[Mitser]

I know I do not post much, however, I thought I would get some 3rd party advice on an issue I am having.

I have been attending university for the last 4 years, a UC, but am entering my fifth year and going nowhere fast. I am stuck in a major I do not want and still have a lot of work to do. If I am to finish this degree, THAT I DO NOT WANT, it will take me 60 more units yet. What I want to do is Chemistry but have no hopes in changing my major this late. I am wondering if I should pull now and start pursuing Chemistry at a junior college than go back into a 4 year university or should i just suck it up and finish with what I am doing? After all I have put a lot of time into UC, but have been bouncing around from major to major. My mom supports me leaving to pursue chemistry, even after all the financial investment, but my dad does not like the idea. What do you guys think?

Much thanks,
Matthew

[thePurpleGiant]

How much longer will it take you to finish it full time? (over here 90 units would equal about 12 years!!) Is your current degree somewhat related to chemistry? If so, you could look at a double-degree in which you could then make the most of yoru current units completed, but also continue with another degree.

If you have less than 2 years remaining, I hate to say it, but I'd probably continue. A degree in anything is a handy thing to have.

[Link]

I will say two things:

First off, if you've taken this much time to learn that you want to do something ELSE, you really should have contemplated before you went to college heheh...

Anyway, if 60 credits isn't too far off, finish it up. Having two degress is ALWAYS better than having one (who says you can't turn around and do chemistry after you finish?)

[wataru]

Originally posted by Link:
First off, if you've taken this much time to learn that you want to do something ELSE, you really should have contemplated before you went to college heheh...

News flash, you prepubescent twerp: Not everyone knows what they want to do before college, during college, or even after college. Sitting down and just thinking about it doesn't help. You need a gut feeling, some inspiration, that usually only comes from trying out tons of stuff and finding something that clicks.

My girlfriend is in sort of a similar situation, having just now, after her second year, decided that she wants to go into biology/genetics. She has a chance of finishing in 5 years (before her aid runs out) so that's not so bad. Anyway, I wish the original poster luck. If I were you I'd go for the chemistry if that's what you really want.

[Mitser]

Purplegiant: 60 units here is about 1 to 2 years depending on how many classes I take per quarter. My current degree is really nowhere close to chemistry but close at the same time. I am Social Ecology whicj is basically the political side of envirnmental science. Do not ask whay I picked this major as I am still trying to figure that out myself. Double major is definately to late at this point.

Link: Yeah I agree about the going to college issue. I went because I did not know what else to do at the time. However, it is in the past and I can not change that. It is feasable for me to finish in the next year. The problem is that I do not have the motivation to continue with this major anymore.

I suppose what I will try to do is finish off my current degree while slowly starting with chem classes at a junior classes. I suppose that would be the best way to go.

Thank you,
Matthew

[mitchell_pgh]

Regardless of where you are or how deep you are in to a major, ALWAYS go after what will be more enjoyable.

Look in to getting what you are doing now as a "minor" and get the major in what you like to do.

You think you are taking forever until you are stuck in an industry and job that you hate!

College is one of the few adult times in your life where you can just turn on a dime with few consequences. If anything, employers will like hearing that you were doing one thing, but found your passion in Chemistry (or whatever you choose).

[chalk_outline]

I did three years of accounting. What a nightmare. Luckily some of that transfered to my econ degree. Don't waste your time doing something you hate. You have to pick sometimes.. Money or happiness. As strange as it is econ is my happiness. And Link is a child.

[voyageur]

Do what you love.

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by voyageur:
Do what you love.

You will have more fun in college anyway. Don't let your friends that are making a little money influence you. Do what you need and want to do.

[phoenixboy70]

a bachelor degree (i guess this is what you are shooting for) is pretty much useless these days, if you don't have the credentials (work experience, publications etc.) to back it up.

it is hard enough to get a job doing somehting you love to do. think about your future!

i find it sad that you have spent so much money on something that you really don't want, but it is still time to get out, which is exactly what i would be doing if i were you.

save the money you would else spend on the 60 credits, and start over with somehting you 'd really like to do, and are good at. if you like chemistry, go for it!

my 2 ��

[dav]

a few years is a small price to pay for a career you're passionate about.

[wolfen]

Be sure you love Chemistry BEFORE you go in. Your newfound passion maybe tomorrow's regret, again!

Buy a couple of textbooks and read through them in your free time. Don't just imagine you like chemistry, either. Talk to professors in that department about the kinds of jobs chemists are likely to find out of college.


wolfen

[Millennium]

Is chemistry something you really want to do for the rest of your life?

Think about this long and hard. If you decide that it is, then go for it. Some of the credits you've already earned will almost certainly apply; exactly how many depends on what you're currently doing. What is your current major, out of curiosity?

[dav]

Originally posted by Millennium:
What is your current major, out of curiosity?

