my priorities have suddenly changed....

[brsingr]

after a lifetime of desiring to go into computer science/programming/game design, i suddenly want to go for organic chemistry, psychiatry and horticulture. What did you guys go to college for/what do you want to go for, and why? did you have any sudden realizations that led you away from a previous desire/field, into a new one?

also, does anyone know what field involves small electronics and soldering irons? would that be like... electronic engineering?

[a-guitarist]

I wanted to be a GIS Analyst... changed. I wanted to do Social Work, changed. I wanted to do Psychology, changed. I think I took a class under every degree choice at CCC in Auburn, NY, other than Early Childhood. I didn't know what I wanted, and because of it I wasted a TON of cash... which I'm still repaying.

But, in the end... I still don't know what I want to do. I think my primary "Want" is to pay the bills.

Basically what I went to school for at anytime was because I wanted to do it, and as my life changed and took bad turns and good ones, I learned what was really valuable to me and ended up lining more towards the health fields. If I go back to school, I'm going to go for Nutrition and Dietetics. Help people lose weight, stay healthy, get healthy, gain weight, or whatever they need. Hopefully to help people who are on the pills and treatments I was on for seven or eight years, so that even though their minds may be a crumbled mess for a time, their bodies will stay strong and not contribute to their mental status.

a-g

[brsingr]

i know what you mean, i don't really have a specific profession in mind, but these subjects interest me (i won't be able to be psychiatrist, can't make it through that much college.)

[Evangelion]

My progression of intended professions, as I aged from around 14 to present:

Computer Science -> Biotechnology -> Culinary Arts -> Music Education -> Political Science (with intentions of going to the CIA) -> Languages/Sociology -> Political Science/English Teacher (current)

So yeah... I bounced around all over the place, and I'm still not entirely set on what I want to do.

Some advice from someone currently in the process:

1) Don't go in undeclared. Pick a major so you can start taking classes in it and see if what you thought you were interested in is really what excites you. You can ALWAYS change your major.

2) Don't try to narrow down a profession that you'd like to pursue. It's great to say "I want to be a Horticultural Psychiatric Organic Chemist," but even once you finally get into your field of study, you will find different professions that interest you.

3) Don't try to lock yourself into anything, and don't feel like because you take a class or two in Political Science that you are condemned to be a political science major forever. I went through this a little while ago, and I was like "Hey, I'm in some 300-level political science classes, that means I have to be a Political Science major FOREVER." Not true. I'm actually considering dropping political science in favor of English.

4) Even if you're absolutely 100% positive (HIV positive, to be exact), test different waters. You may find something you like elsewhere.

5) Don't say "I can't handle that much school," in regards to advanced degree work. You may find you absolutely love something, or you absolutely want to get involved in a profession but can't without an advanced degree.

The best advice anyone can give you about the academic side of college is to approach it with an open mind.

[brsingr]

am i to assume you read this before my other thread, Evangelion? i think there might be some mention about it being suspiscious had you not. lol.

i think, if i was to develop a new substance with psychadelic properties, and sell massive amounts of it before it became illegal, i could be set for life.

still, i plan to move to japan and open a game/mod shop for a living, and that doesn't really require college (i already do installation and sales of modchips and softmods of consoles for money. I could live off of the income from that.) I still want classes that help with soldering, etc etc in college so i can seem more reputable. Being white and black, and looking hispanic, business in japan might be a bit hard without something to back me up.

[a-guitarist]

I can't speak for japan, but I'm fairly certain it says on official Korean websites that they aren't too keen on people of colour. It's cultural, but it's good to know before going out there. But, if that's your goal, you go for it and you make it happen.

I've got a friend who started his own business... it's been rocky as hell for him because he never advertises, and it's all been word of mouth. A year and a half later, he's starting to not lose money.

It's great to have a dream of starting a business, but if you want to make a living with it (as in, not living with someone else adn having other's name on everything), you've gotta have the papers and know the laws.

My family has a business, we're Silversmiths. We did it "unoffically" for awhile, then just decided we needed to get our name out there. If you put yourself on net with advertisements, get a webpage, and start claiming it in public as a profession, someone will hear you and sooner or later, that Uncle Samual will want his cut. (and rightly so).

We keep our books, pay our taxes, and curse about it like any other small business.... but if we didn't learn the rules, we wouldn't have known how to save certain dollars, claim certain things, and not get arrested. What does all this have to do with what you've said? Some countries will not allow foreigners to start businesses on their soil without jumping through a TON of hoops, just be ready to leap. (may I suggest practicing with a jump rope?)

But. Yeah. I know that for time being I wouldn't be able to handle getting a BA or BS in anything. But if I plug away at it for awhile, get a associate I can start working towards a Bachelours, then a Masters, maybe higher.

