Comment Re:Employement, post graduation? (Score 2, Informative) 971
I completely agree with the parent. I've been enjoying a 6 figure income since age 27 as a chemical engineer, but that's probably going to max out (totally random guess here) in the 130-150(if I'm lucky). In the movie "Rendition", the engineer's salary was $200k. I don't know *any* engineer (not a manager) making that kind of income. For that kind of figure, there is likely little correlation between education and income. I remember reading once that most millionaires haven't even finished college.
As for what it's like to be a *student*.... you get to take classes. To be able to have a time in your life set aside *solely* for you to learn is an incredible privilege: do yourself a favor and make the most out of it. Here's a warning: if you just get a diploma, that's one thing. If you are good enough to get an education, that's entirely different and the choice is up to you. I suspect I was more of the former than the later. I enjoyed my classes, but I partied a lot, too. Let's just say I don't sit back and say, "Boy - I wish I partied more."
As for what it's like to be an engineer - I love it. Moreover, I'm a chemical engineer. One of the fun things about being a chemical engineer is looking at the faces of people when you tell them you are a chemical engineer. More often than not - they sort of grimace as if to say "Yikes - are you sick or something?
I was talking to an ophthalmologist friend of mine who will be making triple my salary. But when I was telling him what I get to do and the toys I get to play with (Scanning electron microsocpes, x-ray dispersive spectrocope, crystalline semiconductors, database hacking, instrument automation/programming, list goes on and on), he was drooling.
Most importantly: Engineering can be a very rewarding career to those who enjoy this kind of stuff. Stick with it, and it will be worth it!
As for what it's like to be a *student*.... you get to take classes. To be able to have a time in your life set aside *solely* for you to learn is an incredible privilege: do yourself a favor and make the most out of it. Here's a warning: if you just get a diploma, that's one thing. If you are good enough to get an education, that's entirely different and the choice is up to you. I suspect I was more of the former than the later. I enjoyed my classes, but I partied a lot, too. Let's just say I don't sit back and say, "Boy - I wish I partied more."
As for what it's like to be an engineer - I love it. Moreover, I'm a chemical engineer. One of the fun things about being a chemical engineer is looking at the faces of people when you tell them you are a chemical engineer. More often than not - they sort of grimace as if to say "Yikes - are you sick or something?
I was talking to an ophthalmologist friend of mine who will be making triple my salary. But when I was telling him what I get to do and the toys I get to play with (Scanning electron microsocpes, x-ray dispersive spectrocope, crystalline semiconductors, database hacking, instrument automation/programming, list goes on and on), he was drooling.
Most importantly: Engineering can be a very rewarding career to those who enjoy this kind of stuff. Stick with it, and it will be worth it!
