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Hungarian Midget Woman
  
Location: Midwest | Griz - 2015-11-13 5:35 AM
I'm going to go out on a limb and say "get a degree - no matter WHAT it is" my dad told me that and he was RIGHT - again! It has opened SO many doors that would have never been opened. So very, very many places require a degree to just get in the door.
I always thought if I had to do it over again and couldn't get a degree for some reason, I would go to a trade school - automotive, welding - something like that - BUT, in order to make GOOD money doing that, eventually you'll have to start your own business - at least around here.
There are plenty of high paying jobs for welders and electricians for those willing to travel to where the work is... Without owning your own business.
I respectfully disagree with the "get a degree no matter what it is" philosophy. This has provided America with a very educated but largely unskilled workforce and a serious glut of folks with large amounts of debt they will never be able to repay.
In addition, many degree programs are about useless at providing graduates with work opportunities. I would advise a young person wishing to pursue a degree to take a careful look at the job market. Look at the number of positions available to graduates of the specified degree program AND the pay for those positions. Look at long term earning potential and long term opportunity. Then, add up the costs of the program and compare that to your expected income.
I know wayyyyy too many equine science majors that are working positions unrelated to horses with mountains of debt they are barely able to pay.
Education needs to be viewed as an investment. Not every degree has the same end value. | |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | After reading some of the posts I missed, I would encourage you to finish, being 2 years in.
I would think twice about marketing, though. | |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| barrelracr131 - 2015-11-13 8:09 AM
Griz - 2015-11-13 5:35 AM
I'm going to go out on a limb and say "get a degree - no matter WHAT it is" my dad told me that and he was RIGHT - again! It has opened SO many doors that would have never been opened. So very, very many places require a degree to just get in the door.
I always thought if I had to do it over again and couldn't get a degree for some reason, I would go to a trade school - automotive, welding - something like that - BUT, in order to make GOOD money doing that, eventually you'll have to start your own business - at least around here.
There are plenty of high paying jobs for welders and electricians for those willing to travel to where the work is... Without owning your own business.
I respectfully disagree with the "get a degree no matter what it is" philosophy. This has provided America with a very educated but largely unskilled workforce and a serious glut of folks with large amounts of debt they will never be able to repay.
In addition, many degree programs are about useless at providing graduates with work opportunities. I would advise a young person wishing to pursue a degree to take a careful look at the job market. Look at the number of positions available to graduates of the specified degree program AND the pay for those positions. Look at long term earning potential and long term opportunity. Then, add up the costs of the program and compare that to your expected income.
I know wayyyyy too many equine science majors that are working positions unrelated to horses with mountains of debt they are barely able to pay.
Education needs to be viewed as an investment. Not every degree has the same end value.
You raise a valid point with the example of the equine degree being useless.
This is why when choosing a degree you look at the job market first and see what degrees are needed.
The medical field is generally a safe one for high paying, job security job | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1037
| Kaycee - 2015-11-12 6:21 PM
outrundaizy - 2015-11-12 6:11 PM Kaycee - 2015-11-12 6:06 PM outrundaizy - 2015-11-12 5:46 PM Nope I'm still at community college.. I think that's part of my problem with the dislike is just not being at the right place, hopefully I can get out of there soon though. I'll only end up at SMU if I somehow get my hands on nice scholarship so I may be retaking some classes 
I'm thinking at this point I might as well stick it out. I took 54 hours(12 of thoughs being 1st semester the rest 2nd semester and mini semesters) total my freshmen year and failed/dropped about 20 hours because I had no reason to have signed up for that many classes and I think I just burned myself out.. It's no excuse just a learning experience.
My major right now is marketing and I think I want to change it to finance and maybe minor in sales. I've been the highest selling sales person in our store since we opened and i'm only there on seasonal currently so i'm thinking that might be a good path for me!
Thank you everyone for the advice
I got my degree in Exercise Physiology and worked my way up to being a pharmacuetical rep because they loved hiring folks with B.S. degrees. I did other grunt sales jobs before pharma but it gave me great experience.
