Son wants to start working after undergraduate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a 20 year old son who is in college. He would finish his degree this year. He is not enrolled in anything technical to be able to earn a reasonably comfortable salary. He is quite a smart kid and is doing fine in college. He could go into higher studies and earn a decent salary. But he is planning to take a a low paying job and not go for higher studies. He does not want to spend more years in studying and does not want a high paying/high stress job.

We are regular working professional family with a HHI little over $300K. We live a comfortable (yet not extravagant) life with enough savings. He has never experienced financial hardship. He says he is prepared to move to a low COLA area to cut down cost.

I am worried that he is shortsighted and throwing opportunities while he is young. I am worried that he would regret his decisions when he is older, faces financial hardship and sees his friends and siblings settled in high paying jobs with many alternatives. How do I help him?

As an employer in technology, which pays entry level people 60-70k, I'm not impressed with graduate degrees. Its great to get one after a few years of work (my company will pay for it). I hardly even look at what school or degree the kids attained. I go for drive, personality, and confidence.

I think you are overbearing with a touch of shallow. You can help by backing off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

[Anonymous]

OP for most graduate fields, it is better to get a few years of work experience before graduate school.

In my experience in graduate school (post liberal arts degree), students who had worked for a few years were vastly more mature and focused than were those who were coming straight out of their undergraduate degree. Their contributions to class discussion contained more breadth and depth. For the too young who aren't yet sure of their path, graduate school is a waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it

[Anonymous]

He won't succeed in grad school if he has had enough.

Let him do this. Yeah "let" isn't really the word since he's 20 and can do what he wants.

If more education is right for him, he'll figure that out and in the meanwhile become refreshed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better that he figure out what he wants to do, than to spend time and money on a graduate program that doesn’t suit him.

This. Worked perfect for my child. You have to let grown kids make decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP for most graduate fields, it is better to get a few years of work experience before graduate school.

In my experience in graduate school (post liberal arts degree), students who had worked for a few years were vastly more mature and focused than were those who were coming straight out of their undergraduate degree. Their contributions to class discussion contained more breadth and depth. For the too young who aren't yet sure of their path, graduate school is a waste.

They probably also know what they want to actually do as well.

For women I would say don’t dawdle. Sure, take a year or two to decide what grad school you want, but once the bills and babies come it’s harder to focus. Of course the men have bills and babies too but they don’t get pregnant and they might miss their kids less while working. Might- everyone is different.

I left grad school after getting a masters and thought I’d go back for a PhD in a few years but then life hit like a ton of bricks. I’m happy with my life but there will be no PhD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it

Ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it

Eh - 300k in DC is nothing. And each person earning 150k is good but not spectacular it’s true.
PP was trying to illustrate to PP that the life that they chose is fine, but it’s not the only life to live. They shouldn’t be bragging.
Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it

Ok?

apparently you can pull it off without trying!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it.

Ok?

Okkaaaaayyyyyyy

Nope - anyone that needs to use special characters everywhere is an ass.

[Anonymous]

Work two years, get an mba.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it

Ok?

apparently you can pull it off without trying!

And?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did he study? What kind of job does he want?

Liberal arts undergraduate degree - not sure what he wants - he would take any job which pays him $30-45K. Since we, the parents, are STEM educated, we have no clue what he can do.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have STEM degrees, with grown children, so you are in full career swing and only make an income of 300k between the 2 of you?

Maybe worry about yourself first. Just sayin'.

I disagree with the OP, but you were trying to be an ass and you succeeded.

300K household income is perfectly respectable. It's more than most of the country makes.

While you're trying to snark at the op, you're insulting a whole bunch of hard-working people who choose not to go for only money in their careers.

and for what it's worth because I know that a " touched a nerve" is coming-- our household income is higher than the op's by a significant amount. I'm just not an a****** about it

Nobody said it is not respectable, it isn't really impressive for a 2 income household, and people at peak career with a STEM degree. I would not exactly take career advice from them.

Sorry, maybe had the OP followed her passion and what she is good at the real money would gave followed. Shrug.

[Anonymous]

my brother was a high school dropout with 4 kids when he finally went to college and then law School. The kids are grown and he's a partner in a law firm and doing well. The only formula to life is to follow what feels right to each person. There's no prescribed guarantee for success and no one perfect timeline. You had the chance to live your life the way you felt was best and now it's his turn to do the same.