Decisions (job vs. school)

[BlackTigers]

So... I'm at a point in my life where I have no idea where I want to take it. Yippee!

I'm 19, sophomore with a declared major of mech. engineering. I'm a b student, gpa hovering around 3.0, give or take.

My dad works in a machine shop, and his shop owner just offered me an apprenticeship... i'd be making either $14.75 on first shift, or $18.75 on second shift, being an assembler for plastic injection molds. The work isn't too terribly hard, and I would be guaranteed at least 45 hours a week, up to 60 max if I want them, anything over 40 being time and a half. I would also be up for a $2.50 raise after three months.... I work minimum wage now, and this (to me) is a shit ton more money. It's also something I like doing....

Now,,, I hate school. But I know I probably should go. How bad would it hurt my ability to go back if I stopped school for next semester, and worked all spring and summer? I mean... could I just pick back up in the same spot if I decided I hate working in that field?

or does someone need to talk some sense into me and tell me to stay in school? my entire family is no help, no one has graduated college on either side since about 1800...lol.

 

[tatteredpotato]

From what I've observed people who drop out don't come back... you get used to the income and don't want to give it up.

And compared to Mech Eng salary that money's nothing great.

 

[lxskllr]

Do you want to be a mechanical engineer, or a machinist? There's nothing wrong with either choice, but that's your call. The money's ok for entry level, but not all that in grand scheme of things. You gotta do what make you happy though. I'd rather make 25k a year in a job I loved than 80k in a job I hated.

 

[TridenT]

Stay in school.

 

[Fayd]

everyone hates school.

depending on what school you go to, and where you want to work, ME's can look at approx 60-70k just getting out of school.

it's not gonna kill you to take a half year off. but the material might not be fresh.

you could work second shift and schedule all your classes in the morning. but you can kiss your social life goodbye. and lab classes required for your degree simply won't work around that schedule.

alternative, you can take time off and take your GE's through community colleges, online courses, etc.

bottom line, working doesn't have to completely stop your education.

 

[kt]

Stay in school.

 

[secretanchitman]

school for sure. maybe you can work part time during the weeknights and weekends?

 

[esun]

There are a few issues to consider.

First, in a job like that there is likely not much room for advancement. The ceiling for a mechanical engineer is much higher. If you don't advance into management (and face it, not everyone can, and it's no guarantee that you will), consider how easy it is to train someone to do that job. You would be very easily replaceable (not that this doesn't happen to mechanical engineers, but it certainly happens less).

Second, you will very likely get bored of that job and without a degree, it may be difficult to move up to something more interesting. You may enjoy the job now but after doing it for 10 years you may not. If that's the only thing on your resume, though, it's going to be hard to get hired in a job that's not similar to that one.

My advice would be to stick with school and do better at it. If you need money, student loans aren't the worst thing in the world and probably more worth it than making your life suck working a minimum wage job.

If you really do hate school, rather than taking time off and potentially prolonging it, I would work really hard, cram courses and finish early if you can. Saves you money and time. If you hate school now, just imagine how much you'll hate going back after a year off. Just get it over with now. You can always do manual labor for the rest of your life if you want to, but you probably will not have an easier chance to finish a degree than you do right now.

 

[insect9]

From what I've observed people who drop out don't come back... you get used to the income and don't want to give it up.

And compared to Mech Eng salary that money's nothing great.

This. I took a semester off for about the same reason when I was your age. Took me years to go back to school.

 

[Hacp]

So... I'm at a point in my life where I have no idea where I want to take it. Yippee!

I'm 19, sophomore with a declared major of mech. engineering. I'm a b student, gpa hovering around 3.0, give or take.

My dad works in a machine shop, and his shop owner just offered me an apprenticeship... i'd be making either $14.75 on first shift, or $18.75 on second shift, being an assembler for plastic injection molds. The work isn't too terribly hard, and I would be guaranteed at least 45 hours a week, up to 60 max if I want them, anything over 40 being time and a half. I would also be up for a $2.50 raise after three months.... I work minimum wage now, and this (to me) is a shit ton more money. It's also something I like doing....

Now,,, I hate school. But I know I probably should go. How bad would it hurt my ability to go back if I stopped school for next semester, and worked all spring and summer? I mean... could I just pick back up in the same spot if I decided I hate working in that field?

or does someone need to talk some sense into me and tell me to stay in school? my entire family is no help, no one has graduated college on either side since about 1800...lol.

Take the job working the 2nd shift. Finish your degree part time. 2 years left on your degree means you can probably finish it in 4 years doing part time. At the same time you're making money!

 

[TecHNooB]

Take the job working the 2nd shift. Finish your degree part time. 2 years left on your degree means you can probably finish it in 4 years doing part time. At the same time you're making money!

And receiving quality part time education that I'm sure you'll retain!

 

[halik]

So... I'm at a point in my life where I have no idea where I want to take it. Yippee!