RED RAIDER HERE TOO!!!! I was from Palestine and went off to Tech 7.5 hrs from home, knew NO ONE, and I was fully adjusted within a month! Its just a great place to go to school! I was on the 4.5 year plan too so I also got that T-shirt!! Too FUNNY!!!!!
The only thing bad is that I met and married a boy from MIDLAND and now I have to live in the oil patch... Just kdding.. sort of. lol | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
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I loved college, too, but also not for the classes. I made a ton of side $$ writing papers, tutoring, and charging others for copies of my class notes. I think I made way more money in college than I did for the first 10 years of my career afterwards. Maybe it's time to go back and get a master's or go to law school. LOL | |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| I do not have a college degree. I am a vet tech (legally called an assistant) and I love my job. I work at a relatively big equine clinic in OKC. We handle a bunch of repro (like 1000 recip mares a year) and performance lameness (racetrack mostly, some cutting). | |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| barrelracr131 - 2015-11-13 8:09 AM
Griz - 2015-11-13 5:35 AM
I'm going to go out on a limb and say "get a degree - no matter WHAT it is" my dad told me that and he was RIGHT - again! It has opened SO many doors that would have never been opened. So very, very many places require a degree to just get in the door.
I always thought if I had to do it over again and couldn't get a degree for some reason, I would go to a trade school - automotive, welding - something like that - BUT, in order to make GOOD money doing that, eventually you'll have to start your own business - at least around here.
There are plenty of high paying jobs for welders and electricians for those willing to travel to where the work is... Without owning your own business.
I respectfully disagree with the "get a degree no matter what it is" philosophy. This has provided America with a very educated but largely unskilled workforce and a serious glut of folks with large amounts of debt they will never be able to repay.
In addition, many degree programs are about useless at providing graduates with work opportunities. I would advise a young person wishing to pursue a degree to take a careful look at the job market. Look at the number of positions available to graduates of the specified degree program AND the pay for those positions. Look at long term earning potential and long term opportunity. Then, add up the costs of the program and compare that to your expected income.
I know wayyyyy too many equine science majors that are working positions unrelated to horses with mountains of debt they are barely able to pay.
Education needs to be viewed as an investment. Not every degree has the same end value.
I guess in my field - aircraft - WAY long ago, it only mattered that I had a degree. My degree is in journalism, the first job I got at Boeing was for industrial engineering - they only wanted "a degree" - I know now, here at Spirit (used to be Boeing) they want "degreed industrial engineers." Of course there's ALWAYS the "either a degree or years of experience, or a combo." But a younger person isn't going to have the years of experience, I got lucky, (I guess - sometimes I wonder)! Heck, there were people hired in with me that had degrees in forrestry and we were all hired as industrial engineers!
The way dad always explained it was a college degree shows you can start and finish something - but I am older than dirt, I'm sure the rules have changed. I didn't leave college with a lot of debt due to sports and musical scholarships but I was very blessed to have that.
Edited by Griz 2015-11-13 11:23 AM
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| i am odd man out i have a high school ed but i am a agent for a major truck line i am straight commission and i like like that
i have always worked for myself i have gone hungry slept in a tack room but i have learned i am well paid for my efforts but i also work 5 day 9 hrs aday no vacation
sometimes when i was with landstar 24/7 7days aweek my phone rang college is over rated | |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Any degree isn't good enough - as another poster mentioned - there are many degrees that are rather worthless as far as qualifications. Look at how much you are going to need as a salary and plan accordingly. (My dream job would be a vet tech at a equine sports medicine center.....but that's not going to pay my bills.)
I do believe a degree is important to get many companies to consider you, especially since you don't have much work experience.....but just any degree won't help. I'd look at finance, business management, lots of medical related fields.
There is no reason anyone can't work their way thru school, you don't have to accumulate mountains of debt.
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I haven't read the whole thread, just the first page. So, somebody might have already said these things, but don't expect a degree to be the magic piece of paper that opens the door to a high paying job. You also need work experience and nowadays, you have to have the whole package to be competitive. The college degree IS the new high school diploma. And, if you drop out of college now, and gain a ton of work experience, and work your way up in a good company you will one day lose a promotion to someone with equal or less experience because they DO have a degree. Even if you just get an associate's degree, GET A DEGREE. You will never regret toughing it out a couple more years and doing it. You WILL regret it if you stop going now. | |
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | barrelracr131 - 2015-11-13 8:13 AM After reading some of the posts I missed, I would encourage you to finish, being 2 years in. I would think twice about marketing, though.
