[steviebee]

Now we're past that idiotic warning - I agree with Gatto: if possible do what you love.

Work will never be a chore, and what you achieve thru your work will be payment enough.

Plus the $$$ of course

 

[billybob_jcv]

I cut the OP some slack for being - what - 14? Show me a 14 year old that isn't a social dumb@ss - *that* would be newsworthy...

If I had a dollar for every engineering college recruit I interviewed that said they wanted to do "design", I wouldn't need to work for a living...

In most engineering or technology businesses, being an actual "designer", as opposed to a builder, implementer, supporter, administrator, documenter, trainer, etc is a pretty senior position, and there may only be a handful of senior employees at the company that have the role of "designer". Think abut it - how many people does it take to develop the circuit design for a new amplifier, as opposed to the number of people who worry about creating & maintaining the detailed bill of materials, sourcing all the parts, creating the manufacturing plan, managing the technicians or machines doing the assembly, QC testing, customer support, etc, etc. That doesn't mean being a designer isn't possible, but it usually takes a few career steps to get there.

What about your math skills? Does it come easy or do you hate it?

 

[nhancakes]

find something that's gonna motivate you to work hard. college can be really hard if you lack the drive to accomplish your goals.

 

[billybob_jcv]

Of course, if we *just* look at the "good profession for tough times" aspect, I guess I could suggest:

- Bankruptcy,Tax or Divorce Attorney
- Tax Accountant
- Process Server
- Bail Bondsman
- Credit Counselor
- Pawn Broker

 

[blackbird]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billybob_jcv /img/forum/go_quote.gif Of course, if we *just* look at the "good profession for tough times" aspect, I guess I could suggest: - Bankruptcy,Tax or Divorce Attorney - Tax Accountant - Process Server - Bail Bondsman - Credit Counselor - Pawn Broker

I'd have to say, Math does not come easy for me, but I don't exactly hate it. I just make it work for me. I'm not the kind of person who (I almost put "that", silly grammatical errors

) quits. If I don't get it, I take out all the fun, and I focus all my energies on getting it right, even if I have to stay up to late hours, or go to tutoring everyday.

Speaking of professions that are good for only bad times, perhaps I should do one of those part-time in case I really do lose my job.

Also, I spent the past 20-30 minutes editing the OP.

I also agree about choosing something that I really love, but I love so many things that I cannot just choose one. Its such a difficult choice, if you know what I mean. The only thing I can decide on right now is not choosing a job that is going to ruin my life but provide for me financially, because, simply put, I believe money doesn't bring happiness. I don't want the pursuit of money to become first in my life.

 

[jinp6301]

industrial design

If you really like design, its pretty damn fun. I kinda wish I did that instead of bioengineering ...

 

[chesebert]

too early...come back in 5 yrs

 

[MadDog5145]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ Drugs and prostitution are still very lucrative professions, but they're also incredibly dangerous. Strangely, I've known former street dealers turned bankers.

And you guys wonder why the OP posted that line.

 

[Kirosia]

^ Well it's only because he brought it up. And my statement wasn't intended as a joke.

 

[blackbird]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif too early...come back in 5 yrs

That'll be when I'm 1 year deep into college. Also, Its not a bad idea to start early.

Industrial design, that sounds pretty interesting. But also, a difficult profession to come across. I mean, even in a big company like Apple, how many industrial designers do they really have? I really need to check if my school offers some engineering program(I think it does). That's also another good suggestion.

Answering more questions:
1. I do NOT want to EVER live in a place like manhattan when I grow up. Too much pollution, too expensive, and simply not enough space. But then again, I do not want to live in the suburbs either, since those are relatively empty and not exactly convenient. I'd probably like to live in a kind of "rural" place in a "city".
2. I cannot do anything health/medical/history/crime/bugs related. I think i'll be fine with anything else.
3. *With a question of my own*, Does it really matter whether you go to a "Brand Name" college or not? I mean, is an employer more likely to hire someone who graduated from engineering from Harvard, than from Polytechnic, for example?
4. I NEVER want to teach. I can't teach, so please don't ask me to teach.
5. *connected to question 3* Is it better to spend more money at a "Brand Name" college and get "better" returns, or go to a "regular" college and get "regular" returns?
6. I'll answer when you ask.

 

[revolink24]

This isn't like those video game / tech forums, most people have some sense and common courtesy here, and thus wouldn't recommend drug dealing

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbird /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd have to say, Math does not come easy for me, but I don't exactly hate it. I just make it work for me. I'm not the kind of person who (I almost put "that", silly grammatical errors ) quits. If I don't get it, I take out all the fun, and I focus all my energies on getting it right, even if I have to stay up to late hours, or go to tutoring everyday.