The best advice I can give you is DON'T go to a major university for school if you aren't 100% sure what you want to do. I'm in debt a bunch of money just going to a Community College. Go to a CC and take a lot of random classes to find out what interests you. That way you're paying 3000$ a year to find whether or not you like Precambrian Issues in Feminism, or if The Philosophy Of Harry Potter when reflected with Modern Islamic Issues is more your style. Sure, there is the whole "college experience" people say is worth the 15k a year... but in the end, if you're majoring in praying to the porceline god while smelling of green leafies, 15k a year is better spent on a new brain all together instead of pretending to fill the one you've got with "useful" info. (not saying you'll drink yourself and smoke yourself out of college... just most people do. I speak from experience.)

But, on the flipside, if you just want to learn soldering and other things that will help your future business... then why go to a college and sit through eight weeks of a class? You could just go to a local Vocation Center and take an Electrical class. They've got them all over, even moreso in metropolitan areas. I could go to Pratt or RIT to learn more about what to do in Silversmithing, and pay 15-30k a year doing it... or I could pay a couple hundred and take a week long class in a specific type of fabrication.

I personally HATE that people bang it into High School kid's heads that "COLLEGE IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL!" it isn't.. there are other ways. Learn a craft, learn a trade. I know five people that make a good, steady living in trades such as Plumbing, Heating/Air Condition Repair, and being Electricians... and they never got a college degree. Are they not successful? Well, their houses, cars, families, and health may speak to something other than college being the only way to be successful person.

True, you need a education to better your chance at being successful and happy, BUT... it isn't always done through college or school. Learn something worthwhile, something that interests you, and something that is easier for you to do than the other things.

If I can speak of WC for a moment, he got a semester away from Bachelours in Math only to find out he loved Economics... of which he now has his Bachelours in. Only added another year onto his College Career.

a-g

[brsingr]

it's less the government that has an issue with non-Asians, more the people in general. I've been to both korea and japan, and so far, I've seen that if you attempt to speak their language without completely butchering it, everyone's nice about it. the new generations have issues with Americans in Korea, but Japanese people in general have issues with non-Japanese people. Japanese are racist against other Asians, so... I am gonna marry a sexy Japanese chick and get me a citizenship, I am working on learning Japanese, and I've got two roomates who are going to move with me, one of whom is Japanese, and one of whom is Laos. The Japanese one already has contacts so we can get a job and apartment eventually (we will live in a 3 bed room in a Gaijin house until we can get some living space.)

[killalou]

also, does anyone know what field involves small electronics and soldering irons? would that be like... electronic engineering?

I went to school specifically for this. I wanted to design electrical mircoelectronic circuits for various applications. That would be Electrical Engineering (is the major) with a mircoelectronics specialization. Unfortunately as I learned after college.....all the electrical circuit design is done overseas and all American engineering is known for is system integration. *GROAN* There are still some design jobs, but most reside in CA and only want people from big EE schools (MIT, CIT, Standford, ect.) and are extremely hard to get. I did manage to get an offer from one...but I declined the offer because I felt bad that I lied to them about getting married soon (which they were very excited about). Anyways to answer your question more specifically, circuit chip placement and soldering on circuit boards are rarely done by engineers (except for maybe experimental prototypes). They are done by technicians...in your case electronic techs. All engineers seem to do is bitch at people, complain, get bitched at, and system integrate for various customers. Hope that helps.

[mya]

"i suddenly want to go for organic chemistry"

You are mad, you know not the horrors that await you. Run while you can.

Seriously organic chemistry is not fun. It is horrible. It took me four years to pass my organic chemistry classes. It is not like mathematics, everything has a exception rule and nothing makes logical sense. If you value your sanity stay away from this field.

If i was offered a high paying job which involved organic chemistry i would decline it in a blink of the eyes.

If you want to use a iron, just like my dad that is 1 meter from me fixing a TV, then get a repairman course and learn from experience. But i tell you, it is a job for passionated. I find it very boring all that ironing and searching for defects.

I got a friend who is a Agrarian Engineer and he is in the unemployment, because in europe there are little job opportunities for farming.

I took a 5 years course of Chemical Engineer and i have already worked at a high tech PC memory manufacture place. Don't get stuck on a single field, expand so that you can get a wide range of job.

Check you local Engineers guild/Order for advice.

[killalou]

I took a 5 years course of Chemical Engineer and i have already worked at a high tech PC memory manufacture place. Don't get stuck on a single field, expand so that you can get a wide range of job.

Check you local Engineers guild/Order for advice.

There arent any Engineer guilds/Orders/Tradeclans the specialization is attained through course work at a college or University offering that field.

[mya]

What, not final test like the Advocates Bar test ?

[killalou]

What' date=' not final test like the Advocates Bar test ?[/quote']

No test is required for a B.S. However...if you really want to prove yourself as a engineer and operate indepently you want to get your PE professional license. And this is only useful for Civil/Mechanical/Chemical Engineers.

[Evangelion]

It is not like mathematics' date=' everything has a exception rule and nothing makes logical sense.[/quote']

Hah. Sounds exactly like the English language.