College vs vocation for high stats kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is halfway through college and doing well. He wants to finish but is now interested in law enforcement. I’m glad he wants to compete his undergrad; it definitely can’t hurt.

Most good police departments require a BA to get hired/ admitted into police academy. Several require a masters in criminal justice to advance.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My nephew started college at a large state flagship during the pandemic. He couldn’t live in the dorms his first year (lived at home and did all classes online) so no chance for a real social scene. He was doing well academically but didn’t enjoy his classes/social experience.

He pivoted to attending a trade school to become an electrician. What a wonderful experience and super affordable (my sister was unable to save any money for college). He can work for himself, a small business, or a construction company. This summer he will work for a construction company. He makes really good money and is debt-free (he worked as a server at a restaurant to pay his tuition).

As a high school counselor - I love this option if a student has the interest!

It's a great option. Just keep in mind that many trades are hard on your body and it becomes increasingly difficult to "do the trade for 8-10 hours per day" once youre mid 40s. So having a Business degree or some goal to own the company in the future can be a great path as well that allows you to still work until l65 in an area you like

Well in white collar jobs, you often get laid off by 50s, especially if you’re a high earner.

dp.. true, but it's easier to pivot as a white collar worker to another job, blue or white collar, than for a blue collar worker.

DH got aged out at 60. He can work for Home Depot or get a consulting gig in his field - tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Dad’s best friend was an emergency room position.

In his later years, he and his wife would rent a condo for six weeks on Sanibel Island. He could not afford to buy a condo there. The neighbor was a retired plumber. He owned three condos in the building. My emergency room doctor friend said he should’ve been a plumber and not an ER doctor and he would’ve been able to afford to buy a condo.

My niece who is a therapist married a plumber. Her previous bf was in IT (had a college degree), but he was in a dead end job.

[Anonymous]

Fact of the matter is: for the vast majority of people, college degrees ultimately produce graduates with much higher lifetime earnings.

In the short term, sure, a job might be better.

But: we're probably entering a recession and 4 years of college is a nice protective cocoon in which to weather that.
and
A job you can get with a high school degree might be rewarding for a time, but when it comes 10-15 years down the line and you're bored and/or seeking a promotion, college degrees can be either required or highly expected. Sure, you can go back to school, but I'd rather spend the 4 years between the ages of 18-22 in a residential college than try to balance college courses alongside a job, family, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is halfway through college and doing well. He wants to finish but is now interested in law enforcement. I’m glad he wants to compete his undergrad; it definitely can’t hurt.

Most good police departments require a BA to get hired/ admitted into police academy. Several require a masters in criminal justice to advance.

Which? All the ones I see require Associates degree OR police academy, or just HS diploma/GED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two professional family. DMV.
DD 11th with very high stats. Public HS.
Unique ECs, part time job, leadership, varsity sport.
Follow their passion, nothing done just for college apps.

Cost of college being ridiculous (likely won't qualify for FA) + the rat race sucks + crazy competition every step of the way in schooling and career....
(Kid is more STEMy, not interested in Wall St or CS or medicine)
-Anyone ever consider a vocation or small business might be better?

Do you think people join the rat race because they're stupid?

A "good" "vocation" is usually anatomically/physically destructive destructive, high risk of failure, or nepotism / family business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is halfway through college and doing well. He wants to finish but is now interested in law enforcement. I’m glad he wants to compete his undergrad; it definitely can’t hurt.

Law enforcement?

How does he feel about minorities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two professional family. DMV.
DD 11th with very high stats. Public HS.
Unique ECs, part time job, leadership, varsity sport.
Follow their passion, nothing done just for college apps.

Cost of college being ridiculous (likely won't qualify for FA) + the rat race sucks + crazy competition every step of the way in schooling and career....
(Kid is more STEMy, not interested in Wall St or CS or medicine)
-Anyone ever consider a vocation or small business might be better?

The military only wants white males now. Send him there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's more to college than just getting a job.

Absolutely. You can always live off the government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- no idea there would be so many relies regarding one word’s various definitions. Anyway, agree- college degree is uawful, social stuff is good. Good point about transitioning to real world via dorm etc. DD interested in a field that has low pay prospects but feels it will make a difference in the world.
Just a thought experiment right now… but Considering a small business for money that also involves passion and then in free time, do volunteer work to save the world.

You are new here! While annoying, it is unsurprising that DCUM would derail the thread with something stupid like this. Anyway, I feel like you may be unfamiliar with the skills required to own a successful small business?

Our family, both on my husband and my side, is full of small business owners: auto body repair, construction, auto painting, antique store, driveway paving and a small electronics factory. What they all have in common, is that it is incredibly hard work and a labor of love. You don’t just clock in and out. And it’s very stressful. Also, all of the owners had a hustler mentality very young - by your daughter’s age. The factory owner was a multimillionaire and still going into work on Saturdays at 80 years old.

If your DD hasn’t shown that she is a hustler by now. She needs to go in a different direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but as a Catholic I see vocation instead of vocational school and I immediately think, “wow, that’s a rare breed to have a vocation these days.”

So maybe be careful how you use that word in certain contexts/or around Catholics, or else you’ll end up with old ladies praying for you and a priest in your kitchen after schoo.

Protestants (Martin Luther was big on this) turned the word "vocation" into it's more modern meaning of "work" because they were big on the idea that God could call you into secular work as well as religious. Hence the divide.

Nuns and priests can also do secular work. I know a nun who is a CFO of a corporation. The compensation goes to the community, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two professional family. DMV.
DD 11th with very high stats. Public HS.
Unique ECs, part time job, leadership, varsity sport.
Follow their passion, nothing done just for college apps.

Cost of college being ridiculous (likely won't qualify for FA) + the rat race sucks + crazy competition every step of the way in schooling and career....
(Kid is more STEMy, not interested in Wall St or CS or medicine)
-Anyone ever consider a vocation or small business might be better?

The military only wants white males now. Send him there.

Except OP’s kid is not male…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regarding affording college, you might take a look at Jeff Selingo's Who Gets In And Why, or at least watch a YouTube video on the idea of "buyers" and "sellers" in college acceptances. There are a number of excellent under-the-radar schools (St. Olaf is my go-to example of a phenomenal place that is worth a visit early in the application cycle, because your search could be over, but there are many other great ones out there) that have money available for merit aid that make their schools more attractive to students who might otherwise go to schools that are harder to get into.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two professional family. DMV.
DD 11th with very high stats. Public HS.
Unique ECs, part time job, leadership, varsity sport.
Follow their passion, nothing done just for college apps.

Cost of college being ridiculous (likely won't qualify for FA) + the rat race sucks + crazy competition every step of the way in schooling and career....
(Kid is more STEMy, not interested in Wall St or CS or medicine)
-Anyone ever consider a vocation or small business might be better?

The military only wants white males now. Send him there.

I thought racists weren’t allowed here.

[Anonymous]

Do a gap year. RV across the US or do the business thing. Visit some schools with easy to get full rides and let them woo him. Can you give more details about his stats and ECs?