if you were in my shoes.....

[Bassboy1645]

they say a college education is important and all but the simple fact is its getting harder by the day financially...I only have 38 dollars left to pay for phone bill, utilites, gas and food until summer comes and I go to work....I work at school the max hours im allowed but its 70 dollars every 2 weeks....everything is saying to me that I should just drop out and go to work at a mediocre full time job doing something I went to college so I wouldnt have to do.......

But I have probably several thousand dollars of hunting and fishing gear and As much as I dont have the heart to get rid of it....what would you do if you were in my shoes??....

I cant find a job cuz there are none in ely and I just dont know what to do right now!!! I worked and saved soo hard in highschool to buy my truck and boat and the few guns and all of my fishing gear that I have...I just dont know of I can even think about selling that stuff! its my whole life!!!

[Sandmannd]

Here are my thoughts, take them for what they are worth.

All your things can be replaced. I would sell the boat before the guns. You can replace all your things when you have a good job. Besides, you can always find someone to go fishing with.

Now, for school, make sure it's what you want. I had a lot of friends that went to school while I did my dream and played in a rock band. I have no regrets for it. My opinion of school is this, if you are going for something and know what you want to do, continue on and finish your education. If you are just taking up space and going for generals, take a year or two to work and figure out what you want to do then go back. I have friends that went for accounting, or whatever and got out and just got a job doing whatever they could find. I know make more than them. I was fortunate to fall into computers and got a good job.

It's your choice. If you know what you want to do, you can never go wrong with education.

[Deitz Dittrich]

This has been a very interesting thread to read... as an educator I would like to say, your education is something nobody can take away from you. Things you learn in college(not all from classes)you take with you the rest of your life!

Do your best to stay in school...

I worked a 40 hour week while going full time to college. Sure, it took me almost 6 years to graduate, but I did it. I was the first in my family to grad from college. It can be done, you just have to work hard for it.

[rowdyf]

Stay in school. Period. Sell the boat if you need money. There's plenty of fishing to be done from shore, or the banks of a river. Buy a canoe, they are cheaper and don't require gas.

The natural resources field will have many jobs in the next 0-10 years, and you won't get one without a college education. Go to S Point, get the 4 yr, you'll be better off in the long run.

There are many testiments from people here on staying in school and getting it done. You can do it to.

[10,000 Casts]

Another vote to stay in school.

I HATED SCHOOL, I wasn't a very good student, I barely got through high school and went to college at MSUM because at that time I knew I had to. Let me tell you that the first few years are by far the toughest. After that for me, the classes got easier because I was in something that I enjoyed. Just like Dietz, it took me 5 years to get through and yes I do have 20k in student loans to show for it. (which isn't that bad compared to most) but I also worked 30 hrs a week durring school and 40 in the summer.

I have sold my lms 334c, a vexilar fL18, aqua vu ect.. while in college because I needed the money for something i.e. rent...

Let me tell you that there is no better feeling than graduating and it opens many, many doors, I believe in an earlier post I read "glass ceiling" and that depends on what you want to do, but generaly it's true.

Stuff is Stuff and thats all it is, I have tons of stuff now, more than I will ever need, and I have only been out of school for 6 months. So what I am saying is stuff will come.

Don't be a fool stay in school and if that means selling some gear than so be it, good credit and a college education are way more important than that.

[JohnMickish]

Let me chime in agian, only a little deeper this time. It all depends what you want out of life. Do you want to retire early and comfortable or work till you die? Do you want to drive a new truck someday or stay with something 20 years old? Its all going to be a matter of trade offs. You will have to give up some stuff now to get much more later. Education will get you everything. One thing to keep in mind is that with the state of the economy right now we have people with masters degrees applying for entry level jobs. How are you going to compete with that?

