The college advice thread (all welcome to give advice)

[caketastydelish]

First, I want to say if there's already a thread like this, I apologize. I couldn't find a thread covering this topic. If there already is one, lock this and merge this post with it please, oh grateful mods.

With that underway, this is a thread for people looking for advice with college.

I'll kick it off by asking my own college questions.

So here's the story. A few years ago I started an English with a writing emphasis bachelors degree, which I stopped because I thought I was wasting my time. I only lack 16 credit hours to graduate with that degree. In the mean time I've been getting an associates in Computer Information Systems from my local community college. Based on the advice already given to me, I'm also studying for certification exams in the IT field because everyone is saying the degree alone won't get you a job. My goal is to have passed A+, Network +, Security +, and CCNA by the end of the year.

The degree thing is a little confusing so let me clarify: I'm getting both an associates from my community college in Computer Information Systems, AND a Bachelors in CIS from a 4 year university. *some* of the CIS classes I took from the community college will transfer, but the majority will not. However it wasn't a complete waste: Much of the material is similar to what I already learned since the degree is in the same field, so even though I basically have to retake some classes for nothing, at least they will be much easier the second time around. At the current time I've just started taking online classes from the 4 year university to work on my bachelors CIS degree, and on campus classes from the community college for their 2 year associates CIS degree, simultaneously. Since they're both the same major, it's a smooth ride. This will mean I will have both an Associates AND a Bachelors in the same field. I estimate having 31 hour of CIS left on the bachelors degree by the time I am completely finished with the associates CIS degree, which will be the end of this fall.

Here are my options after that, as far as I can see:

1) Forget about getting a bachelors degree entirely and immediately enter the work force (if I can, hopefully what I have would be enough)

2) Finish the English bachelors degree. I regret it but with only 16 hours left, that could almost be done in just one semester. At the very least, some jobs don't require what your bachelors was in but just say "bachelors degree required". So the English degree would be useful in those situations.

3) Finish the English degree and in addition, get a minor in Computer Information systems from this university. Some of my credits from the community college would transfer, since the degree is in the same field. The CIS classes would be somewhat easy (at least I expect) due to the familiarity I already have.

4) Double major in English and Computer Information Systems. Again, some of the community college CIS classes would transfer.

5) Major in Computer information Systems, use the English credits I already have to just minor in English without taking any more English classes.

6) the same as 5, but in addition to that, get either a minor or major in accounting.

Keep in mind between parents and scholarships the education would be paid for. I wouldn't have to take out a loan.

I'm also wondering if there's any synergy between English and Computer Information Systems. Obviously it's not as good as it could have been had I choose something like Marketing, Finance, or Accounting. But that would take a very long time to graduate. At the university I'm attending, majoring in any those takes about 70 hours, plus the almost 40 hours in CIS that I'd have to do. I'd be in college for at least 3 more years, and I'm already 24. But if I if I go the finish English and double major in CIS route (without taking accounting, business, or any other classes), it would take about half that time. It's also worth noting that the only reason I majored in English to begin with is because I have a passion for writing and I wanted to work as an editor, screenwriter or for a publishing company, a dream that still hasn't died. On the other hand: Accounting I particularly like because I've always been good with numbers. Numbers are easy and fun for me. Plus I'm betting it's easier to get a job with it. (They say English is useless, but would it still be useless if combined with CIS?)

And here is another option I didn't mention:

I could take 9 hours of English next fall (I can't take 12 simply because not everything is offered in one semester) then take 6 more the falling spring. And take additional classes in CIS during that same time. This would allow me to graduate with the English bachelors degree next spring. *then* I could go back to the university and get a second bachelors degree, this time a double major in CIS and Accounting. And the CIS would already be halfway done thanks to the CIS classes I'd have already taken by that point.

 

[Tani Coyote]

There are a lot of options to choose from, but I can say that a BA will almost always be worth your time. Unless a very promising job that only requires an Associate's opens up, it would be well worth it to get the Bachelor's.

