[BIG_OL_CHODE]

Hey Guys and Gals,

This has been bugging me for a long time now. I live in this area where it is "high-class" and i am thinking about going into the electrical field by joining the technical campus at another high school in the area, which I would go there for half the day. But I also just went up to my older brothers college, and stayed the weekend there with him. So the also encouraged me to go to college, and get the "college life". I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!! HELP!!!

:thumbup:

 

[lannjenks]

Almost all of our new electrician apprentices have had some college, and about 30% will have degrees. Of those 30%, only about 10% will have ever worked in their field of degree.

If you think you are more suited for the trades, I say go for it. I got my degree in Engineering after becoming an electrician, when I could afford it.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I think the college life is worth the experience. If it doesn't work out you still have had a lot of life experiences. I graduated with a BA in psychology- lol- I decided 4 years was enough and left it at that. I did work in my field for a few years but the physical labor is what I needed and loved.

 

[BIG_OL_CHODE]

I think the college life is worth the experience. If it doesn't work out you still have had a lot of life experiences. I graduated with a BA in psychology- lol- I decided 4 years was enough and left it at that. I did work in my field for a few years but the physical labor is what I needed and loved.

But do you really think the experience is worth more than 50k in college debt?

 

[oldtimer]

I think the college life is worth the experience. If it doesn't work out you still have had a lot of life experiences. I graduated with a BA in psychology- lol- I decided 4 years was enough and left it at that. I did work in my field for a few years but the physical labor is what I needed and loved.

(I graduated with a BA in psychology)

Now I know why they wanted you as a moderator ! :thumbup:

 

[Dennis Alwon]

But do you really think the experience is worth more than 50k in college debt?

In my days I did 4 years with room and board for $10,000 total. I left school with about $3250 loan and I had 8 months to start paying it off before I started to accumulate interest. I walked into the bank the day it was due with the total amount due-- they were not happy.

$50K -- I guess it depends if you have any chance of being a student-- I sent my child to 4 years of a state school- UNC Chapel Heel (go heels) and we spent about $15000 a year and maybe $20,000 for her year abroad. She had a wonderful experience travel 3rd year abroad in France and spent 1 summer on scholarship in Malayasia, Thailand and Singapore and the next summer in Vietnam. It was an incredible experience for her and she is doing very well. Money well spent.

 

[Michigan Master]

If you truly want to be an electrician, or even just think you may, take the opportunity to get vocational training while in high school. That should help you figure out if you want to pursue this career.

After high school, even if you want to be an electrician, you can still attend college. I went to college as part of my apprenticeship training requirements (classes part-time while working full-time, so no true "college life" experience). While I was an apprentice I completed a certificate program at the community college.

I am now back in college working on finishing up my engineering degree. It's slow going, but I have no students loans, I already make good money, my employer has paid for my entire education, and I have a great trade I can always fall back on.

Sometimes I think I missed out on the whole "college experience", however, when I was young I made the trip to go visit them in college (a.k.a. party) on the weekends; I knew folks who went to large four year universities, some have never used their degree, and most are still paying off student loans almost 20 years later. So all in all, I think I made a good choice.