals with the annual mean wage of $57,660 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018a).
In the State of Florida detectives and criminal investigators are 6,240 with a projected job rise of 1.2%. The annual mean wage for the job is $74,180 with a projected annual wage rise of 2.6%. The state also has 3,840 private detectives and investigators with a projected employment rise of 43.7%. The annual mean wage is $44,420 with a projected wage rise of 9.9% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018a). Based on the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, I believe that I will earn a starting salary from $30,000 to $45,000
In case I fail to venture in my dream career, I plan on working at the county morgue. My second plan involves investigating bodies to determine the manner in which a person died. The investigations will be on different kinds of deaths such as violent or sudden and deaths of fetuses. The job will also involve investigation of the bodies of people who have died from drugs and alcohol use as well as sex crimes. The job will also consist investigating undetermined, mysterious and suspicious deaths. Working in the county morgue will also involve forming relationships and collaborations with police officers and other criminal investigators so as to determine the main cause of death. It will also involve providing reports to the attorney’s office about the deaths of individuals.
I have talked to some people who are crime scene investigators to determine their experiences about their jobs. I did this to examine if the job will meet my life goals. Most of the CSI agents that I interacted with explained that the job is enjoyable. The job brings satisfaction from solving crime and contributing to the community. The people told me about the pleasure they get from investigating crimes and finding out the main culprits responsible. This enables the arrest of the right person. The people I talked to also told me that they derived satisfaction from being integral members of the criminal justice system. The results of their investigations have enabled the fair trial of offenders as they can only be convicted based on the evidence presented. One person I talked to also explained the positive experience of being able to protect victims of crimes or to find justice for victims who lost their lives. I was also told that the job has good financial rewards.
I think that it will take me two to three years to complete my major. It will take me two years when focus on my studies or in case I will not experience any interruptions due to the lack of time to attend class or funds to pay for my tuition.
Payment for the education
I plan to pay for college by working. My plan involves getting a fulltime job and studying parttime. The full time job will enable me to earn enough money to pay for my tuition and other expenses that come up while learning. I had considered working only in the summer however I found that it is difficult to work in the summers and make enough money for tuition and college expenses. A person also needs to save all the money earned during the summer so that he or she could use it while in school. I found this to be impossible as I would likely have expenses during the summer. Another option that I had considered was working part time while attending classes fulltime. I found this option to be attractive since it would enable me to focus on my studies while earning money to offset my expenses. I however found that the option is not ideal for my situation since it only allows working for a few hours a day. Therefore this option is not viable when a person needs to raise money for tuition and college expenses. It can only help a person to take care of a few expenses such as food.
I do not intend to pay for college using student loans. Student loans will burden me with future debt especially if the loans are issued by a private entity. The private student loans have a higher interest rate than the loans disbursed by the government.
There are various steps that I have taken to ensure that my plan works perfectly. One of them is by looking for a school with affordable tuition. I selected MDC since its fees are manageable. I will be able to pay the amount through my job without requiring any loans. I have also minimized my spending to ensure that the money I earn will be enough to cater for my education. I have done this by avoiding unnecessary expenses. I have limited myself to essential commodities such as food, water and rent. I have also made sure that the products I use enable me to achieve my objective of saving money. One way in which I have minimized my expenditure is by using a student bank account which has lower transaction fees. I am currently using a strict budget to control my spending. I hope that I will have more financial freedom once I am done with school.
In case my plan does not work and I fail to make enough money for my college I intend to look for grants to offset the balance. There are financial grants provided by the government such as the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). I will apply the federal student aid since I believe I qualify to obtain assistance from the government (Federal Student Aid, n.d.). The grants are also provided by the school. I intend to apply the grant with all the information about the money that I can raise for my school fees as well as the remaining balance. Another way in which I intend to fill the balance in case my plan fails is through the application of scholarships. There are various organizations which offer to pay the tuition or provide a certain sum to the school fee. I will look for scholarship opportunities through the internet and physically inquiring about scholarship programs in the community.
Life after college
Once I am done with college I plan on looking for a job of crime scene investigator. I am going to focus my job search to the local police department. In case I do not find work at the police department I am going to search for a job in the private sector. I expect to earn around $30,000 to $45,000 from my first job. Immediately after school I expect to live by myself where I will rent an apartment close to my work place. I expect to pay $500 to $800 in monthly rent.
