Got a college degree and a job, but still feel cheated?

[sheistbugz]

I feel you op to ab extent. I just strive to be happy regardless of the circumstances. Whether im struggling to get by our living luxury, that doesnt matter a whole lot to me as long as i feel good bout myself

 

[nicapino]

I didn't finish school, I need about 3 classes to go, but it is so true about WHO YOU KNOW>WHAT YOU KNOW. Any job you get, you will get training, so the "what you know" will be learned from there. WHO YOU KNOW will get u the interview/job. When I was in shool I worked at best buy $11/hr, when I was 'done", as my counselor told me, I got hired at walgreens making $16. Worked there for a couple of years, got up to $18, then I got hired at a hospital makin $22, then I went to another hospital making the same, a couple years later, I'm still here, at $24, but I only work part time. I still brought in 40k last year tho p/t. ALL of the jobs I had, I knew someone who worked there, and they helped get me in.

 

[theafricandream]

For some school is a necessary evil. I graduated 2 yrs ago with a degree in Finance. I now work at one of the big Wall Street firms making decent money (65k+), but I'm not thrilled with what I do...the hours sometimes, reptitiveness, etc. I can say though that school's given me good work experience and networks I could use in the future when I decide to pursue my own interests. Bottom line is, if you decide to go to school, you should try to make it as beneficial for you as possible...don't let school use you.

 

[mnmballa2323]

Originally Posted by eaalto

Originally Posted by wawaweewa

Originally Posted by rsdplaya

Originally Posted by DunkNForce

as long as i make 100K or more a year i will consider life a success

what if your life is miserable though...but you're making 100k, still a successful life?

Miserable + 100K >>>>>>>>>>>miserable + 50k.

Money doesn't equal happiness but it can contribute to the attainment of it. On the other hand, a lack of money severely limits your potential for happiness. Believe that.

That depends on what your definition of happiness is.  Is happiness defined by the acquisition of material goods?  A nicer car, a nicer house?  Is that what truly makes you happy?
When is enough, enough?

All I need to be happy is enough money to live comfortably, a car that gets me reliably from A to B, the occasional vacation, enough golf, and regular dome/sex.  I don't need a BMW or a 5 bedroom to be happy, a Corolla and a 2 bedroom would suit me just fine.

Because a Corolla and a 2 bedroom house would suit you just fine, you will never make it big in life, and will never strive for excellence.  Reach for the stars, and if you fall you land on a cloud. Don't reach for the tree, fall and land on a branch.

 

[blackstilettos]

Originally Posted by nomoplayinga

Originally Posted by YouMadYouBad

College is a scam if you didn't know OP.

Who you know > what you know

but isn't college the time and place to form solid connections with people in your industry?

Not necessarily. All of the connections I made I made through jobs I had in hs. You can make connections anywhere, really, if you put forth the effort.

 

[Rootin4EverybodyBlack]

Originally Posted by ThrowedInDaGame

Originally Posted by PassMeTheSoySauce

Originally Posted by moneyisthemotive

youre not alone ... college wasnt worth a damn so far ...

I feel you. It's a stupid investment. My parents forced me into college. I could have been doing real estate or investments from the get go

With what capital?

Go to college, get the 60k job out of undergrad and use that money for your investment schemes.

He was most likely talkin about working in Real Estate which you can do without a degree.

And who the hell is making 60K outta undergrad.  Most people aren't even hitting 40K.

I can't say how much of a "scam" college is cause I haven't graduated yet, but the 2 years i've been here i def. felt I could have done a lot more with the amount of tuition money that has been spent.

 

[gmsboy1]

What was your major OP?

 

[kicksnbeats]

Originally Posted by malikdagoat

He was most likely talkin about working in Real Estate which you can do without a degree.

And who the hell is making 60K outta undergrad.  Most people aren't even hitting 40K.

I can't say how much of a "scam" college is cause I haven't graduated yet, but the 2 years i've been here i def. felt I could have done a lot more with the amount of tuition money that has been spent.