I have to say that based on what you say, you have half the battle already won: you have a great work ethic. Again, I am going on what you say, but this trait will get you very far in the workforce. Do not ever lose that desire to learn what you need to.

Having said that, many people go every which way once they reach college. What they thought they wanted to do is not the case anymore. My advice is unless you are so passionate about a major that you are willing to start a religion around it, focus on your GE classes first. This way, if once you go down a path and find that you hate it, you will not have lost any time. If you are going pre-med or something like that, my advice does not apply since you have to start in your freshman year.

In addition, do what you love (when you find that passion) and forget whether it is recession-proof or not. Your work ethic will see you though that more often than not. There is no sense in doing a safe job you hate.


EDIT: Regarding your question about "brand name" universities. I would say that it really depends on what profession you want to go into. Most jobs do not require the name, but some jobs (politics, sometimes medical, sometimes law, etc.) are about who you know. High end universities are great for getting your foot in the door for jobs like that.

 

[billybob_jcv]

OK, I read the edited OP - the one thing that struck me is the "I don't like to read" line. To make it through college, reading is *critical* - no matter what your subjects. You will have classes that are part of the general ed requirements that are completely uninteresting to you - but you will still be required to read for hours each week just to get through them. (for me, that was Philosophy 101 - I *hated* that class, and the instructor knew it!)

This thread (and the fact that I have a high school age son) has made me realize that it was much different "back in my day" (cue the old man voice). Having an interest in technology probably meant you were going to get an engineering or computer science degree - and most of the other majors barely touched "technology" as we think of it today. Graphic arts? That involved a piece of drawing paper and art supplies. Biology? A ton of memorization and animal dissections. Chemistry? Also a ton of memorization and plenty of time in the lab. Now all of those disciplines also include a significant amount of "technology" - computer-based tools, mathematical modeling & simulations, etc. Just "liking technology" really doesn't narrow the field down very much any more. Hmmm...

 

[Gatto]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbird /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3. *With a question of my own*, Does it really matter whether you go to a "Brand Name" college or not? I mean, is an employer more likely to hire someone who graduated from engineering from Harvard, than from Polytechnic, for example?

If you've got cash to burn, go private. They're usually prettier, you can live whenever you want and you get the shiny name. If your money is important to you (which I'm assuming it is) and you don't intend to go somewhere like Harvard, MIT or Brown, pick the biggest state UNIVERSITY (not college) that focuses on your choice of study and go there. Get top honors and nobody will care where you came from. For your own sake though do make sure it focuses on what you intend to do. SUNY Binghamton is suppose to be the best business school, so me going there for me would just be silly even though it's an impressive school. I am going to UB because it is the top SUNY research school, has a medical school and is also the biggest SUNY school. Make sure to do your research on schools, you have to live there, work there and study there for 4 years. The advantage of a big state university is more funding which means better campus, more activities, more places to eat, shop and more people to spend time with. Bigger is also better when it comes to anything in the science field because it means more research.



I also just reread your OP: If you do like biology there is lots to do outside of medicine! What about plants? or cells? If you're really interested in alternatives to medicine in bio I'll find you a list.

 

[billybob_jcv]

The choice of university depends on many factors - the specific major you are interested in, the type of company you may want to work for, the area of the country you live in, your budget and/or loans/grants you might be eligible to receive, how far up the corporate ladder you wish to ultimately go, etc, etc.

Here's a couple of examples:
I live in California. CA happens to have a pretty darn good state university system that includes schools like UCLA, UCSB, UC Davis, Cal Poly-SLO, USF, etc - which also happen to be some of the leading schools in at least one or more fields. A resident of California who is accepted to (for example) UCSB in Marine Biology, or Cal Poly-SLO in Architecture, or UC Davis in Viticulture get's the best of both worlds - a world-renowned school in their field AND a reasonable tuition cost (relatively speaking!)

Or, consider the person who is planning to be a tax CPA working in their father's small tax preparation office in Smalltown, USA, and eventually, they will take over the practice. Does it matter if that student gets their Accounting degree from Princeton as opposed to Whatsamatta U? I would argue it probably doesn't matter at all.

On the other hand, if your goal is to be a law partner with a large NY corporate law firm, you probably want to go to the same school that the majority of senior partners at that firm went - and join the same fraternities, social clubs, etc.