Once I decide to live with my significant other I plan on living on an apartment costing $700 to $1,500 per month. I believe that my significant other will earn from $20,000 to 60,000. Our combined income will be $50,000 to $105,000 a year. This money will be enough for us to rent an apartment. It will also be enough for us to buy a house in the future especially when we are likely to have children. Another reason why we will prefer to rent a house at the beginning is the financial implications of buying a house. Buying a house will cost a lot of money and I do not anticipate that we will earn enough money to purchase a home immediately after college. I believe that we will earn more money as the years progress. The extra income will enable us to afford a house.
Another reason why I plan on renting is to have enough time and money to purchase household commodities such as furniture and electronics. Buying a house immediately after college would commit all our funds on mortgage payment which will make it difficult for us to obtain funds to pay for household items. Banks and real estate lenders also require individuals to provide a down payment for the house before they receive the mortgage payment. We would need to save money for the down payment before we purchase a home. Not having enough money to pay for the mortgage will also put us at a risk of losing the down payment. Therefore it is essential for us to wait until we have enough money for the down payment and the mortgage before we buy a house.
I also believe that we should not purchase a house immediately after college so that we can have enough money for leisure or social activities. I plan on going for a vacation outside the country. I will go for the vacation within the first few years of my employment. The vacation could be in the Caribbean, Europe or Africa. Since the destination is outside the country it will cost a lot of money on transport. Therefore I will need to save enough money for the holiday which will not happen if we purchase a house.
Another reason why we will not purchase a house immediately after college is because we need to organize our finances so that we can have a good plan on buying a home. The decision of buying a house needs research on the best plan of financing the house. The best mortgage deals available in the market. The best house or neighborhood that is most appropriate for the family.
Since I do not plan on taking a student loan, a plan to pay for a loan after school is not appropriate.
Mortgage
Mortgage is a debt taken against a real estate property. The debt is paid later by the person who has borrowed the loan. Mortgages enable individuals to buy real estate property by paying the money after a period of years. The person who takes the mortgage usually pays the debt plus the interest. Since the property is used as collateral against the mortgage, the bank can take it in case the owner defaults on the payment. The bank can then obtain its money from selling the house (Investopedia, 2018).
There are different types of mortgages. One of them is fixed-rate mortgage. This type of mortgage maintains the same interest rate and principle throughout the loan payment. Fixed rates are not affected by market changes of interest rates. A rise in interest rates does not apply the rates paid in the fixed rate mortgages. The rates also remain the same even after the interest rates reduce unless the debtor refinances the mortgage (Investopedia, 2018).
Another type of mortgage is the adjustable-rate mortgage. In this type, the interest rates are fixed at the beginning and are later on determined by the market interest rates. The rates at the beginning are lower than the market interest rates. Unlike the fixed rates mortgage, it is difficult to determine how much is going to be paid back in the adjustable interest rates. The market interest rates are determined by various factors including the forces of demand and supply. A high demand for mortgage loans leads to an increase in the interest rates while a low demand for mortgages forces the financial institution to lower the interest rates.
The mortgages are classified based on the year of terms. There can be 5 years term mortgages up to 50 year term mortgages. Mortgages are essential since they enable individuals to own houses. Houses are expensive and it is difficult for a person to pay for them upfront. A mortgage allows a person to move into the house immediately and continue to pay for the loan until it is over (Investopedia, 2018).
The 30 year mortgage on a loan of $250,000 with 10% interest is going to lead to a monthly payment of $2,193.93. The mortgage of the same amount with 10% interest which is supposed to be paid in a 15 year period requires a monthly payment of $2,686.51. The total amount that will be paid after taking the $250,000 loan for 30 year will be $789,814 which means that the total interest that will be paid will be $539,814. The total amount that is payable after taking the 15 year mortgage of $250,000 is $483,571.8. Therefore the interest that will be paid will be $233,571.8. The 15 year loan will be cheaper since it will lead to paying a smaller figure in interest rates as compared to the 30 year loan. However the 15 year loan will require higher monthly premiums. Therefore the decision that will determine which loan will be the best is the amount of monthly premium that will be affordable. Based on my starting salary range I believe that the 30 year loan will be the better option. While assuming my income will be $45,000 per annum I am going to save $1,500 after paying the monthly premiums. The 15 year mortgage will be impossible to take since I will be left with less than $1,000 for my other monthly expenses.
Down Payment
While taking a mortgage individuals need to have a down payment. The down payment is the money which is given by the buyer to start payment of the house. The rest of the money is then paid by the mortgage lender. Down payment is usually obtained from savings or from other sources of income. The banks or real estate lenders usually require a down payment so that they can be sure that the borrower will pay the mortgage. In case a person defaults on the payments the lender takes ownership of the house and fails to refund the down payment. Therefore debtors are usually motivated to pay the loan to avoid losing the money they paid as a down payment.
