my advice for new college kids

I am a new graduate of college and have been through the job search. I feel like Im qualified to dole out advice. Dont listen to your stupid dorm friends when they tell you how it is, listen to people who have gone through it and know how it is.

01. Party... in moderation - nothing wrong with having a good time. Nothing at all. But you gotta know why youre in college. Its not to party. Its to be successful and get a good job out of college. A lot of partying ruins that. Your GPA goes to shit and, contrary to what I believed before, employers CARE ABOUT GPA! There's a balance, and that balance can take 3 years to figure out. Then you get senioritis and dont care. But please, please, please, please, stay on top of your schoolwork from day one. Because a couple of lazy semesters will put you into the habit. The successful people study a lot, volunteer, and get diesel jobs out of school or go to Harvard Law or Yale Medical or shit. The people who party a lot drop out or end up getting fairly crummy miserable jobs. Which is better to you? NOW... there's always exceptions, there are always some people who seem to party a lot and still get high grades. But don't assume you're one of them. Either the person is a bonafide genius or lying to you. And if you want to get into the school's business department, it can be very tough to get in. I know it is at UCLA and Rutgers. You have to be on your game from day one. You dont want to fall short and end up majoring in some horse shit that screams, "I couldnt get into the business school".

And partying a lot is drinking a lot. And drinking a lot is beer belly time. Its nasty. A lot of people just dont give a shit after a while, but its nasty.

02. Get the fuck out of your dorm - Dorm rooms are cramped and nasty. They're the oldest, most shitty buildings on campus. Theres barely enough room for one person. Get out! The bigger the school the more clubs there are. My old school had 900. Anyone, anyone could find 2 or 3 to join. I did UCLA Radio and volunteer literacy work in Watts. I couldve done 5 more. And Im hardly a superstar, there was just no time. You'll meet cool, motivated people (AND REMEMBER - you are who your friends are) and have some top dog stuff on your resume.

03. Go to the doctor - dorms are nasty. Everyone is crammed in like a filing cabinet. Diseases and germs travel faster than you can believe. Stay on top of your game. And also, for fucks sake, wear a condom. Any girl thats willing to fuck you an hour after meeting her at some party is a slut and probably has STDs. Keep your shit wrapped up. Dont be an idiot.

04. Pick your major wisely - people from the liberal arts departments will go and give people huge lists as to why their majors are good. Stuff like, "learn critical evaluation tools" and other shit. They do this because their funding is based on enrollment into the major. Dont fall for it. You wanna think about how the degree will look. An english degree may be wonderful for four years, youll read great things and so forth. But what does it mean in the end? A good job? Not necessarilly. Entrance to law school? Yay, with the 600000000 other english majors applying to law school. You wanna stand out.

Now, if you really love english and thats what you wanna do your whole life, blah blah blah, great, but dont expect to be rich. Average salary for an engineer out of school is like $50,000, english major its like $25,000. Thats basically gonna be the story of your life. But dont pick a major based on your enjoyment of the subject NOW. Thats penny wise and pound foolish. College is 4 years, after college is like 60.

05. Do your research - if you are thinking about grad school, do research NOW. Not in 2 years, when the college tells you because you need to "find your way". A lof ot this shit is very specific and asks for specific things. Ask any pre-med student at any point in their college career and they will tell you exactly what they need to do. You dont want to waste time and money, so be on point. Im planning to go get my MBA in 2008, I started researching it. Shit will jump out at you if youre not careful.

06. Get internships - probably the most important thing. YOU NEED THIS if you want to avoid the death march that is job searching. Companies are lazy and hate looking for people - they will just take you if you interned there and didnt smoke pot on the job or something. Most companies want people who finished 2 years of college, but if youre on the ball you can find an internship after your freshman year. DO IT! And, start looking IMMEDIATELY. I mean this, like the 2nd week of school. Shit moves so fast and its so easy to put it aside and lose your chances. The better the school, the better the opportunities, but the more cutthroat it is. Just glance at the career center site and see if theres anything cool. Ask the career center for help with your resume. Now, if its anything like UCLA's, its useless, but still give it a shot.

07. Dont sign up for credit cards - Credit card people will set up shop all over campus and offer t-shirts and shit for signing up. DO NOT DO IT. These credit cards are a rip off with huge interest rates. They are designed to get you when you're most vulnerable so you're a slave to them your entire life. College people are graduating with $5,000, $6,000, etc. in debt and fucking themselves (especially if you're a liberal arts major). Just walk away. If you need a credit card, and you dont (I didnt need one in school, and I was broke, but Im still alive), talk to your parents and try to get one of those student cards with like a $500 limit.

Now, listen to my advice and PROSPER!

Good advice.

I'd like to add that you probably shouldn't go for a single in your first semester...you don't want to have the opportunity to seal yourself away with your video games. Get out and get active!

My advice for kids not going to college:

Get a job: Dont be lazy
Buy stuff with your money: No tuition bills or loans to pay off until you're almost 30. gg

thanks dad

My advice, dont go to college straight out of high school. I did, and ended up going back to college a second time because of it. So did many people I know. Live a little, get out there, find what you really want to do, then go to college.

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Originally Posted by hugmuffin

My advice, dont go to college straight out of high school. I did, and ended up going back to college a second time because of it. So did many people I know. Live a little, get out there, find what you really want to do, then go to college.

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I dont agree with that at all. I say, plow on through to the other side. Ive also known some people who didnt go to college, eh, a lot of them actually got married and shit really young, and will probably stay poor their whole lives. A degree is so important nowadays.

And yea, if youre in college, stay. Dont take "breaks". I dont think there's a single person I know who took a break and managed to finish. That just made me motivated to want to finish, even though I wanted to quit and save money for a term a lot of times. College sucks in a lot of ways, you're broke and have no money and it's just a means to an end. A full time job, any full time job, will make you a lot more than you will see in college, so it could be tempting to quit school and just work because of the money. Nevermind you put a glass ceiling on yourself.

This may be a class/wealth thing, I guess its okay to take a break from school if you're wealthier, I dunno.

It just depends. I went to school right out of college and found myself floundering around clueless and ended up in an art school majoring in graphic design. I'm a terrible designer. After hating the design industry for two years I went back and did what I really wanted (comp sci) and I'm now far more happy.

Then take my brother, who never went to college, worked at my uncle's restaurant, then eventually went to culinary school and is now a successful restaurant owner in New York, and loving it. I think he took the better path.

Granted, two examples hardly mean anything, but I run into a ton of people who ended up redoing college because they started right after high school. I think it's pretty common.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

03. Go to the doctor - dorms are nasty. Everyone is crammed in like a filing cabinet. Diseases and germs travel faster than you can believe. Stay on top of your game. And also, for fucks sake, wear a condom. Any girl thats willing to fuck you an hour after meeting her at some party is a slut and probably has STDs. Keep your shit wrapped up. Dont be an idiot.

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i got spinal menengitis during my sophmore year of school. somehow i worked through it and didn't take "time off" because i KNEW if i did i wouldn't go back. nothing like a 104 degree temperature during 3 hour studio classes.

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Originally Posted by hugmuffin

Granted, two examples hardly mean anything, but I run into a ton of people who ended up redoing college because they started right after high school. I think it's pretty common.

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my dad died the day i graduated high school. after sitting around for a year i finally knew id be nothing if i didnt go to school. it just ate away at me that whole year. am i doing what i want to? no, but the alternative would have been worse more than likely.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

And yea, if youre in college, stay. Dont take "breaks". I dont think there's a single person I know who took a break and managed to finish.

