To get our mind off this miserable crap - Do you use your college degree?

[615dawg]

Now before anyone gets up in arms. I wouldn't trade my time at dear ol' State for anything. I made lifelong friends, learned a lot about life, blah, blah.

But I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe I turned into an adult or something. My parents spent roughly $50,000 to send me to State, when you include housing and such. The majority of my time was:

1. Talking to chicks.
2. Going to sporting events.
3. Drinking
4. Trying to talk to chicks.
5. Worrying about sporting events (I missed 2 weeks of classes during the Florida/Auburn football weeks of 2000)
6. Talking about chicks to friends.

Along the way, I got a degree. I went through school with one career in mind, and now I am doing something entirely different, working in the IT field. A co-worker of mine has an art degree from a private college. She works in IT, etc. I can honestly say that on a day to day basis, I do not use anything I learned in academia.

Anyone else feel the same? Anyone completely opposite of me?

 

[615dawg]

Now before anyone gets up in arms. I wouldn't trade my time at dear ol' State for anything. I made lifelong friends, learned a lot about life, blah, blah.

But I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe I turned into an adult or something. My parents spent roughly $50,000 to send me to State, when you include housing and such. The majority of my time was:

1. Talking to chicks.
2. Going to sporting events.
3. Drinking
4. Trying to talk to chicks.
5. Worrying about sporting events (I missed 2 weeks of classes during the Florida/Auburn football weeks of 2000)
6. Talking about chicks to friends.

Along the way, I got a degree. I went through school with one career in mind, and now I am doing something entirely different, working in the IT field. A co-worker of mine has an art degree from a private college. She works in IT, etc. I can honestly say that on a day to day basis, I do not use anything I learned in academia.

Anyone else feel the same? Anyone completely opposite of me?

 

[615dawg]

Now before anyone gets up in arms. I wouldn't trade my time at dear ol' State for anything. I made lifelong friends, learned a lot about life, blah, blah.

But I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe I turned into an adult or something. My parents spent roughly $50,000 to send me to State, when you include housing and such. The majority of my time was:

1. Talking to chicks.
2. Going to sporting events.
3. Drinking
4. Trying to talk to chicks.
5. Worrying about sporting events (I missed 2 weeks of classes during the Florida/Auburn football weeks of 2000)
6. Talking about chicks to friends.

Along the way, I got a degree. I went through school with one career in mind, and now I am doing something entirely different, working in the IT field. A co-worker of mine has an art degree from a private college. She works in IT, etc. I can honestly say that on a day to day basis, I do not use anything I learned in academia.

Anyone else feel the same? Anyone completely opposite of me?

 

[57stratdawg]

That having a job is a big accomplishment in today's economy. Much less having one in your particular chosen field.

 

[MaverickAG]

My situation is a bit different in that I am currently in the career field that I studied so I am using a lot of what I learned. However, I could be possibly moving into an entirely different field in the near future. Additionally, my wife will be doing the same. We've talked about this before and pretty much concluded that a big part of the college experience is 1) the maturation process that one goes through and 2) the position it puts you in afterwards. My degree took me to a job in Maryland for three years and recently moved us to Tampa. Along the way I picked up on what my life's passion really is... and it isn't even close to what I studied.<div>
</div><div>Could I have discovered this without ever attending MSU? Maybe, but I'd like the thing the odds would be much slimmer. I wouldn't have met a lot of the people that are responsible for where I am today and where I'll be in the future. I may not have been put in the situations I was to learn what it is I really want to do. I wouldn't have met my wife.</div><div>
</div><div>So in short, I view college as more about the experience and the life lessons you learn along the way rather than so much about what degree you get and whether or not you use it. It is all money well spent in my opinion.</div><div>
</div><div>Edited: I want to also clarify that when I say it was money well spent, it was in fact my money that paid for it. Its really easier to disregard the costs when someone else foots the bill. So even with being stuck with the bill in the end, I wouldn't trade my time at MSU for anything.</div>

 

[missouridawg]

I graduated with an electrical engineering degree (with a power emphasis) and am working as an accout manager in the oil and gas industry. As an account manager, I provide my customers with technical support for their wellbore operations.

 

[DaRealistDawg]

1. Talking to17'in chicks.
2. Going to sporting events.
3. Drinking
4. Trying to talk to17 chicks.
5. Worrying about sporting events (I missed 2 weeks of classes during the Florida/Auburn football weeks of 2000)
6. Talking 17'in about chicks to and her friends.

 

[615dawg]

but I met my wife in my third year.

