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April, 2025

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Help College Degree!!!

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WeathermanPetro
Posts: 239 - Karma: 228
Hello mates,

So I am having issues figuring out my life here. I want to live in a mountainous area (preferably Colorado) and I can't figure out what college degree to obtain. I am going to get a degree because I am paying very little to go to college but I don't know what would be useful. Just wondering if anyone would have any ideas.

Thanks
10 years ago
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lIllI
Posts: 1255 - Karma: 1,986
shocker611Wait, are you actually asking why Finance/Accounting don't count as stem? You do realize stem is an acronym right?

Science
Technology
Engineering
Math

Finance/Accounting don't fit into any of those. I'm not saying that finance/accounting aren't good to major in, but they certainly aren't stem fields despite their attractiveness? I would say STEM + accounting or finance would be good.


Haha I know what STEM stands for. I'm saying that it's odd that we settled on the acronym "STEM" somewhat arbitrarily, given it's reputation for being synonymous with high demand/pay even though there are some non-STEM majors with way better career prospects (e.g. accounting).
10 years ago
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9243 - Karma: 5,677
lIllIHaha I know what STEM stands for. I'm saying that it's odd that we settled on the acronym "STEM" somewhat arbitrarily, given it's reputation for being synonymous with high demand/pay even though there are some non-STEM majors with way better career prospects (e.g. accounting).


You could get a math degree and do accounting but you'd be missing all the law and protocols and whatnot. I know a kid with a math degree who did something like that, he said it was shit and he became a slave to excel. He quit and now makes more doing something way cooler at an applied physics lab. Granted I'd take less pay to go from accounting to do stuff like I do now but I guess accounting really does it for some people?
10 years ago
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Ciroc.Obama
Posts: 72 - Karma: 171
Business and marketing isn't a bad one because you can pretty much do anything with it. It is super easy too.
10 years ago
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lIllI
Posts: 1255 - Karma: 1,986
a_pla5tic_bagYou could get a math degree and do accounting but you'd be missing all the law and protocols and whatnot. I know a kid with a math degree who did something like that, he said it was shit


He probably realized that there is no math in accounting and that 99% of it is applying codification to numbers (i.e. arithmetic).

I barely know algebra and it has yet to be a problem.
10 years ago
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act.resist
Posts: 8875 - Karma: 513
Take general studies courses until you actually figure out what you want to do. Most universities have general studies/liberal studies requirements that go towards all degree options. It'll be a bitch if you decide to completely change your major and you wasted your time and money on pointless classes. It just gives you some time to explore your options and one of your general studies courses might even lead you to what you want to do with your life!
10 years ago
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act.resist
Posts: 8875 - Karma: 513
also this is just my opinion, but don't feel like a STEM/engineering major is the right option for you if you don't have any desire for it. just because a bunch of knuckleheads on NS think that the only important jobs lie in STEM and the most important thing about getting a job is making the most money that you possibly can. Like hey if that's you then go for it. but i could not possibly imagine myself in any of those job fields and i'm still confident that i will make enough money to support the life i want to live...
10 years ago
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5676 - Karma: 4,299
If you hate math don't do something mathy. In my experience, it's especially true that if you hate math and have to take advanced math courses you're not going to do well, regardless if you have the capability or not. That goes for anything, but it seems math has that more than other things or is up there with a few other scientific things.

Aka: if you chose to study something you hate, you won't study it then you'll fail all your tests.
10 years ago
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SFB
Posts: 8895 - Karma: 26,362
major in women studies with a minor in art history
10 years ago
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FastSpeed
Posts: 646 - Karma: 645
SFBmajor in women studies with a minor in art history


Yesssss
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
butterslut.also this is just my opinion, but don't feel like a STEM/engineering major is the right option for you if you don't have any desire for it. just because a bunch of knuckleheads on NS think that the only important jobs lie in STEM and the most important thing about getting a job is making the most money that you possibly can. Like hey if that's you then go for it. but i could not possibly imagine myself in any of those job fields and i'm still confident that i will make enough money to support the life i want to live...

Thing is, folks with a STEM degree are qualified and desirable when recruiting for a field in which BAs are more common. But it doesn't work the other way around.


Not to mention you don't make that great of a salary in STEM fields.
10 years ago
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ImNotARacist
Posts: 5136 - Karma: -1,030
Health care.
10 years ago
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act.resist
Posts: 8875 - Karma: 513
californiagrownThing is, folks with a STEM degree are qualified and desirable when recruiting for a field in which BAs are more common. But it doesn't work the other way around.


