Hey Maps, college? What's the wisest degree to follow at the moment?

[Ovid9]

Are you thinking of trying to go direct to a 4 year school? Jr. college then 4 year? That will sort of dictate the actual name of the degree you get.

Communications or a communications with a business minor of some sort could be a good one if you like PR stuff.

It seems to me (and I may be totally wrong) that while the actual degree you get matters, employers also want to see what you were involved in while getting the degree.

What internships/jobs/extra-curricuriculars were you involved in that say "Hire me, instead of person X."

Edit: Yarbicus's ideas are good ones for someone who likes to write and wants to make a living at it.

[Voltaire]

A more general degree like psych might end up allowing you a greater range of career choices on the other end ~ for example, it would be helpful with both communications and public relations. The trade off (downside) is that it might take a little more explaining/convincing to show a prospective employer why she or he should hire you as a psych major instead of someone whose degree actually says "public relations"... If you have the option, I'd recommend taking your first year or so to work on general education courses (the basics required of all majors) before even declaring your major. You'll likely find out a lot about what "clicks" with you and what doesn't as you go through those gen. ed. classes, and you might be able to sample some things that you're not sure about before committing, gnome sane?

 

 

I've actually got the general education classes under my belt already!.. I took them a few years ago. Nothing struck me other than english and psychology. but i like this post of yours. i like it a lot.

[Yarbicus]

I've actually got the general education classes under my belt already!.. I took them a few years ago. Nothing struck me other than english and psychology. but i like this post of yours. i like it a lot.

 

 

The problem is that most open jobs these days require specialization. General degrees are not worth as much in a down economy. Of course, if you can stay in school for, say, the next five yours, you should be OK!

[Voltaire]

Based upon this info there are fields that might work: Tech Writing and Grant Writing. They are both wide open fields and you can either work for a company or freelance. Decent amount of human contact and you get to do a lot of writing. Not exactly a way to get rich but you can certainly earn a comfortable living with either one.

 

 

I haven't even thought of these. I didn't know they existed, and now I do.

 

Thanks, this is worth looking into, I'm heading down to the college admin office tomorrow to sign up to some classes, they start in december.

[Yarbicus]

I haven't even thought of these. I didn't know they existed, and now I do. Thanks, this is worth looking into, I'm heading down to the college admin office tomorrow to sign up to some classes, they start in december.

[Say Ocean]

It doesn't matter what you pick, if you're not interested in the field you won't be happy or competitive in the field. Pick something you enjoy.

[Ovid9]

Also, if you want jobs that pay decent, but require far less time in school you could look at routes like:
court stenographer
medical transcriptionist
or, what i think would be kinda cool: Paralegal.

Obviously those kinda depend on demand in your area, but in some law offices paralegals do lots of the prep work and "fun" (if you find research and stuff like that fun) stuff that the lawyers look over and then present or sign off on.

[Voltaire]

Also, if you want jobs that pay decent, but require far less time in school you could look at routes like: court stenographer medical transcriptionist or, what i think would be kinda cool: Paralegal. Obviously those kinda depend on demand in your area, but in some law offices paralegals do lots of the prep work and "fun" (if you find research and stuff like that fun) stuff that the lawyers look over and then present or sign off on.

 

 

I'm in the metro area, usually in and around NYC, currently I'm in a starbucks in midtown on my computer. hai guyz. : )

[Shask]

Hmmm... No math, no science, no problem solving....

 

Problem with Social Science or Psychology is people generally end up working at Starbucks unless you go PH.d.

 

Health Care would be good. I am not sure what you can do with writing, as I hate writing. I know they say Journalism is dying. I think a cube job like business would drive you crazy.

 

What about bartending

[collapsar]

I was an applied math major...if I could do it again, I'd choose the same thing, but work harder for a kick ass GPA that would score me an intership with an investment bank, and then get a job as a quant doing risk analysis or options pricing or something. $

[Voltaire]

Hmmm... No math, no science, no problem solving.... Problem with Social Science or Psychology is people generally end up working at Starbucks unless you go PH.d. Health Care would be good. I am not sure what you can do with writing, as I hate writing. I know they say Journalism is dying. I think a cube job like business would drive you crazy. What about bartending

OMG, I'D LOVE TO BE A BAR TENDER

how do you do this? go to school and walk into a place?





{censored} though.. i need schooling : (

[broken_sound]

industrial engineering without a doubt. ME's and EE's will argue this, but after 5-10 years on the job, if they're doing their job right, they will start to take over responsibilities of IE's. We just went to school to start where they will.

