Most worthwhile university degree?

[emeraldrafael]

Greetings, and thanks for reading.

I'm planning on entering a 4 year uni program that earns me a bachelor's degree in foo.

However, I can't put my finger down on the perfect major, or even on my future career.

Now, here's my issue: I'm no expert in anything; I can't even flip burgers or mop floors, let alone perform cosmetic surgery or design perfect websites/software/graphics or art, engineer the most brilliant machines/electronics, or tackle the latest theorems in mathematics that would lead to minor breakthroughs in biochemistry. I can't even write well. I have no passion in anything, not even in video games like everyone else in this forum.

So, how do I fit in the world? I hope I don't end up careerless or unemployed.

PS. Should I go for a cheap school that gives me a great education including research/internship oppurtinties and a full scholarship, or a big brand name ivory tower expensive university populated with Nobel laureates?

Colleges dont really matter. Well, specific ones. THere's nothing to seperate you from a person who went for a two year associates school, someone who went to a community college, or another person who went to a four year college. I mean, yeah, the names are nice, but thats not something someone really looks for unless they went to the same college.

Secondly, you shouldnt ask what career to go into, i tshould be something you like. Now, if you're looking for something easy, accounting or something business-ie (management like) are good careers because you only need basic accounting skills (not really even that), anda decent personality. But you also need to be ready for long-ish work hours. BUt both are also standard four year degrees that are easy to do in practice that most any college offers. And each has a lot of scholarships available as you get up further in them.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Maybe I should just take it easy and relax. If I don't sweat, surely my niche would show up from nowhere. However, the clock is ticking and my impatience grows with every passing second. If I don't assemble the perfect road to the perfect career, I'm going to end up regretting my entire life.

How old are you, again?

I'm sixteen years old. I feel pretty green and pretty old at the same time. My age itself won't get me anywhere in life.

A Master's Degree normally takes four years.

Your average life span is probably around 80. Let's say that twenty years is the amount of time needed to do something with something you know. That leaves you about 50 years, including the time most people get crippled by age.

Point is: don't worry, you've got bags of time.

Just be sure that, whatever you're doing, you don't waste it.

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Ask yourself: "What do I want to do that I will want to do for the rest of my life?"

If your answer is "uh....", than you need to take a look at your interests and/or pick up some new ones.

No hurry, since you're only 16 years old and you've probably got a long life ahead of you.

 

[Annoying Turd]

Maybe I should just take it easy and relax. If I don't sweat, surely my niche would show up from nowhere. However, the clock is ticking and my impatience grows with every passing second. If I don't assemble the perfect road to the perfect career, I'm going to end up regretting my entire life.

How old are you, again?

I'm sixteen years old. I feel pretty green and pretty old at the same time. My age itself won't get me anywhere in life.

A Master's Degree normally takes four years.

Your average life span is probably around 80. Let's say that twenty years is the amount of time needed to do something with something you know. That leaves you about 50 years, including the time most people get crippled by age.

Point is: don't worry, you've got bags of time.

Just be sure that, whatever you're doing, you don't waste it.

I'll always do my best to be as efficient and resourceful as possible. Maybe I'll find a use for all that programming experience I gained making all those useless Vbasic/TIbasic doodad programs and suites. Maybe I'll have a use for the single-variable calculus & linear algebra as well as the calculus based physics I've learned in high school. I guess my high school diploma isn't completely useless, but in reality it doesn't advance me so much :-(

I think that a degree in communications, broadcasting, or Telecommunications could really help you out to get a solid career...

Driven people get those degrees and live wonderful lives as CEOs, while others end up at burger king. I guess the degree won't ultimately matter as much as the drive.

 

[thedoclc]

My OP

*snip*

Joining the military might help you sort things out.

I'm myopic, so I will never be the best soldier or military officer in the world. You've got a good point however; maybe I should take some sort of a break to sort things out before I dive into school.

