Soemting btohering me about school

**Darkknight442** · 06-13-2002, 10:09 AM

OK i got another thing i wanted to see how you guys feel about.

Agian a run down. I am gonna be 22 in July. I am almost done with school. maybe another 30 - 40 credits wotrh. (about 2 semesters or so) Anway. If you have read me and butch's drinking post you will knwo i have and am serving one of my dwi suspensions now for 2 years.

Right now I work in the United Nations as a temp. the job ends at the end of june. They might extend me but i dunno. Now Ramapo college the school i go to is too far for me to ask people to give me rides back and forth. I have a chance to get on campus housing, but doing that would completley anhilate my working chances, cause if any of you know Mawah NJ you would now it freakn farmland. lol. So what i am asking you, is do you think i should drop out of colleg now and continue to work, or do you think i should jsut go to school ,, and concentrate on finsihsing????

My mom wants me to keep working cause she thinks i might just goof of in school. esp living on campus. Imean i know iw ould goof off but iw ould try my best to do good. What do you guys htink. Cause i still do have expenses. And the only job i might!!! be able to get is on calpus. and you know how much those pay.....

**TNT** · 06-13-2002, 11:51 AM

Sit, my son, as I present some wisdom, and an option you probably didn't think of . . .

Whether you like it or not, in order to succeed today, you do need a degree. The bar has been raised on most jobs, even at entry level, because the competition for decent positions is so strong. In fact, one of the reasons you probably got the gig with the U.N. is that you were a student, and they recognized your potential as a graduate.

You've already made a few mistakes (the fact that you have a two-year suspension indicates that it's not your first DUI), and have admitted that you still goof off.

So consider a compromise: Go to college by not going to college.

New Jersey happens to be home to two of the best non-traditional college programs in the country: Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, with an office in Newark (http://www.tesc.edu, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark (http://www.njit.edu). Both are public colleges, and Edison is part of the same state college network as Ramapo. Both are fully accredited by the Middle States Association, and you can earn a degree at both without ever having to show up. Ever. And since your current credits are from Ramapo, you will probably be able to transfer all of them into either school.

NJIT focuses on computer-related degrees, plus a few other fields, and tends to be more expensive; Edison has far more degree programs available than most other colleges, and is one of the best college values available today. NJIT focuses on external courses; the options at Edison are greater and include transfer of external courses, computer-based courses, credit by portfolio (life experience, providing you can "translate" it into college credit), and testing out by exam (the only time you would have to show up, since the exams are proctored).

Both programs are usually pursued by working adults, and are similar to other programs around the country based on the same model. (Some of the colleges that offer degrees nontraditionally include Penn State, U. Minnesota, Ohio U., Indiana U., Brigham Young, Empire/SUNY, and U. Alabama, just to name a few.)

In other words, who ever said that your choice is school or work? You can do both. Without having to commit yourself to planting your ass in a classroom for three hours at a time on a specific schedule.

All that said, you're gonna be 22 in a few weeks. Enjoy this time while you have it. But realize that sooner or later, you're going to have to stop goofing off (whether it's DUI's or anything else). You've asked the right questions, since this is the time, at the very least, to plan your goals. There will be other job opportunities, and Mahwah isn't the worst place in the world to be stuck. (Hell, some people commute from Mahwah to NYC every day. But yes, I understand that they can drive.) The decisions are yours to the extent that you have options, but decide carefully.

Now, if you'll excuse me, this damn lotus position is getting uncomfortable...

***Pheedno*** · 06-13-2002, 12:07 PM

I would stick with school bro. Try and find something on campus or around to support income. If you take off now, its going to be a bitch to get motivated to go back. Trust me, I took off a year and a half ago to save up some cash and get my finances in order. Well, my finances have been in order and my cash is doing fine, am I in school, hell no. I forcing myself to hit the books next fall.
Get in, get it over with, and get a career that will slap you with twice the money than you'll make without a degree.

**Darkknight442** · 06-13-2002, 12:10 PM

Damn no wonder youa re a forum modertor. But if read correctly you are saying just go with online classes????

I hate htose lol. Its really becoing a difficult decision. it hink i might just give up on the money abd go to school. I'll try and get some job around there cause i still have all these fees to pay. yah know

**TNT** · 06-13-2002, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by Darkknight442
Damn no wonder youa re a forum modertor. But if read correctly you are saying just go with online classes???? I hate htose lol...

Nope. I don't think that I'd like them either, although there are a few million people taking them these days.

What I suggest is whatever works for you. I didn't start college until I was 31, and I happened to do Edison State for my B.A. in Humanites. I got my degree by doing 98 credits by portfolio, testing out of 16 credits, and transfering in only six credits - and pulling the whole thing off in only a year and a half.

I don't want to skew the picture, though - at 31, I had a lot more experience in the real world than most guys do at 21.

The key question is, what have you been doing thus far that would give you experience that can be translated into college credit? (Also, since you didn't mention it previously, what is your major?) There are many options other than doing classes; online learning is merely one of them, and I never thought it was as efficient as some of the other options.

It sounds like you would really rather stick with school at this point (even at Ramapo

). Pheedno makes a good point - this is your time, and you may not have the motivation to go back and finish down the line.

Even do, don't rule out other options. For example, if you prefer traditional classes, do you have enough credits at this point that Ramapo would allow you to transfer in credit from another school to complete your degree there? For example, you could take classes at CCNY, Rutgers, or another school in or close to NYC and have the credit applied toward your Rampo degree. You could also cut down to a part-time schedule so that you finish of in two years instead of one. (Since you need 30-40 credits, that is probably more than one full-time year anyway, and definitely more than one person can handle along with a full-time job.)

