Franciscan University Thread

[PhuturePriest]

Some people are not cut out for either. I am not. I do not like the math enough to stick with an engineering degree, and accounting is very dry to me. I have taken accounting classes which are requirements, and I got through them, but I did not enjoy them. Managerial accounting less so, but substantially the same.

It takes a specific sort of person to do those courses. Not because they are the hardest courses ever (although perhaps some of them are), but simply because they require a specific sort of learning style and outlook.

If you can do it, then that is amesome. Personally I think accounting is a way cooler profession than engineering, but I am biased. If you put in the work to either of those, it is true that you are generally guaranteed a job that will keep you comfortable. But there is no shame in not being cut out for either. I am not, particularly. I would rather do something on a management side of things.

 

Well, the main issue is, whether I'm cut out for this or that career or not, I'm not allowed to choose a major that doesn't basically guarantee me a good-paying job (Or a job whatsoever). It's not particularly about whether or not I'll enjoy it so much as if I'm able to do it. If I am, then that's my only option. If not, I have to take something else that pays well and ensures a job, or just not go whatsoever. These are pretty much the terms set by my parents.

[4588686]

Well, the main issue is, whether I'm cut out for this or that career or not, I'm not allowed to choose a major that doesn't basically guarantee me a good-paying job (Or a job whatsoever). It's not particularly about whether or not I'll enjoy it so much as if I'm able to do it. If I am, then that's my only option. If not, I have to take something else that pays well and ensures a job, or just not go whatsoever. These are pretty much the terms set by my parents.

Dentist

[Slappo]

Well... to be brutally honest. A job is a lot more about making money to provide for your family than it is about doing something that you love.

 

In my personal opinion, you should find a career that you are:

1. Good at

2. Pays well enough to provide for financial needs

3. Would not burn out from doing

 

No matter what job you have, there are going to be parts you dislike or even hate. You just have to find a job that doesn't have so many parts you dislike that it makes you miserable. I enjoy doing accounting, but I can guarantee that there are things that I am more passionate about that I would enjoy more. I find enough satisfaction in my career though that I can continue to do it day after day .

Edited February 8, 2014 by Slappo

[PhuturePriest]

Well... to be brutally honest. A job is a lot more about making money to provide for your family than it is about doing something that you enjoy.

 

In my personal opinion, you should find a career that you are:

1. Good at

2. Pays well enough to provide for financial needs

3. Would not burn out from doing

 

No matter what job you have, there are going to be parts you dislike or even hate. You just have to find a job that doesn't have so many parts you dislike that it makes you miserable. I enjoy doing accounting, but I can guarantee that there are things that I am more passionate about that I would enjoy more. I find enough satisfaction in my career though that I can continue to do it day after day .

 

Precisely. That's why I'm looking at careers I wouldn't immediately think of. I know I have the mental capacity to do something like civil engineering. It's a question of would it burn me out and make me miserable.

[Nihil Obstat]

Doing financial accounting every day for fifty years would absolutely destroy me. :D

[PhuturePriest]

Doing financial accounting every day for fifty years would absolutely destroy me. :D

 

I still don't know much about accounting (Mostly because I don't understand it, thus probably making it quite clear that I'm not cut out for it), but it would probably destroy me, too.

[Nihil Obstat]

I still don't know much about accounting (Mostly because I don't understand it, thus probably making it quite clear that I'm not cut out for it), but it would probably destroy me, too.

You know that feeling you get where one number in your sudoku puzzle was wrong, so basically everything else is wrong too? That was my experience every day of financial accounting. :hehe:

[Deus te Amat]

:doh:

[Era Might]

Well, the main issue is, whether I'm cut out for this or that career or not, I'm not allowed to choose a major that doesn't basically guarantee me a good-paying job (Or a job whatsoever). It's not particularly about whether or not I'll enjoy it so much as if I'm able to do it. If I am, then that's my only option. If not, I have to take something else that pays well and ensures a job, or just not go whatsoever. These are pretty much the terms set by my parents.

 

Whether you enjoy it and can do it are not entirely separate. Being able to do the job means committing yourself to constantly developing your knowledge and skills, especially in a field like engineering. It's not exactly a field where you can wing it. But in any field, your ability to advance depends on your ability to be passionate about what field you're in...not necessarily passionate about your specific job...your job can actually keep you back from being passionate about what field you're in.

