Advice needed: which degree should I finish first?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Background, for those who care

Well, it’s finally come to this. After six years of plodding merrily down the many paths toward higher education – AP exams, community college, placement testing, online courses – at last, the end is in sight. It’s been a bumpy road; I’ve changed majors, taken courses just for kicks, played Wheel-O’-Registration with class availability, and created what is perhaps the most interesting undergraduate transcript the Records folks have ever laid eyes on. Getting my degree just so I could get a good job and “move up in the world” had never been a priority for me; I’m one of those weird-ass people who enjoys learning for its own sake. (By the way, if you ever want to get strange looks from a group of people, mention in casual conversation that you’ve done six years’ worth of college work with nothing to show for it, and that you’re okay with that.) Nonetheless, when I sat down a few months ago and added it up, I realized that I’m potentially less than a year away from three different bachelor’s degrees.

With that in mind, I did some figuring, and if I select the right school (read: one that lets me work on a streamlined curriculum) and put my nose to the grindstone this coming semester (that’d be about 17 credit-hours worth of grinding) with nothing but core classes, I’m pretty sure I can finish any one of those degrees. Doing so would cost me nearly the entirety of my savings for the foreseeable future, but it’s more than likely worth it; even if I remain at my current job for the next ten years (unlikely), the increase I stand to receive for completing a degree would ensure that it pays for itself. The question, of course, then becomes “which one?”…and, having never really looked into it, I don’t know. Hence this thread.

The damn point, already

Here are the degrees I could potentially finish, and what I would think are the pros and cons of each.

B.S., Computer Science: My original major. My first three years’ worth of work focused almost exclusively on this. My primary strengths are in C++/Java, HTML and database work. I’m good at it, and I enjoy doing it, so the coursework wouldn’t be terribly difficult (though still time-consuming), and it’d be easy to relate my accomplishments toward any number of position requirements. This degree would thus provide a broad spectrum of possibilities for applying it toward potential jobs, which is most definitely a plus.

The downside? The whole reason I dropped the major was because I decided I don’t want to program professionally. I love computer geekery, but it’s more akin to an artistic passion; I have a strong distaste for doing it with someone looking over my shoulder. When I consider finishing this degree, I am reminded of the advice I once received from a family friend, a professional SCUBA diver: “Never take your favorite hobby, something you love, and make it your job.” He used to love diving, and in his younger days he spent every moment he could spare underwater…but now that he’s forced to do it five days a week, every week, under someone else’s thumb, the magic is long gone. He can no longer take joy from what was once his passion. I don’t want to work in computer science because I don’t want to hate it.

B.S., Banking: I started taking courses in Banking when I started to work for the bank. A lot of my Comp Sci math courses gave me credit toward the earlier prerequisites, so with a couple of “slam semesters” like the one I’m looking at now, I jumped right into the core classes. It’s nothing difficult, and while it’s hardly the most enthralling subject, I don’t especially mind doing it. This degree would certainly give me a leg up at the bank, should I choose to remain there. Beyond that, it would enable me to explore other areas in the world of finance if I decide to move on. The downside, of course, is that this degree does seem somewhat limiting outside the realm of financial instituations. I stumbled into banking more or less accidentally, and while I’ve prospered and shown ability in the field, I don’t know if it’s where I want to be for the rest of my life.

B.A., Philosophy: Throughout my forays into academia, no matter what my major focus at the time, I made sure to take at least two Philosophy courses as part of my load. It’s a passion of mine, a subject I dearly love and devote a great deal of my personal time to exploring. Philosophy courses challenge my mind in ways my math and business courses never could; they dare me to expand my horizons, consider viewpoints and value systems utterly alien to my own, and explore my own beliefs to develop unique and personal theories. I would very much enjoy finishing this degree, and as it so closely coincides with what I do in my spare time anyway, it would be a breeze to complete the work. The cons, however, are obvious: highly limited application to anything at all of a practical nature, which means little to no use in getting a job. That was never important before, and I hate beyond words that I regard it as a factor now…but since I need this degree to pay for itself in the long run, I’m forced to consider the issue.

