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You guys are bright intelligent people, do you think it's such a really bad idea to drop out of university after just a year (or less) of study?
Do you think ones job prospects would be greatly effected if leaving before the full 3 years of study had been completed?
Thanks for any input.
Hi mate1
I would never advise dropping out if you can possibly afford to continue. You might want to change course/content but hang on in there. OK, what you learn may not be at the cutting edge, but the qualification is your entry ticket to better things?
I used to get students in their year out in industry.........they would all ask "shall I finish my degree" and I always said "unless you want to have wasted three years of your life"
Stick at it.
Cheers
I'd highly advised against. If you're bored with your present study or don't like it, persue something else (speak to the Counsellor -- and yes, there are course counsellors who can advise directions to persue). In this job market, anything that can get you an edge is worth it. Today, at least in Canada, you need -- at minimum -- a degree or diploma to even be considered for a position beyond flipping burgers. The market is tight right now and staying a bit longer in school may not be such a bad thing..
Ultimately the choice is yours however... We can give our opinions but unless your heart is there so you can devote your study time to what you need to learn, then it won't make a difference if you stay or go.
Out of curiosity, why are you asking? Are you feeling disillusioned with study (what are you studying anyways)? Is it a cost issue?
I'm am currently in a University, and what I do to help me keep my interest in college is take a class every semester that I enjoy.
For instance if I have Biology, math, lit, and another subject that I hate, I'll throw in a course on Operations Systems or Networking. Just something that I enjoy to do. It helps to make the semester go by faster.
So pretty much like everyone else here has said I would not advise that you drop out. A college education can go a long way.
Thanks for the repiles. I'm currently studying for a BSc Computer Science degree. I've been here for 4 months now and am in the second semester.
I used to be really interested in computing and would study on top of what was in the classes, but since starting my degree and moving 250+ miles away from my friends and family my interest has really fallen, and i find myself trying to do just enough to pass, if that.
I don't make friends easily and, well i havn't. After being here for 4 months i've not made one.
You should look into a local Computer Club. It's probably a place where you might make some friends. And don't forget to call home each week. It can make the difference. This time of the year can be a hard time since it is mid-Winter, we have less daylight (you're probably not getting enough being in class all day -- get out and go for a walk around the campus) and it's the first year your at University, especially so far away from home. This is a normal thing. University is awe-inspiring as well as just plain too huge to deal with all at once.
You should also look into student services (check with the Main Office or check your student handbook/website). Nothing wrong with a little bit of counselling and advice. Sometimes it makes a difference just to have someone, anyone to talk to.
I am going to have to agree with everyone else that has previously posted. I have plenty of friends that have droped out of College and are either regretting it, or simply having a hell of a time trying to get time to regret it. (I.e. there in jail.)
College is becoming more of the norm these days, if you want any decent job you have to go. Now as for the friends thing, I would say maybe once a month see if your friends can come up on the weekend. Or you go home for the weekend. It will really help a bit. Also the thing to remember is that it is college it's a new experience why not try a few things that you haven't tried already. Try going to a party. They are easy to be invited to.
Life is about choices, and this is one that you will have to make. I will honestly say, you might want to think this one out a bit before you make that final decision. Oh and I think your parents are going to be pissed if they just spent 5k on you for half a yr and you don't even finish. Atleast mine would.
Hope you make the right decision for you, whichever that may be.
MsM we have to do something for you, you are almost as bad as me. You never sleep. I am always up becuase I can't sleep. hehe
Yeah, get inovled in groups man.
I got involved with a AITP (Association fo Information Technology Professionals) group, and have made several friends that way.
Thats one key to helping you get through college is to have friends.
I'm going to agree with what everyone else said, but for a different reason. I graduated from high school with a full scholarship to a state college. However, I made the wrong decision and got married too. Long story short, husband had a drinking problem, I had to drop out of school to work so we had someplace to live and food on the table, and I never finished college. It was just too much, trying to keep up with everything. Now I'm 30, take classes at a community college, and spend a lot of time regretting the decision I made when I was too young to realize what I had done to myself. If there is anyway humanly possible for you to stay, for gods sake stay!
Seeing evryone here allready adviced youto stay, I'm gonna try to tell things from my perspective..
I dropped out of university in the last year, I found out (work experience) that the line of work I was training for wasn't for me (X-rays and radiation treatment).
I started to pickup my hobby again, and after some studieing got a good job as programmer/admin..
I'm not advising you to drop out.. I'm just telling that if you realy want to do something, you'll get there, provided you work realy hard (study) and are realy good at it..
There are still some companies (usualy the smaller ones) that don't look at diploma's, but instead look at experience and real life quality's..
