The Evil Genius

You may not NEED a college degree for what you want to do, but you do need a college education. You aren't going to design pistons without knowing the underlying principles that define them. It worked in the old days when everyone was just experimenting, but the technology is far enough along in this day and age that you need to know what you're doing to do something different.

http://www.ces.clemson.edu/me/automotive/

/thread.

273sunsetZ

If you don't like book work it'll be pretty hard to get through any type of Bachelors in Engineering; Calc. 3, diff E., and Calc. based physics are some of the harder classes you have to get through here at TTU. I changed my major to a Engineering technology degree, and i could still get a design job designing automated machines and what not, but I won't be anything close to M.E., maybe a I.E.. Anyways, just take your time, you don't want to get caught up in something you hate.

DMSZ28

iTrader: (3)

If you're looking for hands on instruction, you should think about the School of Automotive Machinists. They have a great reputation in the racing industry.

bmnicolosi

iTrader: (2)

i'm all for college, but it is HOW you work that will move you up. The degree gets you the second look so you can prove your work skills. A degree with no work skills is worthless, but chances are if you get a degree like an engineering degree, you have work ethics. I am 23, i started college for international business and screwed around, while paying my own way, for a few years. I finally figured out what i wanted about 2 yrs ago and i have a year and a half left for my electrical engineering degree. Will i know everything after getting it? No. But i have worked full time since highschool, putting myself through a private highschool and college, and do my fulltime school work. I make good money wokring as a mobile electrinics install manager, but 1) 50k a yr will not support the life i want for me or my future family, 2) i don't ever want to worry about working weekends or holidays when i have a family and 3)i dont want to deal with the ignorance i see everyday for the rest of my life. I know ignorance is everywhere, but when you are surrounded by educated people who worked to get what they have, there is less ignorance than the general public.The degree gets you the job, your hard work gets you more money and promotions. As long as you like it and have work ethics, you will suceed.

Turbo LS1 SS

iTrader: (7)

:word:

a degree is more or less to show you can FINISH something. it's meant to be hard. its not like grade school. you have to teach yourself how to work.

it took myself a while to figure this out as well, but it finally hit me. if you want more for yourself, you will push yourself harder to get what you want. you wont make millions being lazy unless you win the lottery

Nice ss

Im going to harper college for business to keep my parents off my back , Im going to try to enroll in UTI for night classes and do both

brundz

because your parents want you to is the worst reason there is to make a decision. yes parents do have years of experience in life under their belt and take their advice strongly...but dont do something just because they want you too. they are just people and don't know everything. my one friends mom is so brainwashed that you need a degree in business to do anything other than the drive thru at mcdonalds...but she's interested in the health field (a field that will yeild a rewarding life in any aspect of it nowadays, i'm in the radiology program myself). so that business degree isn't going to do **** for what she wants to do. listen to parents advice but take it with a grain of salt also. your outta high school now and big boys and girls. theres a whole world out there, you can do anything you want. its alright to make major life decisions on your own. but best advice is to talk to as many people as you can and put all their experience and advice together and make your decisions. and when you do decide on the path you want to take make sure you put all your effort into it everyday. hard work shows and pays off! and college life is sick...ahhhh soo many good nights. best years of your life enjoy it

BanditTA

iTrader: (3)

Exactly, you have to go to college if you want to design. You are actually located in the same city i work in, actually right up the hill.

I'd recommend going to school for mechanical engineering, I went for Civil and sort of regret it, really wish I had gone mechanical. Most the guys i graduated with (mechanical guys) ended up working for allison transmission and new venture gear.

In school the civil guys built a bridge and the mechanical guys built a buggy, man was that upsetting

bigwoode

iTrader: (2)

I have a friend that goes to school in Cleveland, we are from Buffalo, you should look into UTI or a similar type of program, I know my friend finishes pretty soon and will be working for BMW... Just a thought!

T/ADreamer_400

WOW! this is the best argument I've ever heard! I love it.
-I'm not choosing sides (or maybe i am?) but I'm currently in my second year at MU in Columbia, MO and i've had the greatest year and a half of my life. I am in exactly the same position as the kid who started this post. I HATE the book-work and am dreading the thought of doing it for another 3 or 4 year. I've drooled over muscle cars and anything with an engine since I was 7 years old. In order to do the fun stuff (design automotive projects/parts/or accessories) one must hit the books and hit them hard! If you cant handle a little book work, you dont deserve to do what you want in life. I cant wait to graduate and start collecting toy's! I hope you figure things out and things turn around for you. . .

'Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.' - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

This all depends on who you are and where you are at in life.

Going to college was one of the best decisions I ever made.

I agree that you shouldn't do it just b/c your parents say so or because that's the typical thing to do, but saying it isn't a good choice in any situation is totally off base.

