# Careers



## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

Just curious what you guys think on which of the follow would yield the most income? I've got to decide what I want to major in lol.







Please select 1 and please tell me why you think/know about how much income it produces.

Computer Programming
Database Specialist 
Internet Specialist -- E-Commerce
Internet Specialist -- Web Site Design
Microcomputer Specialist
Networking Specialist


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## Black-Phoenix (Oct 21, 2003)

dude don't go buy income alone....choose something that you think you will like and can stick with...also job availability is VERY important.....from that list I would go with networking......lots of those jobs out there with deasent starting $$


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

Black-Phoenix said:


> dude don't go buy income alone....choose something that you think you will like and can stick with...also job availability is VERY important.....from that list I would go with networking......lots of those jobs out there with deasent starting $$


 totally agree with above, but you've also got to decide if you want more money in the short or long term as some of those jobs will eventually bring in more than the others, but less in the short term!


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## plonker_from_mars (May 1, 2003)

hydroshutter said:


> Just curious what you guys think on which of the follow would yield the most income? I've got to decide what I want to major in lol.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Computer Programming will earn you the most, if your good at it, and have all the degrees


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## boxer (Sep 11, 2003)

i'm money oriented









microcomputer specialist
networking specialist
internet e-commerce
computer programming
database specialist
website design.

microcomputer sounds high tech and seems to be the future of the industry.
networking is now and will be the future also, i am planning on majoring in networking also if i choose computers still..

e-commerce is business+computers so can't go wrong
programming.. kids are learning it these days.. i learned vb6, c++, java all in highschool. i'm currently in java and doin so horrible.. also programming = quicker arthritis
database specialist, you don't have to be special to do this
website design.. i made my 1st website when i was like 10?


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## nigaphan (Oct 28, 2003)

my thoughts on anything computers is getting flooded in the field....too many people in that industry....i live in seattle....home of bill gates....i know....i tried but it sucks


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## englishman (Aug 14, 2003)

im training to be a network enginer doing my mcse and mcsa


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## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

Computer programming is probably where the most money is at but its also where the most people are. You will have fierce job competition...In all jobs, I think the highest paid starting job is an anesthesthiologist (sp)


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

I'm not going by money alone, I can pick any of these and it's basically my list. I'm leaning towards networking or web design I guess for right now.


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

Programming will pay the most but it is also the hardest job. Networking pays well and is farilly simple now with all the technology. Thats why I majored in it. Trying to make the most money doing the least amount of work.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

hydroshutter said:


> I'm not going by money alone, I can pick any of these and it's basically my list. I'm leaning towards networking or web design I guess for right now.


I'm a webdesigner/-master, and I must say it's a good job - good money (although below my education level... :sad: I earn more than enough to lead a good life though, and it's fun, and that's equally important to me), and pretty diverse...

All you need to think of is that there's many sorts of things you can do within the "bizz": site lay-out/planning, site navigation, site building, static (html) or dynamic (php, asp, jsp) websites, databases, graphic design, being webmaster or working on project-basis etc. etc...
Best thing to do is to make a list of things you'd like to do within webdesigning, so you don't end up in the wrong place....


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

The medical field and IT dept are usually the top 2 I can think of. But regardless of you wanting to be one or the other, the economy plays a huge role in fullfilling it.


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## fluidnyc (Oct 15, 2003)

hydroshutter said:


> Just curious what you guys think on which of the follow would yield the most income? I've got to decide what I want to major in lol.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Heh if I was you id get into the medical / healthcare field.
Due to this country's infatuation with healthcare, you would never be jobless.

As for the tech field, bah.. Alan Greenspan killed it.

You dont wanna spend thousands of dollars on school and be jobless do you?

But if i had to choose from above it would be a C++ Programmer.


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## fluidnyc (Oct 15, 2003)

nigaphan said:


> my thoughts on anything computers is getting flooded in the field....too many people in that industry....i live in seattle....home of bill gates....i know....i tried but it sucks


 Is getting? ...you mean it IS flooded.

And once alan greenspan saw young people getting rich and having great stock opions and crap... He destroyed the field, and 9-11 didnt help either.


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## nigaphan (Oct 28, 2003)

> Is getting? ...you mean it IS flooded.
> 
> And once alan greenspan saw young people getting rich and having great stock opions and crap... He destroyed the field, and 9-11 didnt help either.
> 
> yup and our Prez he aint helping [email protected]#@er


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## 14_blast (Oct 6, 2003)

Why don't you just start your own company....I bet if you were to ask some of the more successful business owners if they had a degree, they would probably say no.


