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  1. #1

    Would you recommend going back to school?

    Sup guys

    I've been doing some thinking lately that I might want to go back to school. Reading another thread I thought I would ask my fellow under achievers opinion on college.

    In high school I never really cared about my grades because I didn't actually ever plan on going to college. I had my mind set on getting the job I currently have and that was a mission accomplished. So now I have a job paying 40+ an hour, but work is unsteady. In the meantime I also have a second cash paying job. Both blue collar sorts.

    I actually enjoy what I do, both jobs, most of the time. I don't only not mind the physical labor, I quite enjoy it. Staying active keeps my mind in the right places.
    However my mind is still begging for stimulation. I now feel like pursuing a more meaningful career. I only graduated high school in 2015 by the way.

    Despite not trying very hard in school I still got straight As my first 2 years of hs including some honors classes. After that my grades slipped bit i could get some recommendations and write a bomb personal essay to cover for that. I also got a 31 on my ACT. With my work experience now, its pretty safe to say I could go most any school I wanted.

    The other question would be whether to be a full time student or continue to work also. After the 70+ hour weeks I've worked I firmly believe being a full time student would be a cake walk. However one of my jobs is union, and its possible they may pay for much of if not all the schooling I believe if I were to major in something relevant, like mechanical engineering like I planned.
    However, my true passion would be continue to a law school, and one day I dream to open my own practice and be a businessman all humble like.

    The thing is, its not even about the money. I'm totally happy with what I do now and what I earn. The fact is my hunger for knowledge is insatiable. My mind wants to prosper, and I want to reach my potential.

    Tldr if you don't care to read I don't want your advice

  2. #2
    Deleted
    sure why not

  3. #3
    Thank you for your well thought out response. I will take your thoughts into consideration.
    Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity

  4. #4
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by Neyze View Post
    Thank you for your well thought out response. I will take your thoughts into consideration.
    you're welcome

    I'd like to add to my original response, that I'd probably opt to be a full time student, if you can afford it, not sure if you still live at home etc etc. It's just less stressful and if you choose to major in something like Mechanical Engineering you'll have plenty of stress anyway.
    Last edited by mmocb78b025c1c; 2015-12-25 at 04:31 AM.

  5. #5
    Honestly, if you really want to, I'd say the same, why not?

    You can always try to find a cheaper college perhaps near by and go for a semester, see how it makes you feel, you can always go part time but I believe you do lose a bit of state support or something.

  6. #6
    Titan Charge me Doctor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neyze View Post
    The fact is my hunger for knowledge is insatiable. My mind wants to prosper, and I want to reach my potential.
    If that's the case - then no. You won't get much knowledge from school. There are plenty of ways to get knowledge you crave for, read a book, go to academics seminars, etc, but school is just a place for kids to grow up or a place where you get a paper so it will be easier to get a job.

    In fact, if you would have insatiable hunger for knowledge you wouldn't even ask this question.
    Quote Originally Posted by Urban Dictionary
    Russians are a nation inhabiting territory of Russia an ex-USSR countries. Russians enjoy drinking vodka and listening to the bears playing button-accordions. Russians are open- and warm- hearted. They are ready to share their last prianik (russian sweet cookie) with guests, in case lasts encounter that somewhere. Though, it's almost unreal, 'cos russians usually hide their stuff well.

  7. #7
    You're right I just don't like to see people inflating their post counts with worthless 4 word responses.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Charge me Doctor View Post
    If that's the case - then no. You won't get much knowledge from school. There are plenty of ways to get knowledge you crave for, read a book, go to academics seminars, etc, but school is just a place for kids to grow up or a place where you get a paper so it will be easier to get a job.

    In fact, if you would have insatiable hunger for knowledge you wouldn't even ask this question.
    But what about dreams about pursuing a career you have a passion for? I make money already, but I'm never gonna be a lawyer without school.
    Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Neyze View Post
    Thank you for your well thought out response. I will take your thoughts into consideration.
    I bet he just wants to hear "no".

    Something like all US jobs are outsourced.
    Welfare and WoW > any jobs

  9. #9
    "The thing is, its not even about the money. I'm totally happy with what I do now and what I earn. The fact is my hunger for knowledge is insatiable. My mind wants to prosper, and I want to reach my potential. "

    is a decent reason to go to school IF you can afford it, honestly most colleges are over priced now unless you are going into a engineering / tech field i'd say no, just studying on your own for fun esp if you enjoy what you are doing.

    If i had it to do over again i'm not sure i would have bothered with college and i have 3 degrees lol.
    Member: Dragon Flight Alpha Club, Member since 7/20/22

  10. #10
    Well I could afford it if I worked and went to school. I could probably make that work but I would worry it could affect my studying. If I went to school full time I'm sure I could pull off some impressive shit and the degree would pay for itself later.
    Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity

  11. #11
    Titan Charge me Doctor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neyze View Post
    But what about dreams about pursuing a career you have a passion for? I make money already, but I'm never gonna be a lawyer without school.
    Lawyer - yes, any technical career - huge maybe. If you want to pursue career of electronics engineer you'd still be better off school, because it will only root you to the place you study at (exception being non-full-time-school/college/uni-or-whatever-they-are-called-in-whatever-country-you-live-in).

    But, on the other hand - if you don't know where to begin - it's a good place to start
    Quote Originally Posted by Urban Dictionary
    Russians are a nation inhabiting territory of Russia an ex-USSR countries. Russians enjoy drinking vodka and listening to the bears playing button-accordions. Russians are open- and warm- hearted. They are ready to share their last prianik (russian sweet cookie) with guests, in case lasts encounter that somewhere. Though, it's almost unreal, 'cos russians usually hide their stuff well.

