In need of some life advice...

[e30davie]

Mechanical engineer here. Though for what it's worth I'm in australia.

Just scraped by college/university. Grade point average of 4.3 for my whole degree. Score is out of 7, 4 is a pass.

Got my bit of paper. Noone cares what uni I went to or what my marks were. Wprking as a site engineer in a water treatment plant (I graduated 2010), just cracked the $100k on this new job.

College/university is hard but there is light at the end of a tunnel. You come out knowing nothing. And the best engineers know they know nothing and start learning on the job.

Once you have an engineering degree you get alot of respect from all industries. I got a job at a bank in Canada, they said "if you passed an engineering degree you must be smart, you start tomorrow". Luckily They never asked for my grade point average of 4.3;)

[superj]

I am not a college guy so I went to trade school, just for aviation instead of automotive. it was the best thing I have ever done. I tried some college classes and was so bored I quit going but in trade school, it was all hands on and stuff you actually need so it was interesting and kept you engaged.

college is not for everyone. some people are happy using their hands and working on stuff the old fashioned way. I really love my job working on helicopters and the pay is good.

[superj]

reading some of the replies, as noted many other places, grades don't matter once you finish. I finished my tech school with a 98.3 average, 2nd highest in the class group I was in and very high in general but has it ever once been mentioned anywhere? nope.

a number of local aviation shops and airports took people who had almost failed the school because those people were willing to start at 8 bucks an hour over me because I told them I already made 12 bucks an hour as a certified golf cart mechanic so I wasn't stepping down to that pay. it sucked for a few years because I wasn't working in aviation because of how low they wanted to start people at but once I got picked up at my current company, it was totally worth it. I went from 15 an hour to 37 an hour in 6 years.

[MR E30 325is]

I'd argue against those that say your GPA does not matter.

I'm not sure where their thoughts about that stem from, but it has not been in that way in my life and the life of my college classmates either.

I am not saying that kids with lower GPA's do not have higher paying jobs. That certainly happens. But the quality of their job is not equivalent to someone who earned a higher GPA.

A lower GPA graduate usually works in a job that requires they work with an already created and verified system. I.e. plug X into a system and get Y. Interpret Y. Make small change to X and reevaluate to get Y. Rinse and repeat.They work inside of a very narrow window. Think huge medical company, where an employee spends years checking the radial capacities of heart stints.

A higher GPA student (I'll use myself as an example, upfront apologies if I sound like an asshat) will make the same amount of money as a lower GPA student. But their day to day job is usually much more profound. In my case, my high GPA lead me to accept an offer with a smaller firm, and I am now shaping an entire industry.

I am engineering things that have never been engineered before. My job is as far away from plugging X into a system to get Y as you can possibly get. I get to engineer the system! I am not a mere cog in a machine, I am the creator of the machine. No one, not a single human being on earth, does this type of work more often, or more thoroughly, than I do. Many things, but certainly my GPA, played into this situation becoming a reality.

I sit on standards committees (ASTM for example) and my personal input shapes the way this small niche in the world will be dealt with for years and years to come.

My classmates with 3.8-4.0's are currently shaping industries and had job offers 3 months before we even graduated. My classmates with 2.5-3.0's are cogs in machines, some of them waiting over 8 months to finally find a job (most of them in other states even).

Long story short, I'd be apprehensive to listen to someone on an internet forum tell you that your GPA is insignificant, especially when it comes to something like engineering. Do the absolute best that you can. This is your life we are talking about, and there is no second place.

[IronJoe]

I'd argue against those that say your GPA does not matter.

I'll agree with you on this - GPA matters, but with eventual success it may be causation vs correlation here. Are people who get 3.8-4.0 exceeding expectations in their careers, getting promotions, higher pay, more responsibility, etc *because* of their GPA? Perhaps not explicitly. It might be that those people who push that extra %, study harder, commit themselves, sacrifice more to succeed, etc end up applying that same determination and attitude once they enter the workforce. If you are a "just do the minimum to get by" kind of student, what's to say you won't be a "just do the minimum to get by" kind of employee?