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

14_blast said:


> Why don't you just start your own company....I bet if you were to ask some of the more successful business owners if they had a degree, they would probably say no.


 I've thought of that before but, I would like to become more financially stable before I think about that further.


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Don't go by what's making money now, because it may not be such a good field when you get out of school. My b/f is a network administrator/consultant for a company that goes into large lawfirms. It was tough to get that job because the market around here is completely flooded by idiots going to school for computers thinking they are going to get lots of money the easy way. They literally ruined the field because they got high paying jobs and ended up getting fired becuase they didn't know what they were doing. Now lots of companies are going overseas for their adminstration. Kinda sucks for anyone that's just starting out and really does know what they are doing...


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

dracofish said:


> Don't go by what's making money now, because it may not be such a good field when you get out of school. My b/f is a network administrator/consultant for a company that goes into large lawfirms. It was tough to even get that job becuase the market around here is completely flooded by idiots going to school for computers thinking they are going to get lots of money the easy way. They literally ruined the field because they got high paying jobs and ended up getting fired becuase they didn't know what they were doing. Now lots of companies are going overseas for their adminstration. Kinda sucks for anyone that's just starting out and really does know what they are doing...


 Exactly what i'm afraid of.


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## 14_blast (Oct 6, 2003)

> dracofish Posted on Dec 2 2003, 06:49 PM
> Don't go by what's making money now, because it may not be such a good field when you get out of school. My b/f is a network administrator/consultant for a company that goes into large lawfirms. It was tough to get that job because the market around here is completely flooded by idiots going to school for computers thinking they are going to get lots of money the easy way. They literally ruined the field because they got high paying jobs and ended up getting fired becuase they didn't know what they were doing. Now lots of companies are going overseas for their adminstration. Kinda sucks for anyone that's just starting out and really does know what they are doing...


I concur. My friend's company from Silicon Valley moved their document control department to India....They say India is going to be the next "Silicon Valley"


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## pamonster (Jun 26, 2003)

hydroshutter said:


> Just curious what you guys think on which of the follow would yield the most income? I've got to decide what I want to major in lol.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Eew, that all sounds like sh*t to me.


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

pamonster said:


> hydroshutter said:
> 
> 
> > Just curious what you guys think on which of the follow would yield the most income? I've got to decide what I want to major in lol.
> ...


 Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

Pamonster, what do you do for a living?


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## pamonster (Jun 26, 2003)

Im a Jr. at Iowa State University
Major: Animal Ecology
Option: Pre Vet
Minor: Animal Science

I didnt want to offend you, but as you probibly guessed your field of interest is not my cup of tea and i wouldnt enjoy working in it. But like u said everyone has an asshole.


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Eh, everybody has their interests and disinterests. I majored in marine biology and minored in art history/design. Now that's a combination! I ended up leaving school and am trying to start my own business with Bearded Dragons with my b/f. I'm still very much interested in animal husbandry and even veterinary science, but I've also become interested in network administration and web design. I guess that just comes with the territory when you live with a computer dork!


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## mr_meanor (Nov 5, 2003)

Kory said:


> Programming will pay the most but it is also the hardest job.


 I would have to say I strongly disagree, yes its the hardest and requires the most skill however very underpaid, dont get me wrong they get some cash but not as much as they deserve

the money is in networking and what my cousin does, he does a little bit of everything and goes around the country and helps small businesses become more up to date and more effecient, he writes the programs sells them to them and comes and sets up the network and all the technical stuff he makes hella $$$$$$


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

I'm leaning toward web design and what all entangles with that because jobs around here are in the 65k+ range and that'd be fine for me..


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## plonker_from_mars (May 1, 2003)

20,000$ a month i think programmers deserve that







, dont you?


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Computer Programming -- 40-50k to start. You work during the day and get calls at night.
Database Specialist -- 75k-100k average. Work 5 days. Oncall all weekend once a month
Internet Specialist -- E-Commerce -- Don't know.
Internet Specialist -- Web Site Design -- Don't know.
Microcomputer Specialist -- Don't know
Networking Specialist -- Best bet out of all choices but it is your choice to make. You start out at about 60k and can make 100k within a few years. Less headaches out of all choices. I work in a global command center and have vast experience in computer field.


