Question for college grads

GregN

aka The Grinch
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2000
Posts
17,579
Very few degrees are actually hard to get.
Music majors are fucked.
my Psych degree didn't involve much effort.

Music majors and art majors have to put in a SHITLOAD of time out of class, but I wouldn't imagine those would be that difficult.

I would have had trouble with the logic classes in Psych. I took a philosophy class that dipped our feet in it and I don't have the brain for logic problems or programming. I barely passed a C++ and COBAL class.

A.A. is only two years, so it's not that difficult, I agree. At least you have something to show for all the money you spent. I had a friend that went to school in the 90s, dropped out, then dropped back in and his classes didn't count.

That's fucked. If you get, for instance, a 2 year degree years ago and go back, your classes count, but if you dropped out, you're SOL.
 

not sonic

King of Typists,
15 Year Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2003
Posts
9,327
im a ce major and i've worked for the cs department doing networking and hardware installs, maintenance, etc. the whole time.

so its not hardware/software design but its loosely related.
 

OrochiEddie

Kobaïa Is De Hündïn
20 Year Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Posts
19,316
Music majors and art majors have to put in a SHITLOAD of time out of class, but I wouldn't imagine those would be that difficult.

.

they are notorious for being the hardest. Music majors require 5 years for a 4 year degree first of all. They also need to learn Music theory which is extremely hard.
 

GregN

aka The Grinch
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2000
Posts
17,579
they are notorious for being the hardest. Music majors require 5 years for a 4 year degree first of all. They also need to learn Music theory which is extremely hard.

Really? I have a friend who is a former poster on this site who's close to getting his PhD. and the impression I get is that you just have to put in a TON of practice time.
 

Nesagwa

Beard of Zeus,
20 Year Member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Posts
21,322
they are notorious for being the hardest. Music majors require 5 years for a 4 year degree first of all. They also need to learn Music theory which is extremely hard.

Well to even get in you have to audition or have a portfolio. It's not like Arts & Sciences majors where you can just show up with no prior experience.
 

fake

Warrior of the Innanet
15 Year Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Posts
12,332
they are notorious for being the hardest. Music majors require 5 years for a 4 year degree first of all. They also need to learn Music theory which is extremely hard.

I know someone who got a music degree. It's really not THAT much out-of-class work. Well, at least not compared to what I had to do (Media). You basically have to join the marching band or whatever.

Music majors do NOT require 5 years for a 4 year / bachelors degree. :shame:

Maybe it's because I've been doing theory since I was 9, but it's really not hard. If you can count numbers, can visualize intervals, and remember what keys / chords have what sharps / flats, that's all there is to it. Theory is actually an incredibly flawed and antiquated standard, but it's too late to change in the world of orthodox music.

edit: oh and by the way. People told me my degree was useless. But music degrees are REALLY useless unless you want to teach. The dude I mentioned? He's doing paperwork in an office for minimum wage.
 

GregN

aka The Grinch
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2000
Posts
17,579
I know someone who got a music degree. It's really not THAT much out-of-class work. Well, at least not compared to what I had to do (Media). You basically have to join the marching band or whatever.

Music majors do NOT require 5 years for a 4 year / bachelors degree. :shame:

Maybe it's because I've been doing theory since I was 9, but it's really not hard. If you can count numbers, can visualize intervals, and remember what keys / chords have what sharps / flats, that's all there is to it. Theory is actually an incredibly flawed and antiquated standard, but it's too late to change in the world of orthodox music.

edit: oh and by the way. People told me my degree was useless. But music degrees are REALLY useless unless you want to teach. The dude I mentioned? He's doing paperwork in an office for minimum wage.

Even teaching doesn't make that much, but at least you can be your own boss.
 

fake

Warrior of the Innanet
15 Year Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Posts
12,332
Really? I have a friend who is a former poster on this site who's close to getting his PhD. and the impression I get is that you just have to put in a TON of practice time.

Depends. If you're shit, yeah. If you're going for an instrument you just picked up, you're going to need to practice a lot. If you're going for an instrument you've played for years, you just pretty much have to sacrifice fucking around with your instrument for actually learning your assignments.

Also, you don't always have to audition or have a portfolio. Many places just let you walk right in. Others will take letters of recommendation from a teacher.
 

Nesagwa

Beard of Zeus,
20 Year Member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Posts
21,322
Depends. If you're shit, yeah. If you're going for an instrument you just picked up, you're going to need to practice a lot. If you're going for an instrument you've played for years, you just pretty much have to sacrifice fucking around with your instrument for actually learning your assignments.

Also, you don't always have to audition or have a portfolio. Many places just let you walk right in. Others will take letters of recommendation from a teacher.

USF must not fuck around then, you have to go through a long process before they even admit you to the fine arts majors there.
 

fake

Warrior of the Innanet
15 Year Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Posts
12,332
USF must not fuck around then, you have to go through a long process before they even admit you to the fine arts majors there.

Certain schools have different standards. And it doesn't just apply to music. A friend of mine is an insanely good professional dancer. Her top choice of school turned her down while everyone else was like "uh yeah, you can come here for free you're that damn good." It's hard to judge. Famous schools sometimes have lax entrance processes. Some never-heard-of-it schools are overly choosey. The New England School of Art and Design just let me in, no questions asked. Dunno if it had to do with my high grades or what. It really seems like a wishy washy thing. I think some places may try to overcompensate by making their acceptance requirements ridiculous.
 
Last edited:

not sonic

King of Typists,
15 Year Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2003
Posts
9,327
extremely hard isnt really what i would call music theory. at all.

ive got a music minor. :D
 

SonGohan

Made of Wood
20 Year Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Posts
23,657
Unless you're a physics, math, programming, or engineering major, let's face it - college isn't really that hard. I had some of those classes, but it wasn't as hardcore as those.

