are you happy with your decision of college/major?

The Llama

Joined Apr 2004

Mr llama llama

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01-28-2012 at 08:35 PM.

I got an AS in CIS from a comm college. Graduated with a 4.0 and the state paid every penny, including for books. The last job I had before I started my own company paid really well, so yeah - I'm happy with my path.

I'll prolly go back for a BS one day, but purely for the learning, not for the name on a piece of paper.

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emelvee

Joined Aug 2005

Baldilocks

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emelvee

01-28-2012 at 08:38 PM.

I went to University of San Diego at a time when they were almost unknown (even in San Diego)...I had a great time and felt I got a good education. I probably should have majored in accounting (majored in business admin), as I knew I'd end up in accounting or finance - but I knew I didn't want to do public accounting.

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trygve

Joined Jul 2007

doing science,still alive

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trygve

01-28-2012 at 09:04 PM.

Quote from arjunsr

:

if you're not doing something that requires a degree...maybe its better you just get an associates/trade school cert and avoid the huge debt collge has

The huge debt isn't mandatory. I went to a smaller, private school (University of Denver, double-major in physics and mathematics) in part because they were much more liberal about handing out scholarships. Even though the base tuition was higher, I managed to scare up scholarships that added up to more than tuition, so I got both my classes and expenses like books (pricey things, college texts) covered.

It's true, CU Boulder is the better physics school, but I believe DU was a lot more flexible, in large part because it's smaller and private.

I'd say go with your own dream either way, whether it's a trade school or a university. Better to do what you love and find a way to make it work than to do what you think is safe and then try to make yourself enjoy it.

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Jex

Joined Jun 2006

Dark Lord of the Culdesac

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Jex

01-28-2012 at 09:08 PM.

Nope, I want to go back for marketing.

Actually I would love to go back for art...but I can not afford a good art school. And marketing is more practical in my current field.

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Last edited by Jex January 28, 2012 at 09:09 PM.

PaintTheSkyGrey

Joined Jul 2009

Permanently Bland

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PaintTheSkyGrey

01-28-2012 at 09:11 PM.

Quote from trygve

:

The huge debt isn't mandatory. I went to a smaller, private school (University of Denver, double-major in physics and mathematics) in part because they were much more liberal about handing out scholarships. Even though the base tuition was higher, I managed to scare up scholarships that added up to more than tuition, so I got both my classes and expenses like books (pricey things, college texts) covered.

It's true, CU Boulder is the better physics school, but I believe DU was a lot more flexible, in large part because it's smaller and private.

I'd say go with your own dream either way, whether it's a trade school or a university. Better to do what you love and find a way to make it work than to do what you think is safe and then try to make yourself enjoy it.

Not everyone can intimidate the school into giving you a full ride because you look like a freaking Nordic Hugh Laurie-Hulk amalgamation that could easily take make the entire system come raining down on everyone's heads.

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arjunsr

Joined Oct 2003

L10: Grand Master

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Original Poster

arjunsr

01-28-2012 at 09:17 PM.

Quote from emelvee

:

I went to University of San Diego at a time when they were almost unknown (even in San Diego)...I had a great time and felt I got a good education. I probably should have majored in accounting (majored in business admin), as I knew I'd end up in accounting or finance - but I knew I didn't want to do public accounting.

not trying to pick on those older, but i'm more interested in the post 2000 crowd. should have specified. my guess is that a current uc in state tuition would be a lot more than your private education cost even inflation adjusted.

college tuition has ballooned with benefits dwindling IMO. reputations aren't worth near enough unless you get a network to go with that has little to do with the education you receive.

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ikonoklast

Joined Aug 2003

(o)(o)

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ikonoklast

01-28-2012 at 09:38 PM.

College is ~~getting~~ ridiculous. $100k+ mortgage for degrees that will pay you $30k a year when you graduate? It's nuckin futs. It's not like we don't need those majors, we do, but I don't know how someone with a liberal arts degree can justify the cost. At the same time I agree with trygve, you should get a degree that you want to get.

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damsel.

Joined Oct 2007

No.

4,980 Posts

378 Reputation

damsel.

01-28-2012 at 10:10 PM.

With 4 years of undergrad state school and one year of grad school at the same state school, I'm walking away with about $60k in debt. Of course, I lived away from home despite living only ~30 minutes away from school for the sake of my sanity, so I can't blame it all on the core costs of school. Additionally, over the course of my college career, I received $20,500 in scholarship money. I didn't really qualify for federal financial aid until my senior year of college, but had always qualified for state financial aid (although, it was a very small number when I first started going to school).

My starting salary will be $45k plus OVERTIME, benefits, and a $5k bonus in the first year. Repaying my loans will still suck. I'm sure with better money management skills, I wouldn't have amassed so much debt, but it is what it is. I'm thankful I found a job in a field with a lot of mobility.

Also, I probably would have gone to school for something different if I could have, like digital photography. I just thought it would be better use of my money to go to school for something more lucrative and then just have photography as a hobby.