Which Degree, and For Which Job?

[GorillaTheater]

What inspires you? What do you enjoy? Start there. This is a lifelong choice. While dollar amounts matter, that has to be balanced with trying to do something that is interesting and more than just tolerable if possible.

 

I get that you hate math, but say if teaching is really something you'd like in the long run, suck it up and deal with the math. It's temporary.

 

Exactly. It seems to me that you're approaching this backwards. I suggest determining the career you want first, then figuring out what you need to do to get there.

[SmileFace]

Isn't it possible to make a living as a Personal Trainer - why not get a degree in nutrition or the human body, something you already enjoy.

[Leigh 87]

What inspires you? What do you enjoy? Start there. This is a lifelong choice. While dollar amounts matter, that has to be balanced with trying to do something that is interesting and more than just tolerable if possible.

 

I get that you hate math, but say if teaching is really something you'd like in the long run, suck it up and deal with the math. It's temporary.

 

 

 

 

I can suck it up and deal with math if it IS just temporary.

 

Hence why I think I may be able to do nutrition. Or teaching.

 

I have a couple of degrees in mind, but what it will come down to is the money; I am passionate about both areas.....

 

And with teaching, I have heard you may need your masters in order to get looked in for many jobs, due to high competition.

 

An advantage of nutrition is: the actual degree is "food science" and if you cannot get work as a nutritionist, you sure can get work as a food researcher or tester in a lab, among many OTHER related positions.

 

 

 

 

It comes down to passion and money.

 

I did love learning about the human body for nutrition.

 

The science as just hard, chemistry it was; but I think we only were going to learn it on a pretty basic level anyway.

[Leigh 87]

Isn't it possible to make a living as a Personal Trainer - why not get a degree in nutrition or the human body, something you already enjoy.

 

 

 

I am thinking of it.

 

I know what I am in for with nutrition; one subject was hard, 70% of people fail it, but I enjoyed it.

 

 

I am adept at reading and writing essays, in spite of my bad grammar on here! HOWEVER: I really liked the element of that one science subject I am talking about.

 

I LOVED not having to write essays! All you did was read a lot, and do multipply choice questions for exams and weekly quizzes!

 

So not writing essays is ONE advantage of science subjects. ALL it takes it committment and a lot of time spent reading materials.

 

You learnt every intricate detail of cells, and eventually would learn about the entire human body. A lot to learn, but I already studied it for a few months.

[Hawaii50]

You're willing to work hard except on something that is included in 90% of degree plans, math. It's not that you're bad at it, you can't be, you just haven't learn it, you're un-practiced. that's all, so everything is an excuse unless you actually are not normal.. meaning below average intelligence. You seem to forming decent sentences so it's more likely that you're scared/lazy.

 

 

you have your basics covered, go to school fulltime.. so you're not starting your career at 40.. that's smarter than working some dead-end job while struggling to study and maintain a life over a longer period of time that just finishing it up in one swift move.

 

but whatever.. doesn't effect me- I have a successful decent paying career.

[Leigh 87]

Exactly. It seems to me that you're approaching this backwards. I suggest determining the career you want first, then figuring out what you need to do to get there.

 

 

 

I would like to be a nutritionist, but the food science degree leads to other career paths that I would likely have to do BEFORE I got a job as a nutritionist...

 

I would likely apply for any job I COULD to begin with, so as to just get employed, and then aim fro the ideal career...

 

I would be in a food lab testing and/or researching food in all likelyhood, to begin with.

 

If the pay was too crappy, I would not study an in depth, challenging degree as nutrition.

[Hawaii50]

 

If the pay was too crappy, I would not study an in depth, challenging degree as nutrition.

 

You pay is crappy now. At least be consistent.

[Leigh 87]

You're willing to work hard except on something that is included in 90% of degree plans, math. It's not that you're bad at it, you can't be, you just haven't learn it, you're un-practiced. that's all, so everything is an excuse unless you actually are not normal.. meaning below average intelligence. You seem to forming decent sentences so it's more likely that you're scared/lazy.

 

 

you have your basics covered, go to school fulltime.. so you're not starting your career at 40.. that's smarter than working some dead-end job while struggling to study and maintain a life over a longer period of time that just finishing it up in one swift move.

 

but whatever.. doesn't effect me- I have a successful decent paying career.

 

 

How do you know full time study is best for MY plans?

 

I agree, I need to study full time eventually, but to begin with I want to travel before I finish my degree.

 

Overseas travel before my degree finishes is IMPERATIVE to me, and my partner. He is even going to pay for a lot of it, as long as I just save a LITTLE.

 

So I plan on working full time for a year while I only study part time, so as to afford my overseas trip.

 

I cannot explain it, but I NEED to travel before I finish my 3 year degree.

