Re: Turning 34 this summer and I need some opinions..

Monty Hall wrote:
I need some career advice (yes I'll post to ieee and other sites but I want as much input as possible). I was a computer aficionado since age 10 (looking for the elusive video game), love writing code and was a dual comp sci/EE until I switched into Chemical engineering as they were hiring (this was the early 90's when even IBM was laying off - Santa Claus officially dead). I worked for Dow Chemical and then IBM so I could get into high tech (all the while I was reading C/C++/Assembly manuals and learning operating systems). Every chance I could get I would take on coding/automation/data analysis assignments and I did them well and was the only time I could find any job satisfaction. Most of the BS Chem. E. jobs are process engineering and process engineering IS basically babysitting (I've observered this @ Dow and IBM). Maybe I have attention deficit, but I just couldn't find satisfaction sitting around waiting for things to break - and fix - and I really didn't care for plant operating logistics to get into management.

There are a lot of other things that ChE's can do. Didn't you consider that you didn't like what you were doing while you were in school?

Then the plant closed and I was laid off (5 years w/ IBM). Immediately afterwards, I was able to do a consulting job w/ former colleagues engineering a RF multimedia enterainment system. I absolutely loved every minute of it from designing and building the analog transmitter to writting the code to operate the up converter. Spent 1 year on this job.

Last Spring semester I entered Michigan State's BSEE program, and then was accepted into their MSEE this fall. However.... my advisor threw me into an 800 level algorithms class and I was over my head (I had no exposure to discrete math - until now), I 3.5'ed the class @ the expense of my VLSI class which I 3.0(the algorithms class had very few points to score - I would have failed if I didn't dedicate the time that I did -the advisor presumed I had the background). Put out by the poor grades(I did 4.0 my spring semester- all EE core courses), I lost my assistantship for this semester ( I can give more details if needed). I decided to drop out and look for employment as a software engineer or some type of data analyst -- but I'm now regretting my decision. I need EE certification to do EE work.....

That one 3.0 didn't get you the boot, but it was a good excuse for your advisor to use. There are other factors at work. 1. Most faculty do not have much, if any, funding for MS students. 2. Money is very tight at the moment, so your advisor is probably feeling the squeeze. An extra MS student will be the first to be cut. 3. I suspect something else wasn't going right between you and your advisor or your project and he/she decided to "cut their losses".


I can technically return but I would like honest opinions:
1. I can apply for assistanceships next year, but should I continue even if I can't get an assistanceship?
2. Given the field and my age, MS or PhD? If I were fresh out of a BS or if I had a good feel for the employment playing field, I would probably go for the PhD but now I must think in terms of time and money and long term job prospects.
3. Would I be wasting money if I finish my BSEE?

Wait. You are going to for an MS while you are doing your BS degree? Somethis is a little weird here. Education for the sake of education is a waste of time and money. If you have a clear career path figured out, go for it. Otherwise, forget it. How bad do you want the job you describe below?

At the end of the day, I want employment - as an embedded systems designer, control system, or chip designer

Here are some big picture questions..

SHORT TERM:
1. Can I/Do I look attractive to employers w/ BS, MS or PhD? Given the bumps in the road?

LONG TERM:
1. From my observation, people in their mid/late 50's in the private sector are prime candidates for layoffs - will pursuing the degree pay out (15-20 years)? Does this mean work for the gov't?

or do I... THROW IN THE TOWEL:
1. Sorry M, but you look like an indecisive person and professional student.

I don't mean to offend, but you do look a bit indecisive. If you get focused this won't be an issue. If you get a PhD, you publication record will speak for itself.

Employers want the polished BS->MBA, BS->PHD employees. Hate for you to put in 2-4 years and come up w/ nothing as you're doing that now... I hear Fry's Electronics and Best Buy are hiring.....

You can be attractive, but you have to be better than the typical freshly minted student. We have some older students who have come back to school to do PhD work. One guy is really good. Everything you would expect in a mature student. He doesn't mess around, gets down to business and gets the job done. He is doing really well. However, if you go to grad school at this age and expect to live the typical grad student life, I don't think you will do well. People seem to have more of a tolerance for mistakes when you are young. As you get older, the expectations are higher.

Something else to consider, there are other universities out there that cater more to the working/returning/older student. You might be a better fit there than at a place like MSU, which is focused more on the high school to BS and BS to PhD type student.
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