Should I Quit School and Enter the Job Market?

[votingmachine]

I say get the BS/BA in Philosophy, and get a job. Finishing things is important. I may seem like a waste simply because you see no utility (other than perhaps a deep understanding of utility). But it will still be an "accomplishment" that will help a little in the job market. You can explain that you quit because it didn't interest you, and finished it because finishing is important. It shows some dedication, and some organization.

But then get a job. No one has to ever know what they want to make of life. As a philosopher, you surely understand that the things generally do not progress along a path of lifetime enlightenment ad progress. Figure out how to survive, make some money, save some money, do the things you think you ought to do, and some of the things you want to do.

I quit college after less than a year of primarily studying beer and pot. I worked years at whatever I could find, and eventually went to college in my 30's, following that with graduate school and then a different bunch of jobs. Some I loved, some I hated. I'm not going to give you a life plan, because most of my life didn't follow any plan ... it just happens. I do think that if you can finish undergrad in Philosophy by September 2016, that is close and it is worth it. See if you can increase the course load and finish faster though. Work hard at it, get it done, then move on.

 

[ilii]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I will take a while longer to think everything through. PF really is a great resource.

 

[ensign_nemo]

If you are just one semester away from a degree, then you should finish it.

Don't forget that employers want to hire someone who finishes a job once it is started.

You are 7/8ths finished with the task of getting a degree, so you should complete it.

 

[osuboone]

Hello,

I'm having a serious debate with myself as to whether or not I should continue going to University. Four years ago I was on the verge to complete a BA in Philosophy, but quit the program cold before entering my final semester (major motivational issues). I did some soul searching since then and realized that I am much more interested in Physics. I was recently accepted into a Bsc Physics program at the same school, and was planning on starting another four-year journey in about two weeks from now.

I canceled my plans to pursue a degree in Physics recently, and removed all of my upcoming courses from my timetable. I can't commit to another 4-5 years right now, due to my financial and social situation (living with parents in my mid-twenties). I still have the desire to learn physics, and may enroll once again into a physics program when I am older and financially independent.

My current situation consists of either going back to complete the BA in Philosophy, which I have no passion for whatsoever, or entering the job market without a degree. From what I've heard, a BA in an arts program may not improve my chances of landing a job, so I may just be wasting my time not learning industry-specific skills (like learning to code). If I plan to finish the BA, I will have one by Sept. 2016.

My parents really don't want me around anymore, and I don't blame them. I will not ask if I can live with members of my extended family, either. The second option entails struggling for a few years on my own (general labour, etc) while also learning to code on all of my free time/days off. Maybe after a certain period of time (not exactly sure how long this will take) I can land a job as a front-end web developer and make a OK living to start. Looking for some advice on which path I should take and please let me know if you see more options.

Thank you kindly

Finish the degree, get a job, the degree will help you in a lot of ways, as you gain experience in your career. No degree will often limit your promotions as you gain experience.

 

[Mark Harder]

I emphatically disagree with you and your friends about the value of a liberal arts/humanities degree. What you have learned is how to recognize patterns in thought and expression, how to read and write well (There's no end to education in these areas.), i.e. to express your own thoughts clearly, to employ logic in thought and expression. In studying philosophy, I would think, you were steeped in the history and analysis of ideas. I have college friends with BA degrees in international relations. Not one of them works in related fields. Yet they all have done quite well in careers in law and journalism.

Beware of the modern tendency to confuse education with training. Training is one variety of education, but training for a profession usually has narrow goals. You can be trained for nursing, for example, in nursing school. Other skills can be learned in those for-profit "colleges". Graduate and professional programs in universities focus on training students in fields like medicine, law, the sciences or teaching and researching, say philosophy or sociology. Taking courses like art history during graduate education in the sciences is very much frowned upon. You don't go this route to "broaden" your education; quite the opposite. Your last opportunity to indulge in study for curiosity's sake is college. I suggest that you take advantage of it. As an aside, some medical schools will accept some students from liberal arts programs, with some remedial courses. I'm not suggesting a career in medicine for you. Just an example of similar opportunities that may be out there.

To someone with an interest in science, especially foundational sciences like physics, the history and philosophy of science is a fascinating subject. If you haven't taken any courses in it, could you do so now? Just guessing, but you might be more interested in the intellectual content of physics than it's nuts and bolts, especially experimental physics. When you imagine yourself involved in a subject like particle physics, are you thinking about unified theories, Higgs Bosons, the nature of quantum mechanics and relativity theory? Or do imagine yourself building and running heavy colliders, telescopes, satellites, and so forth? Research in theoretical physics requires a facility with higher mathematics. Given the nature of your academic work, I wouldn't think you are one of those who have difficulty with abstract thought, but that's required too. Experimental physics requires less advanced math, but instead, perhaps, the ability to understand processes, the consequences of manual manipulations of concrete objects and systems of same. Engineering, in other words. Another aside: When Robert Oppenheimer began his graduate studies, he began with experimental physics and was flunking it. Since he initially planned a future in experimental physics, he became profoundly depressed. He recovered when he began anew in theoretical physics. Went from Cambridge to Gottingen, I believe.

Don't become hung up on false dilemmas. You could always attend a community college for remedial studies of math and physical sciences while you work part time. In my college town, there are lots of baristas, cabbies, etc. who are doing just that. Some are able to save enough money to travel and do other fun things, so I imagine you could make enough to pay tuition at some future date. On the other hand, you could become academically rusty if you dwell in the "real world" too long. After a full-time student's career, you can be amazed at the sorts of skills learning requires (like listening, thinking, and writing at the same time). True in my case, anyway (I'm retired.) If I had to take one-hour tests in the chem courses I tutor, I'd surely flunk out. Working while studying will take more time, and may require more self-discipline than full-time studies. But if you're sufficiently passionate about physics, you should be able to hack it. You might not have to live at home if you share living spaces with roommates ( Grad physics students,? You watch "Big Bang Theory"? On second thought, maybe not. ) Don't worry too much about how an unorthodox career path like this will look to graduate admissions officers. You had a change in heart, in your junior/senior year, completed your degree and then went back for a physical sciences degree. Financial resources necessitated part-time studies. They've probably seen successful students who've done that. But they will probe your motivations. Be clear about these; be prepared. If accepted to a grad program, you'd have to come up with graduate tuition without outside work, but there are teaching assistantships and other ways to pay part of your expenses.

Given all your uncertainties, you would probably benefit from talking with people in the field, in order to get a rough idea of the nature of a physics career. On the other hand, don't blindly accept everything they may say. Stay open to a diversity of views. Note the plural "people", not "someone". If professors and so forth are too intimidating at this stage, have a chat with grad students over a beer or coffee.

 

[WWGD]

Maybe it is also a good idea to observe yourself while doing different activities to see which ones seem to appeal to you the most and maybe you can use that to help select your career path.

 

[bob012345]

I agree with getting a job and living on your own first.

Then you can take free physics courses through programs such as that at Stanford and other universities.

BTW, when you do get a job, I recommend sending your parents some cash every month for a while as a thank
you gesture for letting you live there rent free for all those extra years.