A choice about my future

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:16 pm

When I started my education after high school, I originally went into Mechanical Engineering, with hopes of becoming a design engineer in aerospace or automotive fields. After 1.5 years of schooling, I decided I hated engineering school. I went to Michigan Tech, which is a very difficult school. I was very immature, and had no idea how to be a good student. My immaturity and lack of good study skills were my downfall in engineering. So, in 1995, I switch career choices and ended up in law enforcement.

Now, you all know I hate my job as a police officer, and that my passion still lies in aerospace and science. A few months back I decided to take the LSAT to see if I could go to law school on a scholarship. However, I still haven't taken that step just yet. My spare time is always occupied with science literature, science television, space travel education and aviation/aerospace learning.

Now, I could build on my current career by going to law school. Law school would be easier for me than most, given my background as a police officer. However, my passion will always be science, aviation and space exploration. Option 1 is to go to law school and become some type of attorney, a career that has great potential for six figure earnings. Option 2 is to go back and finish my engineering degree and enter the professional realm of my passion for science. Engineering also offers, at a somewhat lower level, the eventual potential for six figure earnings. Not to mention would only be obtaining a second bachelor's degree, and not a graduate degree. Plus, there is virtually no opportunity for a person in my position to obtain a scholarship to finish engineering. And it's likely that most of my previous credits will not transfer. Either option will take me 3-4 years of schooling full time, or up to 6 years part time.

Option 3 is to do nothing and remain at my current employer, with no potential for an increase in salary, very little chance at promotion (due to the size of my department) and 18 more years of boredom, malcontent and unhappiness. It's clear that I need a change. Option 1 (Law school) is more practical and has better financial potential. Option 2 (engineering) is likely to yield more happiness, but less earnings and more up-front sacrifice.

I just don't know what to do.

jo_alex · Post by **jo_alex** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:36 pm

Shouldn't you be looking for ways to combine option 1 and option 2? The best thing about studying law is that there are so many fields you can go into afterwords. You could become an attorney at an engineering company and be involved in their business, too. It's rare to find someone who can combine law and science. If you already have some engineering experience and with you keeping up-to-date with what's going on in science, you shouldn't have problems finding such a job. So, I'd say if these studies will be easier for you and less expensive - go for law.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:05 pm

Ideally, you go to law school, get the six-figure salary, retire early, and then go back and take engineering at your own pace.

Either that or you could try to become a patent lawyer. Six of one, half a dozen of another.

jo_alex · Post by **jo_alex** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:25 pm

Or air and space law lawyer. With probably less than six-figure salary.

DrunkenMaster · Post by **DrunkenMaster** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:52 pm

I'd say go with your passion, fuck the law. Now 2 out of the 3 friends I still keep in touch with from college are lawyers who currently hate their well paying jobs and are looking for outs, including going back to school to study something else. This definitely weighs in on why I say go with your passion.

I don't know the realities of your situation, what financial and social responsibilities you have. I do know that working towards a goal you believe in allows you to see many more opportunities in life than just working for a paycheck.

I hope for the best for you regardless of what option you choose.

Oh, and if at all possible, try and intern or at least talk to some of the people who currently have the job you want before you invest all of your time and effort in it.

Johnny the Bull · Post by **Johnny the Bull** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:56 pm

My old man knows a lawyer in the states who's sole field of work is investigating and claiming damages for, air crashes.

Seems like the ideal role. And there's tons of money in it to boot. Either that or you could do a law degree and work in intellectual property, biotechnology or some other similar field. Internal legal counsel at one of the big engineering firms like Parsons or Foster Wheeler probably wouldn't be too bad either.

And law school is a piece of cake, especially if you have a passion for it or a work history in a related field.

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Wed May 23, 2007 10:07 pm

If I go into law, it might be for an engineering firm or some such thing, thereby combining law/science. However, this is not the type of active participation (e.g. designing portions or spacecraft, working at NASA research facilities, etc.) I had in mind when I thought of going back into a science field.

The absolute last thing I want to do as an attorney, would be to fight off frivolous lawsuits, or file them, or be involved in lawsuits at all. I'm not big into coming up with policies to prevent civil liability, or anything like that. I guess what it boils down to, is that I don't want to be much other than a prosecuting attorney if I do become a lawyer. However, the patent attorney idea is a good one that I hadn't thought of prior to today.

But I think that being an attorney would just be a different career that provides a paycheck, rather than a career I can feel passionate about. But then, I do have some serious financial obligations (at least for the next 2-3 years), and I do need to be somewhat practical.

FlameBlade · Post by **FlameBlade** » Wed May 23, 2007 11:53 pm

go talk to Brasky. he's a lawyer.

WillyGilligan · Post by **WillyGilligan** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:02 am

But you can save yourself the trip. ""Fuck that shit. Just drive dunebuggies!"

