# Back to Highschool?



## 30seconds (Jan 11, 2014)

At 23 the idea of going to university is floating in my mind. I checked my high school transcript.. wish I payed more attention that's for sure! I did go to college and finished with a B.A.S in environment and I am currently doing a certificate program in survey theory and calculations. 

I've been thinking about going for an engineering program even though it'd be a long way away. By no means am I set on this idea because I've always been a entrepreneur/trades kind of guy but figured I'd get some feed back. To be honest I am clueless in my true direction in life so figured I would open up some more doors and this could be a start. 

I'd have to re do grade 11 & 12 math and science courses. Independent Learning Centre seemed to be the most promising.

http://www.ilc.org/pages/future_students.php


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

There is nothing wrong with more learning, however there comes a time when one has to stop hiding in school and get on with life...not saying that's you.

I think it depends on if you want a job, or you want to be more an entrepreneur...

I've been self employed my whole life, knowing how to learn has served me well, but I don't really use my education. I spend a lot of time every day learning new things, but to be cutting edge, you can't go to school.

by the time the course I'd developed, it's out of date. I've actually taught a lot of students courses which I've never passed myself because I never learned it in school...but I'm a subject matter expert.

I've also noticed that there is a big difference between theoretical knowledge (what you learn in school) and applied knowledge (what happens in the real world). Most academic types can't really function in the real world of business, and most business people can't understand the theoretical side because it doesn't work that way in their daily lives.

Paper credentials are not that important if you work for yourself, knowledge is. 

If you want a job, most companies want you to have a piece of paper...you may have scraped by the course by the skin of your teeth, but they just want the paper...of course, you probably won't use a lot of what you learned to get that paper as the company will train you to do what they want...


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## hystat (Jun 18, 2010)

I would research your desired career or job first. Then see what education is required. Ask the employer or people in the field where their replacement will come from. Take that route. 
School should be viewed as a means to get a job/career. School as a destination can be a hard lesson.
I see a lot of people going off to post secondary to get an education and then they'll "see what's out there". That was a great idea in 1970.


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

Agree with the above. Time to move on and move up in your life. Look for work that matches the education you just completed. Fly away and good luck.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

If you are more inclined to trades probably better to go that route, normally it's cheaper/faster schooling than university degrees. At least a quarter of the people I know with university degrees are not working in their fields, that's a fair bit of money/time they tossed down the drain.


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## dh88 (Mar 10, 2014)

Engineering is a very rough program to complete. If you at all struggle or have little to no interest in high school level math and science, there's a good possibility you will hate an engineering program at the university level. 

I'm definitely not saying you can't do it. If you work hard and are dedicated enough I'm sure you'll be fine, but expect most of your time to be dedicated to school/studying.

As someone who had A's in high school in math and science, I went into an engineering program at age 18 out of high school and found it to be extremely difficult. I think my lack of maturity and work ethic caused me to fail. You're older and probably more mature 

I suggest figuring out what you want to do in life for a job/career, and if engineering falls under this category and you're willing to invest the time and money, then go for it.

Good Luck!


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## uptoolate (Oct 9, 2011)

All the above said, if you think that you have the drive and intelligence to do a B. Eng degree and that the reason you didn't excel in high school was because you weren't focused and working hard then getting the degree could have huge rewards in terms of income and satisfaction. Not too many engineers aren't working in their fields and many of those that aren't started in engineering and then became entrepreneurs. At 23 you are still quite young and should consider all the possibilities.


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## PoolAndRapid (Dec 3, 2013)

..


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## hystat (Jun 18, 2010)

I should clarify that I mean post secondary. 

One could get a great education and degree in engineering and be thoroughly educated. Then when they apply for their dream job, they may find out that the dream employer has a partnership with another school. They just dumped 5 million into the other school so they hire everyone from there, and no matter what you know they can't touch you.