What's wrong with marketing? I've never heard anyone say that before. | |
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Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | kboltwkreations - 2015-11-13 8:28 AM Kaycee - 2015-11-12 6:21 PM outrundaizy - 2015-11-12 6:11 PM Kaycee - 2015-11-12 6:06 PM outrundaizy - 2015-11-12 5:46 PM Nope I'm still at community college.. I think that's part of my problem with the dislike is just not being at the right place, hopefully I can get out of there soon though. I'll only end up at SMU if I somehow get my hands on nice scholarship so I may be retaking some classes
I'm thinking at this point I might as well stick it out. I took 54 hours(12 of thoughs being 1st semester the rest 2nd semester and mini semesters) total my freshmen year and failed/dropped about 20 hours because I had no reason to have signed up for that many classes and I think I just burned myself out.. It's no excuse just a learning experience.
My major right now is marketing and I think I want to change it to finance and maybe minor in sales. I've been the highest selling sales person in our store since we opened and i'm only there on seasonal currently so i'm thinking that might be a good path for me!
Thank you everyone for the advice
I got my degree in Exercise Physiology and worked my way up to being a pharmacuetical rep because they loved hiring folks with B.S. degrees. I did other grunt sales jobs before pharma but it gave me great experience. RED RAIDER HERE TOO!!!! I was from Palestine and went off to Tech 7.5 hrs from home, knew NO ONE, and I was fully adjusted within a month! Its just a great place to go to school! I was on the 4.5 year plan too so I also got that T-shirt!! Too FUNNY!!!!! The only thing bad is that I met and married a boy from MIDLAND and now I have to live in the oil patch... Just kdding.. sort of. lol
I think I'm gonna have to plan a trip out to lubbock, I've never seen the campus, I've only driven past it | |
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 Texas Tenderheart
Posts: 6715
Location: Red Raiderland | kboltwkreations - 2015-11-13 8:28 AM Kaycee - 2015-11-12 6:21 PM outrundaizy - 2015-11-12 6:11 PM Kaycee - 2015-11-12 6:06 PM outrundaizy - 2015-11-12 5:46 PM Nope I'm still at community college.. I think that's part of my problem with the dislike is just not being at the right place, hopefully I can get out of there soon though. I'll only end up at SMU if I somehow get my hands on nice scholarship so I may be retaking some classes
I'm thinking at this point I might as well stick it out. I took 54 hours(12 of thoughs being 1st semester the rest 2nd semester and mini semesters) total my freshmen year and failed/dropped about 20 hours because I had no reason to have signed up for that many classes and I think I just burned myself out.. It's no excuse just a learning experience.
My major right now is marketing and I think I want to change it to finance and maybe minor in sales. I've been the highest selling sales person in our store since we opened and i'm only there on seasonal currently so i'm thinking that might be a good path for me!
Thank you everyone for the advice
I got my degree in Exercise Physiology and worked my way up to being a pharmacuetical rep because they loved hiring folks with B.S. degrees. I did other grunt sales jobs before pharma but it gave me great experience. RED RAIDER HERE TOO!!!! I was from Palestine and went off to Tech 7.5 hrs from home, knew NO ONE, and I was fully adjusted within a month! Its just a great place to go to school! I was on the 4.5 year plan too so I also got that T-shirt!! Too FUNNY!!!!! The only thing bad is that I met and married a boy from MIDLAND and now I have to live in the oil patch... Just kdding.. sort of. lol
Kbolt, I think we may have been cut from the same cloth! 
