What would you choose?

[cornbread]

Say you were to have been given the option of starting your own business, with a beginning budget of up to 90K$ that you don't need to worry about paying back, or would you choose option 2, going back to school for up to 8 years, tuition free, and you'll also be given a check each month to pay for your personal expenses in both situations. Which would you choose? Start your own business (which would be along the lines of a computer and network repair/maintenance/sales/installation store and possibly an internet cafe), or going back to school?
I wish going back to school and then starting your own business was an option, but it's one or the other.

 

[nageov3t]

a degree is forever, a business only lasts till it fails?

 

[IronWing]

What is your current educational background? No college? Some? Degree? Grad school? It makes a difference in how I think about the question.

 

[cornbread]

Originally posted by: loki8481
a degree is forever, a business only lasts till it fails?

Good point, didn't think of it like that

 

[ManSnake]

If I were to have 90k that I don't have to pay back, I would bet it all on black. If it becomes 180k, I would start my own business. If it becomes 0k, I would go back to school.

 

[cornbread]

Originally posted by: ironwing
What is your current educational background? No college? Some? Degree? Grad school? It makes a difference in how I think about the question.

A little bit of college - Went to a local private college and completed 1 year of a 2 year associates degree program for network engineering. I dropped out and started working when I got my Network+, but have since become disabled but things are getting better and I don't want to live on disability the rest of my life. I'm 26 and married now, and I want to better our lives.

 

[intogamer]

It depends going back school for which and what degree?

I would go business... degrees are a dime a dozen. Ultimately people settle down in a business of some sort in the end.

 

[cornbread]

Originally posted by: intogamer
It depends going back school for which and what degree?

I would go business... degrees are a dime a dozen. Ultimately people settle down in a business of some sort in the end.

Most likely it would be a business major.

 

[IronWing]

School. Figure out what kind of career/business you want to be in and work on the degree that will get you there. With up to eight years available you can finish a bachelor's and master's (in needed to meet your career goals). If the kind of work you eventually want to be going requires an advanced degree then gut it out. If not, then weigh returning to work after the bachelor's. The time required for a master's is very expensive in terms of opportunity costs.

 

[Alistar7]

I would start my own business school....

 

[ponyo]

If you're going to school to be a business major, I would say don't bother. General business degree is pretty much worthless.

Likewise, most small businesses fail. The ones that tend to succeed and thrive are professional service industries: law firm, private medical, consultants, tradesmen and contractors, etc.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Easily school.

 

[cornbread]

I just figured a business major since its a pretty generic degree and can suffice for many general jobs, which I could end up learning more about and gaining my promotions in that way.

What I'd really like to do is go to med school and become either a doctor or a pharmacist, leaning more towards the pharmacist side, because I know a lot about a lot of medicines and how they work, side effects, etc., but I don't have the greatest past in the world - I've got a DUI on record and a history of drug abuse, but I don't drink or use drugs anymore. I'm really unsure that I could get the license to practice with that in my past.

I've got a good bit of experience with computer work - I can do most anything that involves working on PC's, I can install/troubleshoot a network, I haven't messed with much of the CCNA side of things in a few years, but I could pretty easily pick it back up. I don't have any programming experience though, and I see how that's starting to become more of a necessity these days in the corporate world.

I've got a pretty bad work history, mainly due to my disability, but I've got that under control now to where I wouldn't have a problem making it to work. Most of my work experience has been with contract work, and the actual non-contract work I lost a lot of jobs due to attendance issues, which wouldn't be a problem anymore, but I've just got to get my foot back in the door to prove that I've overcome a lot of my problems and can function normally.

I'm just sick of being poor and I want to have a good life for me and my wife, and I want to be somebody, and not just look at my life in disgust.

 

[Alistar7]

Don't waste your time focusing on your past, you can't change it now but you can control your future. Going back to school and succeeding is one way to prove to your next employer you can handle your responsibilities better than you had before. Your motivation is great, use that to find the strength to achieve what you want out of your life.

Pharmacist takes less school time and pays well. The demand is already unbelievable, and will only grow as the baby boomers retire. If you are serious do a bit of research on the massive current shortage of Pharmacists.

http://careerplanning.about.co...tions/p/pharmacist.htm

Job Outlook: Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2014.