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* Raises hand *


As far as advice goes. Do what you feel is right for you, don't let friends, family or TNL members influence important decisions in your life. After high school, I had absolutely NO interest in going to college, but my dad told me that if I didn't go right after high school that he would never give me an opportunity to go again.

I hated being forced to travel hundreds of miles away from friends and family to go to learn things I had little or no interest in. After going there for a while, I determined for myself what was right for me and in which paths to follow.

Bottom line, it helps to be motivated but in the end you have to make choices for yourself.

dont listen to advice i say, just do what you think will make you happy. If you make mistakes, at least they're your own.

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Originally Posted by station82o

dont listen to advice i say, just do what you think will make you happy. If you make mistakes, at least they're your own.

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Yes, nobody should ever listen to anyone else for anything. You're a beautiful and unique snowflake. The world will bend for your happiness.

That too

Actually, what I meant was that often times you'll get burned on advice just as much as you'll benefit from it. But thanks for recognizing my inherent snowflake, I was waiting for that all week. =)

Diffx is really hard on Liberal Arts majors because he obviously has no interest in the subject matter. Don't force yourself to pick a major that sounds profitable or likely to land you a good job. You need to pick something you're passionate about and interested in otherwise you won't go and you'll end up failing anyway.

Sure, some of us may be interested in subjects that aren't the most marketable in the world, but I would much rather excel in something I enjoy than barely get by in something I hate. Remember, like Diffx said, after college is the rest of your life. Do you want to spend it doing something you positively hate?

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Originally Posted by g0zen

Diffx is really hard on Liberal Arts majors because he obviously has no interest the subject matter. However, don't force yourself to pick a major that sounds profitable or likely to land you a good job. You need to pick something you're passionate about and interested in otherwise you won't go and you'll end up failing anyway.

Sure, some of us may be interested in subjects that aren't the most marketable in the world, but I would much rather excel in something I enjoy than barely get by in something I hate. Remember, like Diffx said, after college is the rest of your life. Do you want to spend it doing something you positively hate?

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I actually have tons of interest in the subject matter, and a few different turns and I would've majored in a liberal art. Im one of the relatively few out there, at least from anecdotal evidence, who enjoys both the sciences and the liberal arts. I enjoyed, really enjoyed, virtually all the liberal arts classes I took.

But Im also glad I majored in a science, because while I felt up for another few years of schooling when I was a sophomore I certainly wasnt as a senior. The amount of jobs that ask for french history or whatever pale in comparison to the amount that ask for finance. This is a fact. And you probably wont make as much money. Again, not trying to hate, its just a fact and you know it. When its time to pick a major, at least know this fact. Dont think you can major in whatever and still make tons of dough like the guy majoring in rocket science. Thats what I mean when I say, pick it wisely.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Yes, nobody should ever listen to anyone else for anything. You're a beautiful and unique snowflake. The world will bend for your happiness.

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what is it with you and snowflakes lately?

My only advice to add is make use of the school's rec center. Lift some weights, run a little bit, maybe play some basketball or something. You meet people there, feel better about yourself, and being physically active helps you in your schoolwork.

Wow, diffx is pretty bored today.

A note or two on what he said: GPA isn't as critical as he makes it out to be. It will count once, and only once, on your first out-of-school job, and after that, it's as useful as your high school permanent record. Your experience will be all that matters after that point. And that first job, your GPA will only matter if it's stellar. If it's average (3.0 or less), don't even bother listing it. I only garnered 1 1/2 years experience on my first job, and that experience was what interested my future employers the most for my current job (judging by their questions, anyway). If you want a good relevant GPA with less work, get good grades in major courses. Your major GPA is much more relevant than overall and you can sleep through all that nonsense colleges drop on you.

But the ultimate news to believe is internships. Do one every summer except your first, and one after you graduate. It's work experience, and that's what employers really care about. I say skip the first, it goes back to the party in moderation thing. Enjoy at least one summer doing a pointless job (I worked in comic book store on mine), and the first is best because your major will have less core courses to its credit, and less likely to get a pertinent internship. Example, one friend of mine went this route... and she got an internship mixing paint samples in a lab. And she was pre-med. Not relevant. (But, good for pre-med doing an internship period that early). It can be good for a reference (see below), but from my experience, enjoy that summer.

And, as diffx said, employers pull entry level positions mostly from interns. You stand a chance starting as temp to perm, which is what I did for my first job, but while I was working temp, they hired 2 interns from the previous year. Applying by submitting a resume for an entry level position will most likely fall flat on its face, unless you find a niche job and you fit that niche perfectly. So, you really want the great in you can get from interning.

On your internship, always bust your ass even if you have no intention of ever associating yourself with the company again. Why? Recommendations and references. On my one internship, I busted my ass so well that my supervisor said specifically on my last day 'If you ever need a reference, give me a call'. I have yet to think about working there again, but that recommendation may very well have helped me get the two career positions I have gotten so far. Also, don't discount professors. This only applies for classes with 30 people or less, but busting your ass in their classes can leave a mark that they remember (even if you sleep through other classes). I did the same and got another reference that was probably well needed.

If you party on any day besides Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, you party too much. Moderation is so key.

Don't flounder having the undeclared major. If you went to the school without a goal in sight, make sure to find it asap. You really don't want to spend more than 4 years ($$$ and where'd my friends go?) if you don't have to. Don't worry about changing majors, but try and avoid it as time goes on. If you really have no idea, pick a blanket major so the courses you're taking now don't get wasted. (Want to do something science, just go Biology. Most courses you take early on will filter down to most science majors). I started Comp Sci, realized it was dull as shit, and switched to Food Science, which I ended up completing. However, I had to start Bio 1&2 my second year, slowing me down a touch. Had to take summer courses to make up for the slack, after senior year and during my sophmore summer.

I will disagree with diffx on getting out of your dorm. While clubs give you something to do, staying and hanging around your dorm with everyone else can be a fucking blast. Don't ignore them, but use them in moderation. You don't need more than 2, because they can give the impression you are too much of a workaholic.

If your funds are like mine, you may really want to hold off on grad school until your company that you work for offers to pay for it. Keep in mind, that what I've found from my friends, is that the time you spend in grad school will translate to work experience in figuring how much you can make. What I mean is, I've have 2 1/2 years work experience, and make as much as my friend who just graduated 2-year grad school and got his first job. So, it's not critical to do it right after your BS/BA, but I think it is critical to get some some form of higher education above the BS/BA eventually.

I'm starting to really worry about colllege and the rest of my life now. I was careless but now I have a constant pressure over me at all times when I think about college. I still don't know what I'm going to major in (with an interests in business and dentistry), and my school offers little to know knowledge about college. It's almost as if everything is hidden behind a veil of secrecy.

When you're talking about internship, you're talking about getting a job as an intern at a company correct? What exactly does an intern do and why is that so important?

I'll be sure to keep all these things in mind. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by NApOLm321

When you're talking about internship, you're talking about getting a job as an intern at a company correct? What exactly does an intern do and why is that so important?

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An internship is an early chance for experience in your industry and is practically essential to getting a real job after school. My three internships were crucial in me finding a job after I graduated.

Basically you work for the company. Benefits for the company: they pay you dick and you do crappy tasks. Benefits for you: experience, and a kick start to your resume. Sometimes you get school credit for them, and sometimes you're not paid. Just depends.