I agree with everything you said except one thing; I'm blind as a dingbat without my glasses, and I paid off my undergrad loans in the service. That wouldn't stop you from serving and serving well if you wanted to. Still, it's not a life for everyone. Most people don't know what they want to be when they enter college, and of those who do, many of them wind up doing something completely different. You're hardly alone, for what it's worth. Hell, if you're even thinking about it at 16, you're way ahead of the curve. Almost no one's got these figured out at 16.

 

[Talshere]

snip

If you dont go looking you wont find it. As I stated I only found my course while combing uni's.

Even now I have only a small idea of what I want to do, and Im in my 3rd year. I'm toying with doing a masters, but career wise I'm stumped I came across an interesting subject while writing my tutorial essay last year, and have got a dissertation title on the same subject, so Ill see where it leads. but if you told me today I had to pick a career for the rest of my life, Id be clueless. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Don't get me wrong, I love my course, I enjoy it immensely. Knowing what you want to do, and finding something you like don't have to occur at the same time. Even most degree will not lead you directly into one career path. you will in no small part tailor your future career by the choices you make within your degree, the modals you take, what you focus on in essays and finally in your dissertation. Even medical degrees have vast areas which you can go off at a tangent to specialise, and you'd have thought that "being a doctor" would be a fairly decisive choice in picking a career. Any yet there are over 60 specialisations, each one worthy of a lifetimes dedication.

Your sort of getting the point but at the same time missing it entirely.

You choice of degree is NOT setting your path for the rest of you life. It is merely the first step in choosing where it might end. Like deciding that rather than turning on the spot your going to head in a vaguely north direction. You still have no idea where it might end, but every time you modify your course your narrowing down the path until you find what it is you want.

 

[Danny Ocean]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

For medicine, maybe.

I've been looking at Uni courses for the last year or so and from what I can see most BA/BSc degrees take 3 years. An extra year is added on the end to make it into an MA/Msc. The PHD after that varies immensely.

That's generally speaking.

Either way, the entire process doesn't take more than a decade, and doesn't consume all of your time while you're doing it.

I'll always do my best to be as efficient and resourceful as possible. Maybe I'll find a use for all that programming experience I gained making all those useless Vbasic/TIbasic doodad programs and suites. Maybe I'll have a use for the single-variable calculus & linear algebra as well as the calculus based physics I've learned in high school. I guess my high school diploma isn't completely useless, but in reality it doesn't advance me so much :-(

High school is designed to give you the basics of many things, but also it is designed to expose you to many things, and to, most crucially, teach you how to think.

Even those Latin classes I had for two years contributed to my overall intelligence even if I can't remember a single word. Every time you find yourself going "Aaaha!" in your head or verbally you're learning a new way of thinking-- a new way of looking at things.

The point is to spend all your time productively. If you can find something relaxing that is also productive (like reading high-brow fiction or decent non-fiction, educating others, learning an instrument, or whatever), it's quite possible to benefit and grow every hour you're awake.

 

[Lukeje]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

In Britain an undergraduate degree is three years; a masters on top of that is usually an extra year. Thus four years.

 

[Annoying Turd]

My OP

*snip*

Joining the military might help you sort things out.

I'm myopic, so I will never be the best soldier or military officer in the world. You've got a good point however; maybe I should take some sort of a break to sort things out before I dive into school.

I agree with everything you said except one thing; I'm blind as a dingbat without my glasses, and I paid off my undergrad loans in the service. That wouldn't stop you from serving and serving well if you wanted to. Still, it's not a life for everyone. Most people don't know what they want to be when they enter college, and of those who do, many of them wind up doing something completely different. You're hardly alone, for what it's worth.

Driven, talented, and able people can always leap over the brick obstacles that happen in their way, look at Stephen Hawking for example. Too bad I'm not that kind of person. I'm just a loser :-D.

snip

If you dont go looking you wont find it. As I stated I only found my course while combing uni's.