In my undergraduate program, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to go any further with my education. I could have easily slacked off and still passed, got my fancy piece of paper, etc. But I pushed harder than ever in my senior year and actually raised my GPA even further (if you remember my story from my earlier post, I had dug quite a hole for myself my freshman year). Luckily, once I decided to go back for a Master's degree I had the grades for it. And in that program? Same thing, I was *sure* this was the end of my academic career but I still kept trying my best and ended up with a better GPA than I had with my undergrad. And now, my wife is finishing up her doctorate and I'm thinking I might be next... If I do decide to go that route I will have those grades in my back pocket.

[MR E30 325is]

I'll agree with you on this - GPA matters, but with eventual success it may be causation vs correlation here. Are people who get 3.8-4.0 exceeding expectations in their careers, getting promotions, higher pay, more responsibility, etc *because* of their GPA? Perhaps not explicitly. It might be that those people who push that extra %, study harder, commit themselves, sacrifice more to succeed, etc end up applying that same determination and attitude once they enter the workforce. If you are a "just do the minimum to get by" kind of student, what's to say you won't be a "just do the minimum to get by" kind of employee?

Your story about your education is definitely motivating, thank you for sharing that.

You're right. Their GPA in and of itself is not the factor that propels them to higher levels of success/achievement (however you personally decide to measure those things), but their GPA is the reflection of all of those things that you mentioned. I can guarantee that if you are a 'just get by' kinda student, you will be a cog in a machine. Even if you have very high pay!

This subject, for me personally, is much much much larger than simply having a low or high GPA. It has implications in life that can be incredibly profound if understood and acted upon!

[Sail Boat]

I used to think this too, that if only I had a financially stable job that I would be happy. Not the case, though. Don't pursue a career just on wanting to have a comfortable lifestyle, pursue a career based on what will make you happy, the money will come if you love what you do.

Correct.

A degree isn't necissarily a gateway to happiness.

[superj]

I think IronJoe is right that the people who work to get the high gpa will apply that to the rest of their life so it pays off in the type of work.

those guys who barely passed are still working at the place that started them off at 8 bucks an hour and now make 10.50 an hour. they think they are hot shit. I am also not a cog in the machine and the very few other guys who do the same thing I do here where I work, are all motivated self starters who work their butts off. of 3k people where I work, we are in the 1% in this very particular job series' grade. and I would be willing to bet that each of the others does very well in classes we get sent to and continuing education.

but, I also can easily see where in certain fields having a higher gpa is part of the requirement for jobs. some jobs are very very specialized and require the best. the best try to be the best all the time.

[gte175x]

Here is my 2 cents -

There is no guarantee of success in life. One can be very successful without an education as much as with one and there are examples of both.

So, should you stick with the education?

It depends. In my opinion if you are not sure exactly what to do in your life, stick with it. It will open more doors to opportunity then you will have without it. And providing your self with more opportunity is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you are sure the subject is not for you and you'd like to study something else, then perhaps rethink your focus - education is great, but it's just that. It can open opportunity to things but as stated before it's no guarantee of success. In the end, it's just education that you get. So after paying all the money, you're only left with what's stuck in your head. The rest is up to you. And that brings me to my last point; Anything worth having is worth working hard for, the easy path has been well worn and picked clean. So what if it takes you longer or if it doesn't come as easy to you as it does others - if you want it, it shouldn't matter to you. Don't quit because it's hard or you're not the super star of the team - that would be the wrong reason. There is always someone smarter, stronger, faster, etc....but hard work can be a great equalizer. Just don't forget that life needs balance too.

[MrBurgundy]

two cents;

For those saying do what makes you happy, F that! I'd rather cry in a BMW than on a bus!

jk jk

I'd rather make 40k a year doing something that doesn't feel like work than making 120k a year doing something I hate, or rather, doing something and find myself looking at the clock every 5 minutes.

The question is what do you want out of life?

Happiness will come from what you do with your time and whom you spend it with. If you feel like you're wasting your time on a career that you pursued just because of the pay, you will not be happy. It may be nice for a while, but it won't last. Also, I'm not saying people don't find pleasure and happiness in high paying jobs, but that shouldn't be the sole reason.

I know this may not be the answer you're looking for, but it's something to think about before you devote time and effort in something that will change the direction of your life.

Remember, you only live once.

[Sail Boat]

Just want to add...

My "wealthiest" friends all do what they love, with the exception of two... one is an investment banker and the other is a lawyer.

