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Ask Slashdot: How Should a Liberal Arts Major Get Into STEM?
An anonymous reader writes: I graduated with a degree in the liberal arts (English) in 2010 after having transferred from a Microbiology program (not for lack of ability, but for an enlightening class wherein we read Portrait of the Artist). Now, a couple years on, I'm 25, and though I very much appreciate my education for having taught me a great deal about abstraction, critical thinking, research, communication, and cheesily enough, humanity, I realize that I should have stuck with the STEM field. I've found that the jobs available to me are not exactly up my alley, and that I can better impact the world, and make myself happier, doing something STEM-related (preferably within the space industry — so not really something that's easy to just jump into). With a decent amount of student debt already amassed, how can I best break into the STEM world? I'm already taking online courses where I can, and enjoy doing entry-level programming, maths, etc.
Should I continue picking things up where and when I can? Would it be wiser for me to go deeper into debt and get a second undergrad degree? Or should I try to go into grad school after doing some of my own studying up? Would the military be a better choice? Would it behoove me to just start trying to find STEM jobs and learn on the go (I know many times experience speaks louder to employers than a college degree might)? Or perhaps I should find a non-STEM job with a company that would allow me to transfer into that company's STEM work? I'd be particularly interested in hearing from people who have been in my position and from employers who have experience with employees who were in my position, but any insight would be welcome.
Should I continue picking things up where and when I can? Would it be wiser for me to go deeper into debt and get a second undergrad degree? Or should I try to go into grad school after doing some of my own studying up? Would the military be a better choice? Would it behoove me to just start trying to find STEM jobs and learn on the go (I know many times experience speaks louder to employers than a college degree might)? Or perhaps I should find a non-STEM job with a company that would allow me to transfer into that company's STEM work? I'd be particularly interested in hearing from people who have been in my position and from employers who have experience with employees who were in my position, but any insight would be welcome.
Have an English degree, found it useless. went back got my BSEE, been employed as such ever since. short version, go back and get your degree.
Yeah, Microbiology to English to "STEM of some kind." Not a good sign of ability to actually follow through with anything or act decisively.
So, here's my advice, if there is something specific you wish you were doing, start doing it. Maybe by going for a degree, maybe by joining some freelance group (like the OSS suggestion).
If there is nothing specific you'd rather be doing, but you aren't happy with what you are doing now, check a psychologist, you might be showing some very mild symptoms of pending clinical depression. Even in the likely case that there is nothing explicitly wrong with you, they might be able to point you to a better "what should I be doing" test than the lame 12-question ones on Facebook. Once you have a goal in mind, you can get more useful advice about how to get there.