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

most of you guys will come to realize making 50k your first year out of college is never going to happen. Computer science majors do not make the money they used to. If you want to make the big dollars and still deal with technonolgy then you need to try the impossible task of double majoring in Accounting and MIS, with post graduate work in Industrial Engineering. You will have plenty of work creating integrated financial databases. If your good enough, which means being the best at your college.. you might have a chance of getting picked up as a consultant, and then you will be the elite. Either way, if you plan on ever reaching the top in corporate america as a CFO then you need a background in accounting. Most CEOs also have this background although many are engineers.

There are so many high aspirations that your are really limited in most of these fields. They all end the same way. Either you become the best or your stuck in a dead end job the rest of your life. Think wild.. and imaginitive. The highest potential for earnings for the typical high end college graduate is becoming a broker of goods. The Assumption of risk when buying and selling perishable goods yields a crazy amount of money once you obtain a mastery or risk assesment and make the proper connections.

All these e-commerce web design stuff is not going anywhere in the foreseable future. Knowing your way inside and out of the complexities of the cash flows and financial statements of coporate america is the ticket.


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## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

jerry_plakyda said:


> Computer Programming -- 40-50k to start. You work during the day and get calls at night.
> Database Specialist -- 75k-100k average. Work 5 days. Oncall all weekend once a month
> Internet Specialist -- E-Commerce -- Don't know.
> Internet Specialist -- Web Site Design -- Don't know.
> ...


 those numbers seem a little bit high. Even in California or other places that pay higher wages, those numbers are way too high imo.


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## DrewBoOty (Nov 23, 2002)

you need to get more specific.

database specialist could be a million things for example

oracle, adabas, SQL, sybase, etc.

out of all those, you would probably make the most money working with oracle dbase's.. and adabas would be one atleast learn as well, but you wont find it in demand like oracle even though its the fastest and used in most mission critial situations.

one thing that isnt on your list, that will definetly make the most money.. network *security*. if you can find a known network security consulting firm and are good, that will definetly pay best.

IMHO.....


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

Poseidon X said:


> most of you guys will come to realize making 50k your first year out of college is never going to happen.


 my brother's roomate's sister went to Wharton(UPenn) and for her first job EVER, she got a six figure income! so did most of her classmates.....right now my brohter's at Stern in NYU and thats where I plan on going if I got the grades......plus a letter of recommendation from Alumni wouldnt hurt as thats my english teachers college









as for the India thiing its true......a lot of my cousins are getting jobs and stuff too....... as are a lot of my uncles


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## DrewBoOty (Nov 23, 2002)

web design is going nowhere to be honest, unless you get a job with a company as full time managing their website, which is VERY VERY VERY unlikely. they are usually 1-year contracts. If you arent already starting to get known in the graphics community or have a great amount of experience with it, you are doomed.

starting a design firm is still a good way to go, but most dont last! and the ones that do dont get that much business because of their high price attitude. (2advanced.com comes to mind)

places like ravio are one man show's and personally, 60-70 hours a week coding/designing/being creative for those who cant, is a little more work then I wanna do for 40-50k a year.

just some food for thought, because few people are going to give you the straight jive.


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I hear you Drew. Web Design companies are a dime a dozen now. The market got flooded back in 98-99. Go with Web Application Security if you wanna do something hot in computers that involves the web,


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## mdemers883 (Jan 9, 2003)

the IT field will see a major surge in the next couple of years due to the fact that the baby boomers will be retiring soon (had to sit through a lecture on it) and Mike and Drew are correct about web development.

Programming and Networking are the big fields right now that pay the best. Make sure you get your certs as they will be the most important. I gotta take my A+, CCNA, and Network + next semester







but it will all be worth it.

I'm going to stick to the networking side of the field as Idon't like being a code monkey







....that's Drew's area
















mark


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

well if you can get into wharton at UPenn which is near impossible to accomplish then you certaintly deserve that. The average salary for a wharton MBA is 135K. Unless you are no#1 in your high school and have never had a B in your life then dont expect to be able to go to wharton and graduate though. If your graduating from wharton then you have to have an extensive background in accounting. Programming in college is mostly theory. I bet most of the time your better off learning web design and all that stuff at a technical college rather then a university. Its always a good thing to have, but i dont know if i would make it your number one background. The after shock of the Sarbanes-Oxley act on coporate america will result in a huge increase in creating effective internal control systems in order to negate the 20 or % increase in annual audit fees as the result of the newly required audit of internal controls. This is a good area to capatilize on. Finding the hardest job that no one wants to do will always take your further then the next guy.


