College, graduating early?

[Empire 30]

So... I'm a freshman, and by the end of this year I'll only be 7 credits away from being a sophomore.

Is it worth it to graduate in three years instead of 3 and a half to four? Do you guys think it's worth the 'college experience' to stay in for my senior year? Keep in mind I go to a private college and tuition is something like 50k.

Also, if you like economics, my total benefits would also count my first year of my job (probably 60k to 100k), so I would be 'losing' over 100k if I stayed for my forth college year.

I'm asking now, because I have to start planning ahead now.

[Kai! 3]

get an internship and graduate early.

if you cant find a job, then just hang out at school and pretend your still going to have fun

[Ika 320]

Someone in my frat is now only part time as a senior. All he does is dick around all day and play games, and he doesn't pay jack for school. I'm not saying this is the best course of action, but going part-time might be the thing to do. Get a job while you're at it, and it'll be good times.

[Tansen 52]

Finish it early empire. Make your money when you can, unless your in some sort of heavily networked and who you know counts kind of industry you should finish it asap.

[Longcat 126]

So... I'm a freshman, and by the end of this year I'll only be 7 credits away from being a sophomore.

Is it worth it to graduate in three years instead of 3 and a half to four? Do you guys think it's worth the 'college experience' to stay in for my senior year? Keep in mind I go to a private college and tuition is something like 50k.

So at the end of your 2nd semester, you're 7 credits away from being a sophomore? That sounds more like you are behind than ahead to me.

But anyways, the "College experience" only lasts two years. It becomes studying and shit after that.

[Fruggles 23]

Yeah, I could graduate in 2.5 years, but I'm taking on another major, and minor, so I plan on staying for at least 4...If you can find a job and make that money right out of your 3rd year, do it! You can always go back to school down the road if there's more you want to do.

Edit: mind if I ask what school you go to?

[Empire 30]

So at the end of your 2nd semester, you're 7 credits away from being a sophomore? That sounds more like you are behind than ahead to me.

But anyways, the "College experience" only lasts two years. It becomes studying and shit after that.

I meant I was 7 credits away from being a junior (meaning, next fall i would be taking all junior classes)

I'm doing chemical engineering at Johns Hopkins, and I got something like 30 AP credits from HS. (which is roughly 2 semesters of college)

And I just talked to my adviser, and I'll probably be graduating in 3. I'll take some winter/summer courses to get my Arts & Crafts credits.

So for all you fags out there who think AP credits are gay, I'll be saving $50K on my college degree for about 300$.

[ctark 1983]

Congrats, Good school too.

I would go 3 years, find a job, make sure you like that shit, then once you get some hands on exp, go back part time / night school and study things that interest you.

also, Dam man you must be really smrt, thats a shit load of AP creds

[Fruggles 23]

I meant I was 7 credits away from being a junior (meaning, next fall i would be taking all junior classes)

I'm doing chemical engineering at Johns Hopkins, and I got something like 30 AP credits from HS. (which is roughly 2 semesters of college)

And I just talked to my adviser, and I'll probably be graduating in 3. I'll take some winter/summer courses to get my Arts & Crafts credits.

So for all you fags out there who think AP credits are gay, I'll be saving $50K on my college degree for about 300$.

Amen to that brotha...gratz on JHU. I couldn't afford to go there, or I'd be up thar with you. Fortunately my parents work at Emory U. So I go for free, or it'd still be 50k...

If you can work out your schedule to graduate in 3 years without having to miss anything important educationally, I'd go for it...esp from JHU.

[Tansen 52]

Wait let me ask you this what do you mean "College experience" you mean the parties and the keggers and crap? What in your words defines college experience I'm not asking in a condescending manner but just trying to get a sense of the matter.

Because people do stay behind sometimes but only difference is your not getting any smarter or helping yourself after these types of experiences as described above. Can you imagine a double digit IQ doctor examining you.

[Ren 2]

I had 55 credits from high school and kind of ended up regretting it; I ultimately ended up doing everything I could to stall graduation. It's not really all that hopping fun to be thrown out into the real world early. On the other hand, I would have less of a debt if I had just sucked it up and graduated on time. 50K a year is an awful lot, and probably not worth the extra year of "freedom". How would it be cost-wise if you just did 2 part-time semesters? Then you could stretch out your time, work on the side, and still have one foot in the door if you changed your mind.

