It’s a bit disturbing that 48% of poll respondents haven’t gone on to higher education but are working over here. Hmmm, 
does that mean I can conclude that a lot of people here are working illegally??
You mean 7% right?
46% would have gone for a different subject (that is kind of sad). Those can be assumed finished school.
+30% who say “went to and finished school”
and + 15% who left it in other.
That is 91% who we can assume went to school.
This poll clearly wasn’t a math major. Because 2% is missing.
Fairly happy with what I studied. Four years majoring in Political Science, International Politics and History, with a minor in English and Psychology. Lots of good times in those four years which I wouldn’t trade for anything. Also worked in the Intelligence field for six years because of my degree, which was also awesome with lots of good memories. And wouldn’t (legally, at any rate) have been able to come here if it wasn’t for my “little piece of paper”.
That being said, knowing mwhat I know now I would have done a few things differently. The six years I spent working back home would have been better spent getting an MA and PhD. For no other reason other than the doors it would open in terms of Uni work over here. But also 'cos I would really like to do that for myself. Currently I’m planning on doing just that through the University of South Africa ( unisa.ac.za ). Being distance education, and although they are well respected and internationally accredited, not sure it’ll be much help in Taiwan.
Maybe I’ll go back home oneday and do an MA or PhD back home, but not really keen on leaving Taiwan at the moment. Also have this crazy idea of doing an MA in Chinese in Taiwan sometime in the distant future.
Although I agree with Namahottie that a tertiary education isn’t necessary for success in life, it has been worthwhile for me. That and a thirst for knowledge and life long education that it has instilled in me personally.
It appears the poll truncates instead of rounds.
I enjoy my job (for the most part) and it pays well. Without a graduate degree, it would have been very unlikely for me to have gotten my foot in the door in the specialized field that I work in. Most job postings, in fact, require at least a masters if not a doctorate. I’d guesstimate that about 25% of those in this field have Ph.D.s, 60% have Masters, and the remaining 15% have others.
If I had to do it all over again, I might have decided to accept the offer to do graduate studies a snooty-university at Palo Alto instead of staying in Canada.
Shout out to those folks who have never felt like they have a “calling” in their pursuit to find a career. Me too.
Got a BA in English Lit because I didn’t know what I was capable of nor what I wanted, and a liberal arts education was supposed to broaden my mind. While it didn’t prepare me for any career specfically, it did teach me to love learning and reading. I learned the process of writing - though I wouldn’t say that I excell at it - which has in turn helped me to be a better reader. Obviously, I didn’t do well in the grammar portions of my English Lit. coursework. I still don’t know how to properly punctuate. When you see the dash/hyphen thingy, that’s often where I can’t decide how to punctuate properly.
I went back to school again, ugh . . . and studied nursing. I have a humanitarian streak. But fresh out of nursing school and working in the hospital environment as a staff nurse, I learned that was not the career I had envisioned. Loads of stress, and lots of thankless work . . . so went back got an advanced degree, and now I have a very low stress, well paid, if not boring job working for an otolaryngology practice as a nurse practitioner (don’t know if countries other than the U.S. have this, so for those who don’t know what this is - it’s education, training and certification that allow me to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician).
I wanted to work in international healthcare, but school doesn’t prepare one for that. You have to be young enough, and have the motivation to jump through lots of hoops to do that. You also have to be prepared to get paid way less than your counterparts in private practice. I just ran out of time - too old to do that now. Need to hunker down, pay off the loans, and save for old age and all that . . . .
Getting too introspective and perhaps a bit off topic up there. I am happy that I went to uni . . . and satisfied with the results. I believe I am more inquisitive as a result, and more critical as well - Critical in a good way. I am a better judge, I think, of the information that comes my way. Education has enabled me to see the framework/values with which I was raised, and lay down the ones that are bogus, and keep the ones worth keeping. And ditto to all the stuff Nammahottie said (nice post :bravo: ).
Bodo
Started on History, switched to Asian studies, hung on all the way to the MA (but we all do that in DK), and got a minor in Economics.
Studying was great fun and hard work - it led to jobs here, broadened my horizons, and was a great way of revovering from my hangovers as well.
Overall, I am happy with what I studied, however would have added bit more business seen in retrospective.
Had a half dozen undergrad majors: us history, biology, police science, environmental science, english…
Ended up with BA in English w/creative writing major; Masters in TESOL.
I’m satisfied, but I’d love to go back and study landscaping and economics.
Interesting. Seems like lots of us are English majors. Is that because a degree in English prepares us well to come to Asia to teach English and whatever else we do here, or it is because – as the old saying goes – an English degree is totally useless and will never land you a decent job. Hmmm.
I see 21% who either never went to school (or never finished), or who have another explanation. Why does this mean they are working illegally? Is everyone here supposed to be a teacher, or are some of us allowed to be QBE?
QBE?
Queer But Eligible?
Quit Bitching Enid?
Queen’s Best Escort?
Quiet but Exasperating?
QBE?
Queer But Eligible?
Quit Bitching Enid?
Queen’s Best Escort?
Quiet but Exasperating?[/quote]
You forgot
Quirky but Eccentric 
Just picked up majors I enjoyed studying. Realized my first year I would probably get a job outside my majors and was not interested in grad school.
So spent the next 3 years studying whatever was of interest to me, since I realize it was probably the last time in my life I would have academic freedom like that.
Even with the loans it’s all worth it. Since with the degree the opportunities for a high paying job is greater, making the loans affordable.
Some people teach legally with an associate degree (diploma) and TESOL.
And some people teach illegally at kindergartens (with or without a degree.)
QBE?
Queer But Eligible?
Quit Bitching Enid?
Queen’s Best Escort?
Quiet but Exasperating?[/quote]
You forgot
Quirky but Eccentric [/quote]
Er, Qualified by experience.
QBE?
Queer But Eligible?
Quit Bitching Enid?
Queen’s Best Escort?
Quiet but Exasperating?[/quote]
You forgot
Quirky but Eccentric [/quote]
Er, Qualified by experience.[/quote]
This is getting close to a thread split called “QBE what does it really mean?”
Namma, it really is Qualified by experience.
Mods by all means split this!
I was the first person in my family to graduate from college.
I wasn’t expected to become anything but I was expected to pay for my own education after 12 years of catholic school. I could have gone into the family business (The United States Marine Corps) but was heading more towards a career inside the California prison system for about 5 to 7 years.
I went to community college for two years and worked in the vehicle recovery field. I got top marks and moved into a 4 year university. I washed dishes and used grandma’s social security checks to get by.
I studied everything I wanted to and wasted no time because I was picking up the bill. Graduated with no student loans to pay off and work experience with a chance to get my repo/locksmith license.
I got a pretty good chance to study languages, cultures, history, science, philosophy, but nothing practical.
Cool I wondered who owned that! I thought it was G Bush Snr.
After nicking cars and stealing Grandma’s social I’m not surprised. If only we had all been so enterprising!
{please note this is a joke…never mess with a repoman}
Cool I wondered who owned that! I thought it was G Bush Snr.
They just guard The Whitehouse not the a-holes who live in it.
After nicking cars and stealing Grandma’s social I’m not surprised. If only we had all been so enterprising!
{please note this is a joke…never mess with a repoman}[/quote]
…who is an avid gun nut, martial artist, knife-throwing locksmith and an easily pissed off socipath.
Grandma was senile and had dementia and didn’t miss the checks.