Earnings:
Median Annual Earnings in the Industries Employing the Largest Numbers of Pharmacists (U.S., 2004*)

Department stores: $86,720
Grocery stores: $85,680
Health and personal care stores: $85,380
General medical and surgical hospitals: $84,560
Other general merchandise stores: $84,170

 

[cornbread]

Originally posted by: Alistar7
Don't waste your time focusing on your past, you can't change it now but you can control your future. Going back to school and succeeding is one way to prove to your next employer you can handle your responsibilities better than you had before. Your motivation is great, use that to find the strength to achieve what you want out of your life.

Pharmacist takes less school time and pays well. The demand is already unbelievable, and will only grow as the baby boomers retire. If you are serious do a bit of research on the massive current shortage of Pharmacists.

http://careerplanning.about.co...tions/p/pharmacist.htm

Job Outlook: Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2014.

Earnings:
Median Annual Earnings in the Industries Employing the Largest Numbers of Pharmacists (U.S., 2004*)

Department stores: $86,720
Grocery stores: $85,680
Health and personal care stores: $85,380
General medical and surgical hospitals: $84,560
Other general merchandise stores: $84,170

Do you know if I could get licensed as a pharmacist with a DUI in my background? I read that in Alabama you can't become a nurse if you've had any legal problems related to alcohol or drugs (i had a DUI 2 years ago) in your recent past. I'm just wondering if there are stipulations like that when it comes to licensing a pharmacist.

As far as the money goes, its good money, but I'm not really too worried about money as long as I'm happy with what I'm doing and I'm able to survive comfortably.

 

[Alistar7]

No clue about the DUI in your past being a factor, but I highly doubt it would prevent you from entering that line of work. I can guarantee you one thing, those 6 years will pass whether you earn that degree or not. At that time would you rather have that earning potential, or still be where you are in life?

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthwor...reports/pharmacist.htm

Released in December 2000, the HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Information and Analysis study indicates:

Emergence of a shortage of pharmacists.
Sharp increases in demand for pharmacy services.
Declines in pharmacy school applications.
Factors causing the shortage not likely to abate without fundamental changes in pharmacy practice and education.

http://www.pharmacychoice.com/.../dailycamera080403.cfm

"People are pushing to get in the door, rather than us having to pull them in," Atlas says. "Pharmacists are in such high demand, as a pharmacist myself I could walk out the door and have 10 offers in the next 72 hours."

http://findarticles.com/p/arti...LSH/is_4_5/ai_95447617

Six-figure salaries, signing bonuses, relocation allowances ... Top draft picks for the NBA? Wrong. This latest hot demand is for pharmacy graduates. In fact, pharmacists are currently in such demand nationwide that graduates from the country's 83 pharmacy schools routinely start their employment at $70,000 a year. "I've seen one position advertised in Alaska that pays welt over six figures," says Gary Stoehr, associate dean at University of Pittsburgh's School of Pharmacy.

A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (www.hhs.gov) shows the number of unfilled full- and part-time drug store pharmacist positions climbed from 2,700 in 1998, to nearly 7,000 in 2000. "The supply of pharmacists has plateaued, but the chain-drug industry is expanding fairly rapidly in response to an aging population," Stoehr told University Business. "If you look at all the graduates from all the colleges of Pharmacy, I don't believe they would fill the openings of the chain pharmacies Fight now.

Supply and Demand of Pharmacists is Talk of the Profession

 

[LuckyTaxi]

school teaches you to work for someone. you gain experience from being on the job. sure you'll fail but you'll learn from that. school doesnt teach you how you fail and bounce back, you can only do that from first hand experience.

 

[Alistar7]

http://www.uspharmacist.com/in...=ce/105410/default.htm

http://doh.state.fl.us/mqa/pharmacy/ph_faq.html

In regards to the DUI issue, probably varies from state to state but does not appear to be an automatic disqualification in obtaining a license. You can always check with the school of your choice before you enroll, or the state you likely would be practicing in, for the most reliable information.

 

[cornbread]

Thanks you guys for the insight into this.. I think I'm going to at least try to see if I can get into a pharm school. I've got nothing to lose.

 

[Avalon]

8 years of paid schooling would be enough to get you a doctorate degree in whatever you wanted, if you were so determined. I think that's worth infinitely more than $90K to startup a business, which you'd be more than capable of doing after you graduated from school anyway.

Besides, the business you're thinking of is a dead end. Computer/network repair shops are a dime a dozen these days.