Most banks and real estate lenders usually require a down payment of at least 3%. The down payment of Mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) are usually at least 3.5%. The common down payments required by the lenders are 5%, 10%, and 20%. The amount of down payment is usually determined by the reason for buying as well as the credit history of an individual.
Buyers are also required to purchase mortgage insurance. The insurance is compulsory when an individual pays a down payment of less than 20%. The insurances can be paid to the FHA when an individual has an FHA insured mortgage. This kind of insurance requires an individual to pay an upfront premium then later on pay the monthly premiums. The mortgage insurance can also be paid to private companies in plan called the private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI insurance is usually paid on a monthly basis however some insurance companies offer the option of paying the entire amount upfront (Dellitt, 2018).
The lenders further charge fees for smaller down payments. These fees are charged on top of the amount paid in the mortgage insurance. The fees are usually charged on down payments that are less than 20%.
A larger down payment has various benefits. It might lead to lower interest rates. The lenders might reduce the interest rates for a larger down payment since it means that they have a higher probability of obtaining their money back. A higher down payment also allows an individual to avoid paying mortgage insurance or pay lower premiums. Paying a higher down payment also reduces the monthly burdens for an individual. Another advantage of paying a high down payment is that it improves the credit worthiness of an individual. It will make the lenders believe that the individual has the ability to pay his or her loans on time (Dellitt, 2018).
The low down payments are also advantageous since they allow an individual to purchase the house. Saving up to 20% of the value of the house can be difficult and can take a lot of time. Taking a smaller down payment also allows a person to have enough money to spend on other important issues. The lower down payment also allows a person to have enough money to improve the home and fund repairs (Dellitt, 2018).
A 3% down payment for a home worth $250,000 with an interest rate of 10% will be $15,000. The PMI will be 1.03% per year reaching $208.15. A down payment of 10% for $250,000 would reach $32,500 while the PMI would be 0.625% or $117.9. A down payment of 20% will be 57,500. The PMI in this would be 0%. While the PMI will be lower with a higher down payment, it is easier to pay the low down payment of $15,000 since it is more affordable and it would not require a lot of savings. While a down payment of 10% or 20% will be affordable in the end it is easier to take the 3% down payment since it will be easier to obtain the required $15,000.
Transportation
Transportation to work is essential especially in the job of a CSI where an individual might be required to work at odd hours. One key issue in transportation is whether to buy a car or use private means. In this case buying a car is the most sensible decision as it will provide convenience and make it easier for me to go to work during emergency situations.
The decision of purchasing a new car is usually focused on whether an individual should buy a new or used car. A new car is one which has never been used before. There are various benefits of buying a new car. One of them is that the car has a warranty which requires the manufacturer to repair in case of malfunctions that are not directly caused by the user. Another advantage of the new car is that it does not need repairs. The user can only focus on maintenance. There is also a possibility of the buyer receiving offers for financing the car by receiving a lower interest rate. This can lead to a lower interest rate paid for the loan and the car. Another advantage of buying a new car is that it contains the latest technology and safety features. Newer cars are more fuel efficient and have lower emissions. This enables the user to reduce the amount of money spent on gas.
A disadvantage of new cars is that it is difficult for the buyer to be knowledgeable about the problems that are associated with the particular model. In used cars, the buyer can research on the cars to find any negative reviews. Another disadvantage of a new car is its depression. The new cars have greater rates of depression from the point they are bought which makes the car lose its value. This makes used car better as they have a lower rate of depreciation therefore a person can sell a used car for almost the same price that he or she bought it with. Antother advantage of used cars is that they have lower insurance costs. Insurance is charged on the value of a car. New cars are more expensive that used ones therefore they have higher insurance costs.
I plan on spending $6,000 on a car. I will purchase a used car since new cars are expensive and it is difficult a new car on my budget. I will also prefer the used car due to the depreciation rate of new cars. New cars have a 20% depreciation rate within the first year. They then lose 15% each year for 10 years. Therefore a new vehicle worth $30,000 will become 24,000 after losing $6,000. The second year the car will lose 15% which is $3,600 therefore reaching $20,400. Therefore during the two years a new car would lose $9,600 of value. A used car worth 30,000 is likely to be worth $25,500 within the first year after losing $4,500. On the second year the car will be $21,675 therefore losing $3,825. The total amount lost in the two years is $8,325.
Savings
I plan to save $750 each month. This is based on the assumption that I will earn $45,000 in a year or $3,750 each month. I will be able to save after I have spent on my necessities or expenses. My necessities include rent, groceries, food consumed at work, gas money, car loan repayment, clothing and grooming, telephone bills, electricity bills and water bills.