Engineering majors for the most part.  Some even make more than that if they graduated from a well known technological university (MIT, GTech, Berkeley, etc).  My best friend who graduated from Berkeley as an EECS (electrical engineering and computer science) major landed a 80k/yr position with the government to repair submarines/ships for the Navy in Hawaii.

Unless you're planning on law school/teaching or have connections that run deep, it's a huge gamble to major in business or liberal arts in this recession.

 

[vasweetz]

Originally Posted by eight2one

im not where i thought i would be four years ago.

 

[vasweetz]

Originally Posted by eight2one

im not where i thought i would be four years ago.

 

[bogusreality]

so, you said you slaved for four years.

BUT

you didn't get into grad school?

what were you grades looking like?

 

[ham city]

Originally Posted by MnMballa2323

Originally Posted by eaalto

Originally Posted by wawaweewa

Originally Posted by rsdplaya

Originally Posted by DunkNForce

as long as i make 100K or more a year i will consider life a success

what if your life is miserable though...but you're making 100k, still a successful life?

Miserable + 100K >>>>>>>>>>>miserable + 50k.

Money doesn't equal happiness but it can contribute to the attainment of it. On the other hand, a lack of money severely limits your potential for happiness. Believe that.

That depends on what your definition of happiness is.  Is happiness defined by the acquisition of material goods?  A nicer car, a nicer house?  Is that what truly makes you happy?
When is enough, enough?

All I need to be happy is enough money to live comfortably, a car that gets me reliably from A to B, the occasional vacation, enough golf, and regular dome/sex.  I don't need a BMW or a 5 bedroom to be happy, a Corolla and a 2 bedroom would suit me just fine.

Because a Corolla and a 2 bedroom house would suit you just fine, you will never make it big in life, and will never strive for excellence.  Reach for the stars, and if you fall you land on a cloud. Don't reach for the tree, fall and land on a branch.

you sound like you're around 18 years old.  don't bother retorting with how you're 25+ with a career. unless you've "made it big in life" you sound like a complete idiot.

 

[ham city]

Originally Posted by bogusreality

so, you said you slaved for four years.

BUT

you didn't get into grad school?

what were you grades looking like?

from the jump, it's very hard to believe that the man's collegiate experience is not best described as slaving for four years.

 

[chadleroy]

checking in....the returns from college might as well be negative at this point

 

[veezyv]

i have a feeling i wont find anything that pays well after i graduate but work has been going well for me lately

 

[wawaweewa]

Originally Posted by 651akathePaul

Originally Posted by wawaweewa

Originally Posted by rsdplaya

Originally Posted by DunkNForce

as long as i make 100K or more a year i will consider life a success

what if your life is miserable though...but you're making 100k, still a successful life?

Miserable + 100K >>>>>>>>>>>miserable + 50k.

Money doesn't equal happiness but it can contribute to the attainment of it. On the other hand, a lack of money severely limits your potential for happiness. Believe that.

Nah, I can't get down with that at all. I see your reasoning, but I don't agree with it. 

Miserable isn't a dollar amount, it's a state of mind. No dollar amount fixes that, and the excess money is only delaying the inevitability of a poor quality of life. 

I agree with you that money does not fix psychological problems. I've said the same many times before.
However, a lack of money creates it's own set of problems and definitely does contribute to unhappiness. That's not saying that there aren't many people that are relatively poor and are still happy. At some point, many resign themselves to the fact that there are certain things that they cannot attain .

Money creates opportunities. Money makes things possible which otherwise would not be (for an individual).

 

[b smooth 202]

if you do everything by the book don't expect to be happy....I might struggle for a while but I'm really gonna try and do what I love...you only do this life thing once ya know?

I can't tell you how many times people have asked me what the hell I was gonna do with a history major...I usually just tell people law school but I really choose it because I was interested in history. Now it's my job to apply what I've learned to the real world, and I'm pretty confident I will.

