i take it you did not become a physician. if so, are you trading full time? if you were to go back, would you make a different choice?
Right. I may have made it sound too easy with my choice of words, but I thought it's obvious that you'd need competitive scores to score a med school and then work your ass off if accepted. For someone determined tho, that shouldn't be a concern. For 3 years work (residency included), you basically get a license to print money. Not sure how Obamacare is gonna affect it, but pretty sure dentists ain't going broke any time soon.
I saw an article recently, that current BS+ unemployment was only about 5-7%, and that those with only a HS diploma, it was near 21%. It is normally only about 2:1 in favor of college grads. What the heck do people without college expect to be doing for a living in 3 years? A few more million factory jobs disappeared, construction is in the toilet, it is near impossible to borrow to start a serious busienss (like restaurant, gas station ,etc.) and people with college education are competing aggressively for blue collar jobs - and most owners WANT more educated workers. Green jobs? They don't exist yet, and they will go to college educated mostly... Darned if I can remember where I saw that
Those with a BA/BS may have an easier time finding employment, but many are underemployed or underpaid. Some are better off with an $8/hr gig and no debt than $10/hr with debt and a degree. Employers don't want more "educated" workers; they want cheap workers. There are thousands of laid off construction workers, many of them with 2-year degrees who have completed 5-year apprenticeships with various labor unions. The contractors would much rather hire on a $10/hr Mexican for cash.
1. Figure out your edge. 2. exploit it. If you do not know what your edge is, then you might as well go to college kill some time... meet some girls and figure out your edge in college. do not just go along for the ride. go to college and intern for the worlds greatest anthorpologist and figure out how to get paid after you are done. or figure out how to exploit a new technology. When you have an edge you have a plethora of opportunity even in a down market. You probably should go to school in d.c. and intern with homeland security guys. Maybe become and expert in launching satellites and hope that sunspots in 2012 make you an in demand guy.
I ran a construction company awhile back. You want educated workers, especially with electrical/plumbing/complex stuff. There was huge alcoholism problems, and the more clear the worker's life goals the better. Hiring for cash sounds "good" until a competitor fingers you and you get the govt wanting to make an example out of you. "Mexicans" were rare around where we were, but you had a lot of "working under the table." I got permits, paid above the table, did not permit OT work, But it is a tough business to run when a lot of competitors are willing to risk the knock on the door when an ex-employee turns them in.
none, but awfully tempted. Had a number of new employees who told me a lot about some of them, though...
I wouldn't consider poking around in people's rotting mouths a license to print money..More like being properly compensated for a job that that a lot of people don't want to do. OP should go to college, just go to a cheaper state university to not come out with a huge debt load. Trading is not going anywhere, if you don't go you will wish you had some day just from a "had the time of my life" aspect.