For those of us in college/university...

[Bella]

What are your academic aspirations? What are you trying to get out of the $7489237489324673826478324 tuition you (or your parents, or loans) are paying?


I'm only in my 2nd year of University now. After graduating high school I took a year off, and then took a year accelerated college course in Graphic Design. It was a great experience but a monumental waste of time. So now I'm just trying to do as well as I can so I can transfer to NYU or GWU in the United States. The reason for this, is it's my dream to attend grad school at either the Kennedy School of Government (NYU) or the School of Political Management (GWU).

I may just be a perpetual student. I can't imagine actually having a steady job. But I love learning and as long as my mom keeps paying for it, I'll keep enriching myself more. And prolonging entry to the real world.

What are you hoping to get out of your schooling? Do you think you're on the right path?

 

[Katia]

I think that I am on the completely wrong path but it wouldn't be the first time.

I just want a degree in a profession that I can tolerate and the salary is something that I can live off of.

 

[NeverMore]

I'm entering the 2nd half of my 3rd year in college

I'm hoping to get out of having to get a job for another 1 1/2 years, learning social skills and then become one of those guys that goes out in the wild and studies things, if a job like that even exists. Then after doing that for a while I'd like to get my masters and doctorate and all that and become a college professor while doing my own research on the side.

Also cause learning is fun

 

[Twingle]

I have a little more than a year left in college. I cannot WAIT to be done either lol. While I really adore school, I take night classes and it's really wearing me down. maybe it's because I'm older than the average college student, but LORD it's getting tough lately lol.

I went into the program I am in wanting one thing, and have made a complete about face now that I am getting close to finished. And although it's still under the same program, I could have taken different classes and skipped some others .. and maybe already be done by now if I had. Oh well, right .. what's 45K? lol

I am not looking forward to that 6 month mark AFTER graduation though .. EWWWWWW, big bills!

I am really leaning towards getting a second degree after my 1st, just because I've discovered in the job market here, I will be able to make more money and have more job offers. Only time will tell I suppose lol.

Everyone in my class thinks they'll ask me to teach after I graduate, but I seriously don't want to. I am not teacher material at all lol. I have zero patience for people who won't listen, then demand all my time later, while everyone else sits and waits for them to catch up lol. OYE, I'd have a meltdown in the middle of class, I'm sure haha.

That and I cannot speak in front of groups of people .. I have terrible stage freight, it's paralizing lol.

 

[Brian]

Great thread. I was actually thinking of starting one like this at work today. But this is better.

I'm going in to my second quarter of first year college. I'm getting an A.A.S. in 'Fire Science Technology', which amounts to $12,000 worth of someone telling you what water does and how to put holes in buildings.

Actually it's a bit more involving than that. The main practical purpose of the degree though is just to give you an edge over other applicants in the hiring pool, and the program actually gives you some really good insight in to the very involved and difficult recruiting process. After that, I'll probably go in to the Paramedic program.

I do sometimes wonder if I'm going the right direction. It's my passion and it's what I really like to do; I don't have anywhere near as much fun doing anything else. And I have very experienced people telling me to go for it. But it's a difficult job to get in to. What if I never find employment before I get too old? What if something happens (physical disability, health issue) to disqualify me from basically any department out there?


If that turns out to be the case, my options are limited to a select few other jobs...like dispatcher, fire protection systems, and fire investigation (but they prefer past firemen for that one). I could of course utilize just my EMT/Paramedic licensure and work on an ambulance...but that excludes the whole 'fire' aspect. No fires, no vehicle extrications. No hazmat work. Just medical stuff and probably lesser pay.

So I'm going to see if Paramedics can do any crossover programs to become an RN. I know nurses can do a crossover to become a Medic, and as a Medic you can become a Physician's Aide with some additional education. So if I do get my Medic cert that opens up more options.

I don't intend to ever stop testing for every fire job I can...but I like the 'safe feeling' that comes with having at least two viable backup plans. And that's what I need to work on building.

I'm also looking in to what it would cost to get some additional education in the financial world...I have a heavy interest in the markets and the economy and that would give me another good backup plan (or a potential second job of some sort).

 

[Drake]

bella, you're gorgeous

 

[Unacceptance]

Kill time.

 

[MiKeY]

So, I'm in my last year of my doctoral program, and it's so hard to keep going. I mean, at this point, most of my courses resemble things I took during undergrad and my M.A., so it's just a matter of rehashing things. At least some of my papers can be recycled to save time. I hate paying money for that, though... The dissertation will be a challenge. I'm looking forward to getting it done so I can take a professorship somewhere, but I tell you... can I really make any subject all that interesting in a 200 page academic paper?

I'm like NeverMore... I want to do a lot of research on the side. I want to write. I want to solve the problem in American education. Actually, my DREAM is to open my own private high school and perhaps even college... Anybody who thinks school should be about more than passing standardized tests, and focus on preparing people to really make a meaningful contribution in life? A focus on understanding... problem solving... philosophy, finding ourselves, and discovering our place in the world... I bet I could find some faculty members here

Seriously... my own school. Good people doing good things for good students. That's my dream. THAT's what I want out of my doctorate.