Even now I have only a small idea of what I want to do. I'm toying with doing a masters, but career wise I'm stumped I came across an interesting subject while writing my tutorial essay last year, and have got a dissertation title on the same subject, so Ill see where it leads. but if you told me today I had to pick a career for the rest of my life, Id be clueless. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Don't get me wrong, I love my course, I enjoy it immensely. Knowing what you want to do, and finding something you like don't have to occur at the same time. Even most degree will not lead you directly into one career path. you will in no small part tailor your future career by the choices you make within your degree, the modals you take, what you focus on in essays and finally in your dissertation. Even medical degrees have vast areas which you can go off at a tangent to specialise, and you'd have thought that "being a doctor" would be a fairly decisive choice in picking a career. Any yet there are over 60 specialisations.

Your sort of getting the point but at the same time missing it entirely.

You choice of degree is NOT setting your path for the rest of you life. It is merely the first step in choosing where it might end. Like deciding that rather than turning on the spot your going to head in a vaguely north direction. You still have no idea where it might end, but every time you modify your course your narrowing down the path until you find what it is you want.

Truth. Perhaps I should approach my career in baby steps.

 

[Talshere]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

For medicine, maybe.

I've been looking at Uni courses for the last year or so and from what I can see most BA/BSc degrees take 3 years. An extra year is added on the end to make it into an MA/Msc. The PHD after that varies immensely.

That's generally speaking.

Either way, the entire process doesn't take more than a decade, and doesn't consume all of your time while you're doing it.

Dont mistake and M course for an MSc. It might seem like a tiny distinction but it makes a difference. Not in the least because in the UK an M course is defined as a 4 year undergraduate course, and so eligable for undergrad funding from student finance, while an MSc is firmly a postgrade course and self funded. In almost all cases, MSc's are viewed as a higher level

You are correct however that individually, both are only 1 year. Most notably, an M course, being an udergrad course follows the standard undergrad year of Sept/Oct to April/May while and MSc is Sept to Sept.

 

[Annoying Turd]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

For medicine, maybe.

I've been looking at Uni courses for the last year or so and from what I can see most BA/BSc degrees take 3 years. An extra year is added on the end to make it into an MA/Msc. The PHD after that varies immensely.

That's generally speaking.

Either way, the entire process doesn't take more than a decade, and doesn't consume all of your time while you're doing it.

I'll always do my best to be as efficient and resourceful as possible. Maybe I'll find a use for all that programming experience I gained making all those useless Vbasic/TIbasic doodad programs and suites. Maybe I'll have a use for the single-variable calculus & linear algebra as well as the calculus based physics I've learned in high school. I guess my high school diploma isn't completely useless, but in reality it doesn't advance me so much :-(

High school is designed to give you the basics of many things, but also it is designed to expose you to many things, and to, most crucially, teach you how to think.

Even those Latin classes I had for two years contributed to my overall intelligence even if I can't remember a single word. Every time you find yourself going "Aaaha!" in your head or verbally you're learning a new way of thinking-- a new way of looking at things.

The point is to spend all your time productively. If you can find something relaxing that is also productive (like reading high-brow fiction or decent non-fiction, educating others, learning an instrument, or whatever), it's quite possible to benefit and grow every hour you're awake.

That's another good direction. I've been lucky enough to see both sides of education. I've experienced several different teaching styles in my short life: offline and online, text-book or face-to-face with the teacher/prof, 40+ person class and 2 beautiful young biology teachers, one poor shy, nervous student. I've also had the honor of teaching fellow students in groups or individually, myself or with one or two classmates helping me explain or illustrate concepts. Education seems like the most prestigious career in the world, but I don't know where I should specialize. I am not the most brilliant teacher or student in the world, I've never been a true expert in anything I've ever studied or taught. I'm no expert teacher.

 

[Melon Hunter]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

For medicine, maybe.

I've been looking at Uni courses for the last year or so and from what I can see most BA/BSc degrees take 3 years. An extra year is added on the end to make it into an MA/Msc. The PHD after that varies immensely.

That's generally speaking.

Either way, the entire process doesn't take more than a decade, and doesn't consume all of your time while you're doing it.