 

[beachbumdawg]

got my degree in Mechanical Engineering....I do no engineering type work, but I would not have gotten this job if not for the engineering degree

 

[futaba.79]

they wouldn't have their job without it. It may not directly apply to what they're doing but having it puts them in the club.

For me, my MSU degree has paid off. It comes into play on a direct basis for about 25% of what I do. As for the other 75%, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in without it, but I don't necessarily use it.

 

[Hector.sixpack]

but I can definitely see careers taking drastic turns away from their "major". I do believe college helps you learn how to learn and apply yourself- which is more important than any grade or degree. There are a lot of skills and exeriences college gives that are not degree associated that employers want to see.

 

[ckDOG]

Accounting here. I feel like I got a great value out of my education. Accounting degrees are pretty flexible. It's doubtful that you would get rich quick, but there is ample opportunity in a variety of different areas. Obviously, the things that you learn in school aren't always used day to day in the real world, but the core of what I've learned is still very relevant. I could see my career becoming more skewed towards "IT" at some point in my career, but it would still be centered around the use of applications to process financial information - high level stuff, not anything overly technical that you IT nerds play around with in the basement. That's right...an accountant just called you a nerd!

 

[Maroon Eagle]

...which is in a program not offered by MSU. That being said, the two degrees I have from MSU have helped mein my job.

 

[tcb.sixpack]

What I really learned in my 4 yrs at State getting my degree in accounting was the fact that I hated accounting...

 

[quickdawg]

I have a degree in building airplanes and another in a somewhat related engineering field, but now work on supercomputers and spend a fair amount of my time doing project management/PR-type stuff. I don't use the Navier-Stokes equations daily but the problem-solving skills gleaned from two engineering degrees have been the most important take-away from MSU for me. That and some awesome connections in the HPC world.

 

[fishwater99]

Started out undecided, decided to try Aerospace Engineering, then Civil Engineering, then political science, then accounting, ended up with a degree in Banking and Finance b/c of accounting labs interfered with my intramural sports. Funny thing is I still graduated in 4 years with no summer school, had to use Calculus II and some engineering classes as my electives. I then went to law school at Ole Miss and those classes interfered with my golf game. I am now a CFO of a local non-profit. So I guess I am a lucky one that uses my degree.

 

[Dawgzilla]

A college education is about a lot more than preparing you for a specific career. You learn how to think - how to approach certain situations and create solutions. Whether you are a history major who is studying the various ways leaders approached world problems in the past, or an engineer learning formulaic approaches to resolving math problems, you are being exposed to tools to apply to situations you will face in your professional and personal life.

I have a chemical engineering degree, but now I'm a patent attorney. You have to have a technical degree to be a registered patent attorney, so as said earlier my degree was sort of my union card for that. My basic understanding of engineering principles comes in handy when I'm analyzing certain inventions, but its not really necessary -- and I am certainly no longer capable of integrating equations or deriving formulae. But I definitely use my education. I apply engineering principles a lot in my mountain biking.

 

[sleepy dawg]

If not for my degree, I don't know what I'd be doing. I'm a software developer, and I'm certain I would not be doing this without my Business Information Systems degree.

 

[tommyboy1520]

But I agree with others in that a degree is good for getting you in the door. What you end up doing isn't as big as how you got there. And most of us wouldn't be in the position we're in without a degree from a 4-year university.

That being said, I don't assume that my life would be less fulfilling without a degree. I love what i do for the most part, but I don't know that I wouldn't be happier if I ended up in a career that i found myself in without a degree. I met my wife while at State, but I imagine had I not gone to State, i would've met some other girl somewhere, got married and felt that that woman was the love of my life, just like I feel about my wife now. And I could possibly be happy in whatever job I was in and feel like I didn't miss out by not going to college.

What you do for a living isn't near as important as what you do with your life.

 

[jakldawg]

So far.

 

[davatron]

that engineering majors take their first couple of years. I use my ECE curriculum quite often, but being the real world is vastly different from the classroom and I would not have been prepared had it not been for co-op.
So here is a note to all you engineering students reading this board: CO-OP. It will delay your graduation but it is worth it. I can't begin to describe the differences between industry and classroom.


/The More You Know

 

[BullyXVIII]

and now I am a dentist(thanks to my degree from T$UN). However, I think that the mind development that an engineering degree gives you makes my job a whole lot easier.

 

[cottondistrictdawg]

If you are reading this and are currently in school in an engineering Major, CO-OP. Even though I don't do exactly what I co-op'ed for now, that experience was very valuable to me when I finished school. 1) it gives you a break from school 2) you get to make some money to take back to school the next semester (some places pay very well and pay for your apt) 3) People hiring college graduates like to see that co-op experience on the resume.