Identifying my needs and wants will be essential in enabling me to save. Needs are commodities that are necessary for survival while wants are desired commodities. People can survive without wants.
Credit cards
Transferring
Once I am done with MDC I am not planning on transferring. Transferring to another school is impossible since I am doing an Associate in Science Degree which is non-transferable. I also do not intend to transfer to another school since I plan on working after I finish the educational program. I believe that the current educational program that I am pursuing will prepare for work. The Associate in Science Degree will enable me to learn about criminal justice. This will provide me with crucial knowledge about how the criminal justice system works and the key objectives of the criminal justice system and how they can be achieved. The course will also train me on courtroom presentation. This is one key component of the criminal justice system where the CSI agent is supposed to provide evidence of what he or she found from the investigation. The evidence should be presented in a manner that will enable the judge and other individuals present in the courtroom to understand the information. The course will also enable me to gain knowledge on crime scene technology. It will enable me to use the tools and devices that are crucial in the investigation of crime. It will enable me to come up with quality evidence due to the high understanding of crime scene tools. I also expect the educational program to prepare me to be good in fingerprinting. This will enable me to carefully collect fingerprint evidence and use it to solve crime.
The current educational program that I am pursuing will allow me to qualify for my career choice of a crime scene investigator. It will also allow me to qualify for other careers which involve investigation such as medical investigation and forensic science. It will also allow me to work in the insurance industry.
Apart from being contented with my education, I do not intend to transfer since I believe that I am done with school. Education is important since it enables individuals to gain more knowledge and skills which can be valuable in their careers. It also enables individuals to qualify for work promotions. However I feel that I need to focus on my career after finishing the Associate in Science Degree. It is important that I obtain on the job skills and experience. It is also essential that I evaluate the work environment to find if my objectives can be met. Another factor that makes me end my education with the program is the stress and pressure associated with learning. Until this point I have been combining work and school. This has been difficult for me since I have not found enough time to rest or take part in leisure activities. My tight schedule has also affected my social life as I have not been able to spend enough time with my friends and family. Most of my time is spent in school and work or in completing job and class assignments. Not applying for a new educational program will allow me to make time for myself as well as my friends and family. another reason why I do not intend to apply to another academic program is the lack of finances. It has been difficult for me to obtain funds to pay for my college tuition and other expenses. I have had to combine work and school and still reduce my expenditure. Not enrolling in a new school will save me from the financial pressures that I have experienced.
Experience
So far, I have had a wonderful experience at MDC. The school provides a great environment for learning. It has enough resources for the students to utilize while learning. It also has a dedicate staff that is ready to ensure each student leaves with a lot of knowledge.
The school also has various activities that have enhanced my learning experience such as sports and clubs. I however have not been able to fully participate in school events due to my busy scheduele.
My school also has a great faculty which has ensured that I understand the course material. The teaching staff are knowledgeable in their fields and ready to share their knowledge with the students. they use teaching methods and styles which can be understood by all the students. they also provide time for any discussions and questions. I have also benefitted from the guidance from the faculty members about my future career and the steps that I need to take to become a successful CSI. The professors have also been patient with me as I asked a lot of questions about the course material. My interaction with the faculty has enabled me to know some of them on a personal level. I have already benefited from their advice about life.
The school has also provided an avenue for the interaction between the students. my learning experience has been enhanced through the discussions and teamwork with my classmates. The interaction with other students has enabled me to make good friends who have supported me in my personal life.
My experience with the school has reinforced my views that college is essential for every person. I am going to encourage my kids to go to college after they finish high school. I believe that college is important since it enables individuals to gain the knowledge they need to practice in their careers. The current job market requires people who are highly skilled and these important skills can be obtained from higher education. The knowledge obtained from college not only prepares the student for his or her career but it provides key skills that can be used in daily life. These skills obtained from college include critical thinking which enable individuals to evaluate their environment and identify ways in which they can improve their lives. communication skills are also taught in college and they can be used to enable the student to communicate with the people in his or her life.
College is also important since the current most employers ask for post high school qualifications. Jobs that required high school diplomas now need college qualifications. Bachelors degrees are also increasingly being preferred to associate degrees. Therefore I believe that college is essential to enable an individual to obtain employment.
I also believe that college is worth the financial investment since it provides a lot of experiences that are crucial to a person’s life. It provides a good environment that allows young people to transition from childhood to adulthood. It enables the young people to learn how to live on their own. It also provides them an opportunity to make decisions about their lives while providing them with crucial knowledge and skills that can be used to make good decisions. college also enables people to expand their beliefs about life as it allows the student to join various clubs and engage in many activities.