So, there’s my situation. Thoughts? Comments? Advice? Insults, on the order of “get a life”? (Hey, I’m a Philosophy student; we’re allowed to be long-winded.) Anything you can offer is appreciated.

2

Do the Banking.

Comp Sci is a good degree, but it becomes significantly less valuable if you don’t actually want to go into computers. It does have the advantage of being more technical, but it’s less applicable to other jobs.

Philosophy might be grand, but it’s the quintessential useless degree. It is the degree that always shows up in jokes like:

An Engineer asks how it works.
A Business major asks how much it costs.
A Philosophy major asks if you want fries with that.

Banking (I assume) deals with things like interest, amortization, taxes, and a bit of accounting. That has broad application in the business world.

If you are this close to those three degrees couldn’t you get one major and two minors?

3

Yes. I’m sure I could also get an Associate’s, probably two, if I wanted to spend the time and money transferring the credits appropriately and dealing with the “graduation”. Right now, though, I’m focused on the Bachelor’s itself. With regard to minors, well…this.

I’m all too aware of the uselessness of the Philosophy degree…which is probably why a part of me wants it to be the one. Seems a fitting culmination of my academic career thus far. Still, I know your advice is sound (and thanks for it!), so I’ve told that part of me to shut it, at least for now.

4

Another vote for banking. Second choice computer science–largely because you say you’d rather not devote your life to computer science. 3rd place philosphy–largely because of the aforementioned lack of obvious practicality of a philosphy degree.

But if getting a degree in philosphy makes you happier and you are content with your career options for the moment, practicality’s not everything.

5

I vote for Philosophy. It’s the degree you want for the degrees sake. It’s the degree that’s probably not going to give you advanced career opportunities in the short run and maybe not even in the long run. Therefore, it’s the one you might end up bailing on if you leave it for last and run into financial difficulties.

However, might I suggest that you do the cool thing and save one required class from each degree for the last semester and get all three at once. :cool: :cool: :cool: My kids both got double majors and wound up both degrees in their final semester. They, however, had a tuition remission constraint to work with; no free tuition after the receipt of a Bachelor’s degree.

6

I agree with the banking, then CompSci. Try to get into SAP or database design. Then you can dick around and get paid well for it.

To quote Dennis Miller: “The last person to get a job from their philosophy degree was your philosophy professor.”

7

Computer Science: you say the Banking degree is limiting and you don’t necessarily enjoy it. Why would you want to carry this on, especially if you love computer science? A degree in CS won’t limit you to a job in programming, especially with the heavy general maths load that American CS degrees have - one of my friends (yet to graduate) has been taken on by an investment bank as a junior business consultant, for instance.

8

Hmm. It seems experts disagree. :wink:

If all the advice offered so far is accurate, Banking looks like the proper choice, with the caveat that I’ll most definitely finish Philosophy at some point in my life (sinjin, your point is very much taken, but if I do go with Banking and end up bailing on one of the other two, it’ll almost definitely be CS, since I’ll already have my “job-seeking degree”).

The deciding factor in my mind has now become: between Banking and CS, which would be more limiting should I elect not to work in that specific field? I would’ve thought, as Dominic suggests, that the Comp Sci would be the more generally applicable of the two, due to the higher mathematics and problem-solving skills it requires. As treis points out, though, the bookkeeping, tax preparation and lending/credit interest information supplied by my Banking courses is something that every business deals with internally.

So, would it be safe to say that Banking might get my foot in more doors overall, while Comp Sci might be better able to get me a job that doesn’t deal specifically with the degree itself?

9

With a banking/CS combo, you’ve got a good shot at a business analyst position (basically acting as a translator between the business and technical groups). Major in one, minor in the other and you’re good to go.

10

  1. Forget philosophy - it’s worthless as a degree. You took the classes and you know something about it. That’s all you need.

