That 'Oops I picked the wrong degree' feeling...

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I started cooking right out of highschool and became a sous chef. I realized I wanted to be at the party instead of working the party and went to business school at 22. Although I graduated at 25, and a little later than I would have liked, my life now is much better than if I had have stayed the cooking route.

Restaurant industry is the devil. Not to mention all chef's are crazy people. Thankfully, you only made it to sous!

[Titan]

Originally Posted by shermanator

IMO, education is never a waste of time. Ever.

In a vacuum, yes.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Wormius

One thing that always struck me about arts degrees in general was the lack of summer jobs that were applicable to what, say an economist or history or philosophy major would do after graduating. I can't speak for all engineering or hard sciences when I say that I think everybody who wanted to be an engineer or chemist / physicist actually worked on their desired field during the breaks.

I can only imagine an economist gradding from university and saying to themselves, "now what?".

By the way, my brother graduated with economic's degrees and he loves his job... but he was always kind of a money+stats kind of person. I can't find the intrinsic satisfaction in any of that, but whatever makes you happy is what you should try to do.

Alternatively, go to BCIT or SAIT and study 2 yrs of some tech you enjoy. I know at BCIT it was supposed to be easy to transfer your credits to UBC or SFU to complete the program or do what you can with the 2 yr diploma.

There are plenty of part-time jobs for BA degrees: waiter/waitress, baby-sitting, bar tending, fast food, store clerk, sales clerk, car salesman, etc

I've only met one person who couldn't get a job with an econ degree - and they were kinda on the useless side of stupid. Econ's a very hot field right now, especially if you're good that the math side of things. But if you don't want to create models for a living, I could see having the "picked the wrong degree" sweats.

So much money out there for someone who combines econ studies and software development...

[albertGQ]

I got a BA in Economics.
Been in the banking industry since I graduated

[CaramonLS]

Econ degree isn't too bad. I know people who have decent jobs in O/G as financial analysts.

[nfotiu]

Add me to the crowd that couldn't find work after my degree, so took sait 2 year IT program and based on my experience and degree was top pick for the best co-op jobs, that turned into great job offers before I finished the sait diploma. Although my degree was not in my field, it helped get jobs, helped get me in higher salary ranges, and got me into the US (a sait diploma would not have qualified me).

[drhu22]

I think regardless of what you decide you would rather major in, the fact that you are now immersed in the school/studying routine gives you a big head start. Whatever it is do it now.

Good Luck

[Locke]

Originally Posted by SHOGUN

Hey English degrees aren't that bad if you're a teacher...

I'm not saying that they arent, if you want to be a teacher.

Some degrees are great for landing jobs, but jobs suck if you hate them. Its not a sustainable model. If you like English and get an English degree then great, but make it work.

I have a friend who is a teacher and she is constantly pissy that she doesnt make as much as my GF in Oil and Gas or as much as me as an accountant.

Well, then dont be a teacher if you hate it and think the pay sucks. I know for a fact that teachers are paid well, maybe not as well as private sector employees, but you take what you love and you make it work.

[CaramonLS]

If you aggregate teachers into a 2000 hour a year job, they make over 6 figures. Just remind her of that the next time she talks.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

If you aggregate teachers into a 2000 hour a year job, they make over 6 figures. Just remind her of that the next time she talks.

Yes, but they don't work, nor get paid for $2000 hours a year. Although, if they wanted to brag along those lines, I guess they could say they work at a part time job that would be six figures if they could get full time hours.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

If you aggregate teachers into a 2000 hour a year job, they make over 6 figures. Just remind her of that the next time she talks.

Hell, if you stay on the scale long enough they actually make that.

[Hack&Lube]

Better to choose the right education and right career for your own fullfillment and happiness long term than to simply stick with something that sucks/is a dead end just because you don't want to spend the measly couple of extra years when you are young and able to do it. If you don't make the change now, you will regret it for the rest of your life.

You think the pressure or responsibilities are tough now? I have many friends who would DO ANYTHING to go back to school and change careers but they cannot because of mortages, families, etc. They are basically doomed to a life of mediocrity and scraping by in jobs they hate and I wish I could help them but I can't.

My university degree is not something I will ever use, but merely having one opened many other doors in terms of jobs or other schools so be thankful for that at least. I just went back to school @ 28 and it's the best choice I ever made. I'm mature now, career focused, and doing something I actually like and have that competitive drive to get higher grades than anyone in my course as well as doing all the networking and making all the contacts I would need to get a decent job. When I was in University the first time, none of that occurred to me or I was listless and direction-less and didn't keep in touch with profs or make industry contacts, etc. You eventually figure out that who you know or get to know is one of the most important parts of your education.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Titan

I think this is bad advice because if an employer wants a lawyer they will hire one. You may have a slight leg up on another applicant that does not have a law degree but you will definitely not have a leg up on an applicant that has three years of relevant experience. A person leaving law after practicing for several years may have better knowledge/experience but again it comes down to the fact they have experience.

