Aerospace Engineering VS Orthodontists?

Question

I would love to do either one. What are your opinions on these fields?

If i major in aerospace, I want to start up my own company to a point where i will be making things for the military.

If i major in orthodontists, I will start my own ortho business.

PS- yes,i know its expensive to start a business,especially aerospace, but i will have like a million bucks or so to use(my dad said he would provide that kind of money if i needed it)

Answer 1

Well I don't know if you could have picked two careers so vastly far apart.

First, aerspoace engineering is NOT an easy venture. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but aerospace engineering firms rarely succeed. And while it is very generous of your father to give you a million dollars to start your company, I dare say that that is not nearly enough. If you are going to design parts or components for the military, be prepared to spend several millions of dollars just to do research, by equipment and pay for employees to get you there. It is far more difficult to be succesful in the aerospace engineering field that you can imagine. I know an AE. He got his degree and master in AE from Embry Riddell. He now works for Raytheon and works on optics projects. He is not very happy with his decision. I have seen several blossoming aircraft companies who have filed chapter 11 because they wound up hundreds of millions of dollars in the hole trying to make a succesful design fly, literally and figuratively.

My cousin is an orthodontist in OK. He is thriving with his own practice. He's been at it about 4 years and is making nearly $300k/yr. He loves what he does and he never has to worry about funding or where it may be coming from next.

I don't mean to dash any hopes, I just hope that you make a decision that will work best for you.  Aviation is a VERY hard field to break into and stay in.

I've seen too many people lose everything trying to make it work.

Healthcare careers will never fade away. Take your dad's million bucks and become an orthodontist. I think you will be better off. If you want, you can do the AE stuff on the side when you have a succesfull orthodontics practice.