[TKO_PUNCH]

mnfishinguy is right. There are many people with 4 year college degrees applying for entry level jobs. I was one of those and at the time wondering what I went to college for. If you have a college degree with a hard work ethic, sky is the limit. I have worked my way through the ranks with experience and that little paper that keeps following me called a college degree. Employers look at that degree and usually give those that have one a fair shot at promotions, like myself. I'm still not done working my way to a higher position and I'm 32 years old. I'm making 3 times as much money as when I first started with the company with my college degree, so don't be disappointed when offers don't come flooding in. Stick with the job or company and there will be a reward for that college degree.

STAY IN SCHOOL, I'm pulling for you.

[BobT]

That's something I saw too much of when I returned to tech school at the age of 30. The tech school liked to promote its program by emphasizing one or two of their most impressive success stories. That in itself wouldn't be so bad but, although they didn't say it outright, they eluded to the idea that this would be the norm.

One case in particular that the school I attended liked to talk about was when one of their previous graduates happened to pick up a job with a $42K salary right out of tech school. What they didn't tell us was 1st, it was a rare case and 2nd, the guy was taking the program as part of an agreement with his current employer so the program qualified him for a promotion.

I was amazed at how many 19-year olds fell for the idea and actually believed they had a good chance of getting more than just entry level offers. Too bad for them and they wouldn't believe me until it happened.

In most cases a degree doesn't guarantee you'll start at much higher than the bottom but it does give you the edge over those that don't have them. Once inside, the degree can certainly help you move up that proverbial ladder quicker.

Bob

[giwoyna5]

COWBOY UP!

Dude where there's a will theres a way. I remember the bolagna and ramon noodle days. Its tough, but it made me a much stronger person. The people I met and the gir..oops I mean the things I did, I wouldn't give back for the world. These things cannot be replaced... are you following me?

Student loans my brother.....they are there for a reason. Another thing I did, was go after any little side job you can imagine. Put an add in the paper doing something you are good at. $10 here, $20 there CASH adds up. Paid for my hunting licenses every year and a unforgettable spring break trip.

BTW My parents divorced the summer after graduating high school. Never saw a dime from either one. It can be done.

[slipperybob]

As long as financial aid (grants, perkins loans, and stafford loans are available you're in good shape.) I went to college with the bare minimal state grant, that paid's for 5 credits on full credit minimum 15. Scholarships weren't coming through. The only student loan available was the expensive one where I had to continously pay the interest at 8.75. Well eventually I looked at an increasing debt of near ten thousand a yr. Needless to say, second year, I crashed and burnt out of college.

In a way if I would've stuck through college, things probably would've been better. Keep in mind, education is a continous process. It's just doesn't stop once you're out of school.

[cold one sd]

I would say stick it out and do some sacrificing now. The best advice I can give to anyone in your position is to get an education in a field that has a good demand for employees. I have known too many bartenders and cab drivers that have a masters degree in underwater basket weaving which seem to get them nowhere. I was lucky enough to get a good job when I got out of the military without a college degree and I'm now retired with a good income. My nephew graduated with a masters in Wildlife Biology and is farming with his father because there were no jobs to be had in his chosen field. If it is what you really want, stay in school and the best of luck to ya.

[giwoyna5]

[Note from admin: Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

[Bassboy1645]

LOL nice comment about the bartenders and cab drivers! I forgot to mention that I have been taking advantage of all the grants, financial aid, and student loans I can. I knew I would need money so I applied for another loan that the school HSOforum Said I was elgible for but apprently not. After FA and loans its still just not enough to cover rent, gas, food, utilites and everything else...you guys have some great info here...I hate how govt aid takes all of your parents tax info and your tax info then comes up with an amount that your parents and yourself should pay in addition to govt. aid. This makes me sick! My parents hardly gave me a dime growing up and I learned alot about myself and the true meaning of working for my stuff. I have come to care for and appreciate my stuff soo much more paying for it myself!!! I agree with the notion on how the school promotes their one or two greatest success stories...I was no fool in fallign for that idea and my 2 years so far prove to me that college is just not for everyone. some of my best friends have dropped out or crashed out of college becasue of drinking or school just being too hard on them....I love what I am goign for and so far I couldnt have made a better choice on what I want to do... the jobs are there for my field and it ifts me great! Naturally the generals were a little harder then the major classes i am in now. I have always loved learning about and growing up experiencing the outdoors. Who can not like taking classes about soils and hydrology, map and compass navigation, forestry, wildlife management, plant and tree identification and such related classes??!!

