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I would also look into the rate of employment in that field. I know around 10 people that have degrees in communications media/broadcasting and only ONE of them actually works for a local news station, after years of working in very small media markets and moving every few years. The rest, 1 is unemployeed and unwilling to give up the dream, and the others have moved onto various other fields.
Agreed, but it's still better to have some sort of a plan. Someone with good writing skills who can analyze sports strategy can parlay that into a useful business skillset if they spent undergrad really focused on speaking, writing, and analysis. But you need focus and you need a plan, and education/(possibly unpaid) work experience needs to be priority one, otherwise you can forget it.
I would also look into the rate of employment in that field. I know around 10 people that have degrees in communications media/broadcasting and only ONE of them actually works for a local news station, after years of working in very small media markets and moving every few years. The rest, 1 is unemployeed and unwilling to give up the dream, and the others have moved onto various other fields.
I think I know very few people (maybe none? I'd have to really wrack my brain) who are working in the field they went to undergrad for. Well, I guess my husband is sort of, in that he was an English and writng major and is now a proofreader and copy editor. And that is a field I would not recommend ANYONE go in to because no one cares about the quality of writing any more. If you search for jobs for "proofreadering" in the area what you get are people who want a secretary who will also proofread stuff. I.e., not an expert on English language and mechanics, just someone who can catch typos. This is not a growth field.
And journalism? You know there is a major crisis in that field right now, OP, right? My sister in law has a Masters from Columbia's j-school (arguably the best in the country) and she's... an elementary school librarian. She went back to school online to get her MLS a few years ago so she could actually get a job.
I would follow the advice of those who say finish the AA/AS in Iowa, then evaluate your options. theta_sigma had good advice about not taking out huge, huge loans. The University of Iowa and Iowa State have good college town vibes, and you could pay in-state tuition there.
CCAC is in the northside. If you're thinking about going there, you could still live in Oakland, but you'd need to ride two buses to get there (if you have a bike, it's an easy ride).
While I don't want to dissuade anyone from living on Pittsburgh's Greatest Side (the North), I should note that you can take the 54 directly from Oakland to CCAC. I commuted back and forth from Lawrenceville to CCAC via 54 all the time one spring while taking a calculus class there.
Here's a neat piece on how much the average salaries of college graduates vary by major. You should do something you like, but it's always nice to know what you're getting into.
I'm somewhat of a pariah on City-Data because I've eschewed every sort of sound logical advice given to me by the "experts", yet somehow I'm still living life (mostly) happily ever after, much to their chagrin.
Growing up I did everything I was supposed to do. I had very strict parents that ensured I graduated with honors with distinction from our mediocre public school district in the suburbs of Scranton, PA---in the opposite corner of the state. I commuted from my parents' home to a college fifteen minutes away in Wilkes-Barre in order to save on room and board. Given my dad's unemployment situation at that time (laid off from IBM), coupled with my sister and father both being alumni of that same institution of higher learning, I also received generous scholarships and financial aid to the point where I now only still owe just over $10,000 in student loan debt and have a B.S. in Accounting.
I only interviewed for a select few positions, mostly outside of my very economically-depressed native area, and I snagged a job offer in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. While apartment-hunting with my parents I didn't really like the feel of the area, which was mostly suburban, middle-aged, and materialistic, but I told myself the job opportunity would be enough to outweigh the negatives of living in an area that just didn't quite feel "right" to me. Wrong! The ~$41,000 salary the job offered sounded like a ton of money given the stagnant area I grew up within, but when adjusted for the cost-of-living disparity I found myself truly struggling economically paying well over $1,000/month in rent, an annual tax on my car that was in the hundreds of dollars, high utility bills, high car insurance, and much, much more. The only thing that I found to be reasonably-priced were groceries (those are quite expensive in Pittsburgh for some reason). I ended up utilizing my credit card irresponsibly and extravagantly whenever I wanted to do something fun with friends, even if it was just grabbing a cheese steak at the local tavern or a mixed drink at a happy hour. So I was living poor in an area I hated, AND the job opportunity turned out to be falsely-advertised---no "mentor"; a mentally-unstable boss (so many of those in the Federal government, but I digress) who would scream profanities and throw things across her office if a new hire asked her a question; poorly-timed training opportunities; etc. I didn't even have a seat and had to use a makeshift one in a "LAN" room in between massive computer terminals and all sorts of wiring. Couple that with being back-stabbed by people whom I thought were my friends, and needless to say I was EXTREMELY miserable living there and needed to get out ASAP for my mental health.
I did what I had to do. I found someone to take over my lease. I abruptly quit my job when I found out a requested transfer to Pittsburgh was being delayed. I pounced on what would turn out to be an unbelievably good deal in Pittsburgh---$550/month for an airy 1-BR loft in a safe neighborhood within walking distance of Downtown. I immediately snagged two menial jobs that would be "beneath" most people, but when accounting for the lower cost-of-living here vs. Northern Virginia I was actually living more comfortably---nicer digs in a nicer neighborhood in the heart of a thriving major city near young people vs. a dive apartment in a bland community a half-hour outside the city replete with middle-aged foreign IT workers.
I'm still "underemployed" and work in a profession many of the people on here disrespect me for. With that being said I have so much optimism and idealism back in my life that I'm hedging my bets and opening my own business venture in this growing city that should be netting me six-figures annually within five years of opening. I've learned that I'm better off being my own boss since I've burned bridges in the corporate world upstaging superiors and being bold with my critiques of management styles. I drive a 2013 sedan, can dine out/order in once per week, can see a movie every month, can take day-trips at least once per month, am paying off debt to improve my credit score after the damage I inflicted upon it living above my means in Northern Virginia, etc., all while being "under"employed to the people on here who can't understand why a college-educated male wouldn't want to sit in a cubicle for 40 hours per week listening to aging colleagues whine about the "Stillers" all day.