As I recall, median income is about 10-20k more with a Bachelor's, to highlight how valuable going for it is. As you discussed, a lot of jobs bar non-BA candidates by default, so it confers an advantage in that regard as well.

The exact mixture of degrees would really be for you to contemplate based on your needs and interests, but I could say the BA is definitely worth the investment (again, barring an amazing opportunity presenting itself that would preclude further education).

There also seems to be a shift towards people with a Liberal Arts background in fields such as business lately, as well. In a world oversaturated with MBAs, those with LA experience are starting to stand out.

 

[Farm Boy]

If you have the time,opportunity, and desire to acquire a double English/computer science degree while acquiring no debt and without sacrificing a major life interest,carefully consider before passing on this opportunity. It is not universal across people or,likely different times in your own life either. Also, don't throw out the potential for graduate school if grades and finances and interests allow. Even with the debt.

If you can't stand the people, log off social media(or remove the offenders) and interact with different ones in person. If you can't stand them, find new people. The only ones you absolutely have to learn to put up with are the ones you need for school. Consider that a required part of the education. It's expensive experience to acquire no matter what path you take. Also helpful no matter what path you take.

You can always quit an education if, for some reason, you need to. Getting one is going to keep getting more difficult. Consider it your full time occupation.

Such would be my advice, but you have to do what ya gotta do.

 

[Zkribbler]

Farmboy and I rarely agree, but

 

[caketastydelish]

Also, another option was recommended to me which I wasn't considering:

Only double major with a bachelors. Then, get either CIS or accounting (whichever I didn't choose for my bachelors) as a graduate degree.

edit: It seems you need a bachelors in something accounting related to get a masters in it... Shucks. So many options, I'm not sure what to do.

edit 2: here's another option. Double major in English in CIS, and on top of that, get a minor in accounting. This would take just about 2 years. Whereas dropping English and majoring in Accounting and CIS would take 3 and a half years. And majoring in all 3 would take 4 years.

 

[Farm Boy]

All told, classes aren't that unpleasant compared to work, shall we say. If you care at all about the content of your classes, and you aren't chewing debt to get there, consider it a job where you get paid to read good books. You are young, take the time you need to get the degree(s) you want. Hell, a phd is a helluva nice thing to have even if you find a durable interest. Just don't dilly dally with the actual work. Work hard, pay hard, and remember why you're there. No matter what you do a lifetime of earning cash awaits you. Take your opportunities to make that more interesting and compensated.

A summer job on a grounds crew or doing field work is nice for perspective and beer money. If you don't need a job during the semester, don't. Just study and play with your peers if you are caught up.

 

[caketastydelish]

Yeah. I've also been getting mixed answers as to whether Computer Information Systems is worthless. Some people are saying it is and that a CS major will beat you to the same job every time, and some people are saying their CIS major got them a job that paid well over 50 K straight out of college.

Factors to consider:

1) What if I Majored in CS and minored in CIS? (leaving out accounting, English and everything else)

2) What if I majored in CIS and minored in CS? (again, leaving out everything else)

3) What if I Double majored in English and CIS as originally intended, but then minored in accounting?

Everybody is telling me CIS has great synergy with accounting, and that you can do more with accounting than with CIS alone. With just a handful more of accounting classes I could even potentially become a CPA, even without an accounting degree.

This particular option would only take 2 years. I want to enter the workforce as soon as possible. This option would take a reasonably small amount of time, and if I understand right, would allow me to have my cake and eat it too. Which is to say, I get to finish English, I get to finish CIS, and the accounting to go along with it makes the CIS more marketable.

 

[really]

Do you want to be an accountant?

 

[caketastydelish]

Possibly. The minor in accounting option would give me 18 hours in accounting, and you only need 30 hours of accounting to sit for the CPA exam. At the same time even if I'm not exactly "an accountant" the minor in accounting would at least giver me some background in the field: that would make the "business" side of my CIS more versatile than it would be without it.