[Klarisse]

Well, the main issue is, whether I'm cut out for this or that career or not, I'm not allowed to choose a major that doesn't basically guarantee me a good-paying job (Or a job whatsoever). It's not particularly about whether or not I'll enjoy it so much as if I'm able to do it. If I am, then that's my only option. If not, I have to take something else that pays well and ensures a job, or just not go whatsoever. These are pretty much the terms set by my parents.

 

As a forewarning, engineering is something best to avoid unless you have a true interest in how things work. Going into engineering for the money (which may not be the case but is the main reason cited) or from parental pressure is likely to be a costly mistake. People with such motives are likely to be among those who switch majors, drop out, fail out, or don't perform well enough to get hired. Even if the person manages to graduate in engineering with a 3.0+ GPA, without being interested it would be quite miserable for the duration of college at the least. Some professors (or were they guest speakers?) said that it's relatively easy to jump career paths into an unrelated field, though neither I nor my friends have tested that.

 

If you have the interest, academic ability, and ability to deal with a schedule so busy there's more graded homework than can be done, that will help get you through.

 

This article has a number of observations that jive fairly well with my experience. I didn't encounter cut-throat competition, at least, and working in groups helped a huge amount. The video outlines some reasons why engineering majors might be seen as good for unrelated jobs.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Well, the main issue is, whether I'm cut out for this or that career or not, I'm not allowed to choose a major that doesn't basically guarantee me a good-paying job (Or a job whatsoever). It's not particularly about whether or not I'll enjoy it so much as if I'm able to do it. If I am, then that's my only option. If not, I have to take something else that pays well and ensures a job, or just not go whatsoever. These are pretty much the terms set by my parents.

 

I understand your parents' concern. College is a HUGE financial investment and sacrifice, and your parents want to make sure that they are making a wise investment. But, there are lots of college majors other than accounting and engineering that are likely to result in a career that pays you well enough that you will make a decent wage.

 

And NO college major can guarantee you a job where you will never be laid off or even fired--even accounting and engineering. Also, there are many careers where the initial pay is not the best, but over time, your pay will increase. There are actually very few jobs where you don't have to "pay your dues" in some form or another, especially at the beginning.

 

There is a BIG difference between a "job" and a "career." A "job" is something that you do for the summer that you may absolutely hate, but you need the money, and you know it is short term.

 

If you choose a career because it has a high starting salary and a better continuing salary but you hate it, that is a BAD choice. You will be unhappy. And worse, others around you will be unhappy. If you do not become a priest, the chances are very high that you will eventually become a husband and father. Providing, not only for yourself, but for your family will be an important concern. But, if you compromise and have a career you hate, just for the money, you are doing your future family no good. It is very stressful and bad for a marriage if one of the spouses truly hates their job. Also, as has been pointed out in other posts, you are more likely to succeed in a career that you not only are good at, but love.

 

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned yet is that lots of people end up in careers that they had never thought of or perhaps had never heard of when they were 18. When I was 18, I had never heard of human resource consulting, much less that a human resource consulting firm would need writers. And, it never once crossed my mind that I might love analyzing tax laws in order to write about them, or that I was fascinated by animal behavior. I still regret that my professor in my Introduction to Zoology class was more interested in DNA and cells than in animal behavior, or I might have figured out that love while I was still in college. Then again, my interest in animals was one that grew over time, and even the perfect Zoology professor might not have made any difference because, in my 20's, I didn't love animals yet. I'll never know.

 

It sounds as if your parents would like you to be "rich" (however they define that) or at least "comfortable." If I had it to do over, I would have paid less attention to whether I would be affluent, and more attention to finding a job I loved, in a workplace that wasn't toxic. If you end up having to choose between high pay and a job/workplace that makes you unhappy versus a lower-paying job you love, your future family will ultimately be better off with a father who loves his job, even if he can't take the family on expensive vacations. (Kids love camping anyway.) You don't have to be rich to provide for your family and raise happy, healthy kids. 

 

Enough from me for now.

[PhuturePriest]

I understand your parents' concern. College is a HUGE financial investment and sacrifice, and your parents want to make sure that they are making a wise investment. But, there are lots of college majors other than accounting and engineering that are likely to result in a career that pays you well enough that you will make a decent wage.