  2. Banking is a dead-end profession, and if you get a job in the field, you’ll be looking over your shoulder the whole time because everyone and thier brother works in a bank.

  3. I always say go for the technical degree; you don’t actually have to program. Or, you can do it for a few years and then go into project management, or something, which combines soft "people " skills with technical knowledge.

One more thing; stop being so wishy-washy. At some point, it’s time to grow up, get out of school and find a real job. There’s a reason why people look at you funny when you say you’ve been in college for 6 years and don’t have anything to show for it

11

Yes…it’s because they choose to define themselves by their occupations and the material results thereof. If you choose to do the same, well, brilliant. I do not. At the moment, I choose to get a more lucrative job only because the truest requirements of reality obligate me to do so. The reason that people look at me funny when I reveal my priorities is that they’re not commonly shared; many people look at college as nothing but a four-year task to be accomplished before getting a “real” job.

If you think I’ve not finished my degrees because I’m wishy-washy, you’re quite mistaken. I’ve not done so because, up until now, it simply hasn’t been a priority. Right now, I feel I have potential to offer more in the professional side of my life, and the only thing preventing me from doing so is the perception surrounding academic “achievement”. Because of this, I’ve made the decision to drop X-thousand dollars to procure a piece of paper that many seem to feel will actualize my accomplishments. I don’t agree with it, but such is life; if this is the biggest compromise I ever have to make, I suppose I don’t have much room to complain.

With that in mind, thank you for the advice. I do appreciate your opinion. I just felt I ought to explain my reasoning, as it does differ from common conception. I place less value on professional accomplishments than most, and I don’t view my own self-actualization in terms of a degree. What you say is valid; it’s just coming from a different viewpoint than my own. For the purposes of this thread, I ask that you respect that.

12

I bet you are close to a Cognitive Science Degree

It seem to fit what you are really looking for. I doubt it matters to you but people will less likely to make jokes for that one. It is interdisciplinary and you seem to like that. You can peruse it to any direction you want really. And if you play your cards right get a another degree of some type in Philosophy or CS, or just use them as an emphasis.

I know it is not on the list but that is my suggestion.

13

Wonderful! I’d never looked into this particular field, but you can bet I’ll most definitely check into the requirements at any school that offers it. It sounds like a near-perfect combination of my interests. Thank you!

14

One thing I’d like to know, have you ever done any type of internships for any of your choices? Learning stuff in school is very different from actually putting what you learn into practice. If you haven’t I’d suggest that you do try to get into some program. It looks good on your resume when you have nothing to put on it. It gives you a firm idea on how thing MAY be if you get into the field. Also it allows you to start the ever so important cycle of networking.

15

If you’re on financial aid, talk to your financial aid officer how how finishing one degree would affect your financial aid status for the others.

16

No internships, no; up until now, I’ve tried to keep my academic and professional lives seperate on principle. I’m stubborn that way. I do have plenty of practical experience in the Banking field, though; I’m currently a manager in charge of systems analysis for the credit card division of a large corporate bank.

Thanks, but nope…no financial aid for me. The past six years have been entirely out-of-pocket, hence the community college courses and self-taught AP exams. Good times.

17

Well, I’m going to have to disagree with your SCUBA diving coach here. I’ve got a useless degree. Perhaps not so useless as Philosophy, but one that has no clear implication as to which job I should get into.

I chose mine, because like you, I was interested in it. Sometimes it was easy, other times it was hard, but I think you should seriously consider the CS degree again. I know it’s your hobby, but it’s also what you’re best at, if I could be so bold to assume it. If you’re really good at something and you enjoy it, I think it will offer you the greatest chances of success. You’ve got several reservations about banking. It is an easy way to go, obviously, but you don’t know if you want to do it for the rest of your life.

