Advice: Education & Career Goals (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[Roxieee]

Moderator's Note:

This thread is for anyone facing a big decision about your life and school, in general. This is where you may post your story and ask for personal advice about your direction and goals.

Ask things like:


Should I change schools?
Which school should I go to?
Should I leave school and start a career?
Do I even need school at this point in my life?
Whether or not to change majors?
Do I need additional education to reach my goals?
Want help making a career/school/internship choice.


If you want to know something about a certain school, you should find the appropriate school thread or find the thread about schools in your country /city and ask there.

If you want know where to go to school or what education is needed for a specific career, ask in the career thread.

To ask about what career you might be suited to ... there are general threads about that too.

Use the serach function using appropriate keywords that are least 4 letters long and search by thread titles only ... or you will get too many results.







i 'm now 16 .And i'm thinking to study in a community college next year.
I wanna study in a art school like prat,fit or CSM,ANTWEP IN UK .
I'm wondering if GOOD art school will accept students from COMMUNITY COLLEGE?? OR should i continue studying year11 &12??
thank you very much!

 

[smartarse]

I don't see why not. People have different reasons why they chose community colleges. in most cases because of high tuition from a 4 yr college. However, you need to have an excellent GPA. And take hard subjects as an added bonus to show to a 4 yr college or a specialty trade school that you are worth a transfer. B)

 

[TheKiwi]

Advice needed - finish college or start career?

Hey all!

I'm really torn at the moment, and having a hard time figuring out my life right now. I landed the job opportunity of a lifetime this summer, working on the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" movie as the Shop Coordinator. It's an amazing first job in the industry, and it's sure to lead me to more jobs afterwards if I do a good job, which I am confident that I will. I'm making really good money, and have lots of great perks (my own production cell phone and production car, with gas provided to me).

My dilemma is this: should I go back to college in the Fall and finish up my Senior year, or should I just continue down this path right away? I'm nervous that if I go back to school for a year, not as many people will remember me, and it'll hurt my chances of getting as good of a job in this industry again. I really lucked out this time around, and I just don't know if I should risk a degree in film to go immediately into this industry, or go back to school first?

Any advice would be most helpful! Thank you.

 

[Rochas]

It sounds like the shop coordinator job is an amazing opportunity, and a good chance to network and get yourself out there. If I were you I would go with that, but it's all about going with your gut instinct.
Do what feels right.

Hope that helps at least a bit?

 

[Working Girl]

I think you should finish school. The combination of work experience and your degree is invaluable. There is never job security. People will remember you. If this company still wants you after your done school than that is great. But if they don't, then other companies will hire you with your degree. Besides the company you are with can give you a great reference.

 

[Sweets]

if you have more and more opportunities opening up to you, in your field of choice, why not take advantage of them? school isn't going to go anywhere, if you have already begun to work- i say work!

 

[gius]

i say work too...
usually at schools, there is an option to continue your studies

like i have 2 semesters left till i graduate but i could choose to do one
and then do the last semester another year... it's alright with my teachers

Donna Karan also dropped out to work for Anne Klein and start her own line
and then she went back to Parson's to finish her studies

If you're worried about your classmates, try to keep in touch with them (find them on Facebook?). Anyway you will always meet more people, sometimes even better people, as life goes on

 

[SomethingElse]

If I had to decide between the work and school, I'd choose the work hands down. But I would also leave the option open to return to school. You might even be able to do both if the commute isn't prohibitive.

Good luck in whatever you choose!

 

[kissmesweet]

Honey, for me--I agree that finishing college is hard to miss... but if you start the career--it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, you can go back to college after.
Then again, if the career doesn't work out--you really do need college to give them proper education for another job.

I'm sorry that I'm not giving the best advice... but GOOD LUCK HONEY with whatever you decide!

 

[mcflyandgemmafan]

That job sounds amazing. Personally, I would continue down the career path and finish school later. Maybe you can take a semester off, try it, and if things aren't going as planned, go back to school. Or if it's not too much work, you could keep the job and go to school part time? Anyways, good luck in whatever you choose and I'm sure that everything will work out for the best.

 

[Salvatore]

School is always there! I say seize this moment and go for the work!

 

[chanelnumber5]

I'd agree with most and say take the career oppurtunities, but see if you can postpone your studies but go back at a later date. Whatever you choose to do I wish you good luck

 

[marylauda]

Take the career opportunity. If you don't, it will always be in the back of mind, saying-- what if I took the job? What could I be doing now? School will always be there, but this job is once in a lifetime!

 

[city girl]

I'd say definitely continue with what you're doing - college will always be there. In creative industries like film and fashion contacts are really important

 

[PoppyAzura]

congrats! Sounds like you have a great job. I say take the semester/year off. If it doesn't work out, you can go back to school.

Also, if you start planning now, maybe you can take some of your classes as independent study/on-line.

 

[TheKiwi]

Thank you all sooo much for the input! Seems like the majority of you guys think that I should keep going with this career, and not go directly back to college. I have to say that I am swaying in that direction too, after thinking about this a lot and reading your suggestions. But it's so hard! There are possible positives and negatives on both sides:

Positives:
If I go back to college right away:
- Get a Bachelor's degree.
- Graduate with all my friends.

If I go straight to work:
- Won't have to worry about getting a job after college.
- Can continue moving up the ladder and keeping strong connections with the people I worked with this summer, as I will be more in touch with them.

Negatives:
If I go back to college right away:
- The connections I've made might get a little weaker with time.
- People I've worked with will move on to other projects, and hire new people who would replace me and those people might continue working for them, hurting my chance at getting a position again.

If I go straight to work:
- Miss out on my Senior year.
- Won't get a Bachelor's degree right away.
- Might not be able to move up to higher positions without a degree.

I feel like there's no right or wrong decision, as there are unknowns with either choice I choose. It's all about what feels right, and trying to make the decision that will leave me with the least amount of regrets in the future.

 

[seanutbutter]

I don't know, I think you should finish college. The job may be a great experience, but you can't beat having a degree. In my opinion, you would be thankful for finishing college in the future, because it opens the door to so many different opportunities.

 

[snowqueen]

I dont know what its like were you live .. but were i live there is such a high unemployment level .. the jobs are very few and far between so as a result you need loads of qualifications to get a job .. a levels to work in a coffee shop etc. its so fierce the job market .. that you have to seize all the qualifications you can get.

I dont know what its like were yo live .. but here you need a degree to get anywere .. from a college drop out strugglign to find work .. trust me youll wish you satye don.

Personally for the sake of a few more months i would stay on .. as then you have a better chance of getting a job once this one ends.

This job by the sounds of it is only going to short term .. so basicly you need to think of the long term. Job security is never there so you need to give your self an edge.

Saying that though this is an amaizing oportunity by the sounds of it and college can wait.

But you will probaly have to start the whole course/year or what ever again ... which means basicly any work you ahve already done is a waste of time .. (like this in uk anyways)

Although in america it does seem to be alot easier to get a job with no qualofocations (sp?) from what i see.

I think this isnt an easy desision and it requires alot of thort .. draw up pros and cons for each etc and talk to as many people as you can about it.

Have you spoke to people at work about it ??

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

finish college...

 

[fashionicon]

Continuing working..

I agree, school will always be there. And if your major is design related then school's really not that important. From what I gathered, having a degree is just a certificate that proves you finished school and nothing more.

I'm interning at a high-end design label and it's amazing how many people quit school to work there or didn't even go to school and are now making the big bucks in the jobs they have with the company.

School's important, don't get me wrong. But when you have a once in a lifetime opportunity that will let you get your foot in the door, then why not? Isn't the industry mostly about connections anyway?