Again, the ultimate solution is what works for you, not what works for someone else. And there's a lot to consider, including your schedule, your energy level, your motivation, and what learning method works best for you.

**Darkknight442** · 06-13-2002, 12:33 PM

Yeah i am majoring in Criminal Justice. I liked it for the most part but after recent eevnts i ahve just been put off. I wish i could have gone inot computers or someithing, but too late for that. See i am amost done and transferring now i fear iw ould loose credits,( that ismy fear of transferring) I dunno if ramapo would let me do that transfer in other credits i should try that.

I wish i had gone oinot computers or somehting.

**Butch** · 06-13-2002, 12:45 PM

Dude dont regret doing this.....FINISH SCHOOL! Your education is the one thing that no one can ever take form you. That little piece of paper is your ticket to success and and a bright future. DOn't worry about goofing off at school. That's waht you are supposed to do. If you work you will never go back to school.

Please finish the education!

**Darkknight442** · 06-13-2002, 12:51 PM

thanks butch. i think thats what i am gonna do.

**woodsy169** · 06-13-2002, 01:28 PM

Yes, finish school! I got married when I was 20, my third year in college, on a full ride playing football...I had to quit playing ball and ended up quitting school. I should have just quit the marriage, because I got divorced at 23...I am now 29 and will finally graduate next June. It is a bitch to go back and finish...get it done, then work! You will be VERY glad you did bro...Take care and good luck!

**Darkknight442** · 06-13-2002, 02:10 PM

damn thanks woodsy

Congrats to you. you have accomplished somehtig many peopel ahven't

its inspiring to me

**sp9** · 06-13-2002, 02:27 PM

My opinon:First choice is to finish school as fast as you can and then hit the job market. If not, go to school while you work to finish up. Find a place that will reimburse you for tuition and books.

I am 31 and finishing a Bachelors degree this summer at the U of Maryland, part -time, at night, after work (I do a mixture of online and classroom formats). It is a pain in the butt to work full time and then go to school half time! Social life has suffered for years. Do the school now if you can. Get that GPA up so you have an easier time getting admitted to grad school even if you never think you will go. You might change your mind in 5 or 10 years. Once I finish this summer I am going to start an MBA this fall and knock it out in 3 years part time, in the evenings.

I got lucky and worked hard without the degree, made some good impressions, and have a great career going at a company I have worked at for 11 years now. My career is way ahead of my education (I only have an AA from a Community College right now). I am scrambling because I am worried if I get downsized I will be competing without a degree. I feel presure all the time to keep working hard at it. Most people I work with are statisticians that either have two masters degrees (one engineering, the other in statistics) or PhD's in Statistics.

TNT-Good posts. DrkKnight-If you look to go while you work then investigate all the programs you can find. I didn't even know that Maryland had a division dedicated to working adults until a friend mentioned it. I would have never found it without his tip and it has fit my needs perfectly.

Another thing (just a little rant on the importance of education). This country is flooded with people here from other countries on student visa's. These people (I have nothing against them) get their grad degrees here, find a company to hire them, then convert to work visa's. The thing is, these non citizens (some will go on to become good citizens) are getting very high paying science and technology jobs because there is a lack of people in the United States qualified to fill them. As a matter of fact student visas don't covert to work visa's unless they are making at least a certain amount of money and have a sponser company. It is a shame to see so many citizens making the median family income and watch people who are not citizens come to our schools and then make 5 times the median family income.

Good luck.

**BigD** · 06-13-2002, 02:49 PM

Stay in school.

I got a job when I was 18 in computer networking as a network administrator, one of the most sought after positions in America right now. I though I was set, yeah I wasn't making much money but that was because I didn't know anything. So what do I do, drop out of college. Yeah I told myself the whole time, "I'll just take night school and finish up". Well it's been 4 years now since I graduated from High school how much college do I have....maybe a semesters worth. How is my job going....I'm still not making any money, I cant get another job anywhere else because I don’t have a degree and my company knows this, thus they have me by the balls. Not a very calming feeling. I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life by not going to school and now I suffer and will continue to suffer because of it.

So stay in school, no matter how you do it stay in school.

**Darkknight442** · 06-14-2002, 08:48 AM

wow thanks man.

dan big D thats cool coming form someone who is aorund the same. age. Yeah icalled the school i have to try and get housing now

**Vegas Kid** · 06-14-2002, 08:51 AM

Don't be a fool....Stay in school.

**Tank21** · 06-16-2002, 12:41 PM

Dude, def saty in school. I dont klike school but i have seen my dad laid off twice. he has no college degree and is unable to compete. upward mobility is nill without a degree nowadays. It is unfortunate that is the way it is. A college degree you can always fall back on. Take this from a fellow Proudful New Jersey citizen.

**Farmer** · 06-16-2002, 04:01 PM

First off, congrats woodsy way to stick with it and finish it off. And darknight, like everyone else is saying man STICK IN SCHOOL!!!! jobs can lay you off, fire you, replace you and a bunch of other shit. Diplomas don't lay you off, fire you or whatever, its corny I know but its the gift that keeps on giving man. Do whatever you can to get that education bro. It might not payoff at the current time but somtimes you can't always look at the current time frame, you gotta do some preventive thinking and prepare yourself for the future because the present is the past and the future is the present man it keeps on changing! stick it out bro.

good luck

peace

**Buddha_Red** · 06-16-2002, 05:53 PM

I quit school when i was 17 years old for this great job i had. It lasted a few years but was no use to the rest of my life.

It has been about the only thing i regret. I really wish i would have stayed in school.

Since then i have recieved my associates degree but believe me, its WAY harder if you quit.