Originally posted by Mitser:
I am Social Ecology whicj is basically the political side of envirnmental science.

well, i can understand the desire to change

[Mitser]

Most people thus far have had very valid points. As for the comment about spending lots of money, my education thus far has been free aside from my own time. In regards to the textbook idea, I have doen so. I have also finished the first semester of general chemistry at a local junior coolege and am enjoying greatly... trust me when I say I have thought and researched it greatly. It is my families problems with me switching that is holding me back and I do not know why. I suppose I am just hard headed.

Matthew

[Mitser]

What is also sad though is that I agree with the argument of finishing out my degree after all this wotk I have gone through, but I also agree with following what I enjoy now and not wasting anymore time on what I dislike. Perhaps I should become a damn hermit and live in the park. On a plus side I always have my math minor, as that will get me real far. *cough*

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by Mitser:
What is also sad though is that I agree with the argument of finishing out my degree after all this wotk I have gone through, but I also agree with following what I enjoy now and not wasting anymore time on what I dislike. Perhaps I should become a damn hermit and live in the park. On a plus side I always have my math minor, as that will get me real far. *cough*

You could always finish the one you don't like and get a Masters in what you do like. Just an idea. It usually validates the family... but from experience, you should do what you want to do. College isn't black and white. You could get in to chemistry and find you actually like doing both so you get two degrees. Don't lock yourself in to something you don't care about.

Time in college is time well spent.

[Joshua]

Go talk to some of the chem faculty at your university and ask if there's any chance you could get into a chemistry masters program with a BA/BS in Social Ecology. If it's workable, your best solution may be to finish out your undergrad degree and then pick up an advanced degree in the field you're really interested in.

Also, keep in mind that your major doesn't matter as much in the "real world" as you probably think.

[phoenixboy70]

Originally posted by Mitser:
My mom supports me leaving to pursue chemistry, even after all the financial investment...

Originally posted by Mitser:
As for the comment about spending lots of money, my education thus far has been free aside from my own time...

[Mitser]

I shall rephrase my poor use of words phoenixboy. I was referring to when I said free is that it is costing nothing out of my pockets. That is why I do not mind the wasting of the money as it comes from somebody else. Tuition is far cheaper than my parents had planned on so I have more than enough to cover my expenses for some time to come. My apologies on my poor choice in wording and my contradicting myself.

Matthew
the wondering idiot

[phoenixboy70]

Originally posted by Mitser:
That is why I do not mind the wasting of the money as it comes from somebody else.

does your mom know this? you might wanna develop a different attitude towards money once you hit "real life". somebody (probably) had to work hard to earn that cash.

don't mean to sound preachy here...but damn.

[Jan Van Boghout]

You may want to consider the fact that high school chemistry and university chemistry is a world of difference! (At least here in Belgium)

[Mitser]

Originally posted by phoenixboy70:
does your mom know this? you might wanna develop a different attitude towards money once you hit "real life". somebody (probably) had to work hard to earn that cash.

don't mean to sound preachy here...but damn.

Let me keep it simple... my parents and I have always had a strange strained relation, I will not dive into that though. I do however understand the value of money and the effort one has to put out for it. Along with school I do work 24 hours per week, while paying for my:car, insurance, rent. gas, cell phone, and 2 credit cards. That does not come from mom and dad.

[slimshady023]

My own opinion is that you should quit school for a semester or two, and get an internship doing chemistry. You might find it worth your while to see what you're getting into, before you get into it. I was an honors with a 3.9 gpa when I quit school, and only wish I had done so sooner.

But really, have a talk with your parents... if they know you, they will know how to guide you for the future.

[wolfen]

I say finish your degree, then get your prereqs for a graduate chemistry degree, then go for that.

Don't worry about a 2nd BS or anything silly like that. Yeah, maybe it will take you a while to finish it all off -- but I'd rather go in debt and take a lot of time getting my MS in Chemistry than a BS.

wolfen

[itai195]

My girlfriend was in the exact same situation at a UC. She ended up finishing her degree in a field she disliked and has gone on to pursue a career in a field she enjoys immensely. It's worked out pretty well for her. The degree is mostly just symbolic in her current field, but with social norms as they are it's always nice to have.

I think the advice some others have given is correct. If you're serious about chemistry, see what it would take for you to gain admission to a masters program. Also realize that your career path is not determined by your undergraduate degree. I'm not sure what kind of career in chemistry you'd like to pursue, but my guess is that you'd need more than a bachelor's anyway.

I know others have derided Link's comment, but he's kind of correct. People should put more thought into these things before attending college. Unfortunately, social pressures often don't leave much time for that kind of introspection; most kids feel pressure to go to college right after high school. I'd probably make some different choices if I could do it over again at this point.

[talisker]

Don't get confused by "sunk costs" - they are completely irrelevant. All that matters is what happens from now going forward. i.e. you've got to ask yourself whether you want to finish you current course or just start another straight away. Even if you'd spent a million dollars and 25 years on your current course so far, that means nothing. It's done, and can't be affected by your decision.

[Stradlater]

Originally posted by Link:
I will say two things:

First off, if you've taken this much time to learn that you want to do something ELSE, you really should have contemplated before you went to college heheh...

don't be a dick; you're not in college, you haven't been in college; don't assume you know very much about it�especially upper classmen issues.

