What Now?

[Father Demon]

The war in Iraq is a ground war. There is very little need for the Air Force in the middle eastern theater. When's the last time you heard of an airman getting killed in Iraq? Nothing recent that I can think of and not too often either. The vast majority of the deaths are soldiers and Marines.

What's the joke about the Air Force? They're the only branch of the military where the officers go to fight and the rest sit back and watch?

That's no joke...   that's one of the reasons I joined!!

[Phanatic]

Having collected mega amounts of perdiem on airforce bases all over the Pacific, you could do a lot worse. The saying goes that the airforce builds a base by spending all the money on Barracks, food, and entertainment for the troops, then runs out of money. Then they go begging congress for more money to actually put in the mission critical stuff. All the other armed forces stupidly build the important stuff first and then have to beg congress for money to build housing and shtein. That's why these bases have housing that is one step above a trailer park in some places....

[hbionic]

Cool!! The Concrete Board Advice Column. Surpisingly good advised from "bad ole" Eagle fans.  I think there could be a market for this... really!!   

....I have this rash....

[Mad-Lad]

Am I the only person that paid his way through college by himself? 

I paid my own way.  Unfortunately, i'll be paying off loans till the day i die.

[Rome]

Am I the only person that paid his way through college by himself? 

I paid my own way, Ed.

Unlike other folks on the board here, I would have gladly accepted help, though.  Working and going to school sucks because the social aspect of the experience suffers.  At least it did for me.

[Father Demon]

Am I the only person that paid his way through college by himself? 

I paid my own way, Ed.

Unlike other folks on the board here, I would have gladly accepted help, though.  Working and going to school sucks because the social aspect of the experience suffers.  At least it did for me.

I found that buying hookers in the Philippines was a great substitute for missing the social aspect of a 'real' college!   

[fansince61]

Have you talked with the professor? Or your academic advisor?

Hell, paying for another year is a no-brainer, especially if your parents have been footing the bill. And don't give up. Consider the amount of time and money that's already been invested, and at least have the patience to complete it. Once you get the sheepskin, and you decide you don't want to do it, then figure out something. At that point, at least, you'll have something to show for all your hard work.

Ditto

[Phanatic]

Cool!! The Concrete Board Advice Column. Surpisingly good advised from "bad ole" Eagle fans.  I think there could be a market for this... really!!   

....I have this rash....

The bottom just fell out of this business plan... 

[Sgt PSN]

Cool!! The Concrete Board Advice Column. Surpisingly good advised from "bad ole" Eagle fans.  I think there could be a market for this... really!!   

....I have this rash....

How many guys have you passed it on to?   

[hbionic]

Cool!! The Concrete Board Advice Column. Surpisingly good advised from "bad ole" Eagle fans.  I think there could be a market for this... really!!   

....I have this rash....

How many guys have you passed it on to?   

Unless you've pressed your chin against other guys...just you.

[QB Eagles]

Once upon a time I was an electrical engineer in my last semester who failed a course that I needed to graduate... the school either let me slide or simply didn't notice I was missing the credits. I never raised the issue with the school because of the possibility of the latter. I didn't know I had successfully graduated until they handed me a diploma.

I had already decided long before that electrical engineering was not for me and spent my last couple years at college just going through the motions in a half-assed manner. After graduation, I took out huge loans and changed my career path completely. Since then I've been successful and am pretty happy with where I am today.

The two things I would suggest to you are

1) Calm the hell down. Your situation really isn't that bad. If you need some extra time at school, you can always get loans at reduced rates. A lot of people work during school or take out student loans (I did both); you've had it pretty easy if your parents have been paying your whole way. Your degree will be worth many times any loan you take out so don't be afraid of taking on a little debt.

From a broader perspective, unless you've been filled with a desire to do a certain job your whole life, your career will not be the end-all or be-all of your existence. Very likely, there are many jobs you'd be happy doing (or none!), and a bumpy path might be what it takes to wind up making a change for the better. There's no harm or shame at trying quite a few different jobs at this point in your life. You're not locked into a pathway for eternity.

2) Ask yourself how much you really want to be an electrical engineer. If the answer is a lot, tell your professor and the career people at Purdue your situation, and you might find your problem isn't nearly as insurmountable as you thought. Professors seem to be especially understanding when you are working in a group and one guy is just dogging it.

If this situation is just making you think more generally about your future, don't feel you're locked into being an electrical engineer. Electrical engineers end up in jobs from banking to programming to managerial positions. Don't feel trapped.

[SD_Eagle5]

As far as the 'get an education while on Active Duty' talk its not impossible as long as you're not part of a deployable unit. I only took one college course my first 4 years in the Navy (which were all on a ship), next 3 years I knocked out my Associate's degree -- because Shore Duty is the shtein.   Good thing is the Navy flipped the bill for the classes I was taking while on Active, when I'm out I'll have the G.I. Bill at my disposal.