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Spacehog · 05-05-2011, 08:35 PM

I myself went to college straight out of high school. High school for me was going to class, sleeping, and making straight A's. I even once tutored my geometry class when the teacher was out sick, and that too I slept through every day. But I had the best grades in the class.

So, I graduated national honors society blah blah blah and "Went to college." I had no clue how to study, and I was so brainwashed with middle class republican, christian normalcy that I couldn't even pass world religion cause I got angry instead of absorbing the message. The one thing I got from this were my 3 best friends. 10 years later we're all still just as tight as we were back then.

Went to a trade school from here to learn graphic design. IE advertising. Collected one worthless piece of paper in a year and a half for 20 grand of debt. Wouldn't advise trade schools to anyone. It's less than an associates degree for twice the price. Certificates of completion mean nothing.

Left and "went to work." Still had no clue what I wanted to do in life. Ended up being an electrician, and was really good at it. Decided why not be an engineer instead of a wire pulling monkey. Went back to college.

This time I was older, and had life experience of deadlines, waking up like an adult and going to bed on time etc etc. Found out I really hate self absorbed people, and over half my professors saw themselves as gods of their subject matter. When I'd add something to the conversation I could see their face wash over with embarrassment if it was outside their realm of godlike knowledge. I had gotten a really good job in the mean time and decided screw it. I was only collecting debt and I had bills to pay so left and went back to work.

I work at a factory now making Bridgestone tires. It's hard work on rotating shifts for less than I'm worth and almost no room to move up. But my bills are paid, and it took till now in my late 20's (29 to be exact) to decide what I wanted from life. But everything I've learned all 3 times in school, and at every barely making it job I've had got me to that point.

So now...me and one of those 3 friends I was talking about are gonna do our own thing. I'm going to stay at the factory, and take classes at the local tech when I can (remember rotating shifts) till I have my ASE certification. My buddy is thinking of UTI in Ashboro NC which is were we'll probably open our shop eventually one day.

UTI and Wyotech I see as much the same as that design school I went to. Certificates of completion don't mean much. I want my ASE while still working, and without collecting tons of debt. At the local Community College the classes are about 110 buck a piece. I can pay for that out of pocket, avoid extra "student loans" keep my job, keep my bills paid, and in 3 years or so when I have my ASE go open my own shop with my buddy, and maybe his father in law doing whatever we want.

His father in law wants to do general maintenance, and I want to do Resto's. GM would keep the doors open, resto's and custom fabs would be what kept me waking up and going to work with a smile on my face every day.

Moral...

If I could tell my 18 year old self who had NO idea what to do for a living what to do?

Go to college, meet your 3 best friends, then drop out, go get your ASE, learn to weld, get better with fiberglass fabrication (I already could do a little of this at 18) and skip all the debt.

If anyone were thinking of trade schools...make sure you have an actual degree or a license like an ASE or welders certification etc at the end. If you get a certificate of completion for 20 grand you basically just wasted years of your life.

05-05-2011, 08:35 PM	#22 (permalink)
Spacehog Upright Location: North Carolina	I myself went to college straight out of high school. High school for me was going to class, sleeping, and making straight A's. I even once tutored my geometry class when the teacher was out sick, and that too I slept through every day. But I had the best grades in the class. So, I graduated national honors society blah blah blah and "Went to college." I had no clue how to study, and I was so brainwashed with middle class republican, christian normalcy that I couldn't even pass world religion cause I got angry instead of absorbing the message. The one thing I got from this were my 3 best friends. 10 years later we're all still just as tight as we were back then. Went to a trade school from here to learn graphic design. IE advertising. Collected one worthless piece of paper in a year and a half for 20 grand of debt. Wouldn't advise trade schools to anyone. It's less than an associates degree for twice the price. Certificates of completion mean nothing. Left and "went to work." Still had no clue what I wanted to do in life. Ended up being an electrician, and was really good at it. Decided why not be an engineer instead of a wire pulling monkey. Went back to college. This time I was older, and had life experience of deadlines, waking up like an adult and going to bed on time etc etc. Found out I really hate self absorbed people, and over half my professors saw themselves as gods of their subject matter. When I'd add something to the conversation I could see their face wash over with embarrassment if it was outside their realm of godlike knowledge. I had gotten a really good job in the mean time and decided screw it. I was only collecting debt and I had bills to pay so left and went back to work. I work at a factory now making Bridgestone tires. It's hard work on rotating shifts for less than I'm worth and almost no room to move up. But my bills are paid, and it took till now in my late 20's (29 to be exact) to decide what I wanted from life. But everything I've learned all 3 times in school, and at every barely making it job I've had got me to that point. So now...me and one of those 3 friends I was talking about are gonna do our own thing. I'm going to stay at the factory, and take classes at the local tech when I can (remember rotating shifts) till I have my ASE certification. My buddy is thinking of UTI in Ashboro NC which is were we'll probably open our shop eventually one day. UTI and Wyotech I see as much the same as that design school I went to. Certificates of completion don't mean much. I want my ASE while still working, and without collecting tons of debt. At the local Community College the classes are about 110 buck a piece. I can pay for that out of pocket, avoid extra "student loans" keep my job, keep my bills paid, and in 3 years or so when I have my ASE go open my own shop with my buddy, and maybe his father in law doing whatever we want. His father in law wants to do general maintenance, and I want to do Resto's. GM would keep the doors open, resto's and custom fabs would be what kept me waking up and going to work with a smile on my face every day. Moral... If I could tell my 18 year old self who had NO idea what to do for a living what to do? Go to college, meet your 3 best friends, then drop out, go get your ASE, learn to weld, get better with fiberglass fabrication (I already could do a little of this at 18) and skip all the debt. If anyone were thinking of trade schools...make sure you have an actual degree or a license like an ASE or welders certification etc at the end. If you get a certificate of completion for 20 grand you basically just wasted years of your life.