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

Awesome info Drew. I'll probably be heading into networking now since it will be a better investment than web design and stuff like that. Never really thought too much about network security but it's always worth looking into.


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## jayrod (Oct 22, 2003)

I received a BS in Computer Science/Math and had a hard time finding a job (that paid well) right of school. The market as everyone said was saturated with idiots. I eventually found a startup where I worked up to the Director of Information Technology. The pay isn't the best in the business but I am getting a hella lot of experience.

I have hired 5 other people in the past 6 mos and noticed that for 1 IT Tech position you get over 1000 resumes in 1 day. A programmer is about 25 a day considering what I ask for.

If you do pick programming I would not just go to learn some language but learn the process of software engineering. The developers that I have hired do know C, Java, Perl etc etc but can't program a damn thing unless they are given specific instruction on paper. I would recommend you learn the software engineering principles (UML, PSP) not just try to be a programmer by learning a language. Even high school kids know java.

I am currently taking courses for my Master in Software Engineering at CMU because of lack of qualified programmers. I would hire someone who knows how do software engineering over someone who just knew how to program.

And a note about Network Engineers. The tech schools are pushing them out by the boat load. The market it totally swamped by people who nothing but CISCO or Windows Server. These people can do this but cant do anything else.

And don't go MIS whatever you do. Computer Science/Engineering is harder yes but you will learn a lot more and be able to find a job a lot easier. MIS is for the people who couldn't pass the CS classes.

IS is ok but it depends on where you go. CMU seems to be the only school that puts out a decent IS program in the NE as far as I've seen.

Web Site Design/Graphic Design to me seems like someone who went to a Art Institute. I have hired a web designer to do user input for a large interactive website. All that he can do is make Flash animations and play with Photoshop. Not really what I was looking for when I wanted someone to 'design' a user interface module. Flash and Photoshop will get you so far as building website but that's about it.

DBA is a good field to get into too but it is highly competitive and you still need to know programming.

Computer Security is a good field to get into. My brother currently works for CERT as a security analyst and loves it. You still need to know how to program and at minimum have a 4 year degree. Relational databases and UNIX systems are must also. A Criminology background would be helpful too.

If you want to get into technology I would recommend you diversify your education. I mean learn more about business and math.

You don't know how much I wish I would have taken an accounting course in school.... and learn wtf supply chain management really meant... and what the difference between a ERP and EDP software suite was.

Hope this helps and good luck getting into college. And remember IT DOES MATTER WHERE YOU GO!!!!


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

that is some good info... ill back him up one more time by saying... no matter what you do you are going to need ACCOUNTING! we started off with 50 accounting majors in my class and we now have 9 graduating. Regular business is easy... accounting is very challenging and i would expect 4-5 hours of homework every single night at any decent university. If you can some how learn what you need to in these courses you might as well skip out on every other business class because this is the essential stuff to learn. Either take the classes as electives or just major in accounting and try to get some computer experience in there. And if you can pass your cpa exam before graduation, your looking at a 10K signing bonus at least.


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## mdemers883 (Jan 9, 2003)

Poseidon X said:


> that is some good info... ill back him up one more time by saying... no matter what you do you are going to need ACCOUNTING! we started off with 50 accounting majors in my class and we now have 9 graduating. Regular business is easy... accounting is very challenging and i would expect 4-5 hours of homework every single night at any decent university. If you can some how learn what you need to in these courses you might as well skip out on every other business class because this is the essential stuff to learn. Either take the classes as electives or just major in accounting and try to get some computer experience in there. And if you can pass your cpa exam before graduation, your looking at a 10K signing bonus at least.


 Accounting is a very lucrative field, my mom is a CPA and I've seen how hard some of the stuff she does is. After I finish my IT degree she wants me to get a degree in accounting as well (she has her own office which is where I work now)



> Programming in college is mostly theory


Definately not, the first week or so of class you learn some theory and about algorythms as well as syntax, the rest of the course is 2-3hrs 2-3 times of week of coding. In my C++ class you had to do these in order to turn in a lab:

make a flow chart
hand write the source code
enter the code and compile/build
if the program worked the teacher would spend a good 5 minutes trying to break it
if it passed she would give you credit for the lab

Personally I prefer networking and security. I did quite well in programming but it just wasn't much fun to me, Cisco courses were a ton of fun though.

