u/Mysterious_Gift_397

I'm a new CSUSB MSIST graduate student. I panicked when I saw the loan was my only financial option, froze, and ended up not accepting it, so I dropped my classes before the semester started. Now I want to re-enroll for Fall 2026, but the tuition due date has already passed. Does anyone know if CSUSB will let me accept the loan late and register, or am I locked out until Spring 2027?

I graduated about a year ago with a B.S. in Information Systems & Technology, Cybersecurity, and I still haven’t landed an IT/cybersecurity job. I’ve applied to entry-level roles, including help desk/IT support, but haven’t had much luck.

I currently have no professional IT experience and no certifications. I was hoping to get some certifications/training through the Air Force National Guard, since I’m pursuing a cyber/IT position. I’ve passed the required exams and am currently waiting on a psychology consultation, but the process has been taking a long time and I’m no longer sure how it’s going to turn out.

I also applied to my school’s MSIST Cybersecurity master’s program because I was honestly panicking about my career. I got accepted, but then realized I’d have to take out roughly $30-35k in loans to complete it. I panicked and deferred my classes until next semester.

Now I’m not sure whether I should undo that decision and start the master’s, or stay deferred and focus on getting experience.

My thinking is:

Master’s:
B.S. + M.S. + hopefully Security+ while applying for jobs, but I’d take on ~$30-35k of debt and could potentially still graduate without professional experience.

No master’s for now:
Focus on Security+, projects/labs, networking, and applying heavily for entry-level IT jobs. Hopefully get experience first, then reconsider the master’s later (possibly with employer tuition assistance).

I’m worried about both possibilities. If I don’t do the master’s, there’s no guarantee I’ll actually get a job since I haven’t been able to for a year already. But if I do it, there’s no guarantee it’ll help me get one either, and I’ll take on significant debt.

If you were in my position, what would you do? Is a master’s worth pursuing before getting professional IT experience, or should I focus on getting experience/certs first?