English BA/MBA works for $9.25 at Goodwill and on food stamps (employees, credit)
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Let's see. I went to what many see as a lesser university (Univ. of Houston), got a BBA in accounting, and I make $60k/yr. But you're right. Attending a good school is what matters, not so much what you get your degree in. After all, I should have gone to one of the best schools in the state, Univ. of Texas, and majored in political science like my best friend in high school did. Instead of making $60k/yr., I would be volunteering for political campaigns and still living with mom and dad at 29 years of age like he does. Yep, I'm kicking myself for going to that random state school.
Maybe going to that better school would have enabled you to comprehend my post. I said go to the best school for your program of study. U of Tx doesn't even rank in the top 10 for political science. So using your friend as an example was a complete failure on your part.
I also said it led to the greatest chances of having a solid career. It wasn't the only way.
University of Phoenix? My God she must have like 60k in student loans. Boy I would just not pay the student loans at this point, if it meant getting a bigger apartment, or maybe leaving Seattle. I realize it sucks out there, but I know people her age who got decent jobs in a similar situation in Cleveland for God's sake. There is more to this than meets the eye.
Well, instead of an MBA, she could have gone for her fast-track teaching certification in ESL which is in high demand in certain areas. Heck, even waitressing with tips can pay more than Goodwill. If people are unwilling to go for certain jobs, then that's on them. I have a degree in English and while I'm not raking in the dough, there are certainly other paths than Goodwill. At 29 with that degree, she could be raking in a good $60k+ in Korea if she wanted.
1. Do good in school.
2. Go to the best college for your program of study (Yes, even English) and study under the best professors.
3. Do all your college work (including classwork, research, publishings, etc)
Now you've set yourself up to have a promising career. It isn't the only way, but it is the way with greatest likelihood.
If you study at some random state school, don't have high expectations.
Dude, I have never seen you do anything BUT crack on state schools. How about, for those of us who did go to one:
1. Do as well in high school as you can.
2. Go to the best college you can both get into and afford.
3. Find a major you are enthusiastic about, has reasonable job prospects, and study hard.
4. Do fun extracurriculars that help your resume, and internships if at all possible.
5. TRY to help your professors out. Don't get upset if it doesn't happen.
6. Network.
Ivy League is great. Good for you that you went. But it really, really warped your idea of what college, for that majority of us, is about. You come across pretty snotty every time you try to spout 'wisdom' that involves state schools.
'Study under the best professors?' How about study under the professor that has a spot left in his class that you need to graduate without slipping another year that you can't afford? That's the reality that most of us that went to state schools, even good ones, lived.
'Research, publishings'? Ha, you TRULY have no idea of what state schools, even good state schools are about. Absolutely none.
A reasonably solid state school isn't what your ideal of a college is about. However, you can certainly do fine out of one, and you're not doomed to join the plebeian class because that's where you went.
Dude, I have never seen you do anything BUT crack on state schools. How about, for those of us who did go to one:
1. Do as well in high school as you can.
2. Go to the best college you can both get into and afford.
3. Find a major you are enthusiastic about, has reasonable job prospects, and study hard.
4. Do fun extracurriculars that help your resume, and internships if at all possible.
5. TRY to help your professors out. Don't get upset if it doesn't happen.
6. Network.
Ivy League is great. Good for you that you went. But it really, really warped your idea of what college, for that majority of us, is about. You come across pretty snotty every time you try to spout 'wisdom' that involves state schools.
'Study under the best professors?' How about study under the professor that has a spot left in his class that you need to graduate without slipping another year that you can't afford? That's the reality that most of us that went to state schools, even good ones, lived.
'Research, publishings'? Ha, you TRULY have no idea of what state schools, even good state schools are about. Absolutely none.
A reasonably solid state school isn't what your ideal of a college is about. However, you can certainly do fine out of one, and you're not doomed to join the plebeian class because that's where you went.
I agree with #2 100%. I graduated from a public 4 year school entirely debt free (academic scholarship) and I'm now realizing just how much that is saving my ass. I recently started my first real job out of college and I make more than the girl in the article, but not by a whole lot (I don't make $9.50/hour but I definitely don't make $25/hr either). Not having debt makes a huge difference I think.
