<p>Here is a hypothetical question I have been playing around with and I would love to get your opinions on it. I don't mention any of this in a bragging fashion, this is really something I am struggling with. As many of you know, I study psychology and really enjoy the field. However, I also work as a network administrator (skills I happened to pick up through the years as a hobby) and I do very well with computers, hence the dilemma.</p>
<p>With Psychology, it will take me 7 years to get my Ph.D and then my starting salary will be around $45,000. With time, I can become a full professor whose average salary (as published by the APA) is around $87,000, but it will take me probably at least 10 years and a few moves before I can get to that point. However, I will get the summers off for the most part and I will have excellent job security and will be doing something I love.</p>
<p>The hard part, however, is that my computer company is doing extremely well right now. If you extrapolate out this summer, I could make between $70,000-$80,000 if I quit school right now and kept on with computers (not that I would) with space to make more in the future. I have an ideal setup right now as I work for myself but also partially under another person who has a lot more experience, so I am learning as I go. I do enjoy the work but it does stress me out, which is a negative. Also, there is a lot less security as computers change and as companies make changes (as I would be a private contractor).</p>
<p>One thing that is unfortunate is that if I work with computers I really won't use my Notre Dame education. I do have a second major in Computer Applications, but I haven't really learned anything from it unfortunately. I am mainly in it just for credentials so I have something to point to other than references.</p>
<p>I know it is hard to put yourself in my shoes but if you were me, what would you do? Any advice? I love Psychology but I also enjoy computers and it is just hard for me to justify spending 17 more years in Psychology just to get to where I am now salary wise in computers.</p>
<p>Which do you enjoy doing more... while your doing it. Your education is not a waste if you enjoyed getting it... and dont lose it. My mom got her masters in Psychology just last year. She works in an office at a Catholic church down the road setting up CCD classes. She loves both, but has more fun doing the other and never regrets chosing it. Its a crappy situation to be in but thats a problem only you can tackle yourself though. Sorry, I'm not real good with advice. But i hope you can make up your mind and everything works out well for you. :)</p>
<p>lol, well I really can't complain about my situation at all but it is just something I have been thinking about. I really enjoy both, but I have seen more of the computer work and I know it better. I am hoping with doing an honors thesis in Psych this year I will be able to get a better feel for Psychology and see if it is truly for me. In other words, I just don't know yet which I like better because I don't have enough experience :(. They both have large pluses and minuses.</p>
<p>Don't worry, I appreciate all the advice I can get and I know that this is really a question that I just have to figure out. I just am curious to hear what you guys think or what you would do in my situation (which hopefully will tell me that I am not crazy for considering it). It just feels so funny to consider something other than Psych because I have just assumed that I would be a Psychologist for years now!</p>
<p>The main issue, as I see it, is security. Anything tech related can be outsourced. Whether it be programming, web-design, IT support, or chip design, American companies see little problem in sending quality jobs to India or China. Psychology is a bit different as it is not a tangible skill that can be put to use after a month of on site training. After all, have all of our therapy hotlines been sent to call centers in India? No. Americans produce and harvest the fruits of psychology in the country. Granted, theories are discussed globally, but the monetary benefit remains local. For this reason, it is an extremely secure field. You also don't have to worry about theories (Psychology Vista or Psych Leopard) that are going to knock your business out of competition. The skills you learn at ND in psychology will be useful for hundreds of years. </p>
<p>I live in Silicon Valley and many friends and family have lost jobs in the tech field. I realize my point might be a bit exaggerated but now, more than ever, security is a must. Psychology is a very secure field with a decent payoff. And should you go the psych graduate school route, the next ten years could be profitable with your computer know how. Free lance programmers are striking it rich these days (i.e. YouTube and Digg) thanks to innovative sites and programs. So maybe you could get the best of both worlds. Who knows?</p>
<p>Which is worse: Working with computers for the rest of your life and missing out on the extra education and the chance to try working as a psychologist
-or-spending more money and having to scrape by financially for a few more years? Would you really miss your computer business if you stopped working there?</p>
<p>In your situation, I would be inclined to go with psychology, but I'm sure the extra money is very tempting. I do have a cousin-in-law who decided to accept a very good job offer to work with computers right after HIGH school (turning down offers to several good colleges). He makes good money and is happy with his choice. But, then again, computers are what he LOVES, and it doesn't seem to matter to him that he never got the extra education (although its definitely a different situation - I would have advised him to go to college, but no one listens to their girlfriend's 11-yr old cousin, lol).</p>
<p>Security is a great thing, and definitely something I would like to have in the future. I guess my problem is just that I don't have enough information on either field. I enjoy learning about psychology but will I still love it when I am pressured to publish or die and have to teach 500 student intro classes? I have had fun with my computer job, but will I enjoy it when that is all I do (I actually dream of networking every night...scary!!!) I just am not sure but yet those are the questions I have to figure out.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for your responses (and if there are more to come, then please feel free). Also, I wouldn't feel horrible if I didn't have the extra education, just because I will have my ND BA, but it would be nice nonetheless. I am just trying to figure out if it is worth 7 years of my life and I am doing a lot of cost benefit analysis, ugh! Perhaps I am the one who needs therapy, lol.</p>
<p>Advice from a middle-aged woman: After graduation, run with the computer business and save, save, save. Invest, invest, and save some more. Evaluate your career choice in a few years. Still want psych? Nobody will stop you from jumping in full-time as a grad student. But you will be a very rich grad student with the ability to focus on school and not have $$$ worries. Of course, I'm assuming you get pleasure and satisfaction from the computer field. Not just income.</p>
<p>My own career has changed on occasion after going back to school a few times. Quite divergent paths, too. It might be tough for a 55 year old computer guy to jump into psych. But you'll still be under 30, correct? Plenty of time to switch direction.</p>
<p>I have a B-I-L who switched from a profitable life path to psych. He has struggled financially for years. He didn't build up a bank account accruing compound interest or a growing investment portfolio. He regrets that, needless to say.</p>
<p>I have a lot of options because I am only 21 and my GRE scores are good for five years (everything else is good forever). The only thing that holds me back from complete freedom is that if I am away too long all of those wonderful ND loans come due :(. Oh well, still worth it. </p>
<p>We will see, at least I have time to think about it. Thank you all for your advice, I appreciate it!</p>