going back to school

[jilo]

ive been thinking alot lately about going back to college for mechanical engineering. i graduated wyotech in pa back in 04 with an associates in automotives (duh) and one in business management.
now i do have to say i really do enjoy cars at heart but the owners/operators/customers are what just fucking ruin it for me. i am a very honest person and i belive that the best way to make money in a business is to be honest and gain trust. it may take a bit longer but it lasts longer also. with that said, almost all the automotive jobs ive had have been basically run by theives and asswipes. the type of people thatmake me want to be poor rather than work for them. im 27 now and am really feeling the need for a job i can have for the next ten-twenty years. i want all the big shit in life house, beautiful yard, kids, all that stuff. but it cant be attained at a job that i cant agree with. although i havent worked at an aftermarket shop, i have had the notion that it would be a better place for me. i like to make things better, more than i enjoy fixing broken american crap.
friends of mine that are currently going to school keep cnvincing me to go back and just get more loans. im scared by more debt because i basically dont have any and i dont want to limit myself by having more.

so basically i know theres a bunch of engineers here of people in school for it , and i really want some advice. would it be worth all the additional debt? is it really an enjoyable field and how are the opportunity's for job placement? and why the fuck not, what kind of work do you do and do you think you could do it for the next 20 years?

please excuse the long ass paragraph, ive got bronchitis and im killing it off with wray and nephew. trust, it works.

[duffman1278]

It's really interesting material if you really like cars or anything that has an engine. For me, alot of the material you learn is just so awsome BUT at times it's not easy. It may fascinate you and interest you but it can also be stressful.

I say depending on your background and work experience, that there will definitely be plenty of jobs for someone with enough work experience.

Again just note that you'll have to be ready to study like a mad man lol.

I've had an internship before and also worked in different engineering firms, pretty much structural and mechanical work but I mean for me both were awsome jobs and if I learned anything, it was that there was always plenty of work for the engineers.

[lflkajfj12123]

even if you got a mechanical engineering job

you would be doing the engineering part for maybe 5-8 years but soon move up the ladder and your drop ends up in a management type position

most people graduate with a degree thinking that is what they will be doing for 25 years

but that cant be more far off

[jilo]

truthfully that sounds very good, management in 8 years would be very nice.
as far as being interesting, im interested in basically everything i come across. i enjoy learning about the "ingredients" of all things mechanical, thats one of the primary reasons for me choosing this field. sounds like this may be a good path to take.

just for ha'has what kind of money have you guys dropped into this career field, the debt thing is what scares me the most. i understand if thats kindof a private question though

[Gnnr]

http://lithe.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/nike-just-do-it.jpg

I would try to not get in to debt, see if you qualify for grants. But there are a lot changes in the Gov. Student Loans coming that are making them more affordable.

Changes afoot for student loans | Marketplace From American Public Media (http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/06/26/mm_student_loan_q/#)

And if you stay in the mechanic field, I would try to get in working for premium/exotic cars. I'd rather work on a Ferrari than on grandma's corolla, if you know what I mean.

[Bubbles]

im 27 now

One of the guys I went to school with was a 26 year old freshman and he felt old all the time.

You see older people in class all the time(well older). But to live in a dorm, go to parties, and what not 27 might as well be ancient.

If you're just doing it for the job I don't see a problem.


im interested in basically everything i come across.


I wish I was this way. I couldn't care less about pretty much everything.

[jilo]

trust me im not looking to take out loans to go party, i want a job i can live with thats not full of retards who think they are geniuses. aka the automotive people in ct. i want something thats interesting and challenging. ive been considering taking up welding to expand my current field and add some fab to it. ive been considering fabrication alot but im not totally sure. thats just another labor intensive job. my dad did it for 25 years and it whooped his ass. im not sure itd be a good choice. but then again idunno.

[WanganRunner]

Any type of school you enter into should be well worth the debt incurred to attend (in terms of future compensation) or you shouldn't go.

I'll incur $30-45k to get my MBA, but it's worth WAY more than that to me in terms of future comp.

I start back next week, NOT looking forward to it. I had taken half the summer off.

[Edgar]

ahhh school


i feel like i'll never get done but i know i am getting closer and closer

[imotion s14]

Don't worry about age. Chicks dig older guys.

[iwishiwas-all*]

I swear there is a thread every month about someone who wants to become a mechanical engineer...

I got one more year, there are a few other mech's here on zilvia. You have to look at it this way; Does a "real" college education cost alolt? Yes. Does it take alot of time? Yes. Is the 5 or so years you are going to spend on an undergraduate degree worth the lost money you could be making at your job? You have to decide. As well as this, I am not sure how people go about getting into college after taking years off of highschool, not sure if the SAT still applies or you need a special entrance exam, but you need to research that. Shit aint easy, thats for damn sure, but I will tell you IF you can grasp the heavy amount of math and physics, with your allready existing technical knowledge, then you will be that much better of an engineer than anyone of those brainiacs that graduate with you.

Good Luck