Dude, I have never seen you do anything BUT crack on state schools. How about, for those of us who did go to one:
1. Do as well in high school as you can.
2. Go to the best college you can both get into and afford.
3. Find a major you are enthusiastic about, has reasonable job prospects, and study hard.
4. Do fun extracurriculars that help your resume, and internships if at all possible.
5. TRY to help your professors out. Don't get upset if it doesn't happen.
6. Network.
Agree with your post! Some State Schools are indeed relatively affordable and do offer excellent education and career options. But it is also true that an average student from a top-tier has better chances of success than an average student from a non-top-tier school; not sure if it is the quality of education that makes a difference but certainly the alumni, networking and on-campus recruitment gives a tremendous push to the students. The first job out of school makes all the difference - you get the exposure early on, build the resume, and are on track for a promotion.
The only thing I would however add is that every student must do internships, paid or unpaid, every year. It is a MUST if you dream of the possibility of having a job on graduation.
Dude, I have never seen you do anything BUT crack on state schools. How about, for those of us who did go to one:
1. Do as well in high school as you can.
2. Go to the best college you can both get into and afford.
3. Find a major you are enthusiastic about, has reasonable job prospects, and study hard.
4. Do fun extracurriculars that help your resume, and internships if at all possible.
5. TRY to help your professors out. Don't get upset if it doesn't happen.
6. Network.
Ivy League is great. Good for you that you went. But it really, really warped your idea of what college, for that majority of us, is about. You come across pretty snotty every time you try to spout 'wisdom' that involves state schools.
'Study under the best professors?' How about study under the professor that has a spot left in his class that you need to graduate without slipping another year that you can't afford? That's the reality that most of us that went to state schools, even good ones, lived.
'Research, publishings'? Ha, you TRULY have no idea of what state schools, even good state schools are about. Absolutely none.
A reasonably solid state school isn't what your ideal of a college is about. However, you can certainly do fine out of one, and you're not doomed to join the plebeian class because that's where you went.
If I could rep this post 100 times, I would! And #3 is I think the crux of career success -- go into a field you LIKE. As the saying goes, "If you enjoy your job, you will never work a day in your life."
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicago87
A MBA is only useful when the following conditions are met:
1.) It is from a prestigious school.
2.) You have a good GPA.
3.) You have professional white collar experience.
It helps if you networked with a lot of people and did internships while earning your MBA.
At least #3 is true. My most recent hire had a brand new MBA, and I didn't check the GPA or care what the school was, because he had 2+ years related experience. The position doesn't even require an MBA. It was the lowest pay position here but he was happy with $24/hour to start. So far he's done very well, with 2 performance based raises in under 2 years, has gotten married and bought a house.
I agree with #2 100%. I graduated from a public 4 year school entirely debt free (academic scholarship) and I'm now realizing just how much that is saving my ass. I recently started my first real job out of college and I make more than the girl in the article, but not by a whole lot (I don't make $9.50/hour but I definitely don't make $25/hr either). Not having debt makes a huge difference I think.
That is very subjective. If I don't have a penny in my pocket but have an opportunity to get into Columbia Business school, I would be more than happy to take a $100k loan because I know where my career would go with a degree from Columbia as opposed to a MBA from Rutgers or SUNY Buffalo which would cost 1/3 of what Columbia would cost, even though both Rutgers and Buffalo are excellent State schools. One has to do a cost-benefit analysis. Not all debt is bad debt.
That is very subjective. If I don't have a penny in my pocket but have an opportunity to get into Columbia Business school, I would be more than happy to take a $100k loan because I know where my career would go with a degree from Columbia as opposed to a MBA from Rutgers or SUNY Buffalo which would cost 1/3 of what Columbia would cost, even though both Rutgers and Buffalo are excellent State schools. One has to do a cost-benefit analysis. Not all debt is bad debt.
That's an MBA though. I was just talking about my regular 4 year undergraduate degree.
For graduate schools, yeah, the name/prestige matters more. But most people just get a 4 year undergrad degree, and I think going into debt for a BS/BA is probably a bad idea.
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