I've been at the university for a couple years and I can feel reality breathing at my neck...I'm a few credit hours away from my BA in history...and I'm minoring in  Studio Art....I really feel like being a history major has provided me the narrative I need to find my place in this world....I just want to keep acquiring knowledge, being creative, and basically making it to the next day.

 

[da matrix 1]

AMWAY IBO GOOGLE IT !

 

[Y4BBZY]

IMO college is not overrated and a great experience for many. I also feel a college degree is definitely needed nowadays as a college degree is almost a required prerequisite for many jobs. I'm not saying having a college degree is the end all and be all of getting a job, connections is always a plus and almost always a necessity to landing a great job. My only gripe is when cats go to college to get a degree on anything just to get a degree or enter a major where the the competition in a particular field outweigh the demand and complain about the job market. Ummm hello, you knew that the job market was like that from the get go so why pick that major. I'm not saying don't try that major out anyway, I'm just saying know that their is a chance you might fail and might not get a job there. All in all, know that you have to have other options (i.e. like picking a major with a job demand or stability - engineering, science based courses, nursing, medicine, etc) when you get out of college and that most won't be making cake straight out of college.

Just my .02

 

[balloonoboy]

Originally Posted by bogusreality

so, you said you slaved for four years.

BUT

you didn't get into grad school?

what were you grades looking like?

I majored in psyc and phil. I got a 3.0 cum and great letters of recommendation. The school only admits 20 after interviewing 40. I wasn't what they were looking for. There is always next year, but honestly I don't see myself spending another three or four years in school, just to come out with no job to show for it. I wanted to go for counseling, btw.

And to the dude who said it's not wise to major in a liberal arts major during this recession, ditto.

I graduated in '09. In '05, I didn't know we'd be headed toward a recession. If I did, I would not have went to college. Sure as hell wouldn't have fit the bill if I knew I wouldn't be able to find work. I'm not going to lie, I did not use the resources to the best of my ability. This may very well contribute to not having a job. However, others who have done more than I have are still having trouble finding work in their field.

I wasn't expecting to be a psychologist coming out of undergrad. I knew I needed at least a master's degree, but now I don't even know where my interests lie. I do know that I don't want to be where I'm at right now next year.

I wouldn't mind having a job that pays more than what I'm making now. Hopefully, I'll be in a happier place. Hopefully, the world will treat me better. Right now it's giving me a good hindparts whooping.

 

[AZwildcats]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

if you do everything by the book don't expect to be happy....I might struggle for a while but I'm really gonna try and do what I love...you only do this life thing once ya know?

I can't tell you how many times people have asked me what the hell I was gonna do with a history major...I usually just tell people law school but I really choose it because I was interested in history. Now it's my job to apply what I've learned to the real world, and I'm pretty confident I will.

I've been at the university for a couple years and I can feel reality breathing at my neck...I'm a few credit hours away from my BA in history...and I'm minoring in  Studio Art....I really feel like being a history major has provided me the narrative I need to find my place in this world....I just want to keep acquiring knowledge, being creative, and basically making it to the next day.

QFT. going to college and gaining knowledge is a very valuable thing. Your major is also very important as well. I like history also but i chose molecular biology because it has a better job potential.

 

[reigndrop]

Originally Posted by malikdagoat

Originally Posted by ThrowedInDaGame

Originally Posted by PassMeTheSoySauce

Originally Posted by moneyisthemotive

youre not alone ... college wasnt worth a damn so far ...

I feel you. It's a stupid investment. My parents forced me into college. I could have been doing real estate or investments from the get go

With what capital?

Go to college, get the 60k job out of undergrad and use that money for your investment schemes.

He was most likely talkin about working in Real Estate which you can do without a degree.

And who the hell is making 60K outta undergrad.  Most people aren't even hitting 40K.

