Seeking Advice Anyone ?

Originally Posted by Mick

I didn't see this before my daughter called this afternoon so don't know the company. I think CNC. I found out that he actually starts tomorrow. Mornings at work; afternoons at HS till he graduates. Flexibility like that shows demand. I'd still think carefully about the time and financial commitment for a four year degree. My stepdaughter got a Master's in Social Work, has her own practice and is employed part time and still barely scraping by. Student loan payments for the rest of her life instead of cars, house and vacation.

It's definitely true that just getting "a" degree doesn't necessarily mean you're guaranteed a well-paid job. However, 4-year degrees in certain areas, such as various types of engineering, applied math/statistics, and even economics, really do have a lot of value in the jobs marketplace. Those grads usually get jobs if they want one. There are also a lot of jobs that require you to have some kind of 4-year degree just to get in the door for an interview. In a lot of fields, the bachelor's degree has become what a high school degree used to be: If you don't have one, you can't apply. The flip side of that, of course, is that just having a 4-year degree doesn't ensure you're going to make a good living. And for the most highly paid jobs, even a 4-year degree usually won't be enough. There again, though, the type of degree really matters. A Ph.D. in English, for example, isn't something you'd get if you want a great future career. But even a master's degree in something like engineering or applied math, or an MBA, can open a lot of doors that would otherwise remain firmly closed.

A master's in social work isn't necessarily geared toward a high-earning career, but it does mean you can have your own practice, which is an option a lot of people find desirable. Over time, if your stepdaughter decides to build up her practice, she should be able to do pretty well for herself. I know someone with the same type of degree who has her own practice, has clients every day, and charges over $200 per session, so if she just does one day with 8 clients, that's over $1600. And she gets to make her own schedule, which is very valuable to her because she has kids and her husband has a normal 9-5 job. So don't worry; your stepdaughter might end up doing just fine!