Remember, a doctor who just barely made the mark, still is a doctor..
But I'd rather have someone work on me who realy knows what he's doing..
Alrighty I'll share my 2 cents.
I'm in college (just finished my third semester and I'm on a co-op term) and I'm now living 10 hours from my hometown (prolly around 1000km give or take a 100). I've wanted to drop out since halfway through the first semester. I even packed my bags once. I'm going through to become a Computer Systems Technologist (basically a Network Admin with a fancy title). I'm still in the course because I do well (top 5 of my class every semester), and that's the only reason. Every semester I make a new group of friends because the guys I hung around with the previous semester have all dropped out and moved back to their hometowns. Some of them are happy, the program wasn't for them... others who truly love computers have been back. My friends are now a semester behind me (some of them two semesters), completing courses and test that they've already done and paying for the same stuff twice. I've had my share of regrets in my life, but I know if I drop out... It'll be a huge regret. I do it because I always finish what I start, and to me dropping out is as bad as flunking out and I refuse to quit. I don't even plan on going into computers when I graduate, I don't think I could ever spend my life working around them (they don't present me with a challenge), so when I graduate this program I'll be doing another program (who knows what.. maybe I'll become a chef).. but at least down the road I'll have this to fall back on.
Maybe it's not the type of response you were looking for.... but that's my experience. If you want to make friends, start talking to the guy sitting next to you in class, or some random person in the hall way. Walk into the caf and sit at a crowded lunch table and strike up a conversation. I met a lot of people by going fundraising, we have "Shinerama" every year, it's Canada-wide and it's to raise money for CF. I bring my guitar and play while the people I'm partnered with shine shoes. It may not seem like much but it's for a good cause and I've met some really great people. Go to a bar and look for the girl that no other guy there wants to talk to... by her a drink. You don't have to pick her up, but you've just found yourself someone to talk to and quite possiby a friend. Walk the library and when you see someone grabbing a book you enjoy or that's by an author you enjoy comment on it, discuss the book. Search ICQ and MSN for people from your uni town. Most students can be found on their and since you are just typing it can relieve a lot of the stress.
As of right now I am working as a web developer, network admin and custom graphics for a company and I get paid good money right now (God helped me on that one).
Now that I am done tooting my own horn I will tell you the reason I am still attending a University.
[why]
I have had a job since I was about 9 years old. At nine I would enter invoices and PO's for my Dad's small company. Then I graduated to the teen's I decided to get rid of the nice computer job and go work at a PLANT FARM. I made horrible pay and worked long hours. At age 14 I was taking the RTA to and from work. (sidenote: My family wasn't/isn't poor at all. My Dad is a successful business owner and is an awesome father. The reason for this story is to explain why I see things the way I do.) I soon got another office job stapling and filing. I then graduated to top technical advisor at my current place of employment we boast 30 worldwide offices.
[/why]
Now, I am in a very good position at this company. However I do not want to be trapped here. I want to be able to have other options (you always need options) so that is why I am still getting my degree. I am not getting a degree in computers but any degree with help when looking for a new job.
[reason]
You do not want to be locked down into a job with no future you want to be able to have options so that you can GO for what YOU want.
[/reason]
Thanks For Listening sorry for grammatical errors.
Adiz
Thanks again for all your repiles.
After considering all your experiences and advice i've come to the conculsion that although i'm not fitting in here very well, and that sometimes everything get me down and i just can't see a way out, it would be a mistake to leave and give up on almost a year of study without have anything to show for it (except a debt).
I've decided to try and stick it out, after all, in a few years time when it's over i can do anything, anywhere, and i'd have a degree in my back pocket to help me along.
Thanks for all the advice about making friends , but i really couldn't do some of that stuff, and wouldn't want to. I don't want to change me just to fit in. People who do that are so fake i think. I'm like that other dude i think, any friends that i do make are normally because they have come and talked to me first.
Thanks again for all your support.
But I don't think you'd have to be fake to fit in. Attending a linux club meeting to get info on latest linux stuff or checking for a 2600 meeting in your area (YAY! Latest issue is out) isn't swaying from your true self (that is, IMHO, the search for more knowledge). Have you checked if there is a student board there? I know at our college there is a student board (albeit sometimes a whine fest) where students can yap about courses, bitch about profs (and prof meanness and toughness on tests) and just generally fool around.Quote:
Thanks for all the advice about making friends , but i really couldn't do some of that stuff, and wouldn't want to. I don't want to change me just to fit in. People who do that are so fake i think. I'm like that other dude i think, any friends that i do make are normally because they have come and talked to me first.
Certainly your choice as to how you do things but sometimes even just attending these meetings without even saying something can benefit you in the long run and sometimes in ways not intended.