by "Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
Published 02/09/2017 at 01:34
by "Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
Published 02/09/2017 at 01:34
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STARS: 0
What degree? In what field? What career do you do now? Was college a waste of time and money?
"bob and john" (bobandjohn)
02/09/2017 at 01:35, STARS: 2
unfortunately, it seems you need a degree or diploma to do anything beyond a basic retail job these days.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
02/09/2017 at 01:36, STARS: 2
Yes.
Something with numbers. What’s a field? House prowler. No.
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
02/09/2017 at 01:37, STARS: 0
yeah I just find myself stuck. not enough money to go to school and not enough money not to go to school. Getting down that graduating with an art degree is pointless.
"bob and john" (bobandjohn)
02/09/2017 at 01:40, STARS: 2
right now, I’m finding that anything NOT related to coding is kinda hard to get a job.
the trades might pick up though. not a lot of people these days want to get their hands dirty, so stuff like plumbers, electricians, carpenters are starting to climb in demand.
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
02/09/2017 at 01:41, STARS: 0
I hopefully graduate in May with an Accounting Degree. I have a couple people I’m talking with about jobs, otherwise I would be a mechanic where my salary in a couple years would have been around what I’m starting at in May. Plus college was fun.
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
02/09/2017 at 01:49, STARS: 0
I pushed this through google translate and it came up empty.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
02/09/2017 at 01:56, STARS: 0
That’s my thinking right now, but a college degree IMO gives you more potential. I’m looking to do some kind of medical assistant ATM, so kind of splitting the difference.
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
02/09/2017 at 01:58, STARS: 2
I have an engineering degree from a major California university. I’m now gainfully employed pushing pencils in a related field.
Was it a waste of time and money? Not for me. I went in expecting to do a lot of legwork and not have things plopped before me on a silver platter. A lot of guys I went to school with expected to have their asses kissed and jobs gifted to them because they grew up being told how smart they were. That’s not how college works and now one guy is fucking around in his mom’s basement making “art” and whinging about how life is “unfair”.
I don’t put much in the idea that there are truly “useless” degrees, just people who don’t bother. A lot of college is about making connections and leveraging them. It’s not just the “oh you went to Harvard, so here’s a job!” type. You do it at a lower-level when you form study groups, when you talk to people to see who’s looking for research, and even when you’re just shooting the shit.
"Leon711" (leon711)
02/09/2017 at 02:02, STARS: 1
I graduated in 2013, studied Motorsport Technology. I now work in Oil and Gas.
I wouldn’t call it a waste if money, but then a degree over in the UK is/was vastly cheaper than the US. If it wasn’t for government discounts for low income families (which has pretty much disappeared now) I wouldn’t have been able to afford it.
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
02/09/2017 at 02:40, STARS: 1
How did you go about this?
“A lot of college is about making connections and leveraging them.”
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
02/09/2017 at 02:41, STARS: 0
Did your degree help you in getting your job?
"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
02/09/2017 at 03:32, STARS: 0
Undergraduate: English education, basically unrecognised minors in philosophy, psychology, and journalism for all intents and purposes.
Graduate: government/political science major, history minor.
I’m a civics/English teacher and an automotive journalist. Yeah. Not wastes of time or money. Definitely using my areas of study.
"punkgoose17" (punkgoose17)
02/09/2017 at 06:22, STARS: 0
BSE, Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineer, No
"XJDano" (xjdano)
02/09/2017 at 06:32, STARS: 0
No
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
02/09/2017 at 06:43, STARS: 0
did not finish high school.
"Breakfast Burrito: The True Resident Burrito" (breakfast-burrito)
02/09/2017 at 06:57, STARS: 1
Degree in Mechanical Engineering from expensive as hell university. Job as design engineer for one of the big auto companies.
I wouldn’t say college was a waste, but in MechE it’s not very efficient. Even though it’s the catch all engineering degree, you only end up doing one or two disciplines in industry. My degree only included 4ish design classes, and even those weren’t entirely relevant to what I do now. The rest of the classes are useful, but only on the peripheral. The sad truth is I learned more for my job by co-oping and getting paid, than the degree I paid for.
That said, the other side of it is that I’ve got more options should I go looking for another job.
