- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
What are you telling your kids about getting a degree/career?
Posted on 4/5/13 at 11:20 am
Posted on 4/5/13 at 11:20 am
Obviously the significance of a bachelor's degree holds very little merit. And with the economy..., yikes...
Even a Masters these days is meh..., in a competitive field.
Is the medical field the only/the best way to pursue such right now? with the others being almost a waste. Is it better to start looking at the old trades - mechanic, welder, etc, as it's a dying breed but yet the demands have not went away.
Even a Masters these days is meh..., in a competitive field.
Is the medical field the only/the best way to pursue such right now? with the others being almost a waste. Is it better to start looking at the old trades - mechanic, welder, etc, as it's a dying breed but yet the demands have not went away.
24
Posted on 4/5/13 at 11:28 am to lsufan112001
quote:
Is the medical field the only/the best way to pursue such right now?
The O&G sector is fantastic. If you have a mechanical engineering degree and are willing to move to where the work is, you should never have to worry about not having a job.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 11:28 am to lsufan112001
My kids are 4 and 1. I'm probably going to push engineering fields on them pretty heavy as I assume those fields won't be as automated as others. But it's a long way from now.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 11:33 am to lsufan112001
quote:
Obviously the significance of a bachelor's degree holds very little merit. And with the economy..., yikes...
Even a Masters these days is meh..., in a competitive field.
You are overstating this.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 12:01 pm to lsufan112001
Just don't let them major in business unless they are going to get their masters degree.
Good degrees: finance, economics, engineering, geology, accounting.
Good degrees: finance, economics, engineering, geology, accounting.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 12:17 pm to lsufan112001
JMO, but theres no predicting what the industry of the future is. There are some safer bets but nothing is certain. It's the very nature of rapidly evolving Technology and a Capitalist economy.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry was getting an MIS degree during the dotcom bubble thinking they'd be the next Silicon Valley millionaire; and now half of them cant find a job outside of the Best Buy Geek Squad.
I still believe a degree has value but will admit that it appears the US isnt competing as well as we used to from a global perspective. I worry that at this rate the US Masters degree will be the minimum necessary to compete with some Asian and European BS degrees.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry was getting an MIS degree during the dotcom bubble thinking they'd be the next Silicon Valley millionaire; and now half of them cant find a job outside of the Best Buy Geek Squad.
I still believe a degree has value but will admit that it appears the US isnt competing as well as we used to from a global perspective. I worry that at this rate the US Masters degree will be the minimum necessary to compete with some Asian and European BS degrees.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 12:28 pm to lsufan112001
I can say for a fact that my bachelor's in Microbiology would have done almost nothing for me. Had I gone for a Master's I wouldn't have been in any better of a position. I went straight to a PhD and am working on it now, and I honestly feel like I have no other choice if I want to be the supporter in my family, haha. Even then, faculty jobs only start around $40k and it's the lucky ones who see six figure salaries decades into the job.
This post was edited on 4/5/13 at 12:29 pm
Posted on 4/5/13 at 12:38 pm to lsufan112001
You sound like my best friend in high school. I remember having the conversation...
"You don't need a college edu to get ahead in life"
... and though he is partially correct, he is without a college degree working as a bartender while I was able to land a very nice starter position at my new firm.
Take it or leave it?
"You don't need a college edu to get ahead in life"
... and though he is partially correct, he is without a college degree working as a bartender while I was able to land a very nice starter position at my new firm.
Take it or leave it?
Posted on 4/5/13 at 12:40 pm to lsufan112001
If I had children growing up right now, I'd try to get them as much programming exposure as possible.
Entry level computer programming should be in middle school curricula IMO... good computer programmers are lacking and it's an automation-proof field. After all, someone has to program the automation.
Also programming is useful experience in pretty much every other technical field, so even if the kids want to go science/engineering, they'll have a leg up on everyone else.
Entry level computer programming should be in middle school curricula IMO... good computer programmers are lacking and it's an automation-proof field. After all, someone has to program the automation.
Also programming is useful experience in pretty much every other technical field, so even if the kids want to go science/engineering, they'll have a leg up on everyone else.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 12:59 pm to lsufan112001
When my 2 kids were in middle school I gave them 4 rules:
Don't do drugs
Don't get pregnant
Don't get a tattoo
Finish HS
After that you make your own decisions.
They both obeyed my 4 rules. Daughter is a HS teacher. Son is ex-Marine now cop. Both married to terrific spouses. Both have 2 kids. Have no idea what they are teaching their kids. Not my business.
Don't do drugs
Don't get pregnant
Don't get a tattoo
Finish HS
After that you make your own decisions.