[Northlander]

NO MATTER WHAT STAY IN SCHOOL!!!!

Later on after all the hard times are over you will look back and be gald you did.

[setterguy]

From a guy that quit and wishes he didn't, please stay in school if you can, even part time, night school will keep you motivated and plugging towards the end. Its very hard to go back once you quit, trust me. Do you live in Ely year round? If you come back to the cities, I will be looking for some summer help for my business if you're interested. Get rid of the stuff you don't need, borrow what you can't afford to keep.

[nolte]

Stick it out, and if you really want to get a job in natural resources, Go to Point. It's one of the best colleges in the area for those fields.

It's funny my buddies and I always talk about how we WISH we could go back to school for another 4 years(we all graduated about 5 years ago). We might not have had the toys we do now, but we had lots of TIME. I was in the woods or on the water at least TRIPLE what I am now. And I'm in the outdoors nearly all of my spare time. This whole working for a living ain't what it's cracked up to be.

My other suggestions on college are this. Figure out where you think you might like to end up, and then tailor you education towards that. There usually aren't a lot of high-paying jobs in the boondocks, but you can find some that let you live pretty darn comfortably. Plus you get to enjoy all the stuff you like to do.

I also want to know where all these $50K to $60k jobs are starting out of college. Some of my friends got their masters in Physical Therapy and didn't start out at that. The total compensation might equal that, but not just the wage.

Don't expect your dream job to be the first one you land out of college. You might have to grind it out a bit until you find the one that really suits you. It's a lot easier to FIND a job, once you HAVE a job. There is not a worse feeling in the world than having big time bills piling up without a way to pay for them.

Health Care is a major consideration with any job. Don't be afraid to sacrifice a little money for really good benefits.

[Coach1310]

Great thread going here. I would suggest doing all you can to stay in school. If you are a sportsman like most of the rest of us you have some things you can live without. Sell some of your accumulated stuff you don't use or something you were thinking about upgrading in the future anyway.

Like I said, I would suggest staying in school, but sometimes you need to take a step back to see what is really important to you. I am not doing exactly what I set out to do, but I love what I am doing. I am not living in a $500,000 home and driving a new Hummer, but that isn't important to me. I have a great family, a good lifestyle and have some precious time and $$$ left over to do the things I love.

The bottom line is regardless of what you decide, you will need to work hard to get places. If you choose to stay in school, work your tail off, make your transcript look fake it is so good. If you choose to step back, find a job, work your butt off and see how you feel and where it takes you. Nothing any of us has done can be "perfect" for you. You need to find out for yourself. Best of luck.... One last thing....there has been a lot of talk about sacrificing the now for the future...... make sure not to forget to live in the moment.... as Jimmy Valvano(a legendary College Mens Basketball Coach for NC State once said, while giving a speech a short time before his death from cancer at the ESPN Espy awards).......

"I just got one last thing, I urge all of you, all of you, to enjoy your life, the precious moments you have. To spend each day with some laughter and some thought, to get you're emotions going. To be enthusiastic every day and [as] Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing great could be accomplished without enthusiasm" -- to keep your dreams alive in spite of problems whatever you have. The ability to be able to work hard for your dreams to come true, to become a reality."