"Dru" (therealkennyd)
02/09/2017 at 07:37, STARS: 0
Yes. Sociology/Criminology. Intent was to be a police detective. Currently do purchasing for a small manufacturer. College was a fun/exhausting time that I kind of rushed through. I’m my using my degree per se but I learned a lot about statistical analysis and that correlates in what I do know. Plus I are smart so I talk good to my various suppliers.
"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
02/09/2017 at 08:04, STARS: 1
College was not a waste of money. I think so many people have, that a lot of employers will want to see it. Even if its not directly related to your major, it still shows that you can deal with shit on your own and finish something long term and you can be an adult when you try to.
M.Arch 2009
also pay attention to your expected salary. you dont want to go to a fancy Ivy league school if your only going to make 1% of the tuition cost a year
"kanadanmajava1" (kanadanmajava1)
02/09/2017 at 08:29, STARS: 0
I studied automotive engineering and internal combustion engines in the university (formerly known as Helsinki University of Technology). The automotive department isn’t known to be a very interesting place for automotive engineering as they most did tire related research by using various trailers equipped with measurement devices.
During some year the professor opened the first automotive lecture by stating “if you are interested in cars and working with them, you are in the wrong place”. And this really wasn’t a joke and it become apparent during the studies. It was surprising how far can a department called “automotive engineering” distance itself from cars.
I did change my focus to internal combustion engineering while the automotive engineering was still my major. After I finally graduated, I have working in automotive sector. My first job was a test engineer for winter tires in Lapland. I was actually recommended there by the guys in the university’s automotive engineering department.
Since the tire testing days, I have been working for large research company (not far away from the university, as I can still see one building of theirs), and our team is related to vehicle exhaust emissions and energy consumption.
So my university years were useful. But not expensive.
In Finland we are somewhat privileged. We don’t have to pay to study in universities. All of our universities are public, and there aren’t any that would require substantial attendance fees. In my university, the only mandatory costs were the yearly fees to belong to the student union (which isn’t much). There is also a small governmental support for students and it’s enough to cover modest lifestyle with a cheap rent. Most of my friends were able to finish their studies without getting a loan. Of course summer jobs used to quite well available to provide some extra funds.
In my university it was also common to do the master’s thesis as paid work. This used to be common in all of Finland’s technical universities (uncommon in the rest), but I have heard that things are changing and currently many have to do their thesis with their own free time. But at least you can then pick your topic freely.
"Quadradeuce" (quadradeuce)
02/09/2017 at 08:45, STARS: 0
BS in economics, 2003. I’ve run my own company in the composites field since 2006.
Was it a waste? Of course not. A bachelor’s degree today is about the same as a high school diploma 50yrs ago. You have to have one to get past certain job barriers.
My advice? Get one, but don’t over pay, and don’t get into a bunch of debt. I went to a state college and got a partial scholarship. Then I worked at the university hospital full time which paid part of the tuition. It might take longer, but the less debt the better. Also, get a degree in something useful, not history or communications, etc.
By the way, it’s not unusual to totally uproot your life to accomplish this.
"haveacarortwoorthree2" (haveacarortwoorthree2)
02/09/2017 at 08:46, STARS: 0
Degree in economics. Went to law school. College wasn’t a waste of time or money — I went to a smallish state university and worked essentially a full-time job to pay for school, so I made sure not to waste it.
"Matt Nichelson" (whoismatt)
02/09/2017 at 09:02, STARS: 0
Graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in operations management. I currently work as a financial services rep at a credit union.
I wouldn’t call it a waste of money, but I haven’t put my degree to any use since it was mainly designed for factory management and that sort of thing has declined where I live. It’s still a management degree, though, and I have managed others in previous jobs.
If I could have it to do over again, I would have gotten a degree in Meteorology. Weather has always been a passion of mine.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/09/2017 at 09:07, STARS: 0
I graduated in 2012 with a chemical engineering degree, then went to work as a frac field engineer in oil and gas. I didn’t really use my degree directly, but I did use the critical thinking skills and things like thatI learned there.
Right now I’m looking for a new career, probably going to end up in chemical manufacturing.
I don’t think it was a waste of money. Speaking of money, how many 25 year olds have a paid off M3, that they paid for themselves.
"BigLath" (BigLath)
02/09/2017 at 09:09, STARS: 0
Graduated w/ degree in Molecular Biology and Biochem from an expensive liberal arts college. Went to medical school, currently a resident in Anesthesiology. Most of my knowledge is founded on my college education, so I guess you could say I use my education every day... That being said, in Europe, they go to medical school instead of college right after high school, i.e. You start med school at 18. I think you learn what you need to be a physician in med school, so college is basically a 4 yr tax on your finances/life to become a physician here in the US. My knowledgebase is more “well rounded,” but do I really need to know the intricacies of organic chemistry to be a physician? Not really, unless you want to do research.