Also, kids, leech off your parents for as long as possible. If you live on campus but your parents house is close, go there to do laundry, raid the fridge, etc. If you dont have a job or much spare money, this is the way to go. Life aint cheap.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

But dont pick a major based on your enjoyment of the subject NOW. Thats penny wise and pound foolish. College is 4 years, after college is like 60.

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IBTN.

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Originally Posted by Dragonmaster Dyne

what is it with you and snowflakes lately?

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Maybe he's been watching Fight Club. The commentaries, perhaps, diff?

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Wow, diffx is pretty bored today.

A note or two on what he said: GPA isn't as critical as he makes it out to be. It will count once, and only once, on your first out-of-school job, and after that, it's as useful as your high school permanent record.

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Eh, you're right (including the bored part), but a mediocre GPA makes it that much harder to find the first out of school job. If I had a near-perfect GPA I could be doing some crazy ass shit like Quantitative Programming for like double what Im making now. I still maintain that you should strive for an amazing GPA, but yea: a lot of people get so worked up over GPA and pressure and go nuts if they do bad on one test. Thats not healthy.

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When you're talking about internship, you're talking about getting a job as an intern at a company correct? What exactly does an intern do and why is that so important?

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I wouldnt worry about what youre gonna major in right away. Internships are important because its all about good references and good additions to the resume. And companies usually hire interns, so thats a good first job out of college, usually at a better salary.

Conflicting advice, my head explodes.

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I'd like to add that you probably shouldn't go for a single in your first semester...you don't want to have the opportunity to seal yourself away with your video games. Get out and get active!

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Eh, I'm in a single for my first semester right now, and the whole floor is still pretty social. Haven't played games all that much since I got here.

Amended: If you have a single, leave your door open except when you're studying and j'ing it.

I always liked studying out of my room anyway, either in a crowded place with lots of people, or some quiet place like the laundry room, but never the library. Grr, I can't stand studying the library. I think it's the whole work aura that I can't stand.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Yes, nobody should ever listen to anyone else for anything. You're a beautiful and unique snowflake. The world will bend for your happiness.

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I was going to post that "magical snowflake" image here... but its not on the internet anymore. :(

Okay, here's some advice from me. Go to your Student Center or look on the internet and find out what is happening on your campus. Odds are there are all sorts interesting stuff happening right under your nose. I'm talking concerts, lectures (if you're into that sorta thing, I know I am), movies (our campus has its own theater and they show all kinds of stuff, they have a Taratino marathon once a year, oh and it's all free to students and faculty), LANs, etc.

A college campus is its own little community and there is rarely any shortage of fun things to do. Don't think you have to go out on the town to find a good way to spend an evening.

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Originally Posted by Cowutopia

I'd like to add that you probably shouldn't go for a single in your first semester...you don't want to have the opportunity to seal yourself away with your video games. Get out and get active!

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Getting a single:

PROS: Privacy, easier to concentrate, makes booty calls simpler (But listen to Dr. Diff, keep the skanks out)

CONS: Can have too much privacy and make you a shut-in, a good roommate can make things better than a single ever could

Plan out your education to a T. Every quarter, every semester. Later on the classes you need will only happen once a year, so don't forget about it now and just say, "Well, we will cross that bridge when we get there". You're adding lots of $$ to your bills.

Here's another tip that can help you out greatly, while lowering the amount of actual work you have to do, while still maintaining the grades you want. Depending on your scruples, you may not find this appealing.

Find out early which professors recycle their exams and notes. Professors are people too, and by god, there are some lazy bastards to be found. Seniors and juniors will know which ones are which, and can help you out. Example: The microbiology professor on my campus recycles his exams exactly every 4 years. One of my female friends had been dating a grad student who kept all of his old exams. She got them, we memorized the answers, and all four of us in our group snagged As. I even beat out my two workaholic friends, and my god, were they pissed at me. Mwha.

When doing this, be sure spike it so you don't ruin it for everyone. We all picked answers to get wrong to not raise suspiscions. However, the next year (this guy only taught in the fall), 20 people got perfects. The professor caught on, and has since fixed his exams.

Of course, this may not matter. One biochemistry professor makes it known that you can 'find what you're looking for in the library online files'. Sure enough, his old exam, which he recycles 90% of, is online. Half the class gets As on his exams.

Then there is when the whole damn department is lazy. The organic chemistry lab course at Rutgers uses the same experiments every semester. Simply find a friend who got an A (or, in my case, a friend, who found a friend, who found a friend who got an A) and transpose the data into your labbook. Never copy word for word, add your own spin, say it your own words.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

I dont think there's a single person I know who took a break and managed to finish.

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You know two. Me and Mzo. I know I'm going to finish. And Mzo just has to much going for him not to, now that he is back in. The guy has a great personality, and that will get him far if he can get some paper to go with it.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

This may be a class/wealth thing, I guess its okay to take a break from school if you're wealthier, I dunno.

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Perhaps. I did always have the wealth and success of my own Dad right in front of me. Giving up on trying to live up to that and letting him and myself down, is not an option.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

She got them, we memorized the answers, and all four of us in our group snagged As. I even beat out my two workaholic friends, and my god, were they pissed at me. Mwha.

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Yeah good luck in the real world. I can sniff out an idiot in a job interview in 2 seconds flat. People who graduate with nice looking degrees but obviously don't know shit don't get very far.

I'm living proof that you're lying

EDIT: No degrees at all. Degrees are for fags.

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

You know two. Me and Mzo. I know I'm going to finish. And Mzo just has to much going for him not to, now that he is back in. The guy has a great personality, and that will get him far if he can get some paper to go with it.

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Yeah, I had to take a break too. Mostly because of money issues, but I'm out of the service now and trying to hit my stride in school again - not easy ...especially the math :(

Definitely some good advice going on here though guys.

As far as internships go , I havent been looking into any. Just assumed that the company(s) (Lockheed/Martin) that I wanted to apply for wouldnt take me until I passed my 2 year point (which I do this Fall) - I need to look into this to see if I can pick something up this summer.

As far as portnoyd's advice on the test scamming/cheating if you want to call it that. I say take that with a grain of salt. I wasnt willing to wager my GPA on a hope that the answers a friend of mine had for tests in CHEM II were valid or not. And I'm glad I didnt. I studied on my own, "aced" a couple of tests and passed the class with a pretty good grade. My friend failed out because he put the entirety of his study and work into those test's he got from a good source.

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Originally Posted by Tain

Conflicting advice, my head explodes.



Eh, I'm in a single for my first semester right now, and the whole floor is still pretty social. Haven't played games all that much since I got here.

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That reminds me. Little bit advice from me, leave the fucking systems at home. MAYBE, bring xbox controller and mem card or something, but keep the damn consoles out of your room. This includes PC games too. Video games can fuck up a GPA just as badly as booze can if you let them.

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Originally Posted by Jetman

As far as portnoyd's advice on the test scamming/cheating if you want to call it that. I say take that with a grain of salt. I wasnt willing to wager my GPA on a hope that the answers a friend of mine had for tests in CHEM II were valid or not. And I'm glad I didnt. I studied on my own, "aced" a couple of tests and passed the class with a pretty good grade. My friend failed out because he put the entirety of his study and work into those test's he got from a good source.

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Oh God, yes, NEVER cheat on test. If you get caught, the school can destroy you. It is just not worth it.

