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For College: Money vs. Passion, what should take precedence realistically?
I have a friend who is in college right now. Freshman year, first semester.
He has a full-ride scholarship (with the ROTC Air Force) as long as he sticks with a technical major (e.g. Civil Engineering).
He wants to become a pilot or do something positive with the air force, but doesn't see himself doing anything in engineering at all. He says his passion (if the air force doesn't work out) is something like construction management...
He went to his adviser and there is no other option besides Civil Engineering if he wants to keep the scholarship money. It will take him 5 years to graduate and he will be swamped with classes the entire time, miserable.
He is considering dropping out of college because he doesn't like it at all (wants to get out as soon as possible).
How can I counsel through with him? I think college would be a good thing for him (he's first-generation) and he's a bit discouraged. I want him to get motivated but he is doing something he completely hates and as a result, he doesn't do the homework as well as he could .... he would be much more passionate and do much more work and learn a lot more if he did a major relevant to what he wanted to learn.
Any comments? Suggestions?
2 Answers
- RoaringMiceLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
If he wants to be an Air Force pilot, then sticking with his Civil Engineering major, and that scholarship, is a very good idea. He doesn't actually need to be a practicing engineer, or ever work in engineering - this degree is going to be what lets him be an Air Force pilot! How great is that?
When he comes out of the Air Force, if he wants to work in construction management, this degree will also allow him to do that. I think CE is a more flexible degree than he gives it credit for.
He also has an option I think he doesn't realize he has. He can pick a new major that's on the Air Force's need list, and speak to his detachment about changing his major *and* retaining his scholarship. This isn't an easy process, but it is possible - and certainly worth pursuing. Have him check this list of majors and see if any appeal:
- 5 years ago
Money. Because while you're working making money, you can use whatever free time you have on your passions. Until you can find a way to make your passion profitable, then you can just do that for a living. But to expect others to support you while you live out your passion is just plain selfishness, and all it will do is bring down those that are supporting you until they decide to stop, then they'll resent you for destroying their lives, and you'll resent them for destroying your dream. So no one wins.