  12. #12
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    If you just want to stimulate your mind then no. University is mainly about learning how to do something the way your professor teaches you to do it or learn specific facts and regurgitate them. Now, you claim you graduated high school this year and your location says Chicago so I assume you are in construction of some sorts. Which my dads best friend who had a degree worked as a crane operator in Chicago until he was 60 and retired. If you can get an engineering degree and it's free do it. If you want to go to law school I mean sure you can do that as well but by no means are you going to be safe income wise when you do graduate especially if you open your own firm. I myself went back at 32 and finished my degree my workplace is offering to pay for a MBA if I want it so yeah I'm going to do that as well.

  13. #13
    If you plan on going to school for engineering and think that because you've worked 70hrs before it will adequately prepare you for what you are gonna be doing I'm just gonna tell you up front it will not. I've had schedules that have excess of 80+hrs of homework on given weeks - just wait until you get into group projects and have to carry the entire group on your back if you want passing grades. The people you are grouped with will eventually get weeded out sure, but you still have to deal with them while they still are registering for the same classes as you. It's also one thing to do labor for long hours vs solving tedious math problems that you quite literally will never use after you finish your education. College is a long grind, if you intend on trying to work a decent amount while going to school it is probably going to take you 5yrs minimum to pound out your degree.

    If that all doesn't scare you off then I'd say proceed, just make sure that you are someone who doesn't lose track of long term goals or you will burn yourself out a couple years in.

    Quick follow up - see if you are FAFSA eligible, it goes a long way. Since you are under 25 it will be based off your parents income unless you were emancipated or prior enlisted.
    Last edited by pythagoris; 2015-12-25 at 04:52 AM.

  14. #14
    Being a full-time student is a lot different from working a lot. I'm assuming you're comparing the amount of effort in time that you have to put in and that is quite comparable if not easier at times while in school. It's very different putting 30 hours a week and tens of thousands of dollars towards something versus putting 40 hours and getting money in return. Even if they put in the money, the fact that you have options is something that will eventually test you, mentally, especially given your target degree and its connection to differential equations and multivariate calculus which could be more problematic if you aren't that apt in mathematics. A lot of people I know, including myself, have had offers to leave school and some actually did.

    Regardless, don't sell yourself short. It seems popular that in American culture, if you did not succeed in getting into a good school out of high school, you are limited to a bad school. I've seen that in the mentality of a number of people who went to a community college. Though you can scratch top schools off that list, you could still get into the best of public schools.

  15. #15
    I Don't Work Here Endus's Avatar
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    First, you need (or at least, should have) a clear grasp on two things;

    1) What are you planning to major in? I don't mean "science" or "English", I mean "robotics" or "literature analysis, preferably with a specific nation and period". If you're heading to college straight out of HS, you can take a year to figure that out, but you shouldn't, if you've been working some time and enjoy your work anyway.

    2) What's the job market like, or more importantly, what WILL it be like, at graduation? A degree in 16th Century English lit is useless unless you're teaching English, at either the HS or post-secondary levels. Knowledge is great, but if there's no job you're aiming for, you're dropping tens of thousands of dollars on this piece of paper. You can self-educate, if its just personal interest; tuition pays for the certification. So make sure you can make use of it, or accept that you're tossing money down a hole. Which is fine, if that's your desire. I'm just saying, don't expect to work out a job at graduation; know the jobs are there before you apply.

    I'm a big fan of education, but you'll get far more out of it if you know what you want from Day One.


  16. #16
    The Unstoppable Force THE Bigzoman's Avatar
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    What do you want to do?

    You say you like your current jobs. Well, is there any advancement in your job/industry with a degree?

    Depending on your situation, if you want to get that degree ASAP, you're gonna have to do both.

    Plenty of students do it and pull it off just fine. Drawback is that you won't be able to network much or get involved in any student organizations that could further your interests as much.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by cuafpr View Post
    "The thing is, its not even about the money. I'm totally happy with what I do now and what I earn. The fact is my hunger for knowledge is insatiable. My mind wants to prosper, and I want to reach my potential. "

    is a decent reason to go to school IF you can afford it, honestly most colleges are over priced now unless you are going into a engineering / tech field i'd say no, just studying on your own for fun esp if you enjoy what you are doing.

    If i had it to do over again i'm not sure i would have bothered with college and i have 3 degrees lol.
    It isn't.

    If he wants more knowledge, he can buy/rent books. Hell, if he really wants to, he can google a few classes, print out the syllabi, and self teach himself stuff.

  17. #17
    school sucks but is one of those things you need, in most cases, to be successful

  18. #18
    OP Just get a degree that help advances your current career(s) to their maximum. Example is if your working in retail maybe look into getting a marketing degree so you can work at head office and devise plans for the entire company.

  19. #19
    law school is usually very expensive and takes several years to complete. its also difficult, but if you are working 70 hours a week then it shouldnt be very different from studying 70 hours a week.

    my advice would be go back to school because your mind tends to stay sharper when you've just graduated, but for law you might have to research what schools would be nearby, how much the tuition is and everything.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by announced View Post
    law school is usually very expensive and takes several years to complete. its also difficult, but if you are working 70 hours a week then it shouldnt be very different from studying 70 hours a week.

    my advice would be go back to school because your mind tends to stay sharper when you've just graduated, but for law you might have to research what schools would be nearby, how much the tuition is and everything.
    Law schools will also require a four year degree. The best advice I was ever given by a mentor: if you graduate high school and don't know what to do, get a STEM degree. If you still don't know what to do, get a law degree. If you still don't know what to do, get a business degree. That way, you can say shit people don't understand, they'll give you money, and you'll know how to stay out of jail.

    Let's all ride the Gish gallop.

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