[Bassman55]

I am almost in the same shoes. I have an associates degree from NDSCS in Wahpeton with a 3.7 GPA. Now I am in my 3rd year of college. I am at NDSU and it is not going good. I am running out of money and don't have good grades anymore. I am also not getting to fish near as much. I used to go every weekend and now I havent been since about before Christmas. I am going to have to switch majors and that is if I get good enogh grades this semester so that I don't get kicked out for a year. I will work through it however it goes I guess. But just so you know you are not the only one that is going though this.

[cold one sd]

It can be done later if things don't work out at this time. I became an Electronics Technician when I was 58 years old. I guess an old dog really can learn new tricks. Going back to school as an old coot can be a bit trying though. An education sure can't hurt ya.

[JohnMickish]

 Originally Posted By: nolte

I also want to know where all these $50K to $60k jobs are starting out of college.

There not in the boondocks, I can pretty much guarantee that.

[Tom7227]

 Originally Posted By: Bassboy1645

well the one thing I got going for me is im a younger high school grad....I grduated HS 2006 at 17yrs old second youngest in my class and im in my second year at vermilion CC in Ely....ha! killerloop has a point! theres been a few times I didnt go fishing cuz I couldnt buy gas for the boat. I got another year yet at vcc cuz math is my arch enemy but Im seriously thinking about a four yr from stevens point....My ideal career would be a wildlife biologist or maybe a forester...Im sure everything will work out...somehow it always does...thanks for your advice..Im guessing im not the only one with this problem!

Sorry I can't stand to read this to the end>>>

Spend some time with a counselor, take some tests, and then do some market research about job potential. Every guy who likes to hunt and fish wants to become a wildlife biologist - but are there any decent jobs out there??? I know a number of guys who have such jobs and spend most of their time running around setting up banquets for conservation agencies. One guy said to avoid becoming an Lib Arts major who can't find a job - don't become anything that doesn't have a decent future. Look at the want ads and see what people who are hiring look for. If you got out of school when you're 17 you either started awfully young or you have some horsepower to get things done. There's always a tech school where you could learn to be a certified mechanic or something and have a decent paying job the rest of your life. A B.A. can be a lot of B.S. if there isn't a plan behind it.

Or, go rob a bank and get caught. You can get your degree while in prison, and you won't have to worry about buying gas, food, or anything else.

[bonefish]

What an interseting post! I'll throw my 2 cents in. So you know, I'm a recruiter for the Agricultural industry. I contract with companies to find the right people for jobs they have open throughout the midwest. In my job I look at 50-75 resume's/day, and talk to 50+ people a day about their skills, education, expereinces, and goals. In doing this, I can assure you that most of the people are correct in their comments about your decison:

1) Regardless of whether or not you actually "use" your degree, it's a key part of your future. What I mean is that I bet more than 50% of the people I visit with are not in a career that is directly tied to their degree. It's not the type of degree that is important, but the fact that you went through the process to earn one is what's critical. In fact I work whihh several large companies that will not accept a resume if they do not have a college degree. It's not that there is college learned skills, but that the competition is so high for many jobs that the degree requirement is one way to thin the number of applicants. They want people that will stick to theri career, like ti takes to stick through colege. Because of the tie to agriculture, I often talk to people in the conservation or Natural resources arena. I know that with competitoin for these jobs as they are, many are pursuing masters degrees for career advancement - which means that a bachelors degree could be the minimum bar to get a position in this field

2) When I get a resume I look for 3 things. Location (most peole don't want to move if they don't have to), previous work expereince (are you qualified, do you have proven work ethic), and education - and again, I'm not concerned about what type of degree you have (agricultural, natural science, business, arts, etc.) I just want proof that you are willing to put the time and committment into getting a degree.

I see many resumes of people that show unfinished degrees on their resume. I have to ask myself "if they weren't willing to stick out college for just a few years of their life, what kind of employee are they going to be when there are tough days on the job?" "How long will they last before they do something different again?" "Whats important to them, social life and sporting activies or work" I understand that there are always good reasons for walking away from school with family issues, health, etc. I'm just speaking generally here, but I'm pretty sure that keeping a nice boat for a few years is not one of the good reasons on the list

I'm not trying to be hard on you, or anyone else here for your decisions. I guess I'm just being brutally honest about the importance of a degree in a career that is outside of a skilled trade.