Not to mention you don't make that great of a salary in STEM fields.


lol that's not the point
10 years ago
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WeathermanPetro
Posts: 239 - Karma: 228
SFBmajor in women studies with a minor in art history


Im on the right path thank you!
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
butterslut.lol that's not the point


I think thats entirely the point.

A college degree is meant to set you up for a lucrative career doing something you enjoy.

If you have no idea what you want to do as a career, why would you not pick the major that is in demand for as many career fields as possible? AKA, if ya dont know what you want to do, pick a STEM major.
10 years ago
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-wakes-
Posts: 358 - Karma: 201
Operations Management >>>>> if you like/understand it there is fairly high demand and good starting pay. I just graduated and got a pretty sick job for a semiconductor manufacturer in Boise. Whatever you do, take it seriously, gain as much experience as you can and get good grades.
10 years ago
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DBack1321
Posts: 410 - Karma: 485
I don't know where you're from, but why rush into college if you really have no clue what you want to study? Take a year off and work at a resort or hell join the military and get some useful life skills such as driving a tank or cleaning bathrooms haha. But seriously that GI Bill is nice. Getting paid to go to school sure beats the hell out of paying out the ass for it when you finally figure out what you want to do.
10 years ago
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Krotchs_Brother
Posts: 1134 - Karma: 3,015
californiagrownI think thats entirely the point.

A college degree is meant to set you up for a lucrative career doing something you enjoy.



Yeah you missed the point even harder this time.

She's saying a college degree is more than just a means to getting a good job.
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
Krotchs_BrotherYeah you missed the point even harder this time.

She's saying a college degree is more than just a means to getting a good job.


huh? She was saying that folks should take a general studies course load to figure out what they want to do as a major and for their career. truth is, that the career is going to be nothing like what you do in those classes and you are just setting yourself up for failure if you pursue a niche major that has little carryover to any other career fields.


What do you think the point of a college degree is?
10 years ago
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DBack1321
Posts: 410 - Karma: 485
californiagrownWhat do you think the point of a college degree is?


Honestly, it's nothing more than an expensive piece of paper employers use to weed out potential employees. Sure you learn some cool things in college, but a lot of what you do on a daily basis is learned by actually DOING the job. You learn far more by doing than by reading about it in a book and regurgitating the info on a test.

This is entirely dependent on the major you choose though.
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
DBack1321Honestly, it's nothing more than an expensive piece of paper employers use to weed out potential employees. Sure you learn some cool things in college, but a lot of what you do on a daily basis is learned by actually DOING the job. You learn far more by doing than by reading about it in a book and regurgitating the info on a test.

This is entirely dependent on the major you choose though.


If you think college is just reading in a book and then regurgitating on a test, im guessing youve never been? Or were really bad at college?

For me, it was a social education, a technical education, a business/political education and sharpened my critical thinking skills considerably. There are for sure smart, witty, talented people out there that dont need college to be successful, but those are the exception.


Sure, you can learn more about doing the job, on the job. but in the beginning you will be fucking terrible at it if you dont have the college background- largely because you wont have polished writing, speaking, and collaboration skills. College grads are still rarely good at first, and it is a steep learning curve for anyone, but at least they will know how to write well, and because they are typically 22+ instead of 18, they will be more responsible and generally more mature.
10 years ago
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-wakes-
Posts: 358 - Karma: 201
californiagrownIf you think college is just reading in a book and then regurgitating on a test, im guessing youve never been? Or were really bad at college?

For me, it was a social education, a technical education, a business/political education and sharpened my critical thinking skills considerably. There are for sure smart, witty, talented people out there that dont need college to be successful, but those are the exception.


Sure, you can learn more about doing the job, on the job. but in the beginning you will be fucking terrible at it if you dont have the college background- largely because you wont have polished writing, speaking, and collaboration skills. College grads are still rarely good at first, and it is a steep learning curve for anyone, but at least they will know how to write well, and because they are typically 22+ instead of 18, they will be more responsible and generally more mature.


This. This. This. I learned just as much outside of the classroom as I did in it. Plus, college life fucking rules.

I also just graduated and got a job in my field essentially skipping a rung or two on the corporate ladder where people without degrees gravitate (and rarely elevate from). Its not hard to tell who never went to college in most cases because of the reasons mentioned in the post above.
10 years ago
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DBack1321
Posts: 410 - Karma: 485
californiagrownIf you think college is just reading in a book and then regurgitating on a test, im guessing youve never been? Or were really bad at college?