As for the degree thing I guess I am one of the few that does use my degree in what I do. Tht being said, I am but 2yrs out of school so that could change down the road who knows. One of the biggest draws for me to Civil Engineering was how many different things I could do within the Civil realm. But then again I have friends who I graduated with who don't use te CE degree one bit, so it can go both ways.

 

[coleman62]

Making good money, getting the experience, and having a great time.

/Bourbon</p>

 

[bulliegolfer]

But I did when I worked.

 

[Braves Dawg]

I have always been in some type of construction management to administration where I am now, but I got lucky. Others don't fair nearly as well as my wife has found out. My take on it is that a college degree will get your foot in the door like a high school diploma used to, an MBA is what sets you apart from the rest.

 

[Duggar Hall Desk]

My degree is in psych. I'm not and never have been a psychologist, but I've used the research skills I learned while in the psych program at every job I've had since college. Psych background specifically got me my first job (law firm where I did medical/psych litigation research and jury consulting).

 

[rem101]

it is in the same field as my major. Graduated a year ago with Insurance, Risk Management and Financial Planning, and that's what I'm doing. Degree got my foot in the door, all my bosses went to MSU, so that helped. I wouldn't say I use a whole lot of the terms and stuff I learned though. Nothing helps like real world experience.

 

[MeridianDog]

But I am a VP of Quality Assurance with Graduate Science degree, and I use it every day and I have used it every day for 29 years.

Got my first post grad job because of it. Even better - the HR Manager looked at my resume and said, "You went to State?" I said "Yes Sir." He winked and said "Me, too!" He stuck out his hand and said, "Don't worry. We'll find a place for you."

Can't beat that, unless you call your first boss "Daddy"

 

[BudgetDawg]

I work in higher education budgeting and finance,and myMBA from Stateplayed a large role in my getting the job that I have today. </p>

 

[Yawyawfootball]

Much tougher to find a job since around 08 or so. I use my business degree, but it took quite a few interviews to get a decent job offer. At first I thought I must suck at interviews but then I talked to countless other people who were having the same troubles. A lot of people are having to settle for whatever they can get, regardless of whether it's in their field or not. I've heard stories of recent grads - such as a law school grad waiting tables at Ruby Tuesday - and an MBA grad working as a bank teller. Times are tough right now, especially for recent/upcoming graduates.

 

[alabamadog]

needing it to get into graduate school and applying what I learned here in the future, no. I'm going into a different field than my major.

 

[levi dawg]

Got my degree in Business Administration after majoring in Banking and Finance... now working as a Banker, although it was kind of by accident. So yeah... I guess so.
Only difference is instead of trying to convince girls why they should come home with me, now I am trying to convince people to do their business with me. Kind of the same approach though... just telling them all the things I'll do for them differently and anything else they want to hear.

 

[aspendawg]

I bartend in Aspen, CO and snowboard almost everyday. I have a house on the river here in never neverland and if I had it my selfish way I would stay here forever. I make more money than if I had a miserable "real world" job, but never in a million years would I ever trade my time in Starkville. That place has and always will hold a special place in my heart. So special that I'm moving back to pursue a masters at state next fall. According to my brother in law and most people Masters are a waste, but I'll use this time to figure out if I'm actually going to get a job or move back out here. Another 2 seasons of footbal can't hurt. Seeing as my college life was spent watching an embarrassment take the field under crooms...

 

[mstateglfr]

I went to school so i could learn how to teach others to golf and run a small business(golf shop).

For the last 6.5 years since graduating, i have worked for a Fortune500 3rd party global logistics company. I have yet to use my teaching abilities or small business planning skills.
I manage a team in one of our branches, so i guess some business management classes and basic accounting skills from college have helped. Though i swear managing people just requires patience and common sense...neither of which came to me at MSU.
Bidness Law with Dr Pearson Liddell was a good class, it gave basic info on rules and conduct in the business workplace, so that was sorta nice.

I really could have had a performing arts degree or something random like that and still do what i do.

College for me was experiences and learning how to approach life once out of college.

 

[hottytoddy.sixpack]

I've defended many of your graduates in traffic court.

 

[beachbumdawg]

highl recommend it

 

[Paperdawg]

President Zukarov

 

[Paperdawg]

Have general business degree from MSU '92. Publisher of a newspaper w/o any journalism education, other than what I've picked up from reading newspapers all my life. Main focus is sales–as in advertising.
Sometimes wish I'd gone into the oil and gas business/field or other specialized occupation, but wouldn't trade this career for the world.
Like everyone else, spent lots of time working on the list while in college and even afterward for a while.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

But, it taught me how to think outside the box, be more creative and construct logical arguments, all of which help me in IT sales.