Aquatic college degree?

[Fishermoe14]

your lucky if you get a full ride on fafsa alone, however you must not be going to a big school because typically fafsa covers only 5k a semester. the whole idea of fafsa makes me angry, my family made decent money one year (father was around 75k, and mom and step dad were at 75k) however 75g's in RI is not that much, and my mom is so backwards in debt that neither of them have anything to show for it. Because on paper they make a decent amount of money, they in no way had 6 grand laying around to help me pay for school, and they don't consider you an independent student until after the age of 21. I simply see this as a way the poor make wayyyyyy to much money off of the system and go nowhere with it ( two of my friends would enroll in classes get there refund checks of over 2k, go blow it and drop out of classes)

i know plenty of people i go to school with at the university of minnesota that get a full ride on fafsa alone.... 6k a sem.. plus scholarships on top of that...


anyway... imo find a different major that you find more interesting than EE but at the same time makes decent money out of college... (50+)

personally i love engineering so i decided biomedical eng and will be making roughly 55k out of school only with room for advancement.. esp with the boomin medical industry...

i also think that making a hobby into a job will ruin the "fun" in the hobby... since you HAVE to deal with it every single day all the time it would wear on me and get to be more like a chore..

 

[honda237]

Meant for Zpet, Wow that was kind of a rude statement not know anything about me, fasfa does pay for a full ride when you don't live on campus which is about $4300 a semester not living on campus and you pay your own rent and all of your bills. Western Michigan university isn't a small school, atleast I wouldn't consider and the reason I get that full pay from fasfa is because my dad is so poor and without a job he actually had to pull his retirement to save himself, so my dad at 46 will never be able to retire. Michigan is a very poor state, which my dad was a amazing mechanic that worked at a dealership but when the auto industry crashed so did his job, he quit rather then fight with 5 other people over one job bbecause they merged companies.

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

and they don't consider you an independent student until after the age of 21.

In Florida, you aren't considered an independent until 24.


I'm going to school for Marine Biology and Fisheries, but am most likely going to change my major. 2 reasons: 1-Yes, it might be something I love, but turning it into a job, even though I love it, would kill the love (depending on what I do). 2- There's no money in aquatic degrees. Sure there might have been one or two people on here saying they can make money, but that's a select few. For the majority, there's no money in it. I thought about it, and If I'm going to spend my money and be in school for 6ish years. Ima come out a money maker. (accounting/communications/business/ etc..)

 

[Planteman]

man if you can survive off $30k a year and be happy, more power to you. i wouldnt even be able to rent a closet and drive a dependable car on a $30k salary

Thanks California...

 

[pupumole]

hmmm dunno bout salary n stuff yet xD not in college yet, and not even a part time job yet xD

but i did apply to UC davis's fisheries something major for the heck of it, i'd figure IF i do go there, i'll double major and take econ finance accountin whatever so fish is the fun part while the money stuff is the real stuff... but then i highly doubt i will end up in uc davis xD

 

[zpetrichko]

I in no way meant it as an insult to you Honda, if you are making great use of the cash and getting an education congrats to you, however there are alot of people who abuse the system you have to admit. I feel if i work my ass off get a 3.0 gpa and live with neither of my parents i should be able to file fafsa as an independent. instead i need to get loans and i don't qualify for alot of scholarships because a 3.5 is usually the necessity to get alot of scholarships. kudos to you for making yourself a better person.

 

[Superlaz]

Location plays a role in this as well. You can make $150k a year, and be miserable, you can make $30k a year and be happy. Putting the loves of life aside....There are places where a $30k a year salary will get you by just fine, and where $150k you may be having a hard time. It's relative.

Where some careers may payoff in the 'Do what you love' area....Aquatics degrees in general do not fall under this. I suggest, find a career you can see yourself doing for years, where you would like to grow in and get a nice check out of. Leave the 'Loves of life' as the hobby, the vacations, the benefit of the career you chose.

Real life hits you hard....Take advantage now that your in College to get your stuff in order.

 

[honda237]

I in no way meant it as an insult to you Honda, if you are making great use of the cash and getting an education congrats to you, however there are alot of people who abuse the system you have to admit. I feel if i work my ass off get a 3.0 gpa and live with neither of my parents i should be able to file fafsa as an independent. instead i need to get loans and i don't qualify for alot of scholarships because a 3.5 is usually the necessity to get alot of scholarships. kudos to you for making yourself a better person.

Its ok, i know what you mean, that sucks that you can't get it, but i do understand that people do do that alot which is bad and they should do that type of things. I mean i use it the extra money i get back(which is their mess up so they fixed it and i get some extra money), i still go to school and try. I am going to look in to accounting, i should be good at that. I know my gpa isn't very good with working 2 jobs, commuting, do the fish, and homework, it gets busy and tiring but the fish are worth.

 

[zpetrichko]

case in point, my roommate who came here said he was trying to better himself and all of that nonsense, just announced to me and my roommates that as soon as he gets his refund check he's dropping out and going home.

 

[ichthyology]

I have to add my 2 cents to this thread. Sorry if I am repeating anything that was said in the previous posts. As you can see from my signature, I am a college professor. I specialize in fish ecology and conservation. I conducted many research in the Red Sea and now am working in the Peruvian Amazon on conservation genetics. I also have purchased land to start a research institute in Iquitos, Peru.

That said, my decision to go to college for a degree in the aquatics. Sure, from the very beginning I knew i would not make as much money as if I would have gotten a computer degree.... But, there is truly something to be said of really enjoying what you do. What other job could I have that would allow me to go to the amazon for 2-3 months at a time, or to SCUBA dive all over the world.

I have lots of students every week e-mail me or come for advising in my office and ask me what they could do once they graduate. Well, job opportunities are endless. Depending on where you live there are many environmental firms that hire new grads. there are also museums and aquariums that hire people. if you plan your program correctly, you may also be able to teach after an undergrad program.

Granted....you are not going to be rich, but I have found there are more things in life than money....

Feel free to contact me if any needs any info about programs around the USA that may be good for you, your children, siblings, etc to attend if you are interested in fish/aquatic biology. But of course, I will tell you to attend my university!!!!