I just graduated from college last night...

[trinacriabob]

On a happier note from ocn's inquiry, last night I turned in my last final. I just finished an evening MBA with an emphasis in accounting(taxation). I slept at least 10 hours upon coming home. What a relief.

No, I am NOT a professional student. I hate that. A professional student lingers in college, changes their major, has grades are like a yo-yo, and studies less than marketable subjects to prolong the experience.

So, here's the list...to come full circle:

BS in Business - day program, earned on time, with honors, went to work in field in 3 weeks

Grad degree in Architecture - day program, earned ahead of time (3 years instead of 3.5), with high honors, went to work in 4 months since I went to a community college to learn AutoCAD when I finished

A "short" grad degree from the department of architecture/construction management - night program, classes completed on time but thesis (worthless requirement) dragged on, 3.77, kept working in architecture during the program, earned for "union card" purposes to facilitate living in the Seattle area...kind of bitter that one would have to do that...

MBA - Tax - good-bye to architecture and construction! - night program, earned on time (4 semesters at night), 3.9-depending on finals results, worked at my day job until after Spring Break, will go to Europe to chill and look for a job when I get back.

To anyone else wrestling with school, grad school or your grades, hang in there! In the end, I suppose its worth it...

[regfootball]

congrats on the degree and most importantly...

CONGRATS ON GETTING OUT OF ARCHITECTURE!!!!!! best decision you'll ever make!

question, did the balance in your bank account double overnight?

Hey, now you'll actually have time to yourself!

[Sixty8panther]

Cool. Congrats, knowledge IS power.

[trinacriabob]

CONGRATS ON GETTING OUT OF ARCHITECTURE!!!!!! best decision you'll ever make!

question, did the balance in your bank account double overnight?

Hey, now you'll actually have time to yourself!

Well, the reason I did this is more related to the last line of your comment.

When I went back to the office all caffeined up to work on a project that was due, I would literally shake after working on AutoCAD for too many hours.

Working on spreadsheets or tax programs or anything numerical never tires me out, for some reason...so I guess it was meant to be.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Degrees are alright for what they are (paper with writing on them), however there are times that toilet paper could be worth more! Take it from me I skipped two grades and started college at 16. Yeah I'm Scary Smart! 5 minutes to Wapner, 5 minutes to Wapner!

Edited May 15, 2007 by Pontiac Custom-S

[trinacriabob]

Degrees are alright for what they are (paper with writing on them), however there are times that toilet paper could be worth more! Take it from me I skipped two grades and started college at 16.

Depends on the circumstances. If you want to be an architect, you need a degree and then pass the boards. If you want to be a CPA, you need a degree and then pass that test. If you want to be a lawyer or a doctor, you will need at least 2 degrees. They are absolute requirements for the traditional professions.

If you are going to blaze your own trail...entrepreneur, whatever...your point may apply. And, since we don't know :AH-HA_wink: what you studied, where you went to school and how it applies to your "day job," we cannot comment, right?

Edited May 15, 2007 by trinacriabob

[Oracle of Delphi]

As it should be!

Or, would you like to swing on a star

carry moonbeams home in a jar

and be better off than you are

or would you rather be a mule

A mule is an animal with long funny ears ...

[Robert Hall]

Congrats... I got 3 degrees in my 20s (BS in Computer Science, MS in Computer Science, MS in Computer Engineering) and was well on my way to my PhD before I burned out---too many hours, too much Prozac, Jaegermiester and vodka...

I have thought about going back to school to get an MBA with an IT focus...not sure what I want to do, though...I'm looking down the barrel at 40 and am wondering if I want to get out of the cubicle into something different...

[CARBIZ]

Congrats! I admire your perseverence! If I could do life over, I would have finished my degree. It wouldn't help me to sell cars, but then perhaps I could go to Oshawa and shake a few trees!

[Satty]

Congrats! I kinda know the feeling, I'm officially graduating on Thursday with my Associates (after 2 dropouts and a kid, I'm just glad to get it out of the way) and am slowly working towards my Bachelor's in mass media, then I get to follow that up with law school, which seems like a more employable option that a Master's in media.

[ZL-1]

To anyone else wrestling with school, grad school or your grades, hang in there! In the end, I suppose its worth it...

Muitos, muitos parabéns! and

And you're absolutely right! In the end it's very much worth it, for whatever reason you do it. To me it's ending up to be about redescovering that I do like learning/growing/developing as a person, bringing back the 'fire' if you will... I have to say that the Masters plus 'Svensksa kursen' have been incredibly rewarding so far!

[trinacriabob]

Prozac, Jaegermiester and vodka...

I have thought about going back to school to get an MBA with an IT focus...not sure what I want to do, though...I'm looking down the barrel at 40 and am wondering if I want to get out of the cubicle into something different...

Done the "Vitamin Z" thing - Zoloft - it has helped, believe me - no booze, though, never acquired a taste for it.

Proceed cautiously...it's work, and not a lot of fun while working full time, but you border on the brilliant, so you might handle it better than me...the only reason I did it is because I bit off the learning curve (worked at a large and then a small accounting firm) immediately out of undergrad. It took the "risk" out, to some degree.