That reminds me of something a few of my class mates did two semesters ago. My physics teacher makes his final from test questions from across the year. Three guys spent an entire weekend putting every test into their TI-89s. Somehow he found out about this before the final. He walked into the room with the final, walked up to them not saying a word, picked up the calcs, and deleted the memory. One of the guys almost puked/cried. One failed, one got a C, and the other guy got an A because he memorized everything because he was the one who typed it all up. You may think that was a shitty thing for the teacher too do, but if they would have actually cheated, they would have been kicked out of school, and that would have went on their record.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Yes, nobody should ever listen to anyone else for anything. You're a beautiful and unique snowflake. The world will bend for your happiness.

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http://us.st5.yimg.com/store1.yimg.c...s_1856_4645320

You can always do what I did:

Go to college on full academic scholarship
Dont listen to the moderation everyone tells you about ,and dropout after a year and 1/2
Profit$

A lot of the math and science classes I took in university tested in such a way that you'd learn just as much by cheating as you would by studying.

Most of my profs' idea of teaching was to train us to do three or four very specific types of problems, and then test us on our ability to regurgitate the process.

Understanding the material was completely unnecessary to success.

I'm not sure why they did this, but I'm guessing that it's because it makes them look like awesome teachers when they have 80% of their students acing their tests, and those tests look very hard.

Nobody outside of the class realized that we were just punching numbers into formulas that we didn't understand, in order to solve problems we had practiced ad nauseum for months.

Fortunately, that kind of horseshit is usually replaced with real learning by second or third year.

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Originally Posted by hugmuffin

Yeah good luck in the real world. I can sniff out an idiot in a job interview in 2 seconds flat. People who graduate with nice looking degrees but obviously don't know shit don't get very far.

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Umm, you do know that most of the knowledge you apply on the job is learned on the job? I've used so little of what I've learned in college in the almost 3 years I've been working the real world. Almost all of it has been garnered on the job. So, skimping on microbio, something which has had zero relevance then and has no relevance now, is not even a factor.

The real idiots skimp on those courses that may actually have some relevance to their future work. If it makes you feel better, I worked hard in all my food science courses.

But please, stop being so high and mighty. I'm sorry I got you so mad because you must be the workaholic type who busts their ass all the time, and gets surpassed by the people who actually look critically at what's in front of them.

My advice for new college kids reading this thread:

Skip paragraph 4 and pay attention to the rest.

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Originally Posted by Jetman

As far as portnoyd's advice on the test scamming/cheating if you want to call it that. I say take that with a grain of salt. I wasnt willing to wager my GPA on a hope that the answers a friend of mine had for tests in CHEM II were valid or not.

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As it turns out, for the three instances I mentioned, we had proof that this sort of pattern/trick was going on. It's still a risk, specifically the micorbio one, one we were willing to take, and one that paid off. The biochem trick is and was a wellknown fact - there is literally no risk involved, and the organic chem one, as long as you matched the labs with the reports and just didn't blindly copy the reports, you were set.

I'm just saying, at college, have your eyes open and if something drops like this arises, be smart about it.

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

You know two. Me and Mzo. I know I'm going to finish.

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If you don't, I am going to make fun of you.I will say things like "knew you were going to finish, eh? eh?" and etc.

About the lazy teachers. I was taking an asian art history class, and my friend was taking a chinese history class with the same teacher and except for the last week of school they were the exact same class. My class was the day before his, so I just told him what would be on the test or quiz or whatever the next day. Also: the teacher ended the class a week early and gave everyone an A on a quiz he didn't have time to give because of that.

How much math have any of you grads used outside of school? I mean serious math like Cal and Trig?

I bet diff has used his maths

To go along with the "you need a great GPA!" the best way to do it is to make sure you do as well as you can you first semester/year. It is much easier to keep a high GPA than to raise one up from the pits. I have a few friends who dicked around their first year and could never really get their GPA up high even when they did much better.

Internships are really important. But it also depends what industry and what company you're in to get that coveted "my internship turned into my job!" While some get the sick opportunity, many don't. Especially when it comes to media production. They use their interns as their entry level workers and when the semester is up, there is a whole new fleet of kids waiting to take their place.

Getting a job is dependant on 2 things: Your experiance and who you know. I can't stress how fucking important networking is. The people you know, and more importantly the people that the people you know, know will get you ahead of everyone else.

Also, when you do party, fucking live it up! College fucking rocks and is the last chance you have for being a kid.

Diff: I start classes really soon, and I need some advice. My major concern is motivation. Knowing me, I lose motivation in ANYTHING if I'm not seeing results. I plan to major in Music, but even with something like that I fear I will be packing my bags in a few months time. What kept you in school the whole time, and how did you push yourself to be the best student you can be?

There is some great advice in this thread. Looking back on a lot of stuff in my college experience, there is so much I would change.

I will totally agree with you on the get out of your room thing. My car broke down just before I went away, and I spent a ton of time in my dorm room playing Team Fortress Classic. Because of this, combined with the vat of fat they serve you every day for meals, I put on 40 lbs in a semester. NOT COOL. Once I got out of school, it took me almost a year to work off that, and all other weight I gained during my time in college.

One thing I can say is this. If you are in a long term relationship, and you dont forsee it lasting forever, your not that into it, this is your chance. Seriously, I spent my entire time in college with the same girl. About 4 months after we got out of school, things went south...and here I was wishing I had the kind of interaction with women college provides with ease. Of course, I've since remedied that.

The credit card advice is serious. Dont sign up for one. Take it from someone that is still paying for it.

Now, to all you film majors, the internship is the most important thing you can possibly do if you looking to work in production or post. Embrace it, love it. It sure as hell beats doing that free shit after you graduate which you will most likely have to do anyways. But that industry, more than any other, is really based on who you know, not what you know. Everyone is going to be going in different directions immediately afterwards, and whats better than having someone that lands a gig, and says "hey I know a guy that would be interested in this."

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Originally Posted by D_N_G

You can always do what I did:
Go to college on full academic scholarship

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Yeah, if only it was that easy. I have a good GPA (3.859) but don't do well enough on standardized tests to qualify for full rides anywhere. 29 on the ACT is respectable, but not enough for a full ride. Right now all I have to look forward to are a lot of loans just to manage a 14k school.

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How much math have any of you grads used outside of school? I mean serious math like Cal and Trig?

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Calculus is NOT serious math, argh. Its baby stuff. That said, elements of it figure prominently in finance, and actually finance is all math, obviously.

But you're missing the point. College is about LEARNING TO LEARN, getting your mind to the point where you can absorb and process new ideas quickly, like a sponge. Because thats whats needed on the job. Its not like high school, where you learn rigid formulas and explanations and have to regurgitate them on a test. Think about it, your major is CompSci. The languages you are learning now will be obsolete in 5 years. C++ is decreasing in practical importance every year, and 5 years ago PHP, ASP, and Java were about 1/1000000th of what they are now. I started as a CompSci major and had to take a class on fucking VAX Assembly. VAX was obsolete and worthless as a platform in 1990. There was no way I would ever use it on a job. But the principles were sound and I learned what really goes on in a computer. It was a very valuable class.

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What kept you in school the whole time, and how did you push yourself to be the best student you can be?

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lols, the thought of not being broke anymore ^__^. My family is very blue-collar and we never had much money. I wanted to get out of that shit. My dad used to take me on the job with him and all the guys he worked with would tell me, "stay in school so you dont end up like me".

But I was interested in my classes and always looked forward to taking them on different subjects. I know I planned out my college progression from beginning to end, revising it every quarter but at least knowing where I'd end up. I predicted my graduation time and final schedule early in my junior year. So I at least knew where the end was.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

Umm, you do know that most of the knowledge you apply on the job is learned on the job?

