College Time!

[jyl]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

John, one thought on the computer, having two might become a PITA. She may find herself running both at the same time because notes are on the laptop (from class), but she wants the bigger screens for typing a paper. Why not just a laptop with a dock or other means to connect to a the bigger monitors in the dorm room? Having all of the files in one place would be much more convenient, and any laptop will handle typical college tasks.

What does she plan to do with the art degree? I only ask because my sister in law has an English degree but failed to think through her career prospects. She's sadly found that because she neither wants to teach nor is qualified to do so, Walgreens is her next best option.

I had the same thought on the multiple computers. But I found that today, kids (at least the ones I know) use Google Docs and Google Drive, not MS Office and local storage. So their files are available where-ever they have a data connection, and I'd probably add Hotspot to her iPhone data plan. Also, laptop docks seem to be a dying breed. That said, we are also investigating whether a MacBook Air will drive dual monitors. I'm a big fan of multiple monitors!

Art degree - purpose currently unknown . . . her primary academic direction is currently something in the biological sciences, she really likes her biology/genetics classes in high school and even didn't mind her chemistry classes, and has thought about med school, while she didn't much like physics and, despite being good at math and taking calculus up through integrals, that discipline doesn't really trip her trigger. As for art, she is very talented at it, has had shows and wins awards, does really creative and interesting work, and we have some few friends who actually make a living at art. They even own big houses in our neighborhood through their art careers. But she's currently more interested in learning art techniques than being a professional artist. So the thought is to give her the option for a dual major, e.g. biology/biochem/etc plus BA in Art/BFA, and then she can figure out next steps. But I know that plans are the first casualty in battle.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by nostatic

John, if she's interested in art did she consider any art schools (such as CalArts)? Not for everyone, but ideal for some people.

She has applied to RISD, that is the only art school she applied to. Because they have a joint program with Brown; she's not interested in doing solely an art degree. Unfort the Brown/RISD joint program is 5 years of Brown tuition (read: $300,000 in aftertax dollars) and she's not likely to get much merit/other award there, so that is not likely to work out for us, we'll see.

[onewhippedpuppy]

John, sounds like a good plan. I see so many that go to school and major in something that they are interested in, without any thought towards what their future career might look like. If you enjoy art and get an art degree, but aren't attracted to any of the doors that your degree opens...........not good. Couple that with student loan debt and it's a recipe for failure.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

I have managed plenty of folks and can honestly say that nobody really cares where you got your degree from - only that you have one and that you do your job well.

Back when I was a lawyer, we usually hired from Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, etc law school - I went out of my way to hire from smaller, second-tier schools because I found scrappy fighters who would work around the clock and hold their own in the jungle. Too many of the HLS grads thought that judges and opposing counsel actually gave a s**t where their degree was from.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by berettafan

I would suggest (with great difficulty) that it takes a truly exceptional person to thrive after goofing off for 4 years.

To be honest, that pretty much describes my 4 years of college . . . but I recognize that was a different time.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

evidence of this?

never seen this, though i went through engineering school, so it might be different in the liberal arts.

i thought most lib ed kids knew they weren't gonna make **** for money?

They may not have any expectations for getting "rich" but I think it's reasonable to believe that these kids expect to get a living wage job in their field of study...which many/most will not.

As for prof's lying through their teeth...yup...perhaps by omission but still a lie. If the prof's level with their students about employment, nobody selects that major and the prof's job goes away.

[Scott Douglas]

I believe my son had an epiphany when he went thru his ‘interview by committee’ when going for his first job out of college. They asked a final question which he answered after about 30 seconds thought. The ‘committee’ then told him they were really impressed as they had just interviewed other candidates from schools that were ‘regarded a lot more highly’ than the school he went to, but couldn’t answer the question after more than 30 minutes of contemplation.
When his cousin asked him which schools he should consider going to, his advice was go to the cheapest one that had the subject major he wanted. Save his parents money, get a house or invest it somehow. He ended up going to Occidental on a football scholarship, blew his knee out in his Jr year and has yet to hold what I consider a ‘good’ job based on the money spent on his education by his parents.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by nostatic

He'll figure it out.

