Yikes.. so i just got thrown a major loop at work today

[TallBill]

Earlier i said that my work was gonna give me a raise...

Well they just upp'd my "Salary" from 23k a year to 27k.. and while im at school doing remote programming, i'll make 15/hour

Now.. as an added offer.. if i dont go to school i get to lead a massive project for the company.. and they'd pay me 35k a year... at the same time i'd start going "on call" which would be about another 5k a year

I think i could actually weasel another 5k a year out of them if i did stay... that'd be 45k a year for a 19 year old... and eventually i'd start taking classes at night to get educated too.

I really want the social experience of college.. plus i'll still makin good guaranteed money.... but man.. what a loop.. definitly somethin to think about...after doin that for a year or even 6 months.. i'd prolly be up for another raise too

 

[FoBoT]

how big of a company is this?
how old is it?

 

[Atrail]

O.K.
That sounds Good.
More options never hurt!

 

[TallBill]

~25 offices around the us... about 20-30 employees in each office.. and my office is BOOMING.. we're growing so fast right now that we're hiring a few new people as it is..

 

[rgwalt]

Wow, great news. I don't want to rain on your parade, but I would definitely stay in school. Where is school located relative to where you are working? The problem with quiting school to take the job is that you don't know how secure that job will be 10 or 20 years down the road. If you leave school now and work for them for 10 years, and the company goes under, changes ownership, or even changes management and they decide they don't want/need you any more, you will be left high and dry. If you are single at the time, no problem, but what if you have a family to support? Even with the experience under your belt, without a degree you will be much less marketable. Stay in school the extra 2 or 3 more years and then go to work for them with a full degree. When you do, you will be able to start at a much higher salary and will be secure in the knowledge that if things don't work out, you'll have an easier time changing jobs.

Ryan

 

[DaveSimmons]

Even with the experience under your belt, without a degree you will be much less marketable. Stay in school the extra 2 or 3 more years and then go to work for them with a full degree. When you do, you will be able to start at a much higher salary and will be secure in the knowledge that if things don't work out, you'll have an easier time changing jobs.

That's great advice, and if you pick good classes you can actually learn a lot more than just programming. Aisde from the social aspect you can also pick some interesting breadth-of-study classes that will make you a more well-rounded person -- I really enjoyed my non-western music, renaissance art, and english classes.

 

[Turkey]

They know you are good and they are trying to get you for cheap because it's in their best interests. They don't have to pay you as much as a college grad because you dont' have a degree, even if you're doing the same job. Go to college. I never heard anyone say "Man, I wish I had never gone to college and had started working instead," they all say "I should have gone to college, I'd be able to get better jobs and get more money." Or if you are bent on staying there, at least get what you are worth: 45k for leading a massive project is nothing. That's at least an $80k/year job, maybe more depending on the project's projected revenues, number of people you're managing, and projected impact of its success on the business's earnings as a whole.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Yep, you've got the best of both worlds while you're doing what you're doing, $45K/year is nice, but you'll make more if you stay in school.

Once you quit, and start having a real life, it's way hard to go back...

 

[d33pt]

school is overrated..take the job and see what you can do from there....

 

[TallBill]

heh.. well.. actually.. the first year would be probably very intensive.. but i know they wouldnt pay all that much more to a college grad.... but.. i'd take computer certification courses in my free time over the next year.. and then start hitting up night classes... gettin that degree..

lemme just say that i am planning to go to school... but what if i do say its just not enough for now.. and instead they say 50-60k... gee.. then its really an option...

 

[TallBill]

btw, im still very excited to get the raise that i did... i make way more then any of my friends right now as it is.. plus on call starts soon.. plus i get medical...

 

[ElFenix]

take a year from school, save some money, buy a car, then go back. careful though, the older you get the less you want to go to school (opportunity cost gets too high).

 

[m2kewl]

I'd say take the job and delay school for a year or two. You're probably still living with your parents, save the $$ and you don't have to be poor in college

 

[Red Dawn]

Dude, $27K a yeatr while going to school full time isn't anything to sneeze at. The money will come if you have a degree plus experience. You'd be insane to quit school for a measly 15 to 20K more a year

 

[rahvin]

Elfenix has it on the nose. School gets much harder the older you get, beware the costs of easy money early, you could end up paying the piper later.

 

[pyonir]

let me put it this way:

i quit school needing about 17 credits to graduate for a full time job and money. (and i got to move down to Arizona from MN rather than staying for another winter).

i'm 24 and i still haven't completed my Bachelors. i've taken 3 credits since quitting and it is so hard to motivate yourself to get those few credits done.

Stay in school. you'll be thankful in the long run.

 

[Ameesh]

stay in skool, itz kool!

 

[Jzero]

What Pyonir said. Once you leave school it's hard to get back into the swing of things, and if you have to work full time at the same time to support yourself and maybe even a family, it's MUCH harder and takes MUCH longer.
Not to mention, as was also said, if you don't have a degree, you have less job security.

If you can rope in $26k and finish school in 4 years, that's pretty sweet. I'd go with that.

 

[XFreebie]

hehe, 35k in cali wont get u anything, u'll have to live in a cardboard box, and when u wake up, u'll have to drive to work in it

 

[Siddhartha]

Having a degree means alot in terms of employability.
1. You will earn more.
2. You will be more competitive compared to someone who does not have one.

In the last big head count reduction in my company, the employees without a degree took the biggest hit.

I really do not like school but I have to recommend staying in school.

 

[TallBill]

heh.. well.. it wont be 27k a year while im in school.. it'll be 15 an hour.. and 27k rated per month when im full time...

but anyways... im gonna say.. i cant do this unless you guys offer a lot more.. and throw out a number like 50k or so.. they will 95% probably say no.. and i'll have my good job... but.. if they say yes... well.. then it becomes a real option

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I hope this means your ECCp fleet will be growing again Bob

 

[BuckleDownBen]

What does your company do? What's the massive project? What does it mean when you say "lead"? If you don't take it, will they offer the job to somebody else? I'd take the job, because you can go to school anytime but you may never get another break like this one in the working world. A college degree doesn't mean much in the programming world, if you ask me.

 

[GrumpyMan]

It sounds like your being lulled by the Dark Side. Stay in school. MHO.

 

[TallBill]

my office.. which is a branch of a bigger company only does panasonic registers... we have a big opportunity in learning a different and up and coming system.. and i was the #1 pick to learn the new stuff.. which is way more intensive.. uses the internet for data transfer and online statistics and corporate tracking... along with all kinds of new little technologies... it would require special schooling and certification.. along with some other stuff...