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Depends on the industry. This is definitely not true for Computer Science. I'm quite involved in the hiring process at my company and so over the past year I've interviewed dozens of people. There have been quite a few people who flaunt their 3.9x GPA but know almost nothing about software development, math or computer science. They either went to a bad school (quite likely) or just floated by through school. Either way they didn't get the education they really needed for this industry.

Granted, the really good software developers started coding in Basic when they were 5 and have software and math flowing through their blood. These people float through college because they learned what a B-Tree was before they hit puberty. Unfortunately, nowadays, this is a very rare job candidate.

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Originally Posted by Mezz

There is some great advice in this thread. Looking back on a lot of stuff in my college experience, there is so much I would change.

I will totally agree with you on the get out of your room thing. My car broke down just before I went away, and I spent a ton of time in my dorm room playing Team Fortress Classic. Because of this, combined with the vat of fat they serve you every day for meals, I put on 40 lbs in a semester. NOT COOL. Once I got out of school, it took me almost a year to work off that, and all other weight I gained during my time in college.

One thing I can say is this. If you are in a long term relationship, and you dont forsee it lasting forever, your not that into it, this is your chance. Seriously, I spent my entire time in college with the same girl. About 4 months after we got out of school, things went south...and here I was wishing I had the kind of interaction with women college provides with ease. Of course, I've since remedied that.

The credit card advice is serious. Dont sign up for one. Take it from someone that is still paying for it.

Now, to all you film majors, the internship is the most important thing you can possibly do if you looking to work in production or post. Embrace it, love it. It sure as hell beats doing that free shit after you graduate which you will most likely have to do anyways. But that industry, more than any other, is really based on who you know, not what you know. Everyone is going to be going in different directions immediately afterwards, and whats better than having someone that lands a gig, and says "hey I know a guy that would be interested in this."

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What do you do for a living Mezz?

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Originally Posted by hugmuffin

There have been quite a few people who flaunt their 3.9x GPA but know almost nothing about software development, math or computer science.

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hey that's me! i just have no memory, so everything i took the previous semester is gone a few weeks into the next. But i can ace a test and write a paper like a champ. I'll prob finish my masters with a 3.98 or so, but I'm not even sure how i got this far.

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Originally Posted by hugmuffin

Depends on the industry. This is definitely not true for Computer Science. I'm quite involved in the hiring process at my company and so over the past year I've interviewed dozens of people. There have been quite a few people who flaunt their 3.9x GPA but know almost nothing about software development, math or computer science. They either went to a bad school (quite likely) or just floated by through school. Either way they didn't get the education they really needed for this industry.

Granted, the really good software developers started coding in Basic when they were 5 and have software and math flowing through their blood. These people float through college because they learned what a B-Tree was before they hit puberty. Unfortunately, nowadays, this is a very rare job candidate.

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www.thedailywtf.com

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06. Get internships - probably the most important thing. YOU NEED THIS if you want to avoid the death march that is job searching. Companies are lazy and hate looking for people - they will just take you if you interned there and didnt smoke pot on the job or something. Most companies want people who finished 2 years of college, but if youre on the ball you can find an internship after your freshman year. DO IT! And, start looking IMMEDIATELY. I mean this, like the 2nd week of school. Shit moves so fast and its so easy to put it aside and lose your chances. The better the school, the better the opportunities, but the more cutthroat it is. Just glance at the career center site and see if theres anything cool. Ask the career center for help with your resume. Now, if its anything like UCLA's, its useless, but still give it a shot.

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This is important if you're an arts major like I am. Fatten up your portfolio. Arts is all about your portfolio. Do well in your classes to keep your GPA up, but the GPA doesn't amount to a hill of beans in the art field if the work you choose to represent you isn't any good. I've been to three interviews with my portfolio and was hired on during all three (one was co-op placement, the other an intern for experience, and the last the job I'm working at now).

This is the #1 rule for art majors. Portfolio > GPA. Of course if your portfolio sucks you can always try to get a decent managerial job with your diploma.

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Originally Posted by dave is ok

My advice for kids not going to college:

Get a job: Dont be lazy
Buy stuff with your money: No tuition bills or loans to pay off until you're almost 30. gg

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Some of this advice isn't really applicable or optional for some people.

I leave in the morning...time to start packing! :yuck: :D

I hope you forget everything important.

Seriously though, why would you delay packing until the few hours before leaving? You'll probably end up leaving a few things behind. Probably wouldn't be a problem if your school is close to home and all, but still...

Good advice, guys.

I'm in my senior year of high school right now and plan on going next year to study Journalism. Of course, I've made some foolish choices in the past(I wanted to be a game developer...yeah right), so I'm looking at the game journalist thing with a lot of skepticism.

I'm getting little to no support from either of my parents, financially, but luckily for me, I plan on rooming with a buddy of mine who comes from a very wealthy family, so I might be able to mooch off of him a little.

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Originally Posted by Nomi

Yeah, if only it was that easy. I have a good GPA (3.859) but don't do well enough on standardized tests to qualify for full rides anywhere. 29 on the ACT is respectable, but not enough for a full ride. Right now all I have to look forward to are a lot of loans just to manage a 14k school.

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thats what you get for being the white daughter of a doctor. HAHAHAHAHAHA

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Calculus is NOT serious math, argh.

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you stfu. Physics and E majors need to know calc. It is just about the only math they will use on the job site. They sure the fuck won't be proving theorums and other crap like you did your final year.

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Originally Posted by stormy

hey that's me! i just have no memory, so everything i took the previous semester is gone a few weeks into the next. But i can ace a test and write a paper like a champ. I'll prob finish my masters with a 3.98 or so, but I'm not even sure how i got this far.

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The best way to fix that would be to get a hobby that uses what you learn and read books about it outside of the class. The hobbies will make it fun and make a it part of you. The books will be written more along the lines of the way you think, helping you remember everything better.

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Originally Posted by Andrew

Some of this advice isn't really applicable or optional for some people.

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Dude, seriously. If I was an english major, fuck yeah I could work while going to school. It doesn't take any thought on my part to write a paper. Set down, write it, then have 2 or 3 people proof read it in the dorm. BAM! A/B paper.

But 2 or 3 math classes in one semester @_@? 2 sciences, both with labs? D=

No, no, no Tim, I won't be working and battling that sort of stuff at the same time.

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Originally Posted by Glitch 2.0

Good advice, guys.

I'm in my senior year of high school right now and plan on going next year to study Journalism. Of course, I've made some foolish choices in the past(I wanted to be a game developer...yeah right), so I'm looking at the game journalist thing with a lot of skepticism.

I'm getting little to no support from either of my parents, financially, but luckily for me, I plan on rooming with a buddy of mine who comes from a very wealthy family, so I might be able to mooch off of him a little.

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Where are you going, Mr. Tenn.

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

Where are you going, Mr. Tenn.

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Tennessee Tech University, of course. And don't be confused by the name - it's a university, even though there's a "Tech" in the name.

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But 2 or 3 math classes in one semester @_@? 2 sciences, both with labs? D=

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I had a job my 3rd, 4th, and 5th year of college. 10-15 hours a week.

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you stfu. Physics and E majors need to know calc. It is just about the only math they will use on the job site. They sure the fuck won't be proving theorums and other crap like you did your final year.