 

So I would work full time and study part time for a YEAR - so as to afford to travel overseas once.

 

THEN I would get stuck into full time study.

 

I am seriously considering doing food science again.

 

It is mostly science orientated, not much math at all. I enjoyed the science side. It is actually a welcome break from writing stupid essays LOL.

 

And I am only of average intelligence, which means I would need a tutor for science to score highly, or pass with great ease.

 

I got a high distinctions in science to get INTO college; BUT only with EXTENSIVE help with a tutor. I did the exam yes, but I would NOT have been able to achieve so highly, had I been without a LOT of help from a tutor.

 

For food science, the degree that leads to a job as a nutritionist, I would only need a science tutor to pass, and a math tutor for Statistics, which we only do for ONE semester anyways.

[Leigh 87]

You pay is crappy now. At least be consistent.

 

 

 

 

But I do not want to do a challenging degree if it is cr appy pay.

 

I can be a waitress for 30 - 40 K if I work full time; WHY study to be a social worker when I would only get 30K to begin with?

 

hence why I am thinking of studying food or exercise science, rather than study to be a social worker.

 

My partner will get paid about 50K a year for labour and machinery opperating work, tradesmen get paid that without studying for 3 years, I would absolutely NOT study my arse off to get paid the same as a person who worked FAR LESS to get their career and subsequent pay check.

 

Anyway, If I am to work my arse off studying, I will choose a degree that will serve me the best.

 

I plan to spend all my cash on travel, basically, with little other luxaries.

[Hawaii50]

But I do not want to do a challenging degree if it is cr appy pay.

 

I can be a waitress for 30 - 40 K if I work full time; WHY study to be a social worker when I would only get 30K to begin with?

 

I agree. Never in my life have I said " I want to work." Many times, and even to day I've said " I want to be X," but not work.

 

... And that's why I work (but you can tell by how much I'm on here that it's laughable) in a War zone for an exorbitant paycheck while investing. So maybe, I won't have to work so hard tomorrow. Just maybe.

 

Figure out your endgame, what you want in life.. and work backwards, it's called "back-mapping"... Anyways.. you have a lot of good advice, way more than some under paid career counselor..Now you just have to do something.

 

also.. I apologize for my first few comments, I mis-read your posts. my fault- stare at a screen all day.

[tman666]

No math at all? Probably not going to happen... Most 4 year degrees will require you to take at least some very basic math classes.

 

If you're looking for something that might have good payout opportunities, I'd look into studying (to become fluent in) Russian and Mandarin. If you coupled such a degree with something such as international business or economics, you'd be even more well positioned.

 

I've never heard of a highly paid social worker, btw... Also, health and exercise science degrees or nutrition degrees will involve some basic and intermediate math/science classes. College level science classes generally involve varying levels of math.

 

Unless you absolutely cannot do math for some reason, know that having a mathematics background will ALWAYS make you more valuable on the market.

[FitChick]

Cocktail waitresses in high end bars make good tips.

[xxoo]

MATH IS USELESS to have for"everY" degree, geez WHY does a social worker need useless math skills?

 

One reason that social workers need math: research. Social workers need to at least understand the current research in their field. To do so, they need a solid grasp of research studies, including statistics.

 

College level math is normally a prerequisite for statistics classes.

 

A "university" degree is intended to be "universal": covering much more than one skill set. Much of what you are forced to study while in university may not be directly related to your major.

[xxoo]

Leigh, what do you want to do with your life?

 

The question is not: what do you want to study for the next 4 years? The question is: what do you want to do for the rest of your life?

 

Figure that out, and then make it happen. Math, schmath.

[Gunny376]

I went to college via the GI Bill after retiring from college. In today's economy in the US, a lot of people are finding that they're having to take jobs which they could have gotten without having gone to a four year college (Uni as you call it.) Living in a college town per say, I know a lot of people that are working jobs that they could have gotten without a college degree.

 

Even if you have a college degree, ~ even a professional degree ~ one can find themselves working such jobs. "Live is what happens when you make other plans!" (John Lennon)

 

Where I work is an auto parts manufacturing plant. There's one girl there who works there for $9.40 an hour and has a years of experience as a registered nurse! She got involved in trying to cover for a co-worker/so-called friend. As a result she got a two year suspension of liscense. Thus she had to go and get the job that she had. In another case a MD had his lisecense suspended because he beat the hell out his wife and caught a domestive violence case.

 

80% of any and all jobs do not require a college degree ~ but they do require formal/informal education/training beyond the HS level. My DS28 never went to college, trade school, junior college. He just went out and got a job as an apprentice electrical lineman. Worked and learned his way OJT (Apprenticed) his way up into the cherry picker bucket working on electrical transformers, power lines and such. Made a decent money ~ living doing so. Made a killing working overtime when thrunderstorms and "hurricanader's such as Sandy would hit.