One of them dropped out of UVA in 2011 to become an "Artistic Plumber". He's nearly completely booked for 2018 and travels all over the world. A recent purchase of his was a mint series 1 3.8 e type convertible in cash.

I also know three Ivy Cum Laude graduates that make less than 55k a year 4 years out of college.

Hard work and passion pays, financially and emotionally.

[varg]

As someone who is really wanting to go to college for engineering I have so many questions I don't feel I can ask them without derailing this whole thread. But I'm 40 with not much education past 5th grade so it's probably too late for me and I'm only dreaming, I just don't know what else to go to college for, and not having a college education isn't allowing me to earn a sustainable living wage or even find full time employment at all anymore.

In my too-many years in college, all of the older students in my classes were the ones to study with, not kids out of high school. College isn't for everyone and it isn't for most of the kids who are there right now. It's probably not too late for you to succeed, but the real question is whether can you afford to dedicate the time required to graduate in a timely manner?

i graduated #2 in my high school class. i found it really easy and almost never studied for anything and almost never had homework. i just paid attention in class, and did my assignments as the teacher was talking or finished them up while i was waiting for class to start.

college was a completely different story. my first semester of work rewarded me with a 2.7 grade point average of just pre requisite classes. i found out pretty quickly that my high school study habits weren't going to cut it by a long shot.

Common story, applies to me (without the #2 in high school) and quite a few people I've met over the years. Discipline and focus matter more than intelligence for this reason. I could not have managed to pass the classes I am in now when I was fresh out of high school.

[Vincent Brick]

In my too-many years in college, all of the older students in my classes were the ones to study with, not kids out of high school. College isn't for everyone and it isn't for most of the kids who are there right now. It's probably not too late for you to succeed, but the real question is whether can you afford to dedicate the time required to graduate in a timely manner?

I think I only had one student over 25 through my two semesters in college, and he barely spoke English (it was an English class). I was much closer in age to the instructors, all the 17-19 year olds that populated the classes wouldn't shut up enough for me to pay attention, and was a major factor in my lack of success there. I was unable to find any students I connected with on any level.

At this point I won't be able to get a degree before 45, it's already way late for me and with a learning disability and trying to support myself it will take much longer than for a typical student. I'm not sure if duration even matters, I just really need to figure out a non-physical job I can support myself with through old age since I will not have the ability to retire. I can barely find work at all anymore so free time I have. I don't really think college is for me, as much as I would like it to be, but being middle-aged and working part-time, low wage, dead-end, under-the-table jobs is definitely not for me either, and I don't see any other options. There is no adult education or trade schools here, literally just community college or university. You have to go to college to learn a trade here, not that I think I am a good fit for any trades either at my age, my body is deteriorating fast. Will likely start collecting disability soon, but it doesn't pay enough to survive and I'll still need to work.

[2mAn]

Vincent you sound like the perfect cnadidate for those night/ trade schools where you're done in like 2 years. I wish you the best of luck. One reason Ive never quit trying to finish my degree with all the BS Ive gone through is because I dont want to get to a point where I no longer have the freedom to finish. Im married now and thats bad enough, but theres no kids and I know the classmates I have are having a hard time devoting time to school and losing time on their kids' growth.

Edit: I had a similar experience in my own frustration when the California State schools kept dicking me around and I was ready to throw in the towel. I didnt quit and now Im at a private weekend/ evening college finishing my Business Degree to compliment all of my professional licenses and I will be done Spring '19, exactly 20 years after I graduated High School

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=383687

[Vincent Brick]

Vincent you sound like the perfect cnadidate for those night/ trade schools where you're done in like 2 years.

I REALLY wish something like that existed near me, I expected to find something like that too and was quite surprised to find out they just don't have anything like that, at least not within 50 miles of me, I have been researching it for two years. I looked into going to school in Ohio where my Dad lives, but community college cost 3x as much there as it does in California, and he is in such an low population, economically depressed, heroin-infested area that it wouldn't be a good move anyway. I feel really stuck, and have for an incredibly long time. I put a lot of effort into not panicking completely, really stressed out from worrying about the future. I just want to earn a living wage at a full-time job again, like I was able to do in my 20s. Fortunately no woman or kids to worry about here.

Thanks for the wisdom and sorry for the hijack.