Richman
JC’s Resident Curmudgeon
College these days is such a blinding rip-off, in so many ways. No way I would pay the rack, retail rate they have going on these days. It is genuinely like a used car lot, where they knock $6000 of a beater that was $6k overpriced to start with. They make you jump ridiculous hoops, lie to your face and otherwise treat you worse than any other organization would dare considering the cash you are forking over. They also generally treat their employees like poop, but that's a whole other story.
But getting your ticket punched will check the one box that will give you the one thing that will help the most with the airlines. Not as much as it used to be, but it's no longer the wild west of the last few years, so max your chances.
There are alternatives to playing their game. Play your game.
Local community colleges are still somewhat of a bargain. It is literally the same material. There's only one Shakespeare. Only one periodic table. Often times they have pretty nice, if completely underutilized facilities.
Completely ignore any "guidance" or "career" counseling. Avoid complicating entanglements. Absolutely eschew anyone trying to loan you money of any kind. Like. The. Plague. If you can read, you can read the student catalog. Figure out from the easy to read grid which classes you need and check those boxes. Do NOT take no for an answer when you need something. You are the customer.
Enroll, run the table. If you REALLY feel like you need that brand name degree for reasons, wrap up as much as you can at the CC, then transfer. Often times state law requires state unis to accept CC transfers. Do the absolute minimum "in residence" to get your degree. Guess what? It looks just the same as someone who went all 4 years.
You might, just maybe, find a topic that is interesting, useful and for which you show promise. They exist, and if it's in STEM, you will get offers to go grad school where they pay YOU (absolutely do not consider it otherwise). If that's something you want to do, then by all means, but understand that the airlines are very, very time sensitive, and even a delay of one month can cause harm to a career of 30-35 years. Keep your eye on the prize at all times.
If you really need advice, find the one professor that is an adjunct and has a real, daytime job.
But getting your ticket punched will check the one box that will give you the one thing that will help the most with the airlines. Not as much as it used to be, but it's no longer the wild west of the last few years, so max your chances.
There are alternatives to playing their game. Play your game.
Local community colleges are still somewhat of a bargain. It is literally the same material. There's only one Shakespeare. Only one periodic table. Often times they have pretty nice, if completely underutilized facilities.
Completely ignore any "guidance" or "career" counseling. Avoid complicating entanglements. Absolutely eschew anyone trying to loan you money of any kind. Like. The. Plague. If you can read, you can read the student catalog. Figure out from the easy to read grid which classes you need and check those boxes. Do NOT take no for an answer when you need something. You are the customer.
Enroll, run the table. If you REALLY feel like you need that brand name degree for reasons, wrap up as much as you can at the CC, then transfer. Often times state law requires state unis to accept CC transfers. Do the absolute minimum "in residence" to get your degree. Guess what? It looks just the same as someone who went all 4 years.
You might, just maybe, find a topic that is interesting, useful and for which you show promise. They exist, and if it's in STEM, you will get offers to go grad school where they pay YOU (absolutely do not consider it otherwise). If that's something you want to do, then by all means, but understand that the airlines are very, very time sensitive, and even a delay of one month can cause harm to a career of 30-35 years. Keep your eye on the prize at all times.
If you really need advice, find the one professor that is an adjunct and has a real, daytime job.