[Fruggles 23]

Wait let me ask you this what do you mean "College experience" you mean the parties and the keggers and crap? What in your words defines college experience I'm not asking in a condescending manner but just trying to get a sense of the matter.

Because people do stay behind sometimes but only difference is your not getting any smarter or helping yourself after these types of experiences as described above. Can you imagine a double digit IQ doctor examining you.

Hey nao, a doctor with a 99 IQ is still considered average xD

I had 55 credits from high school and kind of ended up regretting it; I ultimately ended up doing everything I could to stall graduation. It's not really all that hopping fun to be thrown out into the real world early. On the other hand, I would have less of a debt if I had just sucked it up and graduated on time. 50K a year is an awful lot, and probably not worth the extra year of "freedom". How would it be cost-wise if you just did 2 part-time semesters? Then you could stretch out your time, work on the side, and still have one foot in the door if you changed your mind.

This is a pretty good idea/point...only issue with part-time semesters is you actually end up paying more per class/semester than you would for a full-time semester. It's how colleges nickel and dime the part time students to make up for enrollment shortcomings or other costs xD

[Ren 2]

This is a pretty good idea/point...only issue with part-time semesters is you actually end up paying more per class/semester than you would for a full-time semester. It's how colleges nickel and dime the part time students to make up for enrollment shortcomings or other costs xD

That's true... But perhaps by working part-time as well, you could easily make up the difference (however, you'd also have to take into account an extra semester/year of living expenses, if you're on your own).

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

So... I'm a freshman, and by the end of this year I'll only be 7 credits away from being a sophomore.

Is it worth it to graduate in three years instead of 3 and a half to four? Do you guys think it's worth the 'college experience' to stay in for my senior year? Keep in mind I go to a private college and tuition is something like 50k.

Also, if you like economics, my total benefits would also count my first year of my job (probably 60k to 100k), so I would be 'losing' over 100k if I stayed for my forth college year.

I'm asking now, because I have to start planning ahead now.

I'm gonna be real w/ u.

Str8 out of college w/ no experience w/ an undergrad....you're not making 60K. Someone lied to you or you lied to yourself.

[Empire 30]

nope sorry chosen

starting salaries for chemBEs out of JHU are from 50-100k (depending on GPA)

we have the highest starting salaries out of JHU, including the esteemed biomedical engs

(if you look total chemEng salaries up, its gonna say avg 65kish, but you gotta see where JHU is on the scale of universities as well)

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm

and im gonna get an internship next summer, probs at air products

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

nope sorry chosen

starting salaries for chemBEs out of JHU are from 50-100k (depending on GPA)

we have the highest starting salaries out of JHU, including the esteemed biomedical engs

(if you look total chemEng salaries up, its gonna say avg 65kish, but you gotta see where JHU is on the scale of universities as well)

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm

and im gonna get an internship next summer, probs at air products

Well best of luck to you.

BTW, the stats you showed me were the national average in 2008 "PRIOR" to the recession. To get a better understanding you might want to look at the salary range for your city and let me know what you find.

[Fruggles 23]

I think the issue for him is more going to be finding a job xD

There are quite a few majors that pretty much ensure 50k+ right out of school - assuming you can find a job. Esp. with the sciences, corporate jobs pay really well without requiring a PhD or even necessarily a masters.

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

I think the issue for him is more going to be finding a job xD

There are quite a few majors that pretty much ensure 50k+ right out of school - assuming you can find a job. Esp. with the sciences, corporate jobs pay really well without requiring a PhD or even necessarily a masters.

50k for a masters or PhD level is an insult. What you have to realize is you are competing against all the grads from the same and previous years. What will make a company hire you over someone else? Once you get out into the real world people don’t care about GPA or where you graduated from (there are exceptions). When I was a CIO of a hospital; when I hired ppl I only cared about personality and job experience. Chances are they will care about those things too.

Feel free to disagree, but what are you basing it on; “because I heard it from a friend” or experience?