They both obeyed my 4 rules. Daughter is a HS teacher. Son is ex-Marine now cop. Both married to terrific spouses. Both have 2 kids. Have no idea what they are teaching their kids. Not my business.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 2:08 pm to lsufan112001
I will never just make it seem like just going to college to go to college will be okay. I will hope that they go to school with a plan to work towards a job after college, not just a degree. Even with an ME degree, I really wish I would have started preparing for a job early on in college instead of waiting until the last semester. I had a job lined up before graduation, but it's stressful waiting until the end to know what you are going to be doing with your life.
And there are plenty of degrees worthwhile outside of the medical field. I'm in engineering and I don't know if I'd trade for a medical degree (and I seriously considered medical school).
And there are plenty of degrees worthwhile outside of the medical field. I'm in engineering and I don't know if I'd trade for a medical degree (and I seriously considered medical school).
Posted on 4/5/13 at 2:17 pm to lsufan112001
I wish I had learned computer programing when I was younger. If you can get your kids interested in it and learn all the languages they will be able to name their price one day.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 2:20 pm to lsufan112001
If they can get through it, Accounting/Finance is the way to go. No matter the economy, businesses need these people.
Oh and ISDS. Networking and system maintenance for businesses is HUGE.
Oh and ISDS. Networking and system maintenance for businesses is HUGE.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 4:22 pm to lsufan112001
go for a trade or get an engineering degree.
If you are artistic, you can always do that as a hobby. Trades don't require good math skills.
If you really like kids that much, work for a daycare for a couple months then decide if you want to be a teacher.
If you are artistic, you can always do that as a hobby. Trades don't require good math skills.
If you really like kids that much, work for a daycare for a couple months then decide if you want to be a teacher.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 4:54 pm to lsufan112001
Get a trade (plumber, electrician, A/C man are making bank), do engineering, do Accounting/Finance/ISDS.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 5:11 pm to lsufan112001
<------- College Drop Out, and it was the best decision I ever made.
Went to my 10 year HS reunion a couple years ago, and was secretly laughing at the fact that I out earned, usually by 3x or more, all of my friends who have more degrees than a thermometer. The disappointed look on some of their faces when I answered the following questions was priceless
"How much you got left on your student loans?" NOTHING
"What are your hours like?" Whatever I want them to be
"You get vacation time?" Yeah, as much as I want.
"Are you hiring?" Let me check with the person in charge of that, OH WAIT, THAT'S ME
College ain't for everybody
Went to my 10 year HS reunion a couple years ago, and was secretly laughing at the fact that I out earned, usually by 3x or more, all of my friends who have more degrees than a thermometer. The disappointed look on some of their faces when I answered the following questions was priceless
"How much you got left on your student loans?" NOTHING
"What are your hours like?" Whatever I want them to be
"You get vacation time?" Yeah, as much as I want.
"Are you hiring?" Let me check with the person in charge of that, OH WAIT, THAT'S ME
College ain't for everybody
This post was edited on 4/5/13 at 5:13 pm
Posted on 4/5/13 at 8:57 pm to lsufan112001
I will tell my kids the following:
1) Understand how to work for money and how much things cost in life.
2) Figure out the things in life that you are good at and enjoy doing.
3) Figure out a career where you can reasonably enjoy what you are doing and still make enough money to have the flexibility you want in life and support a family.
4) Figure out which college and degree program will best help you do that with the least amount of student loan debt - think about the value of the degree versus how much those loan payments (if any) will cost every month.
My kids are 4 and 6, but hopefully before they decide on a college and degree program, the concepts above will be second nature. I will certainly help them brainstorm the possibilities.
1) Understand how to work for money and how much things cost in life.
2) Figure out the things in life that you are good at and enjoy doing.
3) Figure out a career where you can reasonably enjoy what you are doing and still make enough money to have the flexibility you want in life and support a family.
4) Figure out which college and degree program will best help you do that with the least amount of student loan debt - think about the value of the degree versus how much those loan payments (if any) will cost every month.
My kids are 4 and 6, but hopefully before they decide on a college and degree program, the concepts above will be second nature. I will certainly help them brainstorm the possibilities.
Posted on 4/5/13 at 9:31 pm to lsufan112001
quote:
Is the medical field the only/the best way to pursue such right now?
Posted on 4/6/13 at 7:10 am to lsufan112001
I have a two year old and will be encouraging vet med...real vet med to include livestock, not just giving 5 lb lap dogs a "wellness" exam. Wish I had done that.
Posted on 4/6/13 at 8:51 am to lsufan112001
Hard working,talented people with adequate social skills will be successful, college or not. The reverse is also true.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News