Missed this post the first time through but I don't apply much of what I learned through college books to my job but you do learn a lot of good life experiences through college that help mold a person (probably do too by having a shit job right out of high school as well and could push someone to make themselves better). But outside of that, college was awesome, I went to the university of Nebraska. Had the most fun I've ever had and we actually have a shit ton of good looking women here. I wouldn't trade those experiences, friends, sex, etc for anything.
I will say 100% that I would not be in the position I'm in today if I didn't go to college. Of course anyone can be successful without a degree but it sure makes it that much more difficult especially if you aren't working for yourself. In my career 99% of the people that do well have college degrees.
I will say 100% that I would not be in the position I'm in today if I didn't go to college. Of course anyone can be successful without a degree but it sure makes it that much more difficult especially if you aren't working for yourself. In my career 99% of the people that do well have college degrees.
Celtic, I have some extremely strong opinions of this subject.....
Here's my advice if you truly have no idea what you want to do: Start with where you want to live, look at the job market there. Talk to people that really know if you dont.... Pick a field going that route
When picking a major ask yourself, "when I graduate, what skills will I have then that I don't have now? What skills will I be able to write down on paper that I know have.
Here's my problem with college, theres some much BS. It's not like what I imagine it was 15-20 years ago. There are so many filler classes. There are so many students that it expect it to be HS and get pissed when the teacher doesn't hand out.... College Education is so watered down.. of course there are exceptions....
I would highly recommend against "Business" as a major, because I learned NO SKILLS, no a single one. I learned conceptual things and theories, but no skills I can put on paper....
Since you're question is what would I study? If I could go back,
It would probably be engineering. We have an amazing opportunities for engineers in my area. 80k+ just a couple years out of school....
Or maybe something with computers, just being well rounded in everything from design to security, to seo would be a huge asset....
If I could go back in time, because I am young, I would be a pharmacist... 1. I had a super smart friend go through it and could of piggy backed off him... 2. you make up to 50k a year part time, which is all I would want to do, it would give me enough time and money to pursue other interest...
I will personally fly out west and beg you not to take business..... dont do it!!!
on that note, my absolute favorite class was I/O psyc (industrial / organization which is basically pyscology applied to a business setting ) if I was going to take a flyer on a subject that I really enjoyed, it would be that.
Thanks for the thoughts Defying - and for that matter, anyone else I haven´t thanked.
I´ve been reading up on the ratio of median income vs. unemployment rates in various fields, so that should help a bit. I really wish I could go into engineering, and maybe I should think about it more, but I feel like the math would kill me. I´ve never been bad at math, but it has been 10+ years since I´ve thought about it. Computer Science is another option that I have some experience with, but sitting at a computer working on programming doesn´t excite me in the lest.
I´ve been reading up on the ratio of median income vs. unemployment rates in various fields, so that should help a bit. I really wish I could go into engineering, and maybe I should think about it more, but I feel like the math would kill me. I´ve never been bad at math, but it has been 10+ years since I´ve thought about it. Computer Science is another option that I have some experience with, but sitting at a computer working on programming doesn´t excite me in the lest.
I would suggest engineering. Math is the language of science, and back when I went to engineering school, a working understanding of math was extremely important--I hate to say this but decent hand-held calculators did not arrive on the scene until 3 years after I graduated, so we had to do a lot of head-work and without a real understanding of basic math, we would not have had a chance. With calculators, the field is leveled considerably. Also, regarding sitting at a computer "not exciting you in the least", in engineering, the computer might be a foot or two farther away than if you are in computer science, but probably just as unexciting.
I had a successful career. Be careful looking for fun and excitement in a job. If it's really, really fun, your boss will do it and give you something else to do.
Good luck.
Engineering is a great skill to have, yes. - but it's also a bunch of socially inept nerds.
so if that is you, be an engineer.
you also have to be very smart - you can't just say "hey, i want to be an engineer" - involves being good at math, etc...
College is a joke most of the time, yes.
But at the same time, it's hard to get in the door most places if you dont have a degree - most of my friends (around 28-30) who didnt go to college make like 35-40K a year doing some manual labor type job.
unless they start their own business, or do something else, they wont ever make a ton.
i didn't know what i wanted to do - so i got a degree in Marketing and Finance. mainly b/c i wanted a degree and figured i'd go to grad school if i wanted anything more involved.
but that helped me get in the door at a company - and now i make good $
College is sometimes necessary, unless you are a self-starter or have great connections to get ahead
so if that is you, be an engineer.
you also have to be very smart - you can't just say "hey, i want to be an engineer" - involves being good at math, etc...
College is a joke most of the time, yes.
But at the same time, it's hard to get in the door most places if you dont have a degree - most of my friends (around 28-30) who didnt go to college make like 35-40K a year doing some manual labor type job.
unless they start their own business, or do something else, they wont ever make a ton.
i didn't know what i wanted to do - so i got a degree in Marketing and Finance. mainly b/c i wanted a degree and figured i'd go to grad school if i wanted anything more involved.
but that helped me get in the door at a company - and now i make good $
College is sometimes necessary, unless you are a self-starter or have great connections to get ahead
engineers here aren't like that at all... not even in the least to be honest with you....
I know you have to be good at math, and I was strong in math (although it's been literally 10 years since I took Math) Tested into Calculus my freshman year and last I took... but I think if someone can learn math, they can do it. and college isn't suppose to easy, its suppose to separate you from the pack
If you think the math will kill you, it probably will. I have a MS in engineering, and it is extremely math intensive. I also have a Computer Science degree, and that
is very math intensive also. Maybe something like a MIS Degree (Management Information Systems) is closer to what you are looking for?
hno:college is what you make of it
you can squander 4 years partying or you can work with your professors to get good connections and internships
the people that didnt get much out of the college investment are the people who either chose fields that generally pay poorly or they just didn't know what they were doing
i don't blame 18-22 year olds for not knowing where to go or what to do during college, but most good schools generally have some sort of guidance/career counselors. use them. more importantly, if you're interested in a specific career, you absolutely have to sit down and talk with your professors on what you should be doing during your college years. generally the earlier this starts the better. the thing is, it's just too easy to get caught up partying.
first step is admitting you have no idea what you're doing. second step is seeking help.
you can squander 4 years partying or you can work with your professors to get good connections and internships
the people that didnt get much out of the college investment are the people who either chose fields that generally pay poorly or they just didn't know what they were doing
i don't blame 18-22 year olds for not knowing where to go or what to do during college, but most good schools generally have some sort of guidance/career counselors. use them. more importantly, if you're interested in a specific career, you absolutely have to sit down and talk with your professors on what you should be doing during your college years. generally the earlier this starts the better. the thing is, it's just too easy to get caught up partying.
first step is admitting you have no idea what you're doing. second step is seeking help.