[Shask]

I was an applied math major...if I could do it again, I'd choose the same thing, but work harder for a kick ass GPA that would score me an intership with an investment bank, and then get a job as a quant doing risk analysis or options pricing or something. $

 

 

I have several friends doing actuary as a major. That seems to make more sense to me than Applied math.

 

That honestly seems to be the best math track IMO, unless you are doing teaching like me.

 

They say $70K out of school, and $100K+ after 3-5 years....

 

BUT, Its hard as {censored}!

[Shask]

OMG, I'D LOVE TO BE A BAR TENDER how do you do this? go to school and walk into a place? {censored} though.. i need schooling : (

They have schools, but I thought it was more about personality and on the job training?

[knucklefux]

my brother in law is an RN. he went to technical school for two years and pulls down over $50K working three days a week.

 

if had it all to do over again...

[thenakedarab]

My ex's last boyfriend had a communications degree. Didn't have a steady job, and lived off her like a deadbeat for the greater part of the last two years. Apparently he was looking for jobs all the time too?

[xcml5]

I'm going to have to make this decision soon too. But it is going to dependent where I get into school. Looking at engineering and accounting right now, leaning towards accounting. Maybe some type of engineering + medical field.

[chibecca]

Medical field. Most amount of money for the least amount of school and its almost a guarantee for employment unless you are just a complete assclown. Nursing is a good field to start. Radiology is great as well especially if you can't handle the gore. The big bucks though is to get a degree in Hospital Admin. Just run the whole {censored}in show.

[thenakedarab]

I'm going to have to make this decision soon too. But it is going to dependent where I get into school. Looking at engineering and accounting right now, leaning towards accounting. Maybe some type of engineering + medical field.

You can't go wrong with either income wise, but remember accounting has a high quotient of back-stabbing ladder climbing assholes, and engineering has a high quotient of nerdy tweaked out OCD weirdos, so which ever you deal best with is the way you should go.

[FourT6and2]

College degrees are worthless. Study whatever you want that you think is fun. At least, that's what I should have done. Well, actually... it depends on what you want to wind up doing for a career. Some industries have different requirements as far as education, experience and etc.

In my case, my degree means nothing. The people who hire in my industry only care about the quality of your work. Who you know matters. What school you went to means nothing. Your degree means jack {censored}. But I'm in a creative industry (advertising) and all people want to see is your portfolio. If I had known I wanted to do this before I went to college, I would have done things MUCH differently. I would have studied something super interesting and exciting.

But again, that's not the way it is for most. Really depends on what your chosen career is going to be. And very few actually have the foresight to know that.

[K-Bizzle]

It doesn't matter what you pick, if you're not interested in the field you won't be happy or competitive in the field. Pick something you enjoy.

 

 

Bingo.

If theres anything I've learned about money its that no matter what you always want MOAR.

 

Most jobs you're at for 1/3 of your day 5 days a week, you better make sure you like it in some regard because no amount of money is worth being miserable that much or your time.

 

Just find something that gets you excited, something that you'd do even if there were no compensation and then see what kind of careers lie within that and what degree it takes (if any at all).

[Shask]

Bingo. If theres anything I've learned about money its that no matter what you always want MOAR. Most jobs you're at for 1/3 of your day 5 days a week, you better make sure you like it in some regard because no amount of money is worth being miserable that much or your time. Just find something that gets you excited, something that you'd do even if there were no compensation and then see what kind of careers lie within that and what degree it takes (if any at all).

I agree with this most of all. This is a big reason why I am back in college a second time for a different degree.

I have had this saying for years: "I can live to be poor, I can't live to be unhappy".

Ive seen so many unhappy people obsessed with money. This usually leads to a job they hate, which usually leads to something like an alcohol problem to mask their depression.

[hvymtl939]

I'm in the Health Information Management program at the University of Kansas. It's sort of a health flavored business degree. Your last semester of senior year is an internship, and 95% of graduating students from the program get jobs with whoever they interned with.

[iff]

You can't go wrong with either income wise, but remember accounting has a high quotient of back-stabbing ladder climbing assholes, and engineering has a high quotient of nerdy tweaked out OCD weirdos , so which ever you deal best with is the way you should go.

That's me

[kanamvar32]

I have several friends doing actuary as a major. That seems to make more sense to me than Applied math. That honestly seems to be the best math track IMO, unless you are doing teaching like me. They say $70K out of school, and $100K+ after 3-5 years.... BUT, Its hard as {censored}!

the actuary route is a pretty good one. Less stressful than ibanking, but at the same time, you make less $. If you want lots of $ out of school (100k+ 1st year) w/no time to spend it then full fledged ibanking (or comparable) is the way to go