# College...Yikes...HELP....Chemist?



## Teal (Oct 7, 2014)

So im a senior in highschool and ive been looking up degrees, bachelors, masters, phd's, grad schools, UGH SO MUCH, and it adds stress and stress because just when i feel like i found something i feel like there are 10 negatives about it and how the field is overpopulated or its extremely competitive 

Does anyone here have a bachelors in chemistry or another science and are you doing fine in life? what was your first job? what was the salary like? what is your salary now like? are you happy? what does your job consist of? 

I was looking into biochem but it seems nearly all premed students just take it so i couldnt do much w.just a bachelors in biochem, same with biomed engineering, if someone can prove me wrong or change my thoughts on this PLEASE DO, right now as i said im looking at a bachelors in chem, anyone with experience pleaseeeee comment, thankies


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## 66393 (Oct 17, 2013)

I recommend focusing your research on undergraduate programs. So much is going to change in your life by the time you choose to continue your education that stressing about and extensively researching masters and Phd programs is, quite frankly, a waste of time.


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## homuhomu (Jul 21, 2014)

If you haven't already, talk to your careers adviser, teachers, friends, and all that.

You don't need to stress about it too much. It's likely that most of the people around you are also unsure about what to do next.
What you end up going for first is unlikely to be what you end up doing for the rest of your life.


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## Alles_Paletti (May 15, 2013)

Teal said:


> Does anyone here have a bachelors in chemistry or another science and are you doing fine in life?


BSc/MSc in Chemical Engineering and yes, doing fine.



> what was your first job?


Process Engineer.



> what was the salary like?


Starting salary was ~2500 euro. 



> what is your salary now like?


A little more than twice that. 



> are you happy?


Sure.



> what does your job consist of?


Currently I'm working in Strategy, doing technology scouting, new business development, acquisition support, mostly. I worked 4 years as an engineer before that but I switched. Being an engineer was fun enough tho.


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## Stelmaria (Sep 30, 2011)

Teal said:


> I was looking into biochem but it seems nearly all premed students just take it so i couldnt do much w.just a bachelors in biochem, same with biomed engineering, if someone can prove me wrong or change my thoughts on this PLEASE DO, right now as i said im looking at a bachelors in chem, anyone with experience pleaseeeee comment, thankies


If you want to get by on just a bachelors, then I'd recommend going the engineering route. Actually, I'd recommend the engineering route for chemistry/biomed in general, because the field is oversaturated with those who took the BSc/PhD route who do not have very strong mathematical skills. 

Otherwise, if you want to get a BSc, then I'd suggest focusing on the applied math side. The key skills that are in demand are mathematical modelling, statistics and programming.


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## lizw47 (Jan 12, 2015)

Hi Teal!

Woahhhh. Chill bro.

First of all. Straighten your back, breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Ten times. Feel the stress moving out of your body. 

College is FUN. Lots of fun! Ain't nothing to be stressed about!

Do you know what you'll be eating for dinner tomorrow night? No? But you're in high school and you're already looking at PhD programs and Master's Programs? You are thinking way too far ahead and you are driving yourself crazy! lol. Look, all of that is at least five years from now. So much in your life is going to change between now and then, trust me. Concentrating on the here and now will relieve a lot of the tension you are feeling.

So let's talk college. I know everybody around you is making you feel like you absolutely have to know what you are majoring in, or the apocalypse is coming. Well... that is not true. At all. The purpose of college is to grow personally, learn more about yourself, have fun, find your interests, and figure out what you'd like to do with your life. At the end of those four years, you should have a better idea of what you'd like to do for a career. But you definitely do not have to know before you apply to college.

Let me explain it this way... isn't it kind of crazy to think that at age 18 you should know what you want to do for the REST OF YOUR LIFE? Ackkkkk! Well, you don't. College is a great time to learn, explore, take awesome classes, and get you closer to finding an awesome career.

If you love science, you should definitely take chemistry and biochemistry! Those classes will surely lead to amazing research and internship opportunities, and you may very well end up with a career in those fields. As for what kinds of fields? Well, the options are endless. I have friends who majored in science who are now teachers, who work at government parks, who work as environmental energy consultants, who are engineers, who work at TJ Maxx, who are in PhD programs... the options are unlimited.

Maybe my blog post on this would help. "What Kind of Job Can I Get with My Degree?"

What Kind of Job Will I Get With My Degree? – SWAK Pack – Sealed With A Kiss Packages

You might go to college and fall in love with science. You might go to college and fall in love with a completely different field! That is the beauty of college, there are so many different opportunities available to you. You really need to go in with an open mind.

Relax and enjoy your senior year of high school. Before you know it you will be off at college! Best of luck and you can always message me if you have questions


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