There it is: At a certain point, the teaching ends and the living begins, especially with "figuring" it out.

Both my kids went to schools I wouldn't have chosen, but they each got money to go, had salient reasoning why and, frankly, I respected their opinions since they earned it.

The best thing that I did was take a year and a half off between HS and college. When I got to Cal I was amazed at the level of whining: You'd have thought taking an 8 o'clock class was an act of bravery.

Enjoy the process!

[Crowbob]

I thought this thread was about spring break with pics. Imagine my disappointment.

Phhhhht.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by pavulon

They may not have any expectations for getting "rich" but I think it's reasonable to believe that these kids expect to get a living wage job in their field of study...which many/most will not.

As for prof's lying through their teeth...yup...perhaps by omission but still a lie. If the prof's level with their students about employment, nobody selects that major and the prof's job goes away.

again, do you actually have evidence of this?

been a while since i hung out with lib ed folks, but i thought it was common knowledge among them that job prospects, and high paying job prospects for most of those majors were pretty low. that no one was blowing smoke up there asses.

agian, thats just my experience with those kind of classes and folks, admittedly that was 5 years ago or so. no one prospects were good (probably less than half the graduating engineers had jobs).

[Les Paul]

My son graduated from a school that accepts 12,000 out of 24,000. Changed degree plans three times yet got out in four years. Got his masters there and was an intern where he is now a software engineer recruiter. He loves his job. His mom and I didn't go on European vacations have a new P-Car but we sure are proud. He said the internship was everything. My Niece recently did the same thing scoring a job with the company she interned at.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Les Paul

My son graduated from a school that accepts 12,000 out of 24,000. Changed degree plans three times yet got out in four years. Got his masters there and was an intern where he is now a software engineer recruiter. He loves his job. His mom and I didn't go on European vacations have a new P-Car but we sure are proud. He said the internship was everything. My Niece recently did the same thing scoring a job with the company she interned at.

This underscores a very important point - you have to attend a college that has industry of interest nearby to make internships possible. It also dovetails into the discussion of where to live after college - most interns that do good work receive full time offers when they graduate. In a competitive job market this can be huge.

[RWebb]

Is she considered in-state at both UO and UC Santa Cruz ?

A comprehensive university would make it easier to switch out of art or pure art than an art school. I also hear that art majors do well if they are savy with web programming languages (e.g. web design & etc.).

I would be pleased to meet with you and her if she attends UO (tho I know nothing about art).

Best wishes to her.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Is she considered in-state at both UO and UC Santa Cruz ?

A comprehensive university would make it easier to switch out of art or pure art than an art school. I also hear that art majors do well if they are savy with web programming languages (e.g. web design & etc.).

I would be pleased to meet with you and her if she attends UO (tho I know nothing about art).

Best wishes to her.

She is considered in-state for UO, out of state for the UC schools (damn, all those decades of paying California income taxes gone to naught).

Paying say $50,000/year for the UC schools is not very appealing, relative to paying say $25,000/yr for UO including the tuition surcharge for the Clark Honors College. (Those are all-in costs including room and board.) She thinks so as well.

We are still keeping UCSD in the running, mentally speaking, but she has pretty much ruled UCSC out. She didn't apply to UC Berkeley or UCLA, they didn't appeal to her and her chances of getting in as an out of state were very low. I discouraged her from applying to Berkeley actually - I think it is a pressure-cooker now, not like when I went there long ago.

If she decides on UO, we'll definitely find you. She liked the school on a couple of visits (she goes there every year for the Forensics tournament) and was particularly impressed by the bookstores - I think the Smith Family Bookstore (?) - now she wants to work there, she is a book lover kind of kid.