 

[querida]

im not at uni anymore, but couldn't help but open up the thread...when i was there i was itching for the day to leave, now that i am working 60 hours a week, i wanna go back to the days where i would only need to go to classes 3 days in the week, ahhhh memories.....i have been looking about maybe taking another degree to learn about ancient history or something along those lines, not for a career change but to just learn about something interesting and exercise the mind...a far cry from my commerce degree!

afireinside - i really like your idea for the school, sounds very inspiring and the kind of place of where i would like to be taught!!

 

[Gothmother]

Im in the 3rd manatory unit of my nvq3 in childcare (yes i am a mature student at nearly 40) and finding it a challange to fit everything in with home and work and my family, but determined to finish it.
I guess also, im lucky as i got a student grant(non repayable) for my college too and also most courses in the uk are either free to those on low income or grants are avalable to help out.
As for making frieinds, probably not many as ive found many of the other people to be alot younger then me and very cliquey (somthing i dispise) so i more or less keep to myself.

 

[Van Hooligan X]

in college and atm, iuno...i was going to go to uni but since the break up, i don't think i want to now. atm all i want to do is get threw college lol

 

[An archist]

I'm in my 4th year of univerity and, due to the fact that I decided to study math rather late in the game, I'll be graduating one semester late (December '09 should be when I'm done). What I'm going to do afterwards though fills me with anxieties. I really haven't been working for this whole time. I was a tutor for a little while, and was also a security guard last sommer but I haven't done any internships or anything and I'm not really putting any effort into finding work somehow related to my studies. I don't have, or know how to write, a resume even!

Did I mention that I have absolutly no ambition? That's partly due to the fact that I only chose to study math in the first place so I would never have to work with other people in school on some sort of group project. It is a major very befitting of the loner lifestyle! Also, I couldn't be any less enthusiastic about math....at all! I don't really like it, I'm not curious about it and the department at my school is ******* lame so I won't be exposed to any topics which could potentially be of interesst to me. I also get the feeling that I'm not learning some very important topics which would probably be needed to get some sort of job after graduation. I really don't know what I'm going to do afterwards, so that means that I'll just go to grad school and wait for some something to come along! One possibility is to become a math teacher but the one program I found (Math for America) would require that I teach in a NYC public school....not the best place for an awkward person with zero expirence to start teaching! Grad school in Germany is also a pipe dream of mine too.

I really don't think I'm cut out to be a careerist and I don't have any "inquiring scientific mind" bullshit either, so what I'd like to do most is become a monk and live in a monestary where life is simpler and where I wouldn't have the stresses and anxieties about holding down a job. But I have an ageing mom that already has problems taking care of herself so, in order to support her, I'll work. But as soon as she dies I plan on dropping everything and heading off to a monestary!

 

[kismet]

Well, I just entered the 2nd half of my 3rd year at university. I'm majoring in Early Childhood Education, although I would like to get a minor in something else, something art-related. ^^

I'll be graduating in December 2010, would have graduated in May 2010 if it wasn't for the advisor who gave me classes I didn't even need. >__< But I'm almost there, and that's all that matters. And luckily my parents are paying for my college so I won't have to worry about any outrageous loans to pay off in the future. That's a load off my mind.

 

[NOLA]

I'm in my second semester of law school. I'd take one of those soul-sucking big firm jobs with big time pay if I could, but there's no way I'm going to get those kinds of grades, plus I'd probably hate working so much anyway. So, I suppose my ambition at this point is something like becoming an assistant state's attorney for a couple years and then working my way up the ladder...although, I have to pass my law school classes first...and that's questionable, I seem to have lost all motivation for school, it's kind of hard to fail out though, so maybe I'll get through!

Maybe I'll take a political route and be president of the world.

 

[Ratley]

Finish the course and run as far away as possible. Get a shredder and use my textbooks as rat bedding.

Best of luck to everyone, I look forward to reading about President Nola and Brother Archist

 

[fadingaway22]

I received my associate's degree in police science in December of 2008. I'm going for my bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration, while minoring in criminolgy/criminal profiling. I attended a community college for my associate's and am attending on-line courses for my bachelor's. It is from an accredited institution. I chose this path so I can work full time and gain experience. The biggest drawback of this is the inability to meet new people. They say your college life is supposed to be the best part of your early 20s. I'm missing out on the opportunity of meeting new friends and interesting women. However, I do have to pay the bills.

Before I chose criminal justice as a major, I used to be a psychology major and a motor sport tech major. They usually say the average student changes his/her major at least 2-3 times. I guess I reflect this.

 

[Qui]

I was just accepted to uni last weekend, I'll be going in september.
so, I guess I'm the bottom end of this discussion... I won't graduate from highschool for another 2 1/2 months yet.
anyway, there's that. I'm going to college, what do you know.
wouldn't have expected it with my gpa.

 

[DayvanCowboy]

That is awesome, Qui. Congratulations!