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Stop being a baby. I never said Calculus wasnt important, that would be ridiculous - Im saying its not serious math. Freshman/Sophomore Calculus is high school math. People who dont know anything about math think it is the top, be-all,end-all of Mathematics, but they're wrong, very very wrong.

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Originally Posted by Glitch 2.0

Tennessee Tech University, of course. And don't be confused by the name - it's a university, even though there's a "Tech" in the name.

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They have a Journalism program at Tennessee Tech? That's news to me. Did you consider some two-year schools though to get your core classes out of the way? Northeast State is really good one, but there are plenty of others. It's alot cheaper to get an associates there and then spend only two or three semesters at a big university for your majors courses. Also, getting an associates means you don't have to worry about certain credits transferring or certain requireds becoming obselete.

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Originally Posted by Rumpy

What do you do for a living Mezz?

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I work as a freelance assistant editor, and I want to eventually be an editor. Working assistant isn't bad at all though, and can pay pretty well, but nowhere near what an editor can make.

I studied "media study" in school, at the University of Buffalo, graduated in 2002. Most of the stuff I learned in class will never come in handy, in my field, which is why the internships are so important. You can read and talk about how things happen on a set or in the edit room as much as you want, but nothing can prepare you for actually being there. When it comes down to it, its all about having an idea of what works, and what doesnt work.

I did my fair share of "coffee making" when I interned on set, but really its all about being able to meet people, make friends, show interest in moving forward and getting your name out there so that those people will call you back and offer you a bigger role.

For instance, the first paying gig I got is because I met someone, they referred me to someone, and that person referred me to their roommate. One day I got a call, and things were good.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

I had a job my 3rd, 4th, and 5th year of college. 10-15 hours a week.

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thats not a job, thats a hobby. You assholes play more WoW in a week than that.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Stop being a baby. I never said Calculus wasnt important, that would be ridiculous - Im saying its not serious math. Freshman/Sophomore Calculus is high school math. People who dont know anything about math think it is the top, be-all,end-all of Mathematics, but they're wrong, very very wrong.

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I've had about enough of you Mr. MathHole

I cancelled my WoW account a month ago. PAY ATTENTION.

And yes, it was a job, I had to come in, it took up most of my daytime hours, and I was taking 2 math courses a quarter every quarter for almost 3 years. You didnt say anything about a fulltime job.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

I cancelled my WoW account a month ago. PAY ATTENTION.

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I HAVE A LIFE, I CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO UPDATE MY STALKING NOTE BOOKS EVERY DAY. GODWTFEVER!!!

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

And yes, it was a job, I had to come in, it took up most of my daytime hours, and I was taking 2 math courses a quarter every quarter for almost 3 years. You didnt say anything about a fulltime job.

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I think you knew what I meant. You just enjoy posting counter points to everything I say. Anyone could do 2.5 hours a day with normal class hours. Espically if they work on campus. IMO 2.5 hours isn't a job, not even a part time job. Thats more like a task or choir.

So yeah, by all means, everyone work 2.5 hours every day for someone and get money.

Momma always said life was like tetres

He who does enough lines, wins.

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Dude, seriously. If I was an english major, fuck yeah I could work while going to school. It doesn't take any thought on my part to write a paper. Set down, write it, then have 2 or 3 people proof read it in the dorm. BAM! A/B paper.

But 2 or 3 math classes in one semester @_@? 2 sciences, both with labs? D=

No, no, no Tim, I won't be working and battling that sort of stuff at the same time.

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It isn't applicable for SOME PEOPLE. Note that. I worked my ass off last summer so I wouldn't have to all of last year. It payed off. Sometimes working is detrimental to learning. Sometimes not.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

An english degree may be wonderful for four years, youll read great things and so forth. But what does it mean in the end? A good job? Not necessarilly. Entrance to law school? Yay, with the 600000000 other english majors applying to law school. You wanna stand out.

Now, if you really love english and thats what you wanna do your whole life, blah blah blah, great, but dont expect to be rich. Average salary for an engineer out of school is like $50,000, english major its like $25,000. Thats basically gonna be the story of your life. But dont pick a major based on your enjoyment of the subject NOW. Thats penny wise and pound foolish. College is 4 years, after college is like 60.

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Thing is, anyone going into teaching shouldn't expect to make any serious money anyway. Same thing with those who want to be cops, nurses, etc. It's the desire to serve and contribute that drives those fields.

There are many more jobs to be had with an English degree than just teaching. However, should you go and get an MA in the field and decide to teach at the university level, the amount you earn rises dramatically. A lot of your professors are making way more than an engineer does. ;)

I personally love teaching at the undergraduate level, and consider it something I'd love to do for the rest of my life. I encourage all my English majors to get an MA, as it opens so many doors in the field, epecially those in ESL (English as a Second Language). The opportunities in that area are going to boom in the next ten years, as the amount of hispanics rises (they'll soon become the largest ethnic group in America).

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Originally Posted by Ironplant

Dude, seriously. If I was an english major, fuck yeah I could work while going to school. It doesn't take any thought on my part to write a paper. Set down, write it, then have 2 or 3 people proof read it in the dorm. BAM! A/B paper.

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That might work well for literature courses, but you'd be screwed in your methods & techniques classes, which constitute the majority of a teaching degree. Writing a paper is such a small part of the major (unless you're a lit major). Any good program would have you doing half a dozen presentations and sample classes for every one paper you write.

i find it way faster to whip out a page of math problems than have to read 3 novels a week and write papers on them.

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Originally Posted by stormy

i find it way faster to whip out a page of math problems than have to read 3 novels a week and write papers on them.

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Holy shit do I believe this news. I wrote exactly one paper in English in college (I had a few for my Spanish minor), and it was my senior year for American History. I tested out of both required semesters of English, so that helped.

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Originally Posted by stormy

i find it way faster to whip out a page of math problems than have to read 3 novels a week and write papers on them.

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how much math have you had? I'm in baby (as diff puts it) calc and even I get problems that take an entire page of paper to work through, sometimes, and this is rare, even 2 sheets of paper. And that isn't me being stupid, one problem might just have that many steps. I haven't had a lot of expereince in it yet, but prooving math and physics shit can take pages too.

I think in the end math might take less time than reading 3 novels, as you put it, but I find myself having to think more when I do math than when I read something. In math and science you have to juggle different concepts and sometimes remember short cuts that you haven't used in like 5 or more years. Reading a novel, well, you just read. For me at least, it takes more thought to do math in 3 demenions than it does to read something like "summer of my german soldier."

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Originally Posted by Melf

That might work well for literature courses, but you'd be screwed in your methods & techniques classes, which constitute the majority of a teaching degree. Writing a paper is such a small part of the major (unless you're a lit major). Any good program would have you doing half a dozen presentations and sample classes for every one paper you write.

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I don't really have a problem with presentations.

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Reading a novel, well, you just read.

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Well... there is a way to read critically that is different from just regular reading. Kind of like how there is listening, and there is really, truly listening (like what classical aficionados talk about). From what Ive taken of comparative literature and writing classes simply reading like I would a Michael Crichton novel doesnt fly there.

I think that sort of thing changes from person to person. I have really good reading comprehension skills and yet have horrid grammar and spelling skills. Other people are just fucking awesome at writing, and yet not very good at getting everything on a first read through (A few english majors on the board come to mind). I still suck at reading math and science text books though. God, that shit melts my fucking brain. T_T Of corse a lot of text books are like that. Some are written by people that have been teaching for so long that they don’t understand the mind of someone who has never seen the material before, and thus don’t really have a good grasp on how to communicate the material to others that have never seen it. But I guess that is what teachers are for =\

No, I mean its like a trained ear, but for reading. It takes practice and training to do that. Yea, some people are natural but we're talking about 0.0001% of people.