 

My SIL worked as a security guard, and keep telling to go an apply for a job where he worked at. Long story ~ short he finally did just to get "S" off his back about it. They hired him the same day as a Nuclear Power Plant Operator Trainee. Didn't know the first thing about how to run a nuclear power plant, BUT he did know all you could ever want to ever know about HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRCITY, POWER GRIDS, POWER LINES, TRANSFORMERS, TRANSFORMER STATIONS ETC.

[Gunny376]

(Sorry! Hit the return button)

 

Makes 82,000 a year. SIL moved from working security to maintenance crew, makes $35 an hour.

 

With that said I would advocate going to learn just a trade. Something you know you can pick up and take anywhere and get a job at anytime!

 

Here in the Southeastern United States where the temps go from damned hot to damn cold? That would be Heating, Air Conditioning and Vacumn. Doesn't matter whether you like it or not. You can ALWAYS find work with it! And its something you can always fall back on to live off of. You may not ever make a killing at it? But you can always find work somewhere with it. Then it bleeds over into doing electrical, plumbing, etc.

 

If your a man with a wife/GF/any woman living with you? And there's no AC or heat? Your happy azz can forget about getting any "Afternoon Delight" (or any other kind for that matter) until its fixed! As a man? I can promise you will NEVER hear the end of it nor have a moments peace.

 

To the OP, I understand that you've experience in retail and the food service industry, and that itself can be and is a fall back. But having worked both myself its like "Uggggggggghhhhhh!" Just having to deal with the public? But I would get something like what I suggested above behind me that you could always fall back on.

 

Being that your a Lady, you might want to look into being a cosmetologist. (Which isn't just for ladies anymore. My last GF's hairdresser was a gay hairdresser and his appointment were booked a year solid in advance. His being gay being relevant in that apparently "gay" hair dressers seem to have a "rep" for being some of the best? Go figure?)

 

With that under solidly under my belt? You could pursue your academic pursuit to the end. Get into something that your passionate about, not just to make a really good living or money at.

 

From personal experience, there WILL come a time in your life, when one's quality of life will take precedence over any kind of money you can earn.

 

Work to live ~ not live to work.

[Bridgey]

Definitely make sure to visit a counselor to help determine which degree and career path is right for you. I have a friend who is doing food science at a university and she has to take many very difficult science courses including chemistry, biochemistry, physics and biology. And yes, there will almost definitely be math involved, even if you aren't required to take specific math courses, there is math involved in most sciences such as chemistry and physics.

 

Just be aware of what you're getting yourself into. Once you have a set goal be sure to stick to it no matter how tough it gets. If you do decide to major in one of the sciences you will very likely be able to find a well paying job once you graduate.

[Leigh 87]

Definitely make sure to visit a counselor to help determine which degree and career path is right for you. I have a friend who is doing food science at a university and she has to take many very difficult science courses including chemistry, biochemistry, physics and biology. And yes, there will almost definitely be math involved, even if you aren't required to take specific math courses, there is math involved in most sciences such as chemistry and physics.

 

Just be aware of what you're getting yourself into. Once you have a set goal be sure to stick to it no matter how tough it gets. If you do decide to major in one of the sciences you will very likely be able to find a well paying job once you graduate.

 

 

 

I will be able to do it, but only part time.

 

I will not be able to, at first, handle the math and science in a full time degree - I would not be able to pass, most likely, with the demand of learrning it all full time.

 

 

I want to get a food science degree I am thinking, because it is well paid at the end, and I am passionate about nutrition.

 

 

I doubt I have to do physics; chemestry, biochemestry, and biology are prett much all you do. Your friend probably CHOSE physics.

 

*rolls eyes* what dpes PHYSICS have to do with prescribing a DIET to clients? Bloody waste of time.

 

'Look, to be a nutritionist, you need to read graphs (STATS), and know alla bout biology, biochemistry, but chemistry should be kept to a MINIMUM in my opinion.

 

I do not think you should need MATH more than basic STATS. Really. It would be USELESS for your degree, when the science is challenging enough; why throw in more math than NECESSARY?

[Leigh 87]

Okay guys, I am about to google sallaries of various jobs.

 

I am seriously thinking about doing a food science degree.

 

I can handle science, it is not boring to me; with the help of a good tutor weekly, I can handle it.

 

What I cannot handle, however, is an actual math course BEYOND statistics.

 

I do not want to be doing MATH more than ONE YEAR of my degree, as I HATE MATH WITH A PASSION and only want the BARE MINIMUM to be a nutritionist (AKA STATS for one semester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottom line; if the pay is GOOD, and the BASE RATE starting OUT is at LEAST 50 - 60K, I am more than likely going to re enroll in a food or exercise science degree.