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## 30seconds (Jan 11, 2014)

I've always said to people in the younger generation you dont HAVE to go to school to be successful. That is because to many people go school and take courses that arn't really required. (Some arts degrees stuff like that)

The course I took (environmental) I am glad I took it but wish I had thought about it more and not followed the saying "what ever makes you happy". It works for the direction I was going with then but at 18 sometimes its hard to choose what you want to do with the rest of your life. 

I am currently working doing surveying in alberta.. the course I'm taking is online. Definitely not a career student by any means. In high school I was in with the wrong crowd and didn't care for school at all.

Once I'm done this course I think I will begin working on upgrading my high school marks and see where that as well as my job takes me. Continued learning is never bad plus its very cheap just like rapids said. 

Sometimes I feel unsure about my career and there seems to be many options just want to make sure I choose the best one for me. 

As always, thanks for your input!


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## rikk (May 28, 2012)

30seconds said:


> I've been thinking about going for an engineering program even though it'd be a long way away.


Maybe I missed it, but out of curiosity, engineering in what ... civil, mechanical, electrical - e.g. embedded operating systems, ???


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## 30seconds (Jan 11, 2014)

Civil or mechanical defiantly interest me the most. 

I like the precision of mechanical and how a bunch of small pieces make up the puzzle. Take for example the site that I am currently working at. The whole combination of process that come together to create a final product amazes me...especially how I've only met one person who could roughly explain how it all works together (a mechanical engineer at that). Planes and boats also intrigues me. To get that much weight to fly/float.. incredible. On the trade side of things I'm also interested in becoming a mill wright. 

I like Civil because of the grand scales of projects. I can relate to these things because they are used every day. Bridges, dams, skyscrapers it's easy to not appreciate what goes into building them. This would be more probable due to my experience with surveying/construction and building some of these systems. 

To many ideas... not enough time haha


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## rikk (May 28, 2012)

Another idea ... a buddy went the land surveyor route, started up his own company which left him a fair amount of time to pursue his other interests (OT: one of which was smoking which killed him in his late-50s ...)


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## lonewolf (Jun 12, 2012)

Pay to go to school or get paid to school ? Forget going to school unless an employer is willing to pay for it. If your paying for the schooling it is a sign there is no need for a job in that field of study. The employer paying for the education it is an indicator there is strong demand for workers in that field of study.


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## Toronto.gal (Jan 8, 2010)

uptoolate said:


> *At 23* you are still quite young and should *consider all the possibilities.*


^ Indeed!

*LW:* you often discourage learning/reading around here. Please don't. :saturn:


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

30seconds said:


> Civil or mechanical defiantly interest me the most.
> 
> I like the precision of mechanical and how a bunch of small pieces make up the puzzle. Take for example the site that I am currently working at. The whole combination of process that come together to create a final product amazes me...especially how I've only met one person who could roughly explain how it all works together (a mechanical engineer at that). Planes and boats also intrigues me. To get that much weight to fly/float.. incredible. On the trade side of things I'm also interested in becoming a mill wright.
> 
> I like Civil because of the grand scales of projects. I can relate to these things because they are used every day. Bridges, dams, skyscrapers it's easy to not appreciate what goes into building them. This would be more probable due to my experience with surveying/construction and building some of these systems.



it's normal when young to not be exactly sure where the future lies. Eighteen-year-olds who know exactly what they want to do in life are in the minority imho.

a good clue lies in those areas above, which clearly you like very much, as in they excite & stimulate you.

often in investing i like the artichoke approach. This consists of plucking off one leaf at a time, then looking carefully for negatives, then discarding the leaf if it turns out to be no go & moving on to the next leaf.

you've already gone through a few artichoke leaves & you're down to mechanical or civil engineering or millwright. There's a nearby leaf which says Yea There Are Plenty Jobs Here! so that part of the vegetable is fine.

how are salaries for mechanical/civil engineers vs millwrights after 15 or 20 years experience, though?

please keep plucking. Picking up those extra high school courses will be a cinch when the time comes.


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