[Empire 30]

yah i agree w/ chosen there, after your first/second job, college doesn't matter anymore and your work experiences start to take the majority of the pull

BUT, your first job depends heavily on your GPA, according to my college job advisers

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_EN04100003.html

i can keep finding these websites chosen... this one has data from november 2009

and the last website had data from july 2009 - "As a group, engineers earn some of the highest average starting salaries among those holding bachelor's degrees. Average starting salary offers for graduates of bachelor’s degree programs in engineering, according to a July 2009 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, were as follows:"

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

yah i agree w/ chosen there, after your first/second job, college doesn't matter anymore and your work experiences start to take the majority of the pull

BUT, your first job depends heavily on your GPA, according to my college job advisers

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_EN04100003.html

i can keep finding these websites chosen... this one has data from november 2009

and the last website had data from july 2009 - "As a group, engineers earn some of the highest average starting salaries among those holding bachelor's degrees. Average starting salary offers for graduates of bachelor’s degree programs in engineering, according to a July 2009 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, were as follows:"

Concur w/ statement and recent data. However, "national averages" can be misleading. Look for local salaries and compare to national average.

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

yah i agree w/ chosen there, after your first/second job, college doesn't matter anymore and your work experiences start to take the majority of the pull

BUT, your first job depends heavily on your GPA, according to my college job advisers

Sorry for the double post (long morning)

Yeah, be careful about someone who makes 25-30K telling you how to make 60-100K.

"those who can't do teach"

[Supernaut 1]

Sorry for the double post (long morning)

Yeah, be careful about someone who makes 25-30K telling you how to make 60-100K.

"those who can't do teach"

So true. Can't even count the number of times I've run into people who do that.

[Fruggles 23]

50k for a masters or PhD level is an insult. What you have to realize is you are competing against all the grads from the same and previous years. What will make a company hire you over someone else? Once you get out into the real world people don’t care about GPA or where you graduated from (there are exceptions). When I was a CIO of a hospital; when I hired ppl I only cared about personality and job experience. Chances are they will care about those things too.

Feel free to disagree, but what are you basing it on; “because I heard it from a friend†or experience?

My basis is on the fact that my Dad has worked both sides of the coin, going from school into corporate up to a VP position, then changing careers and working in healthcare until he went back to teach at med school; me mum has worked in academia her whole career and is a college administrator, so she knows a bit about those choices to be made right out of school; finally, my brother is a physics grad at UPenn working on his PhD. He contemplated going to work right out of school for close to 50k, but wanted to get at least a masters. He'll be making 120+ to start if he goes into the industry after getting his masters+PhD...

issue with that is that industry doesn't always offer the biggest chance for promotion - depends on what you're doing. I guess that's the biggest thing, is what you're doing and what you plan to do after graduation...sorry for the backtrack...

to the current issue. Certainly work experience is more important than the college achievements (usually), but again, depends on the field and the job, as some jobs will have a much different objective, and while good character and work references can be gotted from previous work, the qualifications may still come from your degree, so...always something to keep in mind there as well.

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

My basis is on the fact that my Dad has worked both sides of the coin, going from school into corporate up to a VP position, then changing careers and working in healthcare until he went back to teach at med school; me mum has worked in academia her whole career and is a college administrator, so she knows a bit about those choices to be made right out of school; finally, my brother is a physics grad at UPenn working on his PhD. He contemplated going to work right out of school for close to 50k, but wanted to get at least a masters. He'll be making 120+ to start if he goes into the industry after getting his masters+PhD...

issue with that is that industry doesn't always offer the biggest chance for promotion - depends on what you're doing. I guess that's the biggest thing, is what you're doing and what you plan to do after graduation...sorry for the backtrack...

to the current issue. Certainly work experience is more important than the college achievements (usually), but again, depends on the field and the job, as some jobs will have a much different objective, and while good character and work references can be gotted from previous work, the qualifications may still come from your degree, so...always something to keep in mind there as well.

Concur....

However, if you get a degree in (insert here) and someone else gets an MBA; don't bitch that your not management. Some people go to school to be "doers" and some go to school to be "leaders". The leaders/"shot callers" make the most money. Something I learned a long time ago: The Golden Rule of Economics - The one with the gold makes the rules

[Empire 30]

The one with the brains makes the gold.