im kinda almost maybe in the beginning of enviro sci. Aren't there tons of jobs in geology? I saw an article about it once.

Originally Posted by Souldier

Isn't Mac's MBA program which you can enter straight after undergrad a co-op program? So you alternate school terms with work terms and gain work experience.

Co-op for the mac MBA is dependent on you getting a position,not guaranteed.I know people that went without co-op for more than one term. MBA is a bad idea for new grads, I think wait 10 years when you get work experience and then do it. Sadly I think lot of recent grads get sucked into doing an MBA cause schools market the programs good. But dont tell you the horror of no work experience and an MBA.

Originally Posted by Souldier

Isn't Mac's MBA program which you can enter straight after undergrad a co-op program? So you alternate school terms with work terms and gain work experience.

Their program is twenty four months of which half are work terms. Twelve months of total work experience doesn't amount to much in the real world, especially because it isn't consecutive work. It takes most people around a month to adjust to their jobs, so that means they have two months of "learning" experience.

If I was an employer looking to hire for a management position, I'd likely choose the person with five years of work experience in management rather than an MBA grad, since the former would have so much more experience in the working world.

Originally Posted by Souldier

Isn't Mac's MBA program which you can enter straight after undergrad a co-op program? So you alternate school terms with work terms and gain work experience.

It's a co-op program, but as Danielle said, the value of three 4 month co-ops is not nearly as high as the value of one 12 month co-op. There are many employers who recruit in the Undergrad internship program in favor of the MBA Co-op program, as they can get students for 8, 12, or 16 months straight. I was on an internship, and 4 months in I was still learning how to do my job. If it had stopped there, I would have ended up being pretty useless to them.

As for waiting for your MBA, a standard guideline is 3 - 5 years of work experience. Many MBA schools will give you preferred status for acceptance if you have work experience, as opposed to being straight out of your undergrad.

Originally Posted by sinthusized

did you guys plan on doing the second degree while you were in undergrad?

Nope.
After being at Mac for four years, though, I've decided to become a professional student. Haha. This is my final year in my first degree, and I desperately want to stay here. I applied for grad school and if I don't get in, I'll be coming back for a second degree (which will take one year).

I actually have a really awesome job lined up for the summer with the government, and it's going to be great experience. But I still want to come back to McMaster.

Originally Posted by Kathy2

Nope.
After being at Mac for four years, though, I've decided to become a professional student. Haha. This is my final year in my first degree, and I desperately want to stay here. I applied for grad school and if I don't get in, I'll be coming back for a second degree (which will take one year).

My reasoning is pathetic, I know.

I'm exactly the opposite! My dad offered (or threatened) to pay for me to go through the Accelerated MBA program, but I can't bear the thought of more school right now!

Originally Posted by sniderj

I'm exactly the opposite! My dad offered (or threatened) to pay for me to go through the Accelerated MBA program, but I can't bear the thought of more school right now!

Oh my god, I'm so jealous. I love it here.

I always hear that from people though. How come you don't like school?

Originally Posted by Kathy2

Oh my god, I'm so jealous. I love it here.

I always hear that from people though. How come you don't like school?

To be honest, I didn't mind school in my first three years. But then I went on internship, and a few things happened:

1) I made money... now I miss money
2) I realized that 90% of the stuff I learned in school either flat out did not apply to real world situations, or was so simplistic that it didn't capture the reality of the field.

So now, I sit in class, listen to profs, and have trouble caring because I know that I'll have to learn the real way when I get out anyway.

Originally Posted by sniderj

To be honest, I didn't mind school in my first three years. But then I went on internship, and a few things happened:

1) I made money... now I miss money
2) I realized that 90% of the stuff I learned in school either flat out did not apply to real world situations, or was so simplistic that it didn't capture the reality of the field.

So now, I sit in class, listen to profs, and have trouble caring because I know that I'll have to learn the real way when I get out anyway.

That's what I hear from most people too. I feel that way in some of my electives.

I think I hate the idea of working more than I love the idea of school. I don't like how, at work, you have to be there every day no matter what. Even though I don't skip school that much, I like being able to.

Originally Posted by Kathy2

That's what I hear from most people too. I feel that way in some of my electives.

I think I hate the idea of working more than I love the idea of school. I don't like how, at work, you have to be there every day no matter what. Even though I don't skip school that much, I like being able to.

To be honest, I was really concerned going into my internship, because I'm not anywhere close to a morning person, and I very much enjoy skipping class. But I found that it was a lot easier than I thought it would be to get into the swing of it, and ended up loving it. (For me most part... there are always times where you just don't wanna be there)

The only thing that makes an MBA more useful in my mind just out of university if it is some sort of joint degree. For example if you're heading into law and want a focus on business law, it's useful to make the degree 4 years instead of three and get the MBA - that puts you above other candidates. However, if it's just getting an MBA to go into business, it's not the most useful.

Originally Posted by sniderj

To be honest, I was really concerned going into my internship, because I'm not anywhere close to a morning person, and I very much enjoy skipping class. But I found that it was a lot easier than I thought it would be to get into the swing of it, and ended up loving it. (For me most part... there are always times where you just don't wanna be there)

That's what I'm thinking too. If I enjoy it, it won't be difficult to go to.

Can I ask where your internship was and how you found out about it?

Originally Posted by Kathy2

That's what I'm thinking too. If I enjoy it, it won't be difficult to go to.

Can I ask where your internship was and how you found out about it?

Of course you can! It was at a company called ElectroMotive in London (Ontario). They manufacture locomotives. I worked in the accounting department. I found out about it trough the Commerce Internship Program. Around January they put up all the postings for Commerce students interested in going on internship.

Originally Posted by sniderj

Of course you can! It was at a company called ElectroMotive in London (Ontario). They manufacture locomotives. I worked in the accounting department. I found out about it trough the Commerce Internship Program. Around January they put up all the postings for Commerce students interested in going on internship.

Okay, thanks.

Be careful with an advanced degree (any field). You risk trapping yourself in a very undesirable position: You are overqualified for entry level jobs, but don't have the experienced for advanced positions. You might find that no one will hire you, I've encountered a couple of people in this position.

Basically you have NO experience and know little more than an undergrad (practically speaking), but your degree commands a higher pay.

There are jobs out there. It's never easy to find a job, don't use the big bad economy as an excuse. Keep searching!

Or just be incredibly lucky like myself and get a job over the summer halfway through your degree, get them to like you a lot, and then be asked to stay with them after you graduate