 

And NO college major can guarantee you a job where you will never be laid off or even fired--even accounting and engineering. Also, there are many careers where the initial pay is not the best, but over time, your pay will increase. There are actually very few jobs where you don't have to "pay your dues" in some form or another, especially at the beginning.

 

There is a BIG difference between a "job" and a "career." A "job" is something that you do for the summer that you may absolutely hate, but you need the money, and you know it is short term.

 

If you choose a career because it has a high starting salary and a better continuing salary but you hate it, that is a BAD choice. You will be unhappy. And worse, others around you will be unhappy. If you do not become a priest, the chances are very high that you will eventually become a husband and father. Providing, not only for yourself, but for your family will be an important concern. But, if you compromise and have a career you hate, just for the money, you are doing your future family no good. It is very stressful and bad for a marriage if one of the spouses truly hates their job. Also, as has been pointed out in other posts, you are more likely to succeed in a career that you not only are good at, but love.

 

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned yet is that lots of people end up in careers that they had never thought of or perhaps had never heard of when they were 18. When I was 18, I had never heard of human resource consulting, much less that a human resource consulting firm would need writers. And, it never once crossed my mind that I might love analyzing tax laws in order to write about them, or that I was fascinated by animal behavior. I still regret that my professor in my Introduction to Zoology class was more interested in DNA and cells than in animal behavior, or I might have figured out that love while I was still in college. Then again, my interest in animals was one that grew over time, and even the perfect Zoology professor might not have made any difference because, in my 20's, I didn't love animals yet. I'll never know.

 

It sounds as if your parents would like you to be "rich" (however they define that) or at least "comfortable." If I had it to do over, I would have paid less attention to whether I would be affluent, and more attention to finding a job I loved, in a workplace that wasn't toxic. If you end up having to choose between high pay and a job/workplace that makes you unhappy versus a lower-paying job you love, your future family will ultimately be better off with a father who loves his job, even if he can't take the family on expensive vacations. (Kids love camping anyway.) You don't have to be rich to provide for your family and raise happy, healthy kids. 

 

Enough from me for now.

 

This. All of this precisely. They're so focused on me getting rich that they don't particularly care if I enjoy my career. Plus, this is all stupid, because they're not helping me with college, anyway. If I don't go to seminary (Which is free), I have to pay college by myself. That's kind of why it's also important that I get a good career, but I still need to like it.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

This. All of this precisely. They're so focused on me getting rich that they don't particularly care if I enjoy my career. Plus, this is all stupid, because they're not helping me with college, anyway. If I don't go to seminary (Which is free), I have to pay college by myself. That's kind of why it's also important that I get a good career, but I still need to like it.

 

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but if your parents are not giving you any financial support for college, then, in the end, they have no say in what major or career you ultimately choose. Of course you want to respect your parents and take their opinion into account. But, in your case, college will be YOUR financial investment, and you need to make the wisest decision for your life.

 

Not trying to disrespect your parents, but, from the tiny bit I know about you, it appears that you've come from a fairly dysfunctional family. Unfortunately, some of the issues that you are facing now from your current family situation are things you will be living with at least some level for the rest of your life. With dysfunctional families, you try to love them the best way you can, but ultimately you need to work out a way to do as much as you can to heal any damage that has been caused so far, and to live the rest of your life in the way that makes YOU happiest--and where God wants you to be. HE's part of your career decision, too, arguably the most important part.

 

 

[Nihil Obstat]

No kidding. If it is on your dime, change majors as often as you want. By then you will be an adult, so you are free to start acting like one. That means making your own educational and career choices.

[ChristinaTherese]

Same as Iggy and Nihil said. If you're paying for college yourself, you shouldn't have to abide by arbitrary/unnecessary (and dare I say unwise) rules set by your parents. You're 17, you'll be 18 and legally an adult around the time you start college. Respect your parents, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean obeying all the rules they want to give you as you grow up. You eventually have to make your own decisions and live your own life. So choose something you want to start with, and switch major if you want to. If you settle for a career just because it fits into your parents' rules even though you hate it, you'll regret it for a very long time. (So while I'm not saying to just rebel, if your parents are too clingy sometimes you have to. You're responsible for your own life. And everyone (No, I can't prove that at all, I'm merely guessing.) has to come to a point where they do things their parents don't approve of entirely because that's what is the best decision for them.)