Crazy Elf · Post by **Crazy Elf** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:01 am

Nah man, not dunebuggies. Drift cars. Fucking drive drift cars.

3278 · Post by **3278** » Thu May 24, 2007 11:57 am

Option 2. You're going to find many of the same personal and personnel problems in law that you find in your current job. Of course, it's worth noting that a lot of the frustrations you have are going to follow you to any industry that involves people; the secret isn't finding a new field, but finding a position around people who aren't morons, and aren't tied up with rules and laws written by morons. It's not easy, but I hear it's possible.

And engineering is kind of a pain in the ass, too. You get into the field because you want to design widgets, but when you get the job, they assign you to designing whoosits. Then you're told that not only do you have to design whoosits, but you have to design them according to principles you know for a fact are moronic. This is why every time I think about getting into automotive engineering, I back off: I know that just because I know there's a better way doesn't mean I'll be allowed to use that better way. The only chance I'd have of having an impact would be working for an Ariel-sized company, eight guys in a shed who will listen when I have a good idea, and correct me when I have a bad one.

But in terms of your interests and abilities, I think aerospace or aeronautic engineering is the field which would most make use of your talents. While I think you have a first-rate mind for law, ultimately, a lot of your potential would be wasted. And I think you'd just find your work more enjoyable. A six-figure income would be nice, I guess, but not wanting to kill everyone you see at work is even nicer.

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:39 pm

I think law school is more practical, possibly cheaper (if I score high enough on the LSAT) and has the potential for more money. However, I don't feel passionate about the law any longer. When I'm at work, I'm constantly daydreaming about other things (science, aviation, etc.) and my head isn't in the game. Not having my head in the game is potentially dangerous, since I need to be paying attention to what I'm doing when on the job. However, I still maintain high productivity and I do my job well. I just don't want to do it any more (I haven't wanted to do it any more for the last 4 years).

I think that a scientific/design type field would be more in line with my talents and desires. I just don't know if I can justify it.

Serious Paul · Post by **Serious Paul** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:24 pm

Option 5.

We go underground, and if you can find us, and if you can convince us, just maybe you can hire the A-Team.

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:18 am

Serious Paul wrote:Option 5.

We go underground, and if you can find us, and if you can convince us, just maybe you can hire the A-Team.

I had actually entertained that possibility.

MissTeja · Post by **MissTeja** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:54 am

G, man - this is all just my suggestion based on personal experience, but man - don't go to law school.

You like the allure of it, but law school is tough, and the first several years of working a shit job as a public defender or whatever position you can knab up may make you wonder if you're really in it for the long haul. I've heard its a lot like law enforcement, actually, in the respect that you really have to climb the totem pole over the first many years in order to reap many of the professional and monetary benefits that being a "lawyer" is often associated with. If you're not totally enamored by the subject matter, it's going to put great stress on you, your wallet, and your (to be) marriage. I would just hate to see you put all the money, time, and effort into something and six or seven years from now be asking yourself 'man, why didn't I follow my passion'?

Go back to school for engineering. You've got a little bit of background in it already. You know what to expect. You can pick away at it while still holding a full-time job allowing you to keep a roof over your heads far easier than you probably could with law school. In that time, you can research potential job opportunities, network with faculty, professionals and other students - and six or seven years from now, if you're not doing something a hell of a lot closer to your dream job, you'll at least have done the base required for it.

Whatever you choose is up to you, but remember a few things. First, money makes things easier, but it doesn't guarantee happiness. If you want fulfillment and satisfaction, you must pursue something you're passionate about. Secondly, make sure your fiance is on board. Changing careers and starting over from scratch can be a difficult thing, both financially and emotionally. You'll wanna ensure you have her unwavering support. Lastly, whatever you do decide? Go for it full force. Drop doubt at the doorstep. Your grades and performance will be far higher if you are able to attack the restart without the stress of regret.

Good luck with whatever you do, man.

crone · Post by **crone** » Fri May 25, 2007 6:55 am

I don't know you or anything, but it sounds like you know what you want to do. I'm not seeing the reasons why you don't just do that. Studying engineering isn't like selling the family home to move to Fiji to collect sea urchins. It's a pretty respectable profession.

3278 · Post by **3278** » Fri May 25, 2007 12:41 pm

As I said to couple of friends last night - both economically not doing much better than I - "So it's a choice between six figures and high five figures. Wow. I wish my choices were so tough."

Serious Paul · Post by **Serious Paul** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:10 pm

Knowing the good Uncle as well as I do, I suspect this was a multi purposed thread (As is his wont), but yeah sometimes it's not that you've got a lot bad choices-which doesn't make you wrong-but I do wonder sometimes what us, collectively, goof balls have to offer in advice that he'd value.