"fintail" (fintail)
02/09/2017 at 09:19, STARS: 1
Yes, business degree, auditor at a large telecom firm, no. It was a fun social experience and I did learn a few things, and the sad reality is that a degree is now a prereq for most non-retail jobs with any chance of advancement. For better or worse, it is the first thing used when weeding out applicants.
Sometimes I wish I had gone into a skilled trade or a slimy FIRE cabal field (where a degree or relation also is a must), or maybe public sector perky stuff, but things are pretty good anyway.
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
02/09/2017 at 09:25, STARS: 0
Yep. I have three degrees in three fields. I started in the biological sciences and ended up in urban and regional science. I filled the gap in between with a degree in land development/urban planning.
The masters degree was worth it. I wouldn’t recommend a Ph.D. unless your goal is to teach at a university. The time I spent getting the doctorate could have been spent climbing the corporate ladder. Since I realized I didn’t enjoy teaching bumbleheads and joined the private sector, I’m under people who used that time to schmooze their way into better positions.
It’s also more difficult to find work with a doctorate on my resume. It’s like being the biggest/most expensive house on the block. Why pay for that when the house next door is half the price?
Right now, my career keeps me busy and pays well, but it’s easy which means it’s kind of boring. I bounce around between different projects, Which means I get to do a lot of different kinds of work. Sometimes I do environmental work like NEPA analyses, sometimes it’s asset management, other times it’s data management and software design. The kind of work depends on the contract and the team.
If you are going to do a job which requires you to do any kind of analysis or reporting, I highly recommend learning some basic programming. If I have to do a task more than three or four times, then I set up a script to handle the bulk of the work and just check the results. For example, we did a bunch of road inspections after a disaster. I put together the data collection app, funneled the data into a database, then used the database to generate the reports and fill out the correct FEMA and FHWA forms for federal assistance. The engineers on the team reviewed the reports and made the appropriate changes for the final delivery to the client. Each step required some programming, some basic understanding of the software, and basic understand of out how to get things done without typing out a bunch of reports by hand.
On the money side of the equation, I’ll be paying student loans for a very long time. With the exception of a couple of parent loans the first two years, everything else was on my own. Now I’m paying for six degrees (three for me, three for my wife). Those bills hurt.
For me, it wasn’t a waste of time or money. I would only change one thing. I wish I had a better understanding of how to apply for more grants and scholarships. It’s possible to get your graduate degrees paid for by someone else, it’s just really hard to do.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
02/09/2017 at 09:39, STARS: 1
I originally went to the local Community College with a major in Psychology and an additional interest in Meteorology. I studied a year and a half of Psychology and a year of Meteorology. Psychology really didn’t work out as I guess I did it just to “find myself”. I studied Meteorology because studying the climate is a hobby of mine.
Eventually I found myself at ITT (uggggggggggggggggggh big mistake) trying to do my real career of being a computer engineer. I got screwed by ITT, but I still scored an awesome IT career anyway being an IT Analyst. I plan to finish my degree soon though. :) ...once I get those $60k loans reversed.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/09/2017 at 09:52, STARS: 1
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Transportation Design. Now I do car/product design at a supplier and no it wasn’t a waste of money. I will be paying off that CCS 100k+ for a long time, but I’m very happy, get to photoshop everyday and am on my second job with zero effort.
"SantaRita" (SantaRita)
02/09/2017 at 10:09, STARS: 0
What degree? In what field? What career do you do now? Was college a waste of time and money?
Single mom family in Florida (burn it) with 5 kids...somehow we all made it through college...debt was a part of it for most of us.
Mechanical engineer brother did a masters and he taught himself German. Now does valve design for Germany based Pierburg, they are an OEM supplier to ford, chevy, porsche, vw, etc...decent money, fair hours. He’s only a couple of years out but i see him getting into porsche by and by.
BFA in Film brother: works in Germany in film editing. He’s only year out of school, but he pays his own bills. Also learned german.