Dont mistake and M course for an MSc. It might seem like a tiny distinction but it makes a difference. Not in the least because in the UK an M course is defined as a 4 year undergraduate course, and so eligable for undergrad funding from student finance, while an MSc is firmly a postgrade course and self funded. In almost all cases, MSc's are viewed as a higher level

You are correct however that individually, both are only 1 year. Most notably, an M course, being an udergrad course follows the standard undergrad year of Sept/Oct to April/May while and MSc is Sept to Sept.

Also, it's considered standard in Britain for engineers to take a four-year course and come out with an MEng. I think it may be one of the few subjects where Master's is standard and Bachelor's is considered a lesser degree, because most people do a BA or BSc then take a Master's as extra if they so wish.

 

[shado_temple]

If you can stomach large amounts of science and mathematics, a BS in some form of engineering can take you far.

As for the college itself, do some research; find which colleges interest you, and how they rank when pitted against colleges of similar stature. Lists like US News's [http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges] can make things easy (it was how I found RHIT), but make sure it's a place you want to be. Remember: you'll be spending 4ish years at this place; make sure it's somewhere you'd like to spend a good chunk of time at.

I went through the same thing you're going through not more than 2 years ago; once you figure out what you want (and I mean actually want) to do, the rest comes fairly naturally. Also, what interests do you have? Skills and passions are aspects than can be obtained along the way, but only with a true interest in the subject can they grow.

 

[Talshere]

That's another good direction. I've been lucky enough to see both sides of education. I've experienced several different teaching styles in my short life: offline and online, text-book or face-to-face with the teacher/prof, 40+ person class and 2 beautiful young biology teachers, one poor shy, nervous student. I've also had the honor of teaching fellow students in groups or individually, myself or with one or two classmates helping me explain or illustrate concepts. Education seems like the most prestigious career in the world, but I don't know where I should specialize. I am not the most brilliant teacher or student in the world, I've never been a true expert in anything I've ever studied or taught. I'm no expert teacher.

Again, getting the point but missing it

There are people who even after 40 years in their chosen career feel that they are not an expert, that they read papers from others, maybe even up and coming fresh out of uni researches and thinking "why didnt I think of that". I have got to know several PhD students in my time at uni. These people will very soon be the foremost expert on their chosen subject, since a PhD is universally done in an area never before researched, and they out right told me they feel like hacks. that they can understand how people can appreciate their work. Very few people will ever possess the brilliance and confidence to declare themselves, world leading experts. This is something other do for them. To them, they are simply another person among peers.

You seriously need to stop worrying.

 

[Danny Ocean]

That's another good direction. I've been lucky enough to see both sides of education. I've experienced several different teaching styles in my short life: offline and online, text-book or face-to-face with the teacher/prof, 40+ person class and 2 beautiful young biology teachers, one poor shy, nervous student. I've also had the honor of teaching fellow students in groups or individually, myself or with one or two classmates helping me explain or illustrate concepts. Education seems like the most prestigious career in the world, but I don't know where I should specialize. I am not the most brilliant teacher or student in the world, I've never been a true expert in anything I've ever studied or taught. I'm no expert teacher.

That wasn't really the thrust of my post, but okay, let's roll with that. I'm lucky enough to have had face-to-face teaching with classes no larger than 15 students my whole life (My economics class now only has five students). Nonetheless I was a terrible student during my GCSEs (14-16)- I didn't do an ounce of work or any homework, and I underachieved.

First off, you don't need to be a specialist to teach. I'm no expert in economics, but I can simplify the concepts I know and teach them to others. I could probably teach GCSE English.

Second off, you haven't found your passion yet. Neither have I, really, but I take solace in the fact that I'm a fast, flexible learner. You are, too, when you want to be.

Third off, at 16, almost everyone is a generalist. Who can blame you? You've been doing about nine subjects for the last 10 years. You've not been made to specialise yet. Now you will be as you choose your A-levels (or whatever US peeps have).

You have years and years to become good at anything you want. Trust me and the guy above this post. Some people never specialise-- think how the coders feel with all these changing formats!