For me, it was a social education, a technical education, a business/political education and sharpened my critical thinking skills considerably. There are for sure smart, witty, talented people out there that dont need college to be successful, but those are the exception.


Sure, you can learn more about doing the job, on the job. but in the beginning you will be fucking terrible at it if you dont have the college background- largely because you wont have polished writing, speaking, and collaboration skills. College grads are still rarely good at first, and it is a steep learning curve for anyone, but at least they will know how to write well, and because they are typically 22+ instead of 18, they will be more responsible and generally more mature.



I'm currently a 25 year old UConn undergrad with a 4.0 gpa after being in the military. I'm not trying to brag, but you did call me out. Unless you're doing actual research, most of the classes you take are exactly that, regurgitating what you learn in class/out of a book on the exam. There are exceptions of course. One writing class I took would defiantly fall into the pushing your critical thinking skills category.

Maybe it's different for me since I'm older and have experienced stuff most people haven't. I feel like that has developed my written communication, speaking and critical thinking skills far more than college has so far.

At least to me, college is just a stepping stone on the way to where I want to end up in the future. I see it as a job, since I'm getting paid to do it, but honestly if I wasn't getting paid, I wouldn't be here. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy learning, but learning doesn't buy me a seasons pass or pay my rent haha.
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
DBack1321I'm currently a 25 year old UConn undergrad with a 4.0 gpa after being in the military. I'm not trying to brag, but you did call me out. Unless you're doing actual research, most of the classes you take are exactly that, regurgitating what you learn in class/out of a book on the exam. There are exceptions of course. One writing class I took would defiantly fall into the pushing your critical thinking skills category.

Maybe it's different for me since I'm older and have experienced stuff most people haven't. I feel like that has developed my written communication, speaking and critical thinking skills far more than college has so far.

At least to me, college is just a stepping stone on the way to where I want to end up in the future. I see it as a job, since I'm getting paid to do it, but honestly if I wasn't getting paid, I wouldn't be here. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy learning, but learning doesn't buy me a seasons pass or pay my rent haha.


Im calling BS on the 4.0... hard haha.


and you arent that old for this site, actually. I agree, the military will prepare your for the workforce just as well as college when it comes to a social education, and collaborative skills. no doubt, a lot of that comes from just being older than a shit head 18 year old too haha.

but who wants to hire a shit head 18 year old to do an entry level job that a college grad would normally do? the performance of that position within the company would suffer terribly.
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
DBack1321I'm currently a 25 year old UConn undergrad with a 4.0 gpa after being in the military. rent haha.


californiagrownIm calling BS on the 4.0... hard haha.


whoops, i read that as you got your undergrad with a 4.0


Maybe thats why you think its all about regurgitating facts on a test? cause you havent actually gone through college?
10 years ago
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DBack1321
Posts: 410 - Karma: 485
californiagrownwhoops, i read that as you got your undergrad with a 4.0


Maybe thats why you think its all about regurgitating facts on a test? cause you havent actually gone through college?


I'm not talking about older on the site, I mean older for a college undergrad. Yes, you are right, I haven't finished my degree, but I know what the future entails. It's all regurgitation unless you're doing research with a couple of exceptions thrown in there .

College:Experiences will vary haha
10 years ago
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
DBack1321but I know what the future entails.


yeah... youre actually not as mature as you think haha. classic college age thinking.
10 years ago
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DBack1321
Posts: 410 - Karma: 485
californiagrownyeah... youre actually not as mature as you think haha. classic college age thinking.


Lolwut? What does that even mean? I think I'm capable of having the foresight to read the damn course catalog and know how a lot of the future classes are taught from talking to other students.
10 years ago
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
DBack1321I'm not talking about older on the site, I mean older for a college undergrad. Yes, you are right, I haven't finished my degree, but I know what the future entails. It's all regurgitation unless you're doing research with a couple of exceptions thrown in there .

College:Experiences will vary haha


College is 100% regurgitating information from books basically to do well in tests. Everyone knows that. Employers, teachers, etc. The difference that separates you will be how well you do this. Maintain a 3.5GPA + and employers will look very highly on you.

That combined with strong internships is the key to success out of school.
10 years ago
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Gherbs
Posts: 530 - Karma: 903
join the rest of the homies at CU boulder doing engineering and don't turn back until you're done. life = sorted
10 years ago
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Kazabazua
Posts: 3529 - Karma: 1,128
Why the fuck do you want to waste time doing something you're unsure of? Just go work at the mountain and go to college when you figure your shit out.
10 years ago
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