I'll also comment on an earlier post about colleges reporting high salary marks. You are exactly correct about that. Colleges are a business. And like anythiong else, they need to market succes stories - so be aware that they are reporting possibilities, not weighted averages. However, contrary to what people think, there are several fields that pay recent college grads $50k +/ year. Especially in the Ag indusry. However, I can guarantee you that these individuals got a degree (proves they can git er dun), were active in school activities (shows social and leadership skills), and/or worked multiple jobs to get through school (proven work ethic), and took internships in their field (thus being able to start a job with some experience)

Like others who have commented here, I put myself through college by working multiple jobs, yet still found the time to hunt and fish. In fact, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that we wish we could get out half as much as we did then!

Finally. By the time you retire, advances in medicine will probably have the average life expectancy for Minnesotans to be 100 years. Depending on how much you are working, an associates degree is 2-3 years and a Bachelors is 4-5 years. That means that busting your backside for just a mere 3-5% of your total life isn't realy too much to ask of yourself. Especially when you consider the landslide of benefits for yourself and potential future family down the road. Doesn't really compare to just having some nice "stuff" for a few years that you'll have forgotten all about 20 years into your successful career!!!

[Grant]

It's been said over and over already, but I'll chime in as well...

Stay In School.

If I had to choose one regret in my life as the biggest, it'd be not finishing college before I "settled down" in life. now with 2 kids, a mortgage, child support, etc... the probability that I will be able to finish has dramatically diminished- not to say impossible, but at a minimum not real likely.

I've bounced off the "glass ceiling" several times, in a few different jobs over the years, where people that couldn't do the job as well as I could got the promotions, solely for the fact they had a bachelor's degree in something and I did not.

SO.... Stay the course, when you finish you will be thanking God you did.

Grant

[Shack]

 Originally Posted By: Tom7227

Or, go rob a bank and get caught. You can get your degree while in prison, and you won't have to worry about buying gas, food, or anything else.

That is sadly a good idea. Then the state pays for the whole bill and loan.

I have a buddy on round #2 in Moose Lake Correctional Facility and he is (the last I heard) finishing up some schooling while he is inside. He will be out in 2 ½ years if things go well. I guess he enrolled in a boot camp program and qualified for further programs which include college of some sort. All he has to do is make it out, fib on his application and resume, find an employer who does not perform criminal back ground checks (they are still out their) and he is in like Flynn.

Only in America!

[Sandmannd]

I know this isn't a great time with the war going on, but another option is to join the service and have them pay it. That's if you don't mind the desert for a couple of years.

[BoxMN]

Bonefish, I think your advice (and lots of others as well, no disrespect to them intended) is 100% on the mark and the most relevent. Two examples to reinforce what he said:

1 I have a BA (yes, and BA, not [PoorWordUsage]) in biology and environmental studies. I worked in biology field for about 5 years. Loved it, but money was not there without masters. I now make video games hehe, lots of fun and I gotta say, decent $$.

2 I have a relative who hires people. He needs to weed out people somehow, and resumes is one example. No college degree, no second look. I also KNOW that starting salary is about $36-40k plus bonus for essentially a no-experience person, who could be brain dead... or could be great. Basically they are hired due to their degree, and see how they do, they could be let go in a few months. But with the degree, it does show they should be able to stick something out, and add and subtract and write.

Anyway, I remember when my non-college buds had the nice trucks and buying rounds and whopping it up, and I was eating ramon noodles and borrowing my roomates Renault... heh. But now, about 25 years out of college, I am not complaining, about material things or the state of my career.

Good luck in your decision! Good thoughts posted from everybody, there are always many good viewpoints and you should look at them all - something college teaches very well