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It's good to have a clear career path in mind. I didn't, and I dropped out and for the last 15 years I have not made more than 10 bucks an hour. You have to think, do you want to be sucessful or have a lousy life living in poverty.
No, most people do have career path ideas, it's just that we're afraid to commit to them due to public disapproval, or failing if it's something shared by others. If people have interests that aren't in the high-paying bracket, or are extremely niche, or particularly competitive, those people are condemned and forced to do something else by their peers/ parents/ teachers etc.
It becomes an inner dilemma, of passion vs. reason. And it sucks if your interests are NOT in engineering or the like. (I envy those lucky, lucky people ... my interest in novel writing will almost never bring $50,000 a year ...) Only those with goals of med school/ law school/ engineering school/ business school seem to get support in this world.
Well, that is simply how things work in the real world. You cannot only "chase your passion."
You have to find a field that you are good at and that will also allow you to actually make a living.
If your passion doesn't pay the bills, then you can always keep it as a hobby... Unless you're willing to accept the fact that you will struggle financially for much of your life.
She is about to graduate high school, and has absolutely know idea what to do with her life. She doesn't have anything she's really passionate about and wants to study, and she doesn't want to spend time in college if she doesn't have a focus.
I don't want to tell her to go or not to go, because I know that college can help you find interests, but I know that she does not want to get a "useless" degree in English or Liberal Arts though that is what she is interested in. She is worried about the economy, and how difficult it is to find jobs even for college grads. She doesn't want to come out with debt if she can't get a job to pay it off. I guess she's really questioning the worth of college, and I can't say that I blame her considering how many new grads are without jobs and in debt.
Should a person go to college if they don't know what they want to do, or does not have a clear career path for themselves?
Going to school and starting out in general studies or as an undeclared major to get some general education classes out of the way is a good way to go. Going to community college to get general ed classes out of the way is also good. She is smart for not wanting to go and get a worthless degree. That being said, there is nothing wrong with the trades if she thinks she might be interested. The important thing is having a plan.
Everyone who can survive a college and get good grades should go, and go as early as possible. The younger the person is, the better his memory works. Later in life, our operative memory gets trashed with useless stuff that we call experience, and memorizing things becomes much more difficult. Also, as we age (and we age from the moment of birth) that part of our mind that produces opinions and also the parts responsible for curiosity and accepting new ideas, get rusty. Only people who are used to learn new things constantly, will ne able to learn through their entire life. For some, this path doesn't include college, but true self-made life-long learners are rare. Nothing is (IMHO) more sad that a person in their early 40-s who are crusted, boring, scared of anything new and clinging to a routine work, unable to try new opportunities. I'm not saying all college graduates are different from this description, but a college degree helps to avoid sad life.
Everyone who can survive a college and get good grades should go, and go as early as possible. The younger the person is, the better his memory works. Later in life, our operative memory gets trashed with useless stuff that we call experience, and memorizing things becomes much more difficult. Also, as we age (and we age from the moment of birth) that part of our mind that produces opinions and also the parts responsible for curiosity and accepting new ideas, get rusty. Only people who are used to learn new things constantly, will ne able to learn through their entire life. For some, this path doesn't include college, but true self-made life-long learners are rare. Nothing is (IMHO) more sad that a person in their early 40-s who are crusted, boring, scared of anything new and clinging to a routine work, unable to try new opportunities. I'm not saying all college graduates are different from this description, but a college degree helps to avoid sad life.
I do not know about other people but at 30 I am more motivated college student knowing that time is not on my side. I am getting A and B+ and not slicking off getting C+ and b- like i was when i was younger. Also school is easier now for me then it was back then for some reason it could be i am more driven then ever.
I approach each class like it a person i am going to fight and I want to rip out their heart and eat there children. I am sure more hungrier than ever and cant wait to Spring classes to start bring on intro to chemistry i am coming for you.
You think receiving an A = genius? All doctor's aren't genius'. I know some who made mostly C's in school.
Strange, I knew 6-8 people in high school and at the university who went on to medical school. They were all top students. None of them made mostly C's. They couldn't have got in medical school then with those kind of grades and they can't get in now with those grades.
Just getting started on this thread. First of all, it is a myth that "the first two years of college are the same for all majors". That isn't true in any field. Usually by the second semester of full time study (at the latest) students begin taking courses in their major, and/or prereqs for such courses. The OP's friend should check a sample curriculum for various majors. There are a few courses required of all students, e.g. usually freshman writing or something similar, maybe a PE requirement. Some courses can be applied to electives once the major is selected.
I would second (or third, or tenth) the suggestion to take some courses at a community college. Most CCs these days have articulation agreements with the major universities in their state, including private unis in some cases. One does have to choose one's courses carefully at a CC. Most colleges will not accept vocational courses, or remedial courses. I'd also recommend making use of the advising services of the college.
Going to a four year college is usually more expensive, and it often means moving away and paying room and board.
You think receiving an A = genius? All doctor's aren't genius'. I know some who made mostly C's in school.
If the student truly is the definition of a genius, he'd probably skip grades, like a foreign 12 year old who goes to an Ivy League school. lol
Calling BS on this one also...
Do you know what admission rate to medical school is for students with a GPA below 3.2??
You don't get into medical school making "mostly C's"....just doesn't happen...
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