ORD, go visit Tech and report back to us. My niece is out there right now and she can give you a tour.  | |
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | brlraceaddict - 2015-11-12 12:26 PM
Look into a vocational trade type job - electrician, welding, HVAC, plumbing - those people have schooling and skills - that do not require a college degree. Many of them are train as you go. You start out as an apprentice so you will get the crap work for a while but you work your way up. Sheet metal workers apprentice and go to school for almost 5 years before they can become a journeyman. And the wages are really good. I will say though those jobs are typically for men which means you are going to have to prove yourself in a "man's world." Meaning you need to be able to do the work and carry heavy loads when the job warrants. I have a friend who is a journeyman electrician and she loves it. Good luck!
This^
Hubby is a plumber. He worked and only went to school for 8 weeks a year, pay was pretty good back in his first/second year and now it's great. He's almost ready to get his master plumber license, and has been doing it for 8 years. He also is in the process of getting his level 2 gas ticket. I have 5 years of business school... can't find a decent job in my area to save my life and have been trying to get an electricians apprenticeship for over a year. A lot of them don't think women can do it (I am having fun with this since a lot of them in our area are old timers). You will have to prove yourself 100x's more. He offered to apprentice me in Plumbing after he's a master plumber but we will  each other up working together all the time ... lol. | |
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Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | outrundaizy - 2015-11-13 4:26 PM
barrelracr131 - 2015-11-13 8:13 AM After reading some of the posts I missed, I would encourage you to finish, being 2 years in. I would think twice about marketing, though.
What's wrong with marketing? I've never heard anyone say that before.
Marketing is useful... it' helps you sell yourself to a prospective employer IMO. I've got mine in Management with a secondary in Marketing. Depending on the area it's a PITA to get a job in the Marketing side... | |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | All right, here's my 2 cents. I've mostly stayed out of it because I'm on the fence, and I'll go into that a bit later.
Don't get a degree just to get a degree...that is pretty pointless, no matter what the major is. If you were to get a degree in say, accounting, or nursing, or something productive that will land you a job, that is a good idea.
Personally, I make good money and I'm only a high school graduate, but I also work in the family business. Do I love my work, no I don't but I'm good at it and it pays the bills with some extra left over. So, what is it I do...mainly, I detail cars, but have other duties as well. It is a terrible job...absolutely awful, you see some of the most unbelieveable gross stuff and you have to have a strong stomach for it. But, it is something you can do anywhere, without much investment or overhead (cleaning supplies, brushes, rags, etc.), not any or much government regulation (at least where I live) and it is good money. It is a lot of work, and hard work.
So, where am I on the fence? I'd like to be a veterinary, and it is hard to fully make a decision on that because of my current time commitments to work and my horse(s) and family and then try to add school on top of that. I believe I can do it, but I also have to decide what I want to accomplish. So, while I continue to work for my family, I'm able to accomplish more of my horse goals and be able to do and afford more of that, and right now that is important to me.
So, in short, you need to decide what you want to do, or at the very least what you can stand to do and have and do the things you want as well. You're only young once, so don't try to grow up too fast. Make a decision based on what is right for you, and not on what everyone else says or is doing. If you have your first 2 years about done and you still aren't sure, chances are the majority of the classes will transfer to something else in the near or distant future. Most of the first classes you take do. Keep your chin up, and don't rush it, and enjoy being young, and as my dad instructs me, think it all over carefully and don't make any rash decisions. | |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | ndiehl - 2015-11-15 9:45 PM outrundaizy - 2015-11-13 4:26 PM barrelracr131 - 2015-11-13 8:13 AM After reading some of the posts I missed, I would encourage you to finish, being 2 years in. I would think twice about marketing, though. What's wrong with marketing? I've never heard anyone say that before. Marketing is useful... it' helps you sell yourself to a prospective employer IMO. I've got mine in Management with a secondary in Marketing. Depending on the area it's a PITA to get a job in the Marketing side...
That^^
I have a few friends with this degree. One is an accountant (now going back for her CPA so she can make money at it), the other works in retail at a mall type store.
There are jobs available, but many of them are basically you traveling to set up store displays, going to trade shows to hand out flyers, that sort of thing. The pay is not great. I would advise looking at ads for the type of jobs you want. If you want a position with travel and don't mind paying dues for a while, then disregard. It's just a tough thing to do if you want to be at races every weekend or have a lot of time to spend riding.
Best of luck! | |
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