After college what option did you take? what did you do and are you happy with your decision?only 3 options?

Question

alright college grads... okay you have graduated from college (congrads)... What are you gonna do now? Im a teacher and I promote college to my students but, I am also a graduate student who is not making enough to live on my own(boomerang kid... and I hate it... love my parents hate living back at home with them)... When we as teachers promote college to high school seniors, we never give them too many options... meaning whats after college because chances are you will not be a teacher, doctor,engineer or lawyer right out of college.... theres only three options or choices after college I know about 1. go straight to grad school afterwards... this option is both good and bad because going to grad school "suppose" to better your chances of getting a better job... but thats what people say when youre going to undergraduate school.... right? bad thing about going straight to grad school after college is you dont have enough work experience... youre taking out more loans... or you taking alot of money from your trust fund... and after grad school you still may not have the job you truely want. Option 2 Go and Work... if you work and dont think about grad school... you will not have extra education to fall back on... and its a high chance you may have to move back into mommy and daddies home (50% of us did... and boy did we hate that) now, all your money go to parents for food and rent... and if youre not paying rent (lets just hope youre given your parents something) and if you dont have a masters in some occupations... chances are you will not be promoted to another job. Option 3. take chances and move away and try to make it on your own the best way you can?

After college what option did you take? what did you do and are you happy with your decision?

Answer 1

I graduated from my undergrad in 2005 and I worked a year. Most people do not keep the first job out of college for more than 3 years because they are just testing the waters. My first job out of college was a  way for my to have continued insurance and make a paycheck. I then decided that I wanted to get into the field that I had decided back during my junior year (higher education). Lucky for me, I did internships and had campus jobs that were in higher education which is how I decided to really solidify my career in it. So I took a chance and started applying for schools all around the country. Then I moved to another state (no family there) and started working at a local university 5 months after starting job one out of college. I went to graduate school the next year and just finished this May (another 2 years).  So I guess I kinda did all three options within a three year period.

So, yes I do advocate working  first right out of undergrad mainly because the average student does not know what they want to do as a graduate program (there are a few exceptions like med school and some business majors). working gives them time to get a break from college. Graduate school is a bigger commitment and they should really want to go to grad school, not just go because they can't find anything else to do. It would be a waste of time and money. Graduate school is not a guarantee that someone will have better chances at a job. Jobs also want experience. I would say that working and going to graduate school helps because they are continuing their work experience as they go to school. One of my classmates went to grad school right after her undergrad at the same school and she is still looking for a job right now living with her parents so really, she just prolonged whatever she would have done after her undergrad except racked up about 40k more in student loan debt. She went to grad school because she had no clue what she wanted to do. She is the type of student that the majority of the population ends up being.  Grad school WILL NOT solve that unless they are totally sure that they want to student that specific area. They don't know what to expect and they really need time to explore their options. If this means they move, get out there, and test the waters with the working world first, then they should do that.

overall, I am very happy with my decision. I finished college in 4 years. I worked for about a year and half while moving to another state by myself (stayed on my own... no roommates). Then i made the decision to go back to school and i finished. I feel like every decision I made was because I really wanted to make it, not because I needed to avoid a default consequence. I did get more debt, but it was an investment and it is paying off because I received a significant pay raise due to a promotion when i finished grad school. That is how life should be.

I hope this helps! I am a college administrator now and I work with a lot of high school students so I know what you are going through with your seniors in high school. I hope i all works out.

Answer 2

When I got out of college,(animal husbandry major) there were three possibilities.......

1) manage the family horse farm

2) build engines for race cars

3)finish carpenter

(all three were viable possibilities)

I moved 200 miles from home, took a job in a hardware store stocking shelves, and looked for a real job..

I was tired for the moment of the horse farm, and it will be mine someday anyway...

if i got paid for building engines, it would take away the fun...

So I was leaning toward finisher carpenter  (even had my union card)

at the same time, I was volunteering stall mucking time at a local stable, in exchange for riding privileges..

One of my riding partners bird-dogged this job at the bank, and I,ve been here ever since....Private banker at a private corporate bank...watch over rich peoples money..make sure they don't do stupid things....

Answer 3

I took option 3.  

I graduated in Dec. with a BA in History.  Sadly, its currently useless as I'm still stuck working a blue collar job.  

I'm currently NOT happy with my status in life, but I am satisfied that I got the education I wanted.  Once I finally land that job I want rather than the one I have out of necessity, it will all be worth it.