The sciences are harder majors, obviously, but English isnt all just sitting down with a good book and writing a book report. Its still plenty of work, though Ive found English and other humanities majors to be incredibly overdramatic about their workload, a lot of them are all like, "Id much rather have to take a test than write a book report", yea like theyd want to take one of my tests where you have no idea what the prof is gonna focus on, and they get assigned all their papers at once so they grind it out and are out a week before me.

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

how much math have you had?

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I've done lots of the maths. The problems can get quite long but it still doesn't even approach the time it takes me to read, even though the math requires more thinking. Plus if it's not something i actually want to read i can't follow it too well. I'm a slow (but good) writer, so that also frustrates me. Writing a report will take me an hour+ per page on average.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

The sciences are harder majors, obviously, but English isnt all just sitting down with a good book and writing a book report. Its still plenty of work, though Ive found English and other humanities majors to be incredibly overdramatic about their workload, a lot of them are all like, "Id much rather have to take a test than write a book report", yea like theyd want to take one of my tests where you have no idea what the prof is gonna focus on, and they get assigned all their papers at once so they grind it out and are out a week before me.

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dude, be fair man. It's hard to write three papers when you spent the first two weeks of the month playing Halo and drinking with freinds untill 4 am. What do you expect them to do? Get a dorm room, and right when they get off from class, get on their work, and work untill 10 pm, so they can get done with their work in the first week? pfft, you speak nonsense, pure nonsense.

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Originally Posted by stormy

I've done lots of the maths. The problems can get quite long but it still doesn't even approach the time it takes me to read, even though the math requires more thinking. Plus if it's not something i actually want to read i can't follow it too well. I'm a slow (but good) writer, so that also frustrates me. Writing a report will take me an hour+ per page on average.

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eh, I guess its really a matter of time vrs thinking. In the end I agree with you though. I'm good at the humanities, and yet, I fucking hate writing papers. I'd rather learn new math, than search through a fucking book to get a teacher 6 quotes that are sexual refrences in Faust.

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Originally Posted by stormy

Writing a report will take me an hour+ per page on average.

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If ive learnd anything about writing, is just get something down. Get something down, and you can go back and fill it in with quotes and crap later. Also get started early. All night typefest fucking suck.

Oh and don't double space untill the end. That way it feels like less work than it actually is.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

A note or two on what he said: GPA isn't as critical as he makes it out to be. It will count once, and only once, on your first out-of-school job, and after that, it's as useful as your high school permanent record. Your experience will be all that matters after that point.

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You could not be more wrong or shortsighted. Some quantitative jobs will still demand a high GPA, even as far as 5-6 years out of college. For example, many hedge funds many times won't consider you if you've gotten a C or lower in college. Your GPA, along with your GMAT or LSAT, whatever, scores will also greatly affect what grad school you get into. And if your employer is one of those who will pay 80-100% of your grad school tuition and fees, you want to get in the best and most prestigious schools. Your earning potential and career opportunities can increase exponentially based on what grad school and degree you get. Getting an MBA from Kellogg or U of Chicago is night and day from one from DePaul. You should approach your GPA as if it will matter greatly. Those who say it won't are usually rationalizing their lower than preferred GPAs.

For your first job in the career, it may or may not matter. After that, your work on the other job(s) speak(s) for itself

I did an all nighter once. A blizzard ran through the area that night and closed school so I couldn't hand it in. That was a bite in the ass, but I did it and had an extra few days to get it edited by my sister. Got an A on that shit too.

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Originally Posted by Joust Williams

For your first job in the career, it may or may not matter. After that, your work on the other job(s) speak(s) for itself

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but your first job sets up the rest of your career. If you can't land a good one out of school you could be digging out of that hole for a very long time.

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Originally Posted by Gooch

You could not be more wrong or shortsighted. -snip- You should approach your GPA as if it will matter greatly. Those who say it won't are usually rationalizing their lower than preferred GPAs.

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I think one thing that this thread has to point out clearly (if it hasn't already) is that different fields require different things.

What you said could be very true for what you have experienced, but it is not true for what I have experienced. My current employers never asked what my GPA was, but they spent half the interview grilling me on my previous work experience. My field is the food industry, and my current employer was looking specifically for someone with some experience, specifically manufacturing experience (my boss has 15-20 years of it, so he wanted someone who could understand that, and think of our projects on that level). I had what they wanted.

My first job, I started temp, and my GPA and previous work experience fell to the wayside when they saw me actually work, and the quality of the work.

Depending on the industry, you may need a strong one. It's best to do your best to keep contacts with graduates to learn how it goes in the real world. It's apparent just from this thread how different things can be.

And I can say 100%, and this may just be me, but I find the sciences as easier majors, excluding anything engineering. My major was described as 'the second hardest major' on my campus, and I thought, as long as you didn't completely sleep through it, that it was easy. An english major on the other hand? Holy shit, I'd drown.

Engineers... all the credit in the world. Had to take two food engineering courses. The first one, the first of two exams was three questions long. The first two questions took 5-10 minutes each. The last one took two hours to do. And it was an open note, open text book exam. I did get an A on it, but wow, what a bitch that problem was.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

Engineers... all the credit in the world. Had to take two food engineering courses. The first one, the first of two exams was three questions long. The first two questions took 5-10 minutes each. The last one took two hours to do. And it was an open note, open text book exam. I did get an A on it, but wow, what a bitch that problem was.

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Out of curiosity, what does a 2 hour food engineering question consist of?

I can guarantee you GPA won't mean a damn thing when I get out of school, and tell them about my last job. One of the last 60 people when the company closed. 640 people in 9 layoffs before they finally left everyone go.

If you have no experience, then GPA will probably factor in. Also if you're going for a highly technical field like engineering, they're gonna want to know. Something like management, they're not gonna give a shit.

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Originally Posted by Gooch

You could not be more wrong or shortsighted. Some quantitative jobs will still demand a high GPA, even as far as 5-6 years out of college. For example, many hedge funds many times won't consider you if you've gotten a C or lower in college. Your GPA, along with your GMAT or LSAT, whatever, scores will also greatly affect what grad school you get into. And if your employer is one of those who will pay 80-100% of your grad school tuition and fees, you want to get in the best and most prestigious schools. Your earning potential and career opportunities can increase exponentially based on what grad school and degree you get. Getting an MBA from Kellogg or U of Chicago is night and day from one from DePaul. You should approach your GPA as if it will matter greatly. Those who say it won't are usually rationalizing their lower than preferred GPAs.

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lol. I'm glad that I'm going to be an eng. Any eng degree, is an end degree, regardless of where you got it and your gpa. Well... guys from MIT and the other top 5 or so tech schools have a bit of a leg up.

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Originally Posted by Schlep

If you have no experience, then GPA will probably factor in. Also if you're going for a highly technical field like engineering, they're gonna want to know. Something like management, they're not gonna give a shit.

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The big thing I've heard that matters about eng is interning and other job experince. Most places would rather have a B or even C studient that can be intergrated into the company fast, than an A studient that is going to take 1.5 months to get a hang of things.