I’ve had jobs that I had no training for, and became somewhat competent at them. But in the end I realized, I’ll never be as good at this as I could be at geek-related stuff. I get technology naturally. Look around any type of job, and you’ll invariably see that the ones who are best at it just tend to have no problems. Working in a bar I realized, “there’s no way I’ll be much better than I am now.” It’s not a career, for sure, but it still applies. With computers and technology, where most people fumble around I’m perfectly at home. I’ve had very few moments in life where I felt the same way. One was economics, where I was much better than my class, and found it really easy. It was simple because I just got it. The other was physics. I tend to be good at dealing with concepts that break down into smaller areas. The reason I never liked programming was that I simply don’t get it. The initial amount that is required to understand up front got to me. Sure I could force myself into it, and probably do okay, but I would never be as good as I am with other IT-related stuff. This is different in Physics where you start with a concept, and then describe it using Math. That’s the way my brain has always worked.

It sounds like you are pretty good at banking, but don’t go into it unless it’s something that you enjoy, AND are good at. I’m sure, in the wealth of classes you’ve taken at college, you’ve had your areas where you just get it. It’s a breeze, and you can’t say why. Well, whatever that subject is, stick with that.

Philosophy isn’t as awful as it may sound. If you wanna be a Professor, that’s fine, but the road to a tenured professor is a very bad one. Get ready for your MA, which isn’t fun if you’re trying to be the best there is. It’s very competitive with loads of people who seem to have no life. You can’t do it and hold down a job. If you do manage to get to be a professor, you have to fight for tenure, which isn’t easy either. Along the entire way, be prepared to defend yourself against others making arguments just so they can be seen as understanding the concepts. That made me want to vomit. Also, however interesting Philosophy is, are you good at it?

On the other hand, philosophy can be good too. It fills the requirement of “General Liberal Arts Degree” which a lot of interesting businesses are interested in sometimes. Although History of Poly Sci might seem a bit more human for recruiters. You don’t want some smart ass in the office after all. It’s a shame, though, that you haven’t done an internship. It’s a great way to see the reality of your other choices. Obviously you know banking, though.

One thing you can do, and I’d suggest this highly, is to work as a temp for a year or so. It’s a great opportunity because it lets you get into these workplaces with absolutely no risk at all. I say finish your BS in CS and go for temping opportunites. Temping is a good way to try out your profession without having to commit to it. You really have no idea what there is out there until you see it for yourself. I strongly suggest CS only because you are good at it and you like it. You can always branch out into other various interests later. It doesn’t mean you’ll be a programmer.

18

I kind of agree with it, but kind of don’t…I’m currently suffering the consequences of assuming that my degree would be worth a shit. Also why I’m almost certain that I’ll go back to school and study something that A) I’m good at B) is in high demand and C) I enjoy. If only I had been smart enough to realize it sooner. But I had to go out into the real world first.

That first real job is either a bummer or exhilarating. It was a bummer for me because I realized that I could have made a much better decision. It’s kind of shitty because you don’t know for sure until you graduate. And making a choice at age 18 that will affect your future career isn’t a good one either. I really wish I had done some kind of internship as well, but I couldn’t afford it.

19

I’m going to second this sentiment. I’m a sophomore in school now, and have waffled between Linguistics, CogSci and Computer Science before finally deciding on a CS degree. However, if I knew then what I knew now, I would have jumped straight into taking CogSci courses, and focus on the Linguistics and CS portion of the degree from my freshman year. I’d definitely say you should look into it. It may take a bit more school than your other degrees would require, but when you get out of it you’ll have knowledge of CS, Philosophy, Linguistics, Psychology and Neurobiology. It’s a great degree for going into research, or you could take it into banking even, because you’d have a background in psychology and philosophy that would probably put you a step ahead of other people in the same field.

Just some thoughts from a current student. Do a CogSci degree, keep up some economics or banking classes, and get out of school with a well-roundedness that will let you dictate what you want to do in life. Also, looking at the wiki article, it looks like Indiana University has a pretty cool CogSci department, with the author of Gödel, Escher, Bach, a book my CogSci professor praised endlessly.

Also, don’t rule out some of the bigger name schools while doing this, some (such as Columbia University) have specific programs for older students with real-world experience, and offer good financial aid and shorter degree path. Might want to check them out: