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Well, I'm feeling very, very depressed and I'm not sure what to do with my life. My biggest mistake was quitting college prematurely and getting into the job market directly, but I quickly learned it's terrible if I don't have a degree here in the Bay; the employers only care about minimizing costs and not the people. I'm inquisitive, love to learn, and now I really want to get my classes through but the public college system here in the Bay is just dismal, depressing, and demotivating. This is due to the increasing budget cuts and really bad economic state. Public colleges have to increase their tuition, books, parking, etc etc costs to absurd prices, almost like highway robbery, but legal. The budget cuts is going to turn away good professors leaving raving, bashful, "holier-than-thou" teachers to teach students. The administration, financial aid offices, and counselling are strained and have low morale. Dealing with them is very problematic and worse that you have to depend on them for official transcripts and that sort of business. I had to wait over 1 or more hours for financial aid and counselling. They're not really helpful and if I want to succeed in the system, I'll have to do every single thing by myself. With the future of the economy being in big doubt, it's a big gamble to get a degree from public colleges whose money is getting cut off as time goes on, leaving not so good, unfriendly staff and professors. The question is whether it is worth it to spend about 5 years of my life, get a degree from underfunded public colleges and staff, and be in a big pile of student debts? Will I even learn a thing that I can apply to the job market or will I just put B.S. (Bull S**t) in "whatever" on my resume paper hoping that the employer will take me in. Public colleges is the only college that I can afford to do and not private colleges. Are there any alternative lifestyle I can do?
I know this isn't what you want to hear, but the problem is more your attitude than the college. It must be very demoralizing to be young, without a degree and looking for a job in this economy. And indeed, college bureaucracy is huge and difficult. However, this is not a feature of public versus private college. CA has some of the best public universities in the country, many better than the majority of private schools. And the price is a bargain, even if it's still expensive. Getting a degree is not a bad idea, but you'll need to make sure it is in something useful, something that will give you good job opportunities after college, especially if you are going to go into debt for it. Take the time to do your research before you begin. Counselors really aren't that useful, in spite of their counseling degrees. You need to do your own homework first. Don't jump into anything. Perhaps if you posted some possible majors you are considering you could get more advice. Also, consider graduating as quickly as possible - it should not take 5 years unless you are working a lot part-time. You should be able to finish in 3 years if you work hard, 4 if you take summers off to do internships or work at relevant jobs.
06-22-2012, 08:55 AM
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What a stunningly awful attitude. You're surrounded by some of the best universities on the planet (both public and private).
Students in many other states would love to have the luxury of paying in-state rates for a top tier education, yet you're complaining about the opportunity staring you right in the face.
Even with budget cuts, schools like Berkeley are still not that expensive and still among the best in the nation.
Pencil pushers and administrator/counselor types are useless (frequently actively harmful) everywhere. You'll just have to deal with it.
What a stunningly awful attitude. You're surrounded by some of the best universities on the planet (both public and private).
Students in many other states would love to have the luxury of paying in-state rates for a top tier education, yet you're complaining about the opportunity staring you right in the face.
Even with budget cuts, schools like Berkeley are still not that expensive and still among the best in the nation.
Pencil pushers and administrator/counselor types are useless (frequently actively harmful) everywhere. You'll just have to deal with it.
something tells me that berkeley is not a realistic option for the OP...
The OP's view is incredibly myopic. He will have to do everything himself! The college won't deliver transcripts to you!
I don't what he expects college to cost but even with cost increases the public universities in CA are still very competitively priced. He seems to be certain good professors are leaving, but is that really happening? I bet not.
Will he learn something he can apply to the job market? Who knows - but if he doesn't it won't be the university's fault. It will be his - for choosing a dumb degree/major or not applying himself.
The question is whether it is worth it to spend about 5 years of my life, get a degree from underfunded public colleges and staff, and be in a big pile of student debts?
Try adjusting the attitude... and spending 4 years of your life, and NOT be in a big pile of debt.
It IS possible!
Honestly, it's easier to get a job in the Bay Area than most places, ... but the place is obviously not without it's problems. While you are working, if you don't like your options in the Bay Area, ... take classes part time at some of the local community colleges (there are more course choices than most places) and save up to move some place else you think you'll like better. You are only young once, and now is the time to learn not just from a formal school, but the school of life.
Thanks marie5v, you're the most helpful out of everyone. Looking at your place of living, have you guys even seen the lower end colleges here in the Bay firsthand? The Peralta Colleges and Chabot Colleges which are nearest to me are ghetto community colleges with mostly ghetto students and not really a place of learning and just a way to get your lower divisions done to transfer. The professors are either a hit or miss. I'm planning to transfer so I'll have to deal with the CCs near me. There is Diablo Valley College, which is one of the top, if not the best CC in the Bay, but very inconvenient for me to go because it is in Pleasant Hill. My options to transfer that I know of is UC Berkeley(if I do get in since it is very competitive and overly priced) or CSU East Bay(ok school but much easier to get in and affordable).