Mark


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

we had a the vice president of CIT in our accounting informations systems class today. CIT is a fortune 500 factoring coporation. These guys were big time into techonoly and data extraction. This looked like a great business to get into because of the potential of going out on your own with a few guys. Basically they were paying a company for its recent accounts receivables, and withholding 20%. They brought alot of different aspects together. The accounts receivables needed a quick and dirty audit preformed with IDEA software to use as a data extractor. The programmers work with the accountants to create a program that performs the correct anayltical procedures that will reject certain accounts likely to be mistated. The vice president had his undergraduate degree in programming and his masters in accounting. They also had alot of finance guys working for them.


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

Poseidon X said:


> well if you can get into wharton at UPenn which is near impossible to accomplish then you certaintly deserve that. The average salary for a wharton MBA is 135K.


 so true......my brother got a 1426 on his SATs and got one B+ on his last quarter senior year report card......got bumped to the waiting list and didnt make it but he made early decision for Stern

I want to either go to Stern or pre med somewhere......I know business colleges now I gotta know medical schools

on average how much does a successful doctor make?? like a regular physcian?


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

doctors lawyers accountant etc are all solid career paths that are safe will pay you good money throughout your life, but if you ever want to see the type of money that these jobs cannot provide you with then you need to be willing to accept the risk of success or failure. If your the type to miss oppurtunities or you just dont see them infront of you then definately go the safe route. There will only be so many oppurtunities in your life. They might include moving far away from your family, and not seeing them anytime soon.. but you have to follow all of these twists and turns to come out on top.


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

Poseidon X said:


> doctors lawyers accountant etc are all solid career paths that are safe will pay you good money throughout your life, but if you ever want to see the type of money that these jobs cannot provide you with then you need to be willing to accept the risk of success or failure. If your the type to miss oppurtunities or you just dont see them infront of you then definately go the safe route. There will only be so many oppurtunities in your life. They might include moving far away from your family, and not seeing them anytime soon.. but you have to follow all of these twists and turns to come out on top.


 I adapt and adjust very well.........moving far from my family wouldnt be that hard and plus I've been wanting to do that for a while







yeah my dad and bro have been telling me about doctor/finance

I was also thinking a biologist as well


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Don't forget that doctors fresh out of med school have it tough till they're established. Nothing like working 12+ hour days 6 or 7 days a week...


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

I don't care it's a job full of honor and prestige and is well worth it


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## DrewBoOty (Nov 23, 2002)

I dont think you would make much as a biologist, but most dont do it for the money.. and thats respectable in its own.

anything med is hard, im going to have to take all the same pre-med classes as say.. a surgeon.. just to get my dvm. (vet medicine)


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

With many of the high prestige type jobs you are going to bust your ass like you would believe. You might say.. hey look im making $50,000 a year in my very first job, but when you look at how much your making an hour it can be pitiful at times. I have heard of first year auditors whos income came out to less then $7 an hour. They were getting paid alot, but they were working crazy hours. During the busy season your often required to spend the night at the office... and wake up early the next morning to keep working. Just push through it and know its going to be a bitch, but once your in your in.


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## tinyteeth (Mar 12, 2003)

job security is more important. do something that has a future and no dead ends.


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

Poseidon X said:


> its going to be a bitch, but once your in your in.


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

a doctor can always have a job.......I want both financial and job security


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

haha yeah but to bad there are thousands of people who think they have what it takes for medical school. Guess what happens when you dont graduate medical school. Well you just blew your chance, i guess you could get into pharmaceutical sales or male nursing afterwards but you may have just screwed yourself over for making a big time salary. Dont try it unless your completely dedicated.


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

I am........dude you make it sound like you know that I'm gonna fail

I know what the drive it requires is and believe I don't quit on anything


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## garybusey (Mar 19, 2003)

BE A MANWHORE!


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

gigolo buddy

its people like you gives us gigolos a bad name!


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## plonker_from_mars (May 1, 2003)

lol, or you could just rob a bank


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## Go-rilla (Jun 14, 2003)

I would go for Micro computers, because it touchs on almost all those career fields.
My cousin in @ Boston University and he speeks about things i learned at the Internationl Academy of Design
I took Computer Graphics...

The big bucks come in when you work in your field and you start your own business..

My elder Brother is making close to $180 000 a year.
He pays 60 000 in taxes alone a couple years back.
He is up there at HP

My other brother works at SGI (Silicon Graphics)
making Bucks aswell..

There are some kind of Specialist in networking and all that...

So when your get your job its a constent learnig process allways take corses never slip..
Then you will really start shitting money...

Hope i helped you in your decision....










Word to the wise Learn Unix aswell.
its going to take over the market...


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