An English major does not require a ton of hard work. Lots of the science majors do. I used to be a bio major, and to really do well you just have to put a ton of time into your labs and go in and do the hardwork again and again until you have it mastered. I sucked terribly at lab work so I just couldn't cut it as a bio major. As an English major, not so much work. That isn't to say it is a simple major. Reading critically takes a ton of time as does writing good essays. Still, that just requires dedication and quite of bit of natural talent. The only time an English has to do hard work is when they must do a well researched and thorough research project. That requires lots of time and lots of research to do well and is a totally pain in the ass. But, I did those in Bio too, so no way can I say it is hard as other majors. The bottom line is, take whatever major you are passionate about. Just be realistic about what you want to do once you are done with college. Writing the great american novel is just not a realistic goal for most of the English majors out there, and being a great journalist or editor takes lots of time and work.

Here is some advice that i just remembered. If you didn't get into your top schools (like i didn't) and know you can succeed (like i did) then get your transfer applications filled out early. If you post a decent GPA it is relatively easy to get in to a school you were initially denied entry to. Those things are due very early though, you have to start thinking about it even before you start your classes. I should have transfered much sooner than i did and unfortunatly I had to do an extra year in undergrad to get all my courses sorted out for my degree between the two institutions.

I'd also like to thank Boston College for rejecting me, so i could give them the big FU and go to Notre Dame instead.

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Originally Posted by stormy

Out of curiosity, what does a 2 hour food engineering question consist of?

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It was a question on heat exchange. It was basically a huge chain of equations. It's been a while and I haven't used it since then, but you start with some data, and you plug it into the appropriate equation, and then you plug that data in, and then that new data, and so on and so forth until you answer the question.

In some ways, like a standard math test, except when you fuck up one problem, the rest of your answers are dead wrong. However, showing that you knew the method would help your score.

Lots of good advice being given. Here is mine:

NETWORK LIKE CRAZY!

A majority of the jobs out there are not advertised in newspapers or the internet, and the only way you'll find them is if you know someone who knows about them. I found out about a job which would become my first one out of college through some connections.

Meet with as many people as you can during your college life and be sure to leave a positive, lasting impression. Some day well after you graduate, one of those individuals might give you a heads up about a job opening.

All the advice on this thread is good, but pay special attention to this one . . .

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

Momma always said life was like tetres

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IronPlant misspelled "Tetris" on a gaming message board. LOL

Why are you guys assuming that an Eng. major can only be literature-related? Neither my BA nor my MA are, and are in fact, linguistics-based. Literature is only one of many specialities in the field.

If you can afford to, drag this whole college thing out for more than 4 years. I'm 3 credits short of graduating, which means I get to delay my entrance into the real world until early next year. I'm excited about that.

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Originally Posted by stormy

I'd also like to thank Boston College for rejecting me, so i could give them the big FU and go to Notre Dame instead.

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sup fellow rejected from BC buddy?

I went to Emerson instead and wasted too much money on nothing. When I'm trying to pick the classes I hate least during registration, you know there's a problem. I'm starting my junior year now, and it's time to get the fuck out. I need to check out other options, and fast.

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Originally Posted by Kinopio

If you can afford to, drag this whole college thing out for more than 4 years. I'm 3 credits short of graduating, which means I get to delay my entrance into the real world until early next year. I'm excited about that.

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Bad advice. It took me an extra two quarters to graduate and I hated life. All my friends had left school by then or were so focused on getting into medical/law/graduate school they had no time to hang out. Also its another three, six, ten months of being broke. People I knew in their 5th year generally agreed with me.

I guess if you're an unmotivated slob and/or a rich prick with a job in daddy's office lined up it doesn't really matter but I say for most it's better to finish ASAP and move on with your life. If I would've been able to finish on time I would be way way ahead of where I'm at now, and the "real world" ain't as bad as people make it out to be.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Bad advice. It took me an extra two quarters to graduate and I hated life. All my friends had left school by then or were so focused on getting into medical/law/graduate school they had no time to hang out. Also its another three, six, ten months of being broke. People I knew in their 5th year generally agreed with me.

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I almost spilled out into a 5th year and I completely agree with diffx. The sensation of 'I want get this the fuck over with' will grow in you. If you had three credits left, why not take them in the summer... that's one course. If it isn't offered, that's fine, but man, if it is, you have no reason not to.

Hell, I could have stayed behind for one more semester and netted a double major (comp sci and math) and I still chose to get out ASAP and get a job.

I think all this is good advice. I'd like to add a little, if I may:

I think it's also important to really get to know your teachers, especially the ones who have some pull and good research to offer. After becoming good friends with a former teacher of mine, I've been able to secure a great research position (in my under-grad!) which looks like will help me stay in Grad-School and possibly even PHD level.

Research is just as good as internships, IMHO and should also be looked into.

Though, I pose a question, and if it's too off topic, I'll move it to a new thread:

I do remember that back in the day I use to be a lot brighter and more of a free-thinker (read as: could come up with creative solutions). As the years have chugged on, I've become slow in my thinking and not as sharp as I once was (and this is no drugs and, at most, one drink every month).

Does anyone have any ideas as to what causes such things, and how to reverse this effect and get my sharp brains back? Thanks guys and gals. :)

Shit; we were looking for a party last night and my friend was at one so we were trying to get there, though we got there, and decided to just light up outside.

So the senior who's house it was smells the weed and tells us to come upstairs to the balcony so she can get some, and when I tell my friend he's like "there's no balcony here.." so apparently we were at the wrong house...but we got a senior hookup for parties (specifically hers...alot of them) now...too bad all the beer was gone when we got there, though.

Try drugs.

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Originally Posted by Grave

sup fellow rejected from BC buddy?

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That makes 3 of us.

I really don't mind though, even if I got in there was a good chance I was coming to UMD regardless, they just made my decision 10x easier.

...and the $12,000 less a year doesn't hurt.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Bad advice. It took me an extra two quarters to graduate and I hated life. All my friends had left school by then or were so focused on getting into medical/law/graduate school they had no time to hang out. Also its another three, six, ten months of being broke. People I knew in their 5th year generally agreed with me.

I guess if you're an unmotivated slob and/or a rich prick with a job in daddy's office lined up it doesn't really matter but I say for most it's better to finish ASAP and move on with your life. If I would've been able to finish on time I would be way way ahead of where I'm at now, and the "real world" ain't as bad as people make it out to be.

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I agree. I'm doing a post-grad right now. Only four months away from co-op and I'm pissed I haven't bought a new car and moved out yet.

When you see all your friends starting their lives and making serious career moves you get angry and envious.

Yo, Andrew: I didn't know you were working for a firm now. Congrats.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

I almost spilled out into a 5th year and I completely agree with diffx. The sensation of 'I want get this the fuck over with' will grow in you. If you had three credits left, why not take them in the summer... that's one course. If it isn't offered, that's fine, but man, if it is, you have no reason not to.

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Meh not really I wouldn't really go off of this. Keep in mind people have problems and situations that happen and sometimes you can't take that extra class or maybe for some people it's not a good idea to take a certain class over the summer. I have a friend who I meet as a freshmen while she was a jr. She is now graduated and is teaching before she goes back to grad school. Do I fill envious jealous or angry? NO because my time will come when I will walk down the red carpet as well. Just do well and graduate. Most people are usually around there estimated graduation date anyway may it be a semester or two off.

i'm in my 7th year of college. I never want to leave, and from what i've experienced in the job world i'm right. Everyone wishes they were back in college cus work sucks. You have more money, but no time to spend it. It doesn't take money to be happy, just time.