The fields/major that I'm interested in are biology, chemistry, astronomy, and environmental science(science not studies). Environmental Science is my first pick because looking at OOH, it only requires a bachelor's degree for entry level jobs and it's expected job growth is 19%. I'd like to see (helpful) people's input on it though.
Thanks marie5v, you're the most helpful out of everyone. Looking at your place of living, have you guys even seen the lower end colleges here in the Bay firsthand? The Peralta Colleges and Chabot Colleges which are nearest to me are ghetto community colleges with mostly ghetto students and not really a place of learning and just a way to get your lower divisions done to transfer. The professors are either a hit or miss. I'm planning to transfer so I'll have to deal with the CCs near me. There is Diablo Valley College, which is one of the top, if not the best CC in the Bay, but very inconvenient for me to go because it is in Pleasant Hill. My options to transfer that I know of is UC Berkeley(if I do get in since it is very competitive and overly priced) or CSU East Bay(ok school but much easier to get in and affordable).
The fields/major that I'm interested in are biology, chemistry, astronomy, and environmental science(science not studies). Environmental Science is my first pick because looking at OOH, it only requires a bachelor's degree for entry level jobs and it's expected job growth is 19%. I'd like to see (helpful) people's input on it though.
Woohoo! I'm most helpful!
About ghetto community colleges - the glass is half full, my friend. The worse the students, the more opportunities there are for those who really want them. I have attended community college and top universities, and have taught in those and everything in between, too. Both as a student and a teacher, I have seen first hand that in a top school everything is so competitive that there are almost no opportunities for any but the best. That means, professors don't notice you, you can't get into clubs, student government, or achieve leadership positions, get grants or scholarships, get internships or access to special programs. On the other hand, all of those things exist even in the worst, most under-funded community college. That means, a mediocre - even slightly below average - student can actually get all kinds of cool stuff with just a little effort.
How? It's about those hit or miss professors. A cc will have mostly adjuncts with a few full-timers. They will not actually be that bad, even if they are lousy teachers. The job market for professors is so bad that you will probably be taught by people poorer than you are. That means even the worst colleges have actually good people working in them. Many of those people really want to help students. Most of them, in fact. They really care and if you express the interest, they will go way out of their way to help you succeed. All you need to do is study hard and regardless of how well you understand the material, go and see the professors and talk to them as much as possible. Talk to adjuncts after class, see professors during office hours. Do not whine and complain about your hopeless academic situation, job prospects, or god forbid insult the college. Just express an interest in the subject and the career field. Ask a lot of questions. I know some very successful people who were only B students at best (and struggled for that), but who really tried to eek every advantage out of wherever they were.
I wish I could go back and do college over knowing all this stuff, but it's too late for me. Hopefully you can get something from all this advice and do better.
Sorry I can't comment on the sciences, but I'm pretty astronomy is not a money-maker.
Thanks marie5v, you're the most helpful out of everyone. Looking at your place of living, have you guys even seen the lower end colleges here in the Bay firsthand? The Peralta Colleges and Chabot Colleges which are nearest to me are ghetto community colleges with mostly ghetto students and not really a place of learning and just a way to get your lower divisions done to transfer. The professors are either a hit or miss. I'm planning to transfer so I'll have to deal with the CCs near me. There is Diablo Valley College, which is one of the top, if not the best CC in the Bay, but very inconvenient for me to go because it is in Pleasant Hill. My options to transfer that I know of is UC Berkeley(if I do get in since it is very competitive and overly priced) or CSU East Bay(ok school but much easier to get in and affordable).
The fields/major that I'm interested in are biology, chemistry, astronomy, and environmental science(science not studies). Environmental Science is my first pick because looking at OOH, it only requires a bachelor's degree for entry level jobs and it's expected job growth is 19%. I'd like to see (helpful) people's input on it though.
the first question you need to be honest with is... do you really want to finish college? from your posts it seems you keep putting 'artificial' roadblocks.
if the answer is yes.. then start, even at a ghetto college, best to just do something and start something.. this way you can tell yourself.. you tried.. and a community college is a good place to start getting into the routine of class... study.. test.. etc. etc. until you are done with at least a bachelors..
if you dont want to go to ghetto cc or talk yourself out of berkeley, csu east bay, etc. etc. go the online route.
is it worth it? only you can answer that. it was worth it for me for millions who go for college degrees.. life may strike you down but an education is something nobody can take away from you..
i would not delay, i have friends in their 40s who dont have college degrees and regret it (they ALL do).. I tell them study something fun that you love so you can at least have a bachelors degree to put in your linkedin profile..
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