What do think of quitting my boring office job to pay $12,500 for a 3-month bootcamp in Data Science? They claim people can make $90-120k after the bootcamp. I already make $120k (in a boring job) so I think they are right, but I am not qualified currently in Data Science.

I know you hate grad school, I got my masters in economics while working, but it was expensive, slow paced and I couldn’t spend that much time on it b/c I was I working at the same time.

I am taking Linear Algebra at a community college right now and I really like it. I just wish I could spend more time doing real-world projects, and then actually doing data science, but I feel unqualified for any junior data science jobs.

I can program a little and know statistics, which are the requirements to get into the bootcamp.

Are job-focused bootcamps as bad as grad school? Also, I’m in my late twenties, and I’d like to have kids in like 5 years.

I have a major question I haven’t the slightest clue to answer. I am a 22-year-old poor Puerto Rican who went to school for photography. (The worst choice I ever made.) Now I am in debt for said school which only amounts to my poorness.

How do I go back to school with no money? No SAT or ACT scores? I just want to work as a teacher. I just want to live my life.

I am in my late 20s and married to an amazing man. I have a liberal arts degree, and after much unhappiness in the workplace + a job layoff, I enrolled in a grad program. I love what I’m pursuing (speech pathology), as it’s much more rewarding and interesting. I’m an INFJ personality type, and the cutthroat business world wasn’t for me.

However, I am feeling very stressed about when is the “right time” to have a child. I considered this before beginning school but assumed I would figure it out, though I still have not. My ideal age is 30-32, and my husband agrees, but this is when I will be new to my career (I graduate when I’m 29).

I fear I won’t be taken seriously if I get pregnant in my first few years of work. I’ve also considered getting pregnant while in grad school and trying to “time it” so the baby is born after the degree is completed but before I begin working. I know ultimately no one can decide for us, but I’d appreciate any insights from you & your readers.

I’m a medical student in Ohio, and I have a question for you about networking. As a graduate student, I have had a hard time meeting people outside the medical profession who are doing unique and interesting things in their careers/life. I want to know more people who have a different perspective on life than I do and who push me to have experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise had. If I am networking for that purpose, what kinds of events can I attend or organizations should I join to facilitate that process?

I’m about to graduate in May with a degree in Psychology. Although I will be graduating Summa Cum Laude and had previous internships, I have not been able to find a professional job. My network options have been exhausted as well. Of course, I always try to network as much as I can, but I only seem to land high-end retail jobs (glorified retail position) based on my previous work experience. I live in a place that’s probably the country’s capital for hospitality and shopping. Not much else going on. I knew that I would need to go to graduate school if I wanted to thrive in psychology; however, I’m still not completely 100% sure if what I want is to spend the next 5 years trying to obtain a PhD in Industrial / Organizational (I/O) Psychology. I’m not interested in the traditional clinical path, I am interested in I/0 Psychology. Many people don’t know about it but it’s getting recognition. It is basically Psychology Applied to business. and I love it. However, I think that through professional experience I can learn much of what I would learn in school. My dilemma is going to grad school (and spending all the time, effort, and money) to validate that I can learn practical and tangible skills in this era of graduating with “useless” degrees or simply try to find a professional job in HR or organizational development.

I have a choice now between:

a) Going back to school for 3 years to get a degree in speech-language pathology – and the school I was accepted at is across the country.  What I would gain is a career that would be intellectually engaging, be in a field that’s growing (career stability) and be a in a field where I can take a couple months off a year to travel or do other hobbies (because I could work in a school district).  I really would rather work less with more time to travel, camp, hike, sew, and do other pursuits.

b) Stay at my current job which is ok.  I’m in human resources, but not all that successful in a corporate culture, haven’t been promoted in 5 years, but I meet the job requirements, and since I’ve been with this company so long I get about 5 weeks of paid time off a year.  What I could do by doing this is – pay my house off in 4 years, continue living 3 houses away from my sister, maybe start a little Etsy business in my basement, and my boyfriend lives here, so we could easily continue our relationship.  But as far as working until retirement — I don’t know if I could do what I do forever.

Right now I make 65K/year…and would make about the same working year-round coming out of school.  If I I can make $17/K a year while going to school, I could pay for college and out with no debt – but my savings account depleted.

I’m stuck because if I have to work for the next 20-25 years – I would much rather be a speech-language pathologist. But what I really want more than a career I love – would be to be married and have a kid – and I’m 33 so my clock is running out.

Any thoughts on what to consider?

My husband is one of those people who didn’t go to college. Instead knew what he wanted to do (become a chef), set a goal, and began working in restaurants where he moved from dishwasher in a cheesy steak house to head chef in a respected restaurant.
He then decided a more “regular” job would be better for us and him, and now is in sales. A job opening was forwarded by a friend, and one of the requirements is a college degree. This is a job he could do not only well, but excel at, and he’s done everything else on the list.
He seriously regrets not getting a degree, but I know from experience, and having to deal with recent college grads as interns, that a college education does not a productive employee make.
How does he get around this? Or work within it?

I am turning 22 and I have no idea what to do. I am living at home with my parents and four younger siblings. I am unemployed and have only worked a few odd jobs since high school. I have taken a few courses at my local university but do not have a degree, let alone any idea what to get a degree in. I was never able to decide if there was any point in going back to school without a real focus.

I also have no social life, and if I do actually have any communication skills, they’re overshadowed by my social anxiety. I don’t know what I’m interested in or what my skills are. I feel so ashamed of what I’ve become that I avoid contact with people in case they ask me what I do or what my plans are. I can’t discuss anything with my parents and often pretend to be working on things or I go to the library so they think I’m busy.

This has gone on far too long and I’m desperate to do something about it, but I don’t know where to start. Could you give me advice on what to do?

I’m an engineer with aspirations for making it to the top of the management pile at my 6000-person company.

Right now I’m in an amazing opportunity where I’m working directly with a vice president as his assistant.

How do I capitalize on this opportunity? What can I do to help launch myself from this point? I’ve done great things to get here, but I want to keep the momentum going.

My other question is do I need an MBA? Do you need a second masters degree to be promoted up the ladder? Or will my experience and abilities get me there? What if I want to move to another company, do I need an MBA?

Do you have any recommendations for resources on how to write a personal statement or essay for graduate school? I’m considering applying to a masters program but am at a loss on how to write a 500-word essay on why I want to pursue this program.