It is a really expensive substitute for experience that, imo, does not pay off.

When people say, go to law school and you don't have to be a lawyer they don't take into account the actual hard costs of going, the opportunity costs of taking 3 years out of the work force and the fact that once you graduate there are 10 other law school grads with 2-3 years of experience willing to take the same jobs as you are applying for just to get out of the practice of law.

If you only look at the pure skills aquired then it is a valuable degree. But if you are smart enough to get the degree you will advance very fast anyways and be three years ahead without $100k in debt.

All in my opinion.

I think this opinion stems from having a narrow view of what you can do with a law degree besides the actual practice of law. There are a number of fields where the J.D. or L.L.B behind your name will give you a big edge that do not involve the practice of law, including politics and a number of finance related positions. I have numerous friends from law school who have successful careers in both of those fields, and their law school credentials were instrumental in that.

You're right that if an employer wants a lawyer they'd hire one, but that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about an employer who wants the skills that you learn in law school, critical thinking, complex reasoning, issue spotting and the ability to distill situations down to key points and argue those points effectively.

[porkbun07]

Yeah I know if you have a single degree you start off at about 65K per year! That's way better than I'm doing fresh out of University. If you have two degrees plus your B. Ed you get $75. They do cap off towards six figures but let's not forget summers and tutoring. I know for a fact that a lot of my high school teachers would charge $50/hour for private tutoring for diploma prep.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by valo403

I think this opinion stems from having a narrow view of what you can do with a law degree besides the actual practice of law. There are a number of fields where the J.D. or L.L.B behind your name will give you a big edge that do not involve the practice of law, including politics and a number of finance related positions. I have numerous friends from law school who have successful careers in both of those fields, and their law school credentials were instrumental in that.

You're right that if an employer wants a lawyer they'd hire one, but that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about an employer who wants the skills that you learn in law school, critical thinking, complex reasoning, issue spotting and the ability to distill situations down to key points and argue those points effectively.

I think your experience down there is different than up here. Far fewer law grads work outside law in Canada.

I am not disagreeing that the skills the degree represents are highly sought after. I am saying that the time to get that degree would be better spent either in industry getting relevant experience or in a degree that would be more directly tied to the field you want to be in.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by fotze

My former boss got an econ degree followed by engineering degree, he's doing great. Probably would have done just as good without the econ degree, so this story is very very useless.

Also, you better really want to go into engineering because they will try to make you hate it, especially at the beginning.

Only the first 2 years are hate-worthy, after that you get to at least pick your poison to some extent by taking courses that interest you.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Titan

I think your experience down there is different than up here. Far fewer law grads work outside law in Canada.

I am not disagreeing that the skills the degree represents are highly sought after. I am saying that the time to get that degree would be better spent either in industry getting relevant experience or in a degree that would be more directly tied to the field you want to be in.

I get what you're saying, I just don't think there are many fields where you learn those skills as an entry level employee.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by valo403

I get what you're saying, I just don't think there are many fields where you learn those skills as an entry level employee.

I wasn't trying to say that at all. I agree with that statement.

However, if you are smart enough to go to law school you will likely do well in your career regardless. Maybe you will do better with the law degree but not enough to justify the three years and umpteen thousands of dollars.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Titan

I wasn't trying to say that at all. I agree with that statement.

However, if you are smart enough to go to law school you will likely do well in your career regardless. Maybe you will do better with the law degree but not enough to justify the three years and umpteen thousands of dollars.

I guess it depends on your career, we're obviously talking about hypotheticals here, I just don't see a lot of positions for new grads that would allow them to develop significant skills in their first 3 years, at least not the type of skills we're talking about. The cost of law school is certainly something to consider, although the $100,000 figure is quite the stretch in Canada (tuition at U of A is approx. $11,000/yr) it's still significant. However, that cost does come with marketable skills, and you're in possession of a degree that allows you to do a number of things that you would otherwise be unable to do.

[3 Justin 3]

Only part I'm regretting is switching my degree when I had the chance. I'm in an Applied Degree (over 4 years) instead of a proper BBA (although they are essentially the same if you look at the classes you have to take) and my 4th year is so broken. For one, MRU doesn't offer 3 or 4 of the classes I need to take for my degree so I have no idea how I'm supposed to finish and 2nd I have to take a DFS which isn't too difficult, but just super time confusing and apparently costs a fortune which I have no idea why because it is me going out into the business world and creating my own company, yet I have to pay the school like $5000 to do this? Freaking stupid.

I really need to talk to an adviser, haha. Enough of my rant.

In my groups I've had for my business classes I've often been one of the youngest and I'm 21 (in 3rd year) and the guys in my group are 23-30. So it isn't like you're the only one, a lot of people #### up and end up going back. I plan on doing the same, but just to get the BBA since I have most of the classes for it, and from what I have heard I can go back and my classes will still count towards it.