<p>“I’d hardly call making between 30 and 40k a year “lucky”. In fact, I wouldn’t bother going to college at all if I knew I’d be making between 30-40k when I got out.”</p>
<p>I personally very much still would…but it is because I love to learn and I like college. I suppose that if college is something you can’t stand or greatly dislike, “something to be done to get a degree/$$$$” then there wouldn’t be much point in going with that return on investment.
I don’t care about the pay, even at 30 k or a “lowly stipend” if I’m fortunate enough to get into a chosen grad program.
Why? Because I’ll be doing something I love- and college is part of that process. I’m not in a rush to get out and ‘rake in the dough’, as so many people see as the only purpose…
Even if I do get a grad degree and make very little relative to other degrees, even if it was not much better than a B.S.; if it would allow me to do what I would be interested in then I would be happy. But then again, I am also expecting to enjoy the process.</p>
<p>I think a lot of people become disillusioned when they see certain degrees as a means to an expected end or outcome, and then become resentful and regretful about their paths. For those who truly love the sciences, nothing else will do and there isn’t much you can say to change their minds…
This happened to me recently, as I went from a nursing major (nearly 3 years into my program) which would have offered certain job prospects/salary to looking at pre-med before finally facing my true interests and being okay with my decision to pursue science and grad school in that direction. I am fully aware of the uncertainty and job prospects, and have nonetheless recently changed to a bio major for undergrad.
I did not start out that way, and never knew that I would end up as a science major (though I had always been fascinated by science and the natural world). But my mind has been opened; I see the world differently and I have no desire to study anything else -there is nothing better to study than science in my mind.
I could have stuck with the nursing program; I was doing very well and had planned to go to either med or nursing grad school eventually. Either (or just remaining at undergrad level) would have again meant a secure, certain job with very good pay- but I was not happy with it. Nursing was completely unfulfilling for me- lectures based largely on what seemed like subjective material, overly practical and limited nursing skill labs- I found myself wondering daily if this was ‘it’ for college, I didn’t feel like I was learning much at all; I missed my science classes.
Currently taking a full load of science/math courses, I am much happier and I love how much I am learning.</p>
<p>sschoe2, I would suggest you take a look at the situation objectively and realize that this is one experience and that perhaps you would do better to move on and stop trying to turn others away from it. I realize that you most likely feel that you are being helpful, and a general ‘FYI here’s what happened to me’ may be well received and appreciated- but it is absurd to tell any prospective science major that they will certainly fail or “a degree in Chemistry or Biology is just simply a waste of money, effort, time, and in general life itself.” I’m sure you are aware that this is over-generalizing the situation with a personal bias.</p>
<p>I do hope that your own personal situation improves, and wish you the best.</p>