I can't say how much of a "scam" college is cause I haven't graduated yet, but the 2 years i've been here i def. felt I could have done a lot more with the amount of tuition money that has been spent.

I would've made 75k out of college had I not chosen the TFA route to pay my dues...

Most people I know are making at least 65k out of college. 

It's not that hard.  Just depends on what you want to do and who you know...

 

[nawlinsjunkie]

I'm thinking about joining the air force as an officer after college. I want to do something meaningful even if it means potentially taking a pay cut and living away for a while. I'd rather do that than slaving away for some corporation...

 And on top of that the management skills I gain as an officer wouldnt hurt future employment opportunities.

 

[throwedindagame]

Originally Posted by balloonoboy

Originally Posted by bogusreality

so, you said you slaved for four years.

BUT

you didn't get into grad school?

what were you grades looking like?

I majored in psyc and phil. I got a 3.0 cum and great letters of recommendation. The school only admits 20 after interviewing 40. I wasn't what they were looking for. There is always next year, but honestly I don't see myself spending another three or four years in school, just to come out with no job to show for it. I wanted to go for counseling, btw.

And to the dude who said it's not wise to major in a liberal arts major during this recession, ditto.

I graduated in '09. In '05, I didn't know we'd be headed toward a recession. If I did, I would not have went to college. Sure as hell wouldn't have fit the bill if I knew I wouldn't be able to find work. I'm not going to lie, I did not use the resources to the best of my ability. This may very well contribute to not having a job. However, others who have done more than I have are still having trouble finding work in their field.

I wasn't expecting to be a psychologist coming out of undergrad. I knew I needed at least a master's degree, but now I don't even know where my interests lie. I do know that I don't want to be where I'm at right now next year.

I wouldn't mind having a job that pays more than what I'm making now. Hopefully, I'll be in a happier place. Hopefully, the world will treat me better. Right now it's giving me a good hindparts whooping.

I'm going to be very blunt.

Getting a 3.0 in psychology is not slaving away. And if you did slave away to get a 3.0 in psychology....I don't even know man.
Were you pulling multiple all nighters a week to get a 3.0? Skipping parties and studying on Friday/Saturday nights? These are the kind of sacrifices people make to work at the top jobs. You
 
A 3.0 man? Maybe engineering, but psych?

You've got Aerospace Engineers (literally rocket science) guys pulling 3.7s out here man. Guys double majoring pulling 3.5s. You should not be surprised at your situation. May I ask what university you attended? Sometimes a top school can make up for your GPA. You can also go to Grad school at a lower ranked school if you went to a top school.

Like most college students who have the same story as you: You  might have done it to yourself.

My advice to freshmen so you don't make this post in 4 years.

1. Pick a good major that our capitalistic society actually values.
2. B.S. = 3.0+, B.A. = 3.5+
3. Intern
4. Network your $@@ off
You will not be making this post.

Seriously, freshmen go talk to the kids who had 5 job offers on the table. The kids who are blowing their signing bonuses in the strip club this spring. Make them your mentor, you will get very far life.

And who the hell is making 60K outta undergrad.  Most people aren't even hitting 40K.

Does your school not have an engineering program?

Lets start with engineering since its common. Most engineers at my school come out in the 60-70 range, and the guys who go to Tech or Big Oil come out in the 80-100k range...EASY and this is pre-bonus.

Other careers that will get you 60k+ but are a bit harder to break in to.
Consulting: Generally puts you in the 60-100k range depending on your firm...i.e. Deloitte= 65k, McKinsey =90-100k

I-Banking, I'm not even going to elaborate on this one.

Its not hard to make over 60k, you just need to pick the right career path and stack a good resume...........................
I guess because most of the kids at my school are engineers, my view on salaries might be skewed higher than what most people are expecting.

 

[the notorious bum]

Dang OP hope your situation gets better, Im majoring in what you majored in but Im slowly wanting to change my major and move to something in business and just grow within the company of Wells Fargo (My current job)