 

[Talshere]

Also, it's considered standard in Britain for engineers to take a four-year course and come out with an MEng. I think it may be one of the few subjects where Master's is standard and Bachelor's is considered a lesser degree, because most people do a BA or BSc then take a Master's as extra if they so wish.

Dont misunderstand what I say. An M degree even in my field is considered a higher level than its BSc equivalent. It is merely that the M course is more like a half step above the BSc, rather than the MSc which is the full step.

EDIT: It is fairly unusual however that M is more common than the BSc equivalent. I did not know that ^^

 

[emeraldrafael]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

In Britain an undergraduate degree is three years; a masters on top of that is usually an extra year. Thus four years.

Well, not in America, usually. But then again, thats with Minors, but I think minor degrees are always improtant.

 

[Talshere]

A MASTERS Degree??? No, a master's degree takes far longer then four years. You're looking at a six year process if not longer.

In Britain an undergraduate degree is three years; a masters on top of that is usually an extra year. Thus four years.

Well, not in America, usually. But then again, thats with Minors, but I think minor degrees are always improtant.

You sure your not thinking about PhD? These can conceivably take upwards of 3 or 4 years to collect and collate your data. Masters in the UK usually comprise of a fairly intensive taught section from september to may/june time, then a 3 month project, which usually is an experiment and writeup, but can be a very in depth lit review and a collation of preexsisting data an a rehash and review of that.


I have found this

The US masters degree is a graduate school degree that typically requires two years of full-time graduate school coursework to complete. Unlike students pursuing a bachelor?s degree, students in a master?s degree program will complete courses that are highly focused in their field of study (their major). As such, students must have already decided on their major before applying to a master?s degree program.

The US PhD degree or doctoral degree is even more focused and specialized than the master?s degree. Some students will complete a master?s degree before applying to a doctorate degree program, but that is not always necessary. Completion of a US doctorate degree typically takes between three and six years. The length of time will depend on the student?s educational background (a student with a master?s degree may take less time to complete his PhD if it is in the same field), the field of study selected, the student?s dedication and ability, and the complexity of the thesis the student has chosen for his PhD. The thesis is a very long, extensive, and original research paper that is a requirement for completing the PhD program. (Some master?s degree programs also require a thesis, but it is much simpler and shorter than the PhD program thesis.) Get detailed information by searching our list of top US graduate schools offering master's degree programs and PhD degree programs. US and Canadian students can view an extensive list of online masters degrees programs.

source: http://www.usastudyguide.com/mastersandphd.htm

 

[Melon Hunter]

Also, it's considered standard in Britain for engineers to take a four-year course and come out with an MEng. I think it may be one of the few subjects where Master's is standard and Bachelor's is considered a lesser degree, because most people do a BA or BSc then take a Master's as extra if they so wish.

Dont misunderstand what I say. An M degree even in my field is considered a higher level than its BSc equivalent. It is merely that the M course is more like a half step above the BSc, rather than the MSc which is the full step.

EDIT: It is fairly unusual however that M is more common than the BSc equivalent. I did not know that ^^

OK, I get it now. I've always been a bit confused about the myriad degree designations.

And, yes engineering is a bit odd like that. It dates back to when British engineering degrees were the standard 3 years, but in mainland Europe they were usually 5 years. This was eventually standardised so every European engineer did a 4 year course. Owing to its length, its treated as a Master's level degree in Britain. However, universities offer BEng degrees with the first 2 years of teaching being the same as the MEng students, but you need lower grades to get in for the same discipline (i.e. BBB for BEng but AAB for MEng for Electronic Engineering at one of my choices).

Also, after the end of 2 years, if you consistently got above 50% (so you're predicted a 2:2 or higher), you can upgrade to the MEng course. Conversely, if you're predicted a third class degree after 2 years on the MEng course, generally they kick you off into the BEng course. However, the implication is that of you're worth your salt as an engineer, you should really have an MEng.

 

[AngloDoom]

Take a break before Uni to sort your head out, and head into the world of work.

This gives you more moneyz for University spendings, as well as gives you a taste of the working world, whether you want to even go to Uni, and gives you time to think it out.