01CaMMMaro

iTrader: (25)

just do both man. put it this way... if you ONLY go to say UTI and you apply for a job for a nascar team or NHRA or indy or whatever, and another guy that went to UTI applys also but he has a mechanical engineering degree, then your screwed... they wouldnt even consider you over him. Im in the same boat as you are but im 20 and have 2 1/2 years of my mechanical engineering degree out of my way... then im going straight to SAM.

DarkJuggalo

iTrader: (6)

i dunno if im too late on this but i just saw it, i am in new england tech in rhode island currently, its 60% hands on and 40% book. they also offer a high performance semester for free when u finish your associates =)

baldwintpenguin

While you do not NEED ANY degree to get the job you want, think of it this way. They bigger better degree you have the more likely you are to get a better salary. If nothing else think of it this way, say you and another guy are applying for the exact same job, you both have the exact same motivation and level of skill, however you have an assiociates, a tech degree whatever...who do you think would get hired? You would because you have that one small thing over him which makes you a better candidate for the job position. You may hate bookwork, but somewhere along the line your going to have to get through it, unless you WANT to change oil at honda forever . Find a good Tech School, keep looking until you find exactly what you want. I currently attend Cowley County Community College, per hour of bookwork we get about 2 hours hands on.

What good is hands on if you dont know what the **** your doing when you walk out to the shop?

Good luck with whatever you decide though I hope it works out for you

MemphisZ28

iTrader: (1)

if you dont got ocollege/have a rich family/are a badass you should cancel your ls1tech acct. THIS STUFF COSTS MUCHO $$$$$....oh and those automotive schools, be careful, alot of them are garbage, im a recruiter and do hiring/HR and some of the people who come out of these know nothing and have alot of trouble finding jobs... and I live down the street from RHS, comp cams, XFI, holley, NOS etc etc

Jordan S.

iTrader: (17)

Exactly, I'm currently in college (Mech Engineering), I know a handful of engineers and everyone of them has told me their degree doesnt mean ****, everything they know was learned on the job.

I'm like the original poster, I'm hands on tell me I'll go do it. I'm book smart to but god I hate this ****. I have to do what I have to do I guess though, just bite my lip and ride out 3 more years.

98camaro1le

iTrader: (5)

Wow u can really tell who has gone to college and who hasnt on this thread. Stay in school, just look at the stats and the average income of a college grad vs. a non college grad.

02ArcticZ

Hey if your over at oneonta you could go to Delhi they have automotive technology, i use to go there for a year and a half and i transfered home... but i was feeling the same way as you its rough to do all the required work to achieve a degree but its well worth it. Having transfered home i regret it but i got to spend time with my dad before he passed away and im going to community college now to complete the degree, and i hope to go into business administration when im done with the automotive. Stick it out college can be difficult at times but when you have that degree no matter in what it is in it shows you are hard working, and you can be trained to do something. Good luck and hopefully the girls look better over in Oneanta for you then they did in Delhi for me LoL... for those that dont know there Neighboring towns...

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

No college here, no regrets.

But you have to be ready for different challenges in life depending on the path you choose, then ask yourself some questions and BE HONEST about the answers. FACT: You don't need to make $150k/year to have a decent life. FACT: It's less about how much you make, and more about what you do with it. FACT: School alone gets you nowhere in life. If you manage to buy your way into a degree without actually learning much of anything, or developing any skills, then any good company will see this in short order and you're time there will be over as quickly as it began. You have to really WANT the degree and career you're going to school for, otherwise don't bother.

I didn't want to deal with student loans or start off my working life in massive debt, nor did I have any real interest in spending more years in school after HS. So I went to work straight away. In the beginning I didn't make much, and by some people's standards I still don't make much today. But I make enough to live in a nice place, have a couple toys parked in the garage, have a nice chunk of cash and investments to my name, and I'll be able to retire early. No, I can't afford a 10 mil estate, or a 90ft indoor pool, or $30k vacations to the finest sections of europe every summer, but I have no desire for those things. My wants are pretty simple, and I don't have super-expensive tastes, so I really don't need a massive 6-figure salary to live what I consider to be a good life.

So first, decide what you want out of life, what you're willing to deal with, and what you need to do to get there.

I just gotta say something about this though.....

...Wow. That shows your young age and lack of experiance. Do you honestly beleive that having a degree means you won't ever have to go that extra mile to be sucessful in your career? I work with dozens of college graduates, and every one of them has to put time into their work on weekends or holidays on occasion. That's life if you ever want to move ahead in any modern company. If someone else is willing to do what you are not (and beleive me, someone always is), they will move up and you will not.

TA1364

iTrader: (11)

^^ What do you do for a living?