 

It will be a welcome break from essays at least.

 

And because I am friendly and personable, you DO a LOT of group work in the lab, which means people help the less gifted, so long as your hard working and willing to take direction.

[Bridgey]

I will be able to do it, but only part time.

 

I will not be able to, at first, handle the math and science in a full time degree - I would not be able to pass, most likely, with the demand of learrning it all full time.

 

 

I want to get a food science degree I am thinking, because it is well paid at the end, and I am passionate about nutrition.

 

 

I doubt I have to do physics; chemestry, biochemestry, and biology are prett much all you do. Your friend probably CHOSE physics.

 

*rolls eyes* what dpes PHYSICS have to do with prescribing a DIET to clients? Bloody waste of time.

 

'Look, to be a nutritionist, you need to read graphs (STATS), and know alla bout biology, biochemistry, but chemistry should be kept to a MINIMUM in my opinion.

 

I do not think you should need MATH more than basic STATS. Really. It would be USELESS for your degree, when the science is challenging enough; why throw in more math than NECESSARY?

 

I actually took a look at the degree requirements for food science at the school my friend goes to and her school required physics as well as a bunch of other seemingly unnecessary sciences to complete the degree. Although she goes to a school that is very involved in the sciences, your university may have a completely different set of courses for you to complete.

 

Just don't be surprised if they ask you to take a whole multitude of science courses you didn't expect to have to take. I certainly didn't expect to have to take physics for my biology degree, but I did. And even if it seems useless and a waste of time now you may very well find yourself being glad you took a few math and science courses you didn't want to take initially.

 

Embrace going to a university! Take everything you can from it, learn as much as possible, that, plus getting a good job after graduation, is what makes all of the time, effort and money worth it.

[Leigh 87]

In Aus, at my Uni, for food science you:

 

-first do a basic math course for one semester, or 6 months

 

- you then pick EITHER physics OR stats.

 

 

....70% of people fail stats.

 

 

 

 

 

Look, I do not think I am cut out for a food science degree, after much consideration.

 

I would literally ONLY pass it if I did it PART time, to begin with.

 

90% of students dropped out of it, due to FAILING, despite their best efforts.

 

And even part time, I would probably fail, unless I did not have a SINGLE day off; no weekends off, study all day every day, no working out, just studying.

 

Sorry I cannot handle that.

 

I am willing to study all day every day, but need ONE day of the weekend off.

 

I need an hour in the day, outside of studying, to work out 5 days a week.

[Leigh 87]

Look, to get a highly paid job, even food science will not get you a VERY high paying job; unless you go on to study pharmacy.

 

According to a very clever guy who is doing it in AUS, and who is from the USA.

 

I think I will be more than happy doing a more fun, enoyable social sciences degree...

 

Social work is EASY to get, you would more then likely get a job out of the degree, and you start on about 40 - 50K.

 

Hey - I love bar work and waitressing, I would likely earn 50K a year as a social worker, and with bar work most nights, i would earn about 80K a year!

 

I think I am going to get an easier degree, that will still get me a job, and earn more cash from bar work.

 

I genuinely love bar work. I love waitressing too, I kove the buzz of dealing with people, and I love that it is active and on my feet!

 

 

 

 

 

Not everyone is cut out to cry and shed that much blood over a heavy science and math degree.

 

 

It is not worth it to me, the pain and hell of JUST getting by, just to get a job that pays better.

[Phoebe]

I think I will be more than happy doing a more fun, enoyable social sciences degree...

 

Social work is EASY to get, you would more then likely get a job out of the degree, and you start on about 40 - 50K.

 

You should check out this online article: The US Report - The US Report - Reality of social work: What professors can

 

Personally I would wonder about any line of work that is really easy to get. Either there is huge growth in that area or there is huge turnover.

[Leigh 87]

You should check out this online article: The US Report - The US Report - Reality of social work: What professors can

 

Personally I would wonder about any line of work that is really easy to get. Either there is huge growth in that area or there is huge turnover.

 

 

is not not THAT easy to get. I mean, it is the only degree I could pass, butyou still have to study hard to pass.

 

 

It is still a 3 year degree, so I do not s ee why it is pointless to get.

 

 

My friend has finished her second year, and sais case managing is very rewarding.

 

I am much like my friend when it comes to academic studies; we both did well in school, but are still not smart enough to pass a science degree, or a degree with college level maths.

 

 

....Look, you do not need an extremely difficult degree to get a job.

 

You are very likely to get ajob as a social worker if you work hard, and helping people is very rewarding for some social workers.

[Phoebe]

Did you read the link?