<p>"U.S. universities are churning out 43,000 new lawyers each year, but only 430 geologists"</p>
<p>Advantages of life as a geologist:</p>
<ol>
<li>Rocks don't argue</li>
<li>Rocks don't lie</li>
<li>Rocks(like cockroaches) are eternal</li>
<li>There are rocks in some pretty darn interesting parts of the world</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li> Rocks are fun to climb.</li>
<li> Some rocks make great countertops.</li>
<li> Rocks are great paperweights.</li>
<li> You can throw them at people you don't like.</li>
<li> The shiny ones are oftentimes valuable.</li>
<li> Without them, what would Fred Flintstone have done for a living?</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>Petrified rocks...decor in many living rooms in my neighborhood.</li>
<li>Ayers Rock, the 8 (or however many are left) Apostles, and all really big other rocks in Australia!</li>
</ol>
<p>From one of those geologists, yes rocks are rewarding......but the older I get, the less I "rock" & more I work with lawyers & engineers!</p>
<p>You can't drill or mine or quarry anywhere in the US anymore and if you try to do it in someone elses country you are a miserable exploiting imperialist so what do we need geologists for? Roads, bridges, and railways? NIMBY. Subways? OK subways are OK but how many geologists can you keep at work on subways.</p>
<p>On the other hand we have 11 million illegal aliens in the country and tehy each need a lawyer. How many clients can one lawyer handle? It looks like we have a shortage of them. 43,000 new ones a year probably won't keep up with demand.</p>
<p>patuxent,</p>
<p>The smart geologist will tell us WHY we can't drill, and how to take advantage of geological features to slow down those 11 million illegal aliens and put a dent in the lawyer business.</p>
<p>robyrm,</p>
<p>Thanks for jacking up your husband. But really, I feel irked by your insensitive generalization about Chinese and Koreans being rigid. Last time I checked, most top US research universities have tons of PhDs students from those countries and if they were lacking creativity and originality like you claim, I wonder how they can even finish their PhD thesis at schools like MIT and Caltech. Many innovations and breakthrough that came out of "American" universities were actually fruits and hardwork of foreign students and people don't even realize that. Many of the PhDs graduate are now flocking back where they came from. Just because your husband lacks some bright peers/subordinates doesn't mean the whole country of China, Korea or whatever lack them!</p>
<p>Math and science in America is generally weaker compared to other countries'. As a child of an engineer--my own father stresses that computer engineering shall gradually die within the next ten years, and stresses NOT to major in cs. However supposedly EECS and bioengineering are "hot."</p>
<p>I personally chose not to pursue biology (contrary to what my father wanted) nor engineering because 1) I hate chemistry 2) engineering is boring. I do like mathematics, but I can't major in it--I'd die from boredom. </p>
<p>Also engineering is probably one of the most difficult majors in college (besides physics) --yet the salary sucks (and it's difficult to have a "pay raise" in engineering-- your starting pay is what you get for the rest of your life (taking into account inflation, etc). That's because people with other majors pursue graduate degrees (while engineering majors generally have lower GPAs and thus have harder times getting into grad schools--also many engineering majors dont want to go to grad school)...and thus those who majored in something else, who later attend grad school, earn more than engineers.</p>
<p>man u make engi sound like the worst thing to do!!!
well i was pretty bent of chem engi initially but cos of soem of those factors and other, i have decided to do a double deg in business+acct.... tho i think i am gonna miss science also... :p</p>
<p>PompeyScum, I think engineers will look back at the 90's to early 2000's as the gold rush. This outsourcing thing is like having a rug pull suddenly under you; I don't know if and when engineering field will recover. However, I like to correct a few things, engineers tend to jum around for salary increase, so you're technically not stuck in the same salary unless you work for a defense company or some stodgy company like that. Years ago, stock options were what engineers work for, while salaries are the stipends engineers receive while waiting for the stock options to be worth something. I know they do away with stock options now,even Microsoft said it was a mistake to grant stock options, so that is why it will be harder to get rich.
I personally know a few engineers that got lucky and make up to $30 million while still in their 30's. That said, I think the easy money is over for this field. Maybe there is money in BioEngineering, but who knows?</p>
<p>I agree that many kids who used to become engineers (I only know software and computer engineering) don't do so now for two reasons. One, boom is over. Two, it is really hard. However, I also know that lawyers and investment bankers and corporate types alway always hunger for someone who can understand what all those engineers are talking about. So even if you don't want to be an engineer I cannot help but believe the knowledge and the degree are good. I also believe that while China and India are building the foundation for innovation, right now it is just plain nicer to live in the US (I am in Shanghai right now and have spent a fair amount of time in India). As a result, a disproportionate number of the exceptionally talented will actually prefer to live here (California in particular climate best by government test!). And, as innovation requires brains, and capital, much of it for the near term will happen here. But as the education system in China and India begins to support a problem-solving approach and the enormous flow of capital continues, building the infrastructure that comfort requires - this will change. There is no such thing as a guaranteed ticket. Markets are markets.</p>