[trinacriabob]

but then perhaps I could go to Oshawa and shake a few trees!

Thanks, CARBIZ, and shake a few brains over at Oshawa as well !

[trinacriabob]

In the end it's very much worth it, for whatever reason you do it. To me it's ending up to be about redescovering that I do like learning/growing/developing as a person, bringing back the 'fire' if you will... I have to say that the Masters plus 'Svensksa kursen' have been incredibly rewarding so far!

Obrigado !!!

It's amazing, when I was 16 and I traveled up to the UC Berkeley campus to check it out, I almost trembled, feeling that this institution would swallow me into its ribcage like a whale. Plus, it was Berkeley, for God's sake. (So, I wound up going to a smaller private Catholic college).

Then, as you mature, you learn to "manage" things around you and it isn't as big of a deal...professors are easier to talk to, things are in perspective, etc. etc....it really helps build confidence.

[trinacriabob]

and am slowly working towards my Bachelor's in mass media, then I get to follow that up with law school, which seems like a more employable option that a Master's in media.

Find a way to keep going and get to your goals. I recommend that.

[91z4me]

To anyone else wrestling with school, grad school or your grades, hang in there! In the end, I suppose its worth it...

I am hanging in here but won't be done until December 09. 32 credit hours this semseter, I will work up to at least 35 in the next few years. It will suck but at least when I graduate I should be done with 5 different national boards and will be ready to enter practice.

[mustang84]

Congrats Bob, as you're getting out of the world of architecture as I'm starting to enter into it! I have a year left of school before I graduate and then it's IDP and exams for me. I still haven't decided if I want to stick around Des Moines or go out to Chicago to look for a job after I graduate. The place I'm at right now is starting to get a lot of big projects and Des Moines is going through a major growth spurt right now, but the city kid in me is calling for life in a larger metropolitan area. I guess I still have a year to decide.

Today, our firm went to an Iowa Cubs baseball game followed by a German bar afterward, so it was only a 1/2 day. They do fun stuff like that pretty often...usually a couple baseball games a year, a company architecture "retreat" in the fall, cookouts a couple weekends in the summer, etc. Most of the people there are in their 20s and 30s so it's a young workplace and everyone gets along with each other really well...if I don't make it to Chicago, I wouldn't mind working there after I graduate.

But anyway, best of luck to you and your new degree! It's good that you've found something you really like doing and it will give you some more free time...that's one thing I kinda regret about getting into architecture, the lack of free time.

[ocnblu]

Congratulations, Bob. Perhaps a trip to Fire Island is in order?

since I have to translate English for Bob so often... first sentence = serious, second sentence = joke

[76ChevyTrucker]

Congratulations sir. I'm going to finish up with my original intention of a double BA in english and history, who knows, maybe I'll teach, maybe I'll write, but I want to complete. Only thing holding me back right now is previous college finances that I want to have squared away before starting again.

[bobo]

Congratulations, Robert, on pulling it off and starting your new phase in life. Good luck on finding a new job and a place to settle down. After finishing college with the two degrees, I cannot imagine going back and getting another degree, let alone doing it while working full time.

[ZL-1]

Then, as you mature, you learn to "manage" things around you and it isn't as big of a deal...professors are easier to talk to, things are in perspective, etc. etc....it really helps build confidence.

I'd dare to say it's fun!

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Congrats to you.. I know the work is worth it. I am an academic advisor for two majors at a major university, and I see and hear it all. I see the reward when students finish. I see the things they get through on their long struggle.

[daves87rs]

Congrats!

Dare I say it- I actually miss school.

I really want to go back to get my MBA, but I simply can't afford it.

Also want to go to a CC college to pick up an Ass. or too... :AH-HA_wink:

[Z-06]

Congratulations. A eu buddy. Ut es vos iens impetro diapente graduation?

Dare I say it- I actually miss school.

I really want to go back to get my MBA, but I simply can't afford it.

I miss school too. It has been three years into industry and I am not a big fan of it.

I want to do my MBA. May be take a loan and hope to be paid back in three years.

[trinacriabob]

Congrats to you.. I know the work is worth it. I am an academic advisor for two majors at a major university, and I see and hear it all. I see the reward when students finish. I see the things they get through on their long struggle.

I'll bet...and the success stories inspire you...and the "namby pamby" whining stories probably irritate you...that must be a tough job!

[daves87rs]

Congratulations. A eu buddy. Ut es vos iens impetro diapente graduation?

I miss school too. It has been three years into industry and I am not a big fan of it.

I want to do my MBA. May be take a loan and hope to be paid back in three years.

Industry? Nah- I wanna escape retail badly....though it's not looking like it thanks to our local economy...

I would comsider another loan-but I can't afford any more debt.....

[daves87rs]

Congrats to you.. I know the work is worth it. I am an academic advisor for two majors at a major university, and I see and hear it all. I see the reward when students finish. I see the things they get through on their long struggle.

I'm friends with an advisor...it can be a great job at times...