Originally posted by Link:
Anyway, if 60 credits isn't too far off, finish it up. Having two degress is ALWAYS better than having one (who says you can't turn around and do chemistry after you finish?)

I somewhat agree with you here; but given the financial issues of college, the bigger question is [to the original poster]: what do you want to do with a chem degree? Maybe you should just graduate, take some chem reqs and then go on to a grad school later...that is, if you want to do research or something.

[Spliffdaddy]

I'm 37 years old and I still don't know what I want to do with my life.

carry on.

[voyageur]

^That's okay; better than being 37 and having your entire life planned out and a done deal!

mitser, did you see the recent CNN report that only 63% of American college students graduate within 6 years?

[shunt]

Originally posted by slimshady023:
...*snip*... I was an honors with a 3.9 gpa when I quit school, and only wish I had done so sooner....

I'm pulling a 4.0, but I'm having second thoughts about whether a degree is really important to me. I landed a pretty good job this summer, and may stay with this company for a long time. My boss, the owner, doesn't really care if I have a degree or not. He does, however, understand that I need to make a living, and that by far is the biggest hurdle I've ever had to overcome in my life. That is finding someone who cares whether I live like a human being and hold my head high, or scrape by like a bum. The details are irrelevant.

I've never really believed a person has to love their job, or be as passionate about it as some may say. Having a natural talent for something or an interest usually reveals signs of comfort/satisfaction/fulfilment but to me these were always a result of not having to try as hard, nothing more.

When I hear people say they love their jobs or profession, my litmus test is to ask them," If starting tommorow, you had to work your present hours and schedule, but you would no longer be receiving any pay or other compensation, would you still show up everyday?"

Do what's best for you....good luck

[iREZ]

Tough call I'd get the degree anyway, and then go for the major you want. I say this because 60 units in a UC should take another 3 years seeing how a class is 4 units average, this way you could get a real decent job to help pay for your second degree. But if you go into chem from a JuCo its going to take atleast 2 years just to transfer and another 3-4 years finishing up your major, unless you take huge loads. I admire the consideration you have and I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose. Remember that a degree at the age of 22, 24, 26, 28, or even 30 is still a degree and equally respected, thats how I see it anyway.

[Mitser]

Thank you for all the replies. I have thought it over a lotthe last few days. I have done a lot of planning and have decided to do the following. I am going to finish off the Social Ecology degree. I technically haev 51 units remaining until graduation. I am taking 3 summer classes which is 12 units to get me down to 39 when the regular year starts in the fall. I will spend an entire 5th year, which I suppose is not really alll that outside of the norm. That equals to about 3 classes per quarter, with 3 quarters per school year. For me a 3 class load is really light and given that I am going to take 1 chem class at a time at a local junior college. When I graduate with Social Ecology spring next year, I will have completed general chem and oraganic chem at the junior college. From there I will decide to pursue chem at the undergrad or graduate level, depending on what I can get myself into. I can also use the job I might be able to find with my first degeree to fund my chemistry career. Also, for those wondering why I want chemistry it is because I would like to analytical chemistry and do pharm research. It is going to be a long journey but here I go. Sorry for the long post and thank you for humoring a wondering dork.

Matthew

[slimshady023]

Originally posted by shunt:
I'm pulling a 4.0, but I'm having second thoughts about whether a degree is really important to me. I landed a pretty good job this summer, and may stay with this company for a long time. My boss, the owner, doesn't really care if I have a degree or not. He does, however, understand that I need to make a living, and that by far is the biggest hurdle I've ever had to overcome in my life. That is finding someone who cares whether I live like a human being and hold my head high, or scrape by like a bum. The details are irrelevant.

You're making it on your own without a degree - good for you! I know of too many classmates that stuck with 'the program' and graduated with pieces of paper that aren't getting them the jobs they were promised. And after four years of college, they are working just to pay back student loans. If you're talented, motivated and can show your worth without the holy grail piece of paper - the more power to ya!

It also sounds like your boss is more than just a finger pointer. Consider yourself lucky.

[voyageur]

College is really not really about getting a job or settling on a career, it's about learning to think critically, creatively and analytically in all kinds of areas. Gone are the days of the "company man/woman", when a person stuck with one job or career their entire life. Most people will make multiple career changes in their lives. The thinking skills you learn in college apply to whatever role you end up playing.

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by voyageur:
College is really not really about getting a job or settling on a career, it's about learning to think critically, creatively and analytically in all kinds of areas. Gone are the days of the "company man/woman", when a person stuck with one job or career their entire life. Most people will make multiple career changes in their lives. The thinking skills you learn in college apply to whatever role you end up playing.

I honestly feel that critical thinking skills compounded by bruit memorization of information is a cornerstone of a college education. If you only have critical thinking without the proper background or only do memorization, you are missing the whole picture.

BOT: Do what you want to do. If your parents are comfortable giving you a few more years, take it. If I were the parents, and you were getting good grades and wanted an extra few years I would consider it. but at this point, I would REQUIRE a solid plan and give you a deadline (2.5 years or perhaps 3 depending upon the situation).