I'm 19, sophomore with a declared major of mech. engineering. I'm a b student, gpa hovering around 3.0, give or take.

My dad works in a machine shop, and his shop owner just offered me an apprenticeship... i'd be making either $14.75 on first shift, or $18.75 on second shift, being an assembler for plastic injection molds. The work isn't too terribly hard, and I would be guaranteed at least 45 hours a week, up to 60 max if I want them, anything over 40 being time and a half. I would also be up for a $2.50 raise after three months.... I work minimum wage now, and this (to me) is a shit ton more money. It's also something I like doing....

Now,,, I hate school. But I know I probably should go. How bad would it hurt my ability to go back if I stopped school for next semester, and worked all spring and summer? I mean... could I just pick back up in the same spot if I decided I hate working in that field?

or does someone need to talk some sense into me and tell me to stay in school? my entire family is no help, no one has graduated college on either side since about 1800...lol.

Your income potential is much higher with a degree.

 

[Hacp]

And receiving quality part time education that I'm sure you'll retain!

How much of school do you really retain? A year ago, we had an engineer looking to take his PE asking how to solve a simple integration using partial fractions.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Stay in school. Within a year or so, you'll be able to get an internship in your field making that kind of money, while still progressing toward your degree.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

should you drop out of school? yeah, and you should pick up smoking and condomless sex as well

 

[CountZero]

Without knowing anything else stay in school.

That being said you could sit down and think about what you want to be doing in 20 years. Figure which you think will still hold your interest on that 5000th day you come in. I'd hazard a guess that ME will have more variety and opportunities over 20 years than machinist.

And not to be rude but if you think you'd like being a ME but hate school then dropping out is stupid. It is four years out of your entire life that will steer what your future might look like.

Lastly as has been said if you leave count on not going back. Once you enter the working world forward momentum makes it very difficult to go back to school.

 

[gophins72]

aren't you worried about that type of job soon being offshored? stay in school

 

[MJinZ]

So... I'm at a point in my life where I have no idea where I want to take it. Yippee!

I'm 19, sophomore with a declared major of mech. engineering. I'm a b student, gpa hovering around 3.0, give or take.

My dad works in a machine shop, and his shop owner just offered me an apprenticeship... i'd be making either $14.75 on first shift, or $18.75 on second shift, being an assembler for plastic injection molds. The work isn't too terribly hard, and I would be guaranteed at least 45 hours a week, up to 60 max if I want them, anything over 40 being time and a half. I would also be up for a $2.50 raise after three months.... I work minimum wage now, and this (to me) is a shit ton more money. It's also something I like doing....

Now,,, I hate school. But I know I probably should go. How bad would it hurt my ability to go back if I stopped school for next semester, and worked all spring and summer? I mean... could I just pick back up in the same spot if I decided I hate working in that field?

or does someone need to talk some sense into me and tell me to stay in school? my entire family is no help, no one has graduated college on either side since about 1800...lol.

3/4 = 75. You're a C Student.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Take the job, take the job, take the job! All the folks saying "if you drop out, you won't go back" can't imagine life after thirty. You CAN return to school and you MAY be able to continue school while working. A degree is no guarantee of success. Take the job!

 

[Axon]

Stay in school man. A bachelor's degree is now the rule rather than the exception. By dropping out, you are trading moderate short-term gain for a large long-term loss. You will likely still be on that molding assembly line 10 years from now if you choose to drop out now.

I had a similar experience when I was 19. I landed a summer job as a phone technician with Verizon. Good pay, easy working conditions, a strong union, nice benefits. I got along well with everyone in the garage. The job maxed at $56,000 at the time, but with OT factored in, you could clear 100k in a good year. It was sorely tempting to stay. However, I went back to school. Sure enough, four years later, Verizon was forced to lay off a number of technicians. The youngest guys were the first to go because of the way the union had things set up. I likely would have been given my pink slip, and I would have been left with no degree and no transferable practical experience, save for cable television installation. I'm a lawyer now and I make six figures. I'm grateful every day that I stayed in college.

 

[Moonbeam]

When a storm drops heavy rain it forms rivulets and eddies. The rivulets can flow to the sea while the pools soak into the land or evaporate and become clouds.

 

[vshah]

3/4 = 75. You're a C Student.

not all schools are the same. at mine for example, if i got an 80% on every assignment i'd get a B in the class, which = 3.0 when it comes to GPA.

 

[ManSnake]

When a storm drops heavy rain it forms rivulets and eddies. The rivulets can flow to the sea while the pools soak into the land or evaporate and become clouds.

and they all hate themselves?

 

[nonameo]

suppose the person is in the same situation but is pursuing a fine arts degree. Same advice?

 

[Ricemarine]

not all schools are the same. at mine for example, if i got an 80% on every assignment i'd get a B in the class, which = 3.0 when it comes to GPA.

QFT.
Otherwise, I'd be barely passing