There are many people on this site and otherwise who would disagree with you. You're posts aren't exactly to the level of wizkid genius, either. That fact that it seems like an issue to you and you point it out and that it even weighs on your mind tells me that you're the ignorant oaf.

Completing community college isn't hard on any level. The fact that you use "wizkid genius" as some sort of measurement of intelligence makes me think you're probably way dumber than I initially thought. Don't try and confuse the issue and think this is something that weighs on my mind, either; we're in a thread where you're asking a vague question that high school kids somehow figure out to ask before they look into a college. It's only natural that somebody question whether or not you've graduated, and that's not taking into the mass amounts of stupidity you've sprinkled throughout these forums for the last 10 years. You're a dope, and how dare you be insulted that I questioned your intelligence.
 

SonGohan

Made of Wood
20 Year Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Posts
23,657
Also, music theory is something that gets harder to learn as you get older. It's pretty much just learning a different language. Most people who don't have a problem with music theory are people who've been at it since they were kids/teens. There really is no huge amount of time put into it out of class, either. If you're taking music theory, chances are you're already involved in an instrument, and all you do is apply it to it.

Right now I'm pursuing a degree in music, and I'm fully aware that it'll pretty much only snag me teaching jobs, which is fine with me. I was considering working toward becoming a pharmacist, but I figured I'd go with something I know I'd enjoy doing in 20 years, even if it only pays a small fraction I'd be able to get.
 

fake

Warrior of the Innanet
15 Year Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Posts
12,332
Also, music theory is something that gets harder to learn as you get older. It's pretty much just learning a different language. Most people who don't have a problem with music theory are people who've been at it since they were kids/teens. There really is no huge amount of time put into it out of class, either. If you're taking music theory, chances are you're already involved in an instrument, and all you do is apply it to it.

Right now I'm pursuing a degree in music, and I'm fully aware that it'll pretty much only snag me teaching jobs, which is fine with me. I was considering working toward becoming a pharmacist, but I figured I'd go with something I know I'd enjoy doing in 20 years, even if it only pays a small fraction I'd be able to get.

Yes, it's definitely similar to a language. I hear it's supposed to help with math skillz too, but I'm a living testament that is false.

I definitely agree that it's better to have a job you enjoy and make less money than have a job that you hate but make a lot of money. It's totally worth not having a lot of money.
 

SonGohan

Made of Wood
20 Year Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Posts
23,657
Yes, it's definitely similar to a language. I hear it's supposed to help with math skillz too, but I'm a living testament that is false.

I definitely agree that it's better to have a job you enjoy and make less money than have a job that you hate but make a lot of money. It's totally worth not having a lot of money.

I'm a living testament to that, too. I suck hard at math, but that's mostly because I can't be bothered to retain the information. If I don't use it in a couple of days, it flies right out of my head. I have enormous respect for math teachers.
 

neo_mao

moest promoenent moember of chat
15 Year Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2007
Posts
11,180
I worked in unpaid internships that were related to my field during my junior and senior years. It sucked not getting paid, but it definitely did help when I graduated and entered the job market...gave me something relevant to talk about at interviews.

Plus, during the summers I also worked misc jobs (landscaping/retail) which did pay, so that was nice, even if it was only short term.
 

fake

Warrior of the Innanet
15 Year Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Posts
12,332
I'm a living testament to that, too. I suck hard at math, but that's mostly because I can't be bothered to retain the information. If I don't use it in a couple of days, it flies right out of my head. I have enormous respect for math teachers.

I'm "that guy" that everyone calls when they have PC problems and I get really frustrated when people ask how to do the same things all the time. I always wonder "don't you want to learn how to do this shit so you don't have to ask me" but when it comes to math I do the same thing as they do. I'm just not interested in learning how to do math shit.
 

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
The Bars should create realistic reader accreditations.

Fuck Law School.

I don't quite know what that means, but CA still allows people to take the bar after undergoing an old-school apprenticeship. Only a handful of people try it each year and their bar passage rate is horrid --so thank god they're not actual attorneys (because it really is a test about how the law works).

For my field, it would have been a huuuuge help.
The perfect follow up would be finding out your a neurosurgeon.

When you only go for an AA it isn't really that hard either.

You do know he already had a BA from a solid university? He got that AA after he realized he hated his field.
 

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
Music programs vary a lot.

USC had a very notable music BFA, conservatory-style program and those people were pretty much all music all the time, the BA people were more relaxed. It was the same for the Theater BFA/BAs.
 

SonGohan

Made of Wood
20 Year Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Posts
23,657
I'm "that guy" that everyone calls when they have PC problems and I get really frustrated when people ask how to do the same things all the time. I always wonder "don't you want to learn how to do this shit so you don't have to ask me" but when it comes to math I do the same thing as they do. I'm just not interested in learning how to do math shit.

I dunno man, I think that's completely different. If I was having the same PC problems over and over again, I would take time to study what's going on, especially if I cared about not having those problems and/or needing to seek out help all the time. As far as math goes, I'll never use those equations for anything other than a test, which I will take once or twice (midterm/final) just for a grade. If I was an engineer, I would probably be using a lot of formulas that would require me to remember them.
 

Phyeir

My only regret is that I have... Boneitis!
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Posts
5,551
Depends on what you mean by working in your field. If you apply it loosely, I did for two years. I worked part time in as an accounting tutor, which was frickin great experience. Every time someone came in, I had a chance to sharpen by knowledge of my field because instead of reading the textbooks, taking in lessons, I had questions from those learning it, so it forced me to be able to relate the material. While it's still everything in the academic sense, it really reinforced everything, plus the pay was pretty good for a part time job to boot.
 
Top