Lawyer brother took almost 1/4 million to got to undergrad and law school. Now he makes that in a year. Education PAYS and you’ll never have it taken from you. is he overworked and miserable, yes. But that’s part of what he does and where he does it. I make a lot less than him ...but without a degree i’d either be waiting tables or a mechanic...which requires certification anyhow!
Sister is married, degree in Aviation Management, she has a small online clothing business making baby shoes and She is married to a classmate from college who is a total baller engineer and runs an airline’s service/repair arm. there’s more to school than books. you might find the love of your life too.
I have a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Visual Arts (digital/traditional mix, i did web animation) Right now I manage a civil engineering office’s IT infrastructure, do GIS analysis for water and wastewater infrastructure. occasioanlly i make awards posters or graphics for reports. That’s sortof related to art ??? I’ve been here 12 years now. I’ve grown as much on the job as in school...but school projects and friends are how i found out about and landed this job. I have freelance web design/dev and don’t really owe a lot on student loans (less than a new nissan versa would run me).
College was great and something I did not think about as a ‘poor kid’ is that debt is going to be a part of life for most people, having some is normal but totally manageable. If you use the education debt wisely, big numbers now will seem very small later. A strange thing i remember my advisor saying ‘whats a little more debt’ when i was turning down doing summer abroad coursework in greece. That is debt I regret not having taken to this day.
Those are our quick stories. Applying debt to something like school, if you take it seriously, is an investment in yourself that no mortgage or car payment will ever be the equal of.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
02/09/2017 at 11:52, STARS: 1
yes, engineering, now i do engimanearing. I don’t think it’s a waste pending you have a plan and drive after you get out. I know a few that went to private colleges paid up the ass to in a major that without a masters or phd is only going to get you a job making 35k a year. There aren’t useless degrees, but there are ones not in high demand that will won’t pay well.
I think going to college to figure out what you want to do while paying a shitload of money is crazy. I also think a lot of people would be better off going part time, figure out life
"Leon711" (leon711)
02/09/2017 at 14:11, STARS: 1
This is my second job, my first was at a manufacturer of 2D CNC wire forming machines as a graduate Mechanical Design Engineer. The degree helped me get my foot in the door.
I stayed at my first job for 14 months, I hated it and was poorly paid, toxic work environment. You don’t always hit the jackpot first time, I just carried in until another opportunity arose. I really enjoy my job now and I could see myself being there for years, but I’m getting to the point where my experience is worth more than I’m getting paid, so I will start to look again soon as I’m getting nowhere with salary negotiations.
It’s important to note that you always have to look out for number one, businesses will operate in their best interests before considering yours. Be smart, don’t feel like you are letting a business down if you are doing what you are paid to and nothing more. Most importantly, work to live, don’t live to work.
Sorry for the essay, but I’ve learned a lot in the past few years.
"AfromanGTO" (afromangto)
02/09/2017 at 14:34, STARS: 1
Two degrees and worked a full time job. I have a BS in Oceanography, 9 years of being a supervisor for the federal govt, and now am I realtor. I actually use a lot from my permitting and mitigation class.
"itranthelasttimeiparkedit" (itranthelasttimeiparkedit)
02/09/2017 at 21:24, STARS: 0
I have a few half degrees, but only ever finished a community college associates once I was well into my career. I own an IT consulting company now. Waste of money yes, waste of time no because the couple of years I went were fun as hell.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
02/09/2017 at 21:28, STARS: 0
mudroom inspector?
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
02/09/2017 at 22:30, STARS: 0
Easy, meet lots of people and try to keep up friendships. Well, easier said than done, anyway.
The honest answer is that having a large friend circle means there’s a greater chance that somebody you know will do something mildly interesting and s/he can get you in on it or close to it.
I found my current job through a college friend. His organization needed more engineers and he pushed my resume through to his boss. One thing led to another and I found myself in a better job.
Of course, there will be a lot of people who aren’t worth being friends with and people who’ll fade out of your life. It’s up to you to decide who stays and who goes and you’re going to have to take the first step.
"Spoon II" (Spoon_II)
02/09/2017 at 23:17, STARS: 0
Engineering degree in 2010, which I’ve used in the defence and construction fields since then (although I’m currently between contracts). The interesting thing about most degrees, is that what you learn is nothing that you couldn’t learn yourself. The degree is proof that you could meet a standard, and for that reason alone I wouldn’t call it a waste of time. But, if you could graduate high school and just be trained as an engineer while working at a particular company, I think that would potentially provide a higher rate of return for both the company and the worker.