What is your highest level of education?

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:14 am

I'll venture in on this one...I graduated from high school and had a full scholarship to a local college, but had the opportunity to leave my inky-binky (no future) town and go to work in an "exciting!" job with the FBI. Although it was certainly "exciting!" I've regretted it. I don't care how much life experience I have or how much additional knowledge I gain, I have been stuck in the same types of low to moderately-low paying jobs and will forever feel inferior to those who have the initials, even if they do work at McDonald's because they can't find a job in their field.

(I later attempted college twice [once for a semester and once for one day] and discovered it wasn't really an option for me any longer.)

Susan

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:28 am

Doug_Tipple wrote:However, years later, I am still having anxiety dreams about missed tests and graduation worries.

How about you?

Yes, I have those dreams too!
BS in Animal Science (after majoring in anthropology, art, photography, french, dairy sci...in that order.) I made excellent use of the degree as a minimum wage vet tech for a year.

I also completed 1/2 of a second bachelors, in nursing, when I realized that while I make a great geek, I completely lack the compassionate care-giving personality that is recommended in that profession. I'd really be better off giving drip-lines to computers.

Have also taken non-degree seeking courses in voice and languages, but since realizing that I don't have the math chops to be a physicist, there is no point in further formal studies--much can be learned on one's own.

rh · Post by rh » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:44 am

Bachelor of Music with a major in theory/composition, M.S. in Oriental Medicine. I suspect a doctorate is in my future if i want to stay in my current field.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:45 am

I answered 'some college'.

I am the only person in my entire extended family to ever attend college of any kind, and I am currently trying to get accepted into an institution where I can stay on campus. My major problem with education, even with substantial grants, is paying for it because I have absolutely no help from my family.

I often think that as much as I wanted to go to college originally, that perhaps I really should wait a semester or a year and get myself more fully together. It's a scarey thought, though, because I don't want to wait and never finish, which I am prone to do.

Wormdiet · Post by **Wormdiet** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:55 am

BA/MA in history

Amazingly, my degrees have been useful in my job, since I teach high school history.

Although I may be the first person in history to go to a Community College *after* getting an MA. I tried graphic design for a while before going back into "academia"

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:10 am

BS Computer Science. Also an EMT basic.

Like Wormdiet (Diet of Worms?) I started as a history major. Wish I had continued that sometimes.

Susnfx worked for the FBI? Cool. Did you track down serial killers and cereal eaters?

Emmline - Animal Science? My youngest daughter was considering that field.

Doug Tipple. Geology? I thought of that once briefly.

I considered meteorology at one time as well.

"This is Flyingcursor with your local weather"

amar · Post by **amar** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:17 am

doctorate in medicine and in sh*t.

dwinterfield · Post by **dwinterfield** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:30 am

For the frustrated many who are following indirect academic paths.

BLS? - that's a Bachelor of Liberal Studies. I obtained this degree from a large, eastern university 14 yrs after I began there as an undergraduate. Actually, the BLS is from a school at the university that I never attended, to which I never paid any money and which I couldn't locate without a map. Leaving the large university, never to return, 5 yrs after I started, I also briefly attended 3 other institution of higher learning, each of which contributed a credit or two to my eventual BLS. I realize some members of Chiff and Fipple would find a Bachelor of Liberal Studies unpalatable.

The BLS may sound a bit vague, but it made it possible for me to go to another school and get a Masters degree.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:31 am

Cranberry wrote:I answered 'some college'.

I am the only person in my entire extended family to ever attend college of any kind, and I am currently trying to get accepted into an institution where I can stay on campus. My major problem with education, even with substantial grants, is paying for it because I have absolutely no help from my family.

I often think that as much as I wanted to go to college originally, that perhaps I really should wait a semester or a year and get myself more fully together. It's a scarey thought, though, because I don't want to wait and never finish, which I am prone to do.

Stay with it, I say. For many of us there was no
non-messy way to be young. Time is on your side.

As like as not, the university/college is where you
will get it together.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:32 am

amar wrote:doctorate in medicine and in sh*t.

Those are separate?

Who da guessed?

Denny

amar · Post by **amar** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:47 am

Denny wrote:
amar wrote:doctorate in medicine and in sh*t.
Those are separate?

Who da guessed?

Denny

good one.

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:55 am

I have a B. S. in computer science from Columbia University. The school has a good reputation. I think I would have done better, been happier, at a smaller school. I am sure that none of my professors remember me. Classes in my major were always 60+ people, and I was one of any number of seemingly faceless Asian males.

Because of my choices, at this point in my life, my degree does not open many doors for me. There are far more CS job seekers than there are jobs in that field and I would say that I was an average programmer.

I read an article that said that the average career length for a computer programmer is less than that of a professional football player. Hard to imagine this being accurate, but it is also backed by many first-hand tales from other one-time programmers, and also people trying to get their first job in the industry.

Ah well, enough coffee grounds for the day, what is done is done. Onward and upward.
+ Bill

missy · Post by **missy** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 12:08 pm

AS in Science Technology.....
BS in Natural Science, with concentration in Chemistry, Biology and Horticulture.

Worked in analytical chemistry since getting the AS (got the BS via Evening College).

Missy

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 12:16 pm

Cranberry wrote:My major problem with education, even with substantial grants, is paying for it because I have absolutely no help from my family.

A lot of us have to get through schooling with little to no familial support. Have you looked into student loans? Try onr or both of the following:

http://www.dlssonline.com/index.asp
http://www.salliemae.com/

Student loans are scary but they're really not so bad. Much better than 'personal' bank loans or credit card debt, for example. You don't have to start paying them back until a few months after you graduate (when presumably you have a job). And with the first link, there are subsidized loans available to low income students (like you and me!) where the interest that accrues while you are in school is paid off for you.

Plus, with student loans, if you decide to go back to school after you've graduated, you can put the payments on hold again. That's what happened to me: graduated in May 2003, started monthly payments in November 2003, got accepted to grad school in April-ish 2004, took out a second student loan in August of 2004, and when I started university in September 2004 I notified my first loan company that I was back in school, gave them the necessary documentation, and those payments are on hold again.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 12:32 pm

BA in psyc, MSEd in Counseling Psyc. I started school back when Masters level psychologists were still accepted in my area. Despite not technically using my advanced degree (apart from a year and half as a Career Counselor), I think it's what allowed me to get my current job where I get to boss around 29 MDs and PhDs for the feds...

Eric