[RWebb]

Smith Family Bookstore is the largest in town and their largest store is next to campus. There are lots of others - like PDX in miniature.

A former neighbor teaches English in the honors college - could try to hook them up. She has nothing but good things to say about her students, and IIRC has had them over to her house before.

But... as you know a UO degree will not knock the door down at that initial interview. I am one of those who thinks it is better to do what you want than to work at, or major in something you hate. Since you have a decently high income your daughter has some luxury of choice there.

I have a HS friend who went to RISD - she loved it.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

again, do you actually have evidence of this?

been a while since i hung out with lib ed folks, but i thought it was common knowledge among them that job prospects, and high paying job prospects for most of those majors were pretty low. that no one was blowing smoke up there asses.

agian, thats just my experience with those kind of classes and folks, admittedly that was 5 years ago or so. no one prospects were good (probably less than half the graduating engineers had jobs).

Thankfully, I cannot offer first-hand evidence. I graduated a few times but long ago and my kids are young. However, I did see the issue show through with people returning to school for degrees in fields that offered a reasonable future. I've worked with a few folks that experienced similar situations...most are now nurses some having graduated from accelerated programs catering to this very issue.

I suspect a day spent at Starbucks or Barnes & Noble or many, many bars would turn up a fair number of people with nebulous degrees not at all related to coffee, books or booze figuring out where it all went wrong.

Lastly, I recall listening to the radio (NPR) laying out stories of students being denied financial aid to attend programs that were pumping out students with no employment (or loan repayment) prospects.

[Aurel]

Our daughter will go to a State University in a sunny place, and we will buy a condo to get in State tuition. Thinking Scottsdale, AZ. Better put my money in real estate than in overpriced colleges...this is still 10 years from now.

[RWebb]

cp - liberal arts majors do not start out high, but after several years their average salaries outstrip most other degrees; science degrees are generally higher tho

[jyl]

Your last paragraph refers to the for profit education industry which is in fact a disgrace. They, or some of those companies, are in the business of suckering students into dubious programs for the only purpose of getting their student loans. The students end up with debt and no education or degree. Congress has been fitfully trying to rein in the industry but they have good lobbyists. You can buy their stocks if you like.

Quote de cockerpunk

again, do you actually have evidence of this?



been a while since i hung out with lib ed folks, but i thought it was common knowledge among them that job prospects, and high paying job prospects for most of those majors were pretty low. that no one was blowing smoke up there asses.



agian, thats just my experience with those kind of classes and folks, admittedly that was 5 years ago or so. no one prospects were good (probably less than half the graduating engineers had jobs).

Thankfully, I cannot offer first-hand evidence. I graduated a few times but long ago and my kids are young. However, I did see the issue show through with people returning to school for degrees in fields that offered a reasonable future. I've worked with a few folks that experienced similar situations...most are now nurses some having graduated from accelerated programs catering to this very issue.



I suspect a day spent at Starbucks or Barnes & Noble or many, many bars would turn up a fair number of people with nebulous degrees not at all related to coffee, books or booze figuring out where it all went wrong.



Lastly, I recall listening to the radio (NPR) laying out stories of students being denied financial aid to attend programs that were pumping out students with no employment (or loan repayment) prospects.

[LSA]

As someone who recently graduated I wouldn't have paid 50k+ for a degree from some fancy private school. Eff that ****. You pay some exorbitant amount per semester to have TA's and grad students lecture auditoriums of 100+ kids. Anybody paying that much for a degree is out of their mind especially for a degree in some ridiculous BA that doesn't have a hope in hell of making that up.

Went to a new state school that was local after going to cc. They had a competitive IT/CS program, small class sizes, fantastic professors with real world experience. I don't feel I missed out on anything had I went to a big school for 10x the price. I realize that in some situations the name of the school on the degree may count for something but real world experience is worth so much more. My last and most expensive semester was $3000