I just want to provide you with encouragement that sometimes there ARE risks worth taking. You only live once (YOLO, as the young'ins are calling it nowadays). Why spend any more time than you absolutely need to being miserable? Why stay somewhere because you're being told "it's the proper route to take..." when it's eating you up inside emotionally? If I was "doing the responsible thing" I'd still be chugging along living alone and paying $1,300/month for rent in Northern Virginia making a $70,000 salary, yet I'd feel so empty, worthless, depressed, and soul-crushed in the process. I make less money in Pittsburgh. I live better, though.
People on City-Data tend to skew more affluent and more educated than the norm, not to mention more materialistic in many circles. You're not going to find many other people advocating that you take risks/chances while you're this young vs. those with the "stay the course" mindset because for most on here the only sensible/logical decisions you should ever make are the ones that will improve your situation financially. I've found those with the latter attitude, though, will find themselves old and harboring much angst and regret for NOT taking the road less traveled when they were younger and still having a lot of unanswered "What If?" questions.
A lot of people I knew in Northern Virginia HATED it there just as much as I did, but they were "toughing it out" in order to retire wealthy in their 60s and then travel. Those people thought I was foolish for relocating and giving up that "good" job (on paper). Some of us would rather take greater risks while young to ENJOY our formative years since there's no guarantee you'll live far past retirement, anyways (at least not in good health). Take it from someone whose mother and father are only in their mid-50s and are battling cancer and heart problems, respectively. Life is short. Life is precious. Don't waste it being afraid to make a big move or to chase your dreams. NEVER stop pursuing your dreams. NEVER.
One of the best posts I've seen. Appreciate it.
As for everyone else. Also appreciate your input. I wouldn't move there without having things set up and figuring other things out. As for Duquesne being 30k...they give good financial aid. It would be about 17k for me a year total cost.
i moved to Pittsburgh whenever i was 19. I also grew up in a smaller town.. however i lived a county away from Pittsburgh and always loved coming to the city when I had the chance. The town i lived in felt like a black hole that no one could get out of! You either got pregnant young and stayed, or got addicted to drugs and stayed. I moved to Pittsburgh for a change in pace.
I honestly love it here. It's not a HUGE city (esp downtown) but its just big enough to have different, diverse neighborhoods.
Nightlife is perfect. Google maps East Carson Street on south side... over 20+ bars in the neighborhood with a few good clubs.. south side is actually is the book of world records for most bars in a sq milage.
I met my fiance here and we've lived in 2 different apartments.. Rent is average. You can find high priced communities or get lucky and find a nice priced apt.
The only downside is the snow.. but you get over it and learn to (semi) like it.. you atleast get used to it ya know lol
I think I know very few people (maybe none? I'd have to really wrack my brain) who are working in the field they went to undergrad for. Well, I guess my husband is sort of, in that he was an English and writng major and is now a proofreader and copy editor. And that is a field I would not recommend ANYONE go in to because no one cares about the quality of writing any more. If you search for jobs for "proofreadering" in the area what you get are people who want a secretary who will also proofread stuff. I.e., not an expert on English language and mechanics, just someone who can catch typos. This is not a growth field.
And journalism? You know there is a major crisis in that field right now, OP, right? My sister in law has a Masters from Columbia's j-school (arguably the best in the country) and she's... an elementary school librarian. She went back to school online to get her MLS a few years ago so she could actually get a job.
True, but... a person with good communication and presentation skills is still useful, they could be a corporate trainer or technical writer, not necessarily working in publishing. Within the IT field they could be QA. Or a business analyst. I get that corporate cubeland is not everybody's dream job but not everybody gets to grow up to become an astronaut. And obviously there are other cities with a more robust job market for those skillsets, tho we're not supposed to admit that. I think there's something to be said for dreaming big at 19, but you gotta either be the cream of the crop or have a backup plan, ideally both.
True, but... a person with good communication and presentation skills is still useful, they could be a corporate trainer or technical writer, not necessarily working in publishing. Within the IT field they could be QA. Or a business analyst. I get that corporate cubeland is not everybody's dream job but not everybody gets to grow up to become an astronaut. And obviously there are other cities with a more robust job market for those skillsets, tho we're not supposed to admit that. I think there's something to be said for dreaming big at 19, but you gotta either be the cream of the crop or have a backup plan, ideally both.
I'm not trying to put words in theta_sigma's mouth, but I think she means journalism isn't a field with a lot of opportunities. I'd bet that theta's sister looked into a lot of the above before she got her MLS.
I am not unfamiliar with the fields of training and technical writing, and also IT and QA (I am in educational technology, which combines a lot of those but I also have friends who are purely in those fields) and I don't know of any where you can just waltz in and be like "I'm a great writer and communicator!" and get hired. If there were lots of those opportunities, English majors the world over would be rejoicing. Journalism in particular is having a very, very rough moment right now, with the slow, painful death of print media. There's a race to the bottom, wages-wise, in the few opportunities that are left.
I think it's great to have lofty goals and of course there are a few who work very hard and have great talent and do achieve them, and I applaud that. But it doesn't do anyone any favors to have their head in the sand about current trends in various relevent industries and how one can make oneself more employable, or be a switch-hitter with another field.
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