BrutalB83

Yeah, just do your best man. In special cases I'll look at somebody's transcripts and see that they made an improvement in their grades near the end and take that into consideration when somebody's on the edge of being accepted or not.

daveholiday

Unfortunately, there's another flaw in your plan. Despite what you do, if you get your GED over your Diploma, there will be companies that will choose someone with a highschool diploma over you. Here is some truth: Most people, go to college, and end up with a career that they didn't even major in, even minor for that matter. How do they get the career? The hear of something that interests them, and they talk to them, submit their resume. The company takes a look at it, and says "Oh wow, they finished highschool, got their diploma, and then went for (insert major here) and got their bachelors! They have no experience in our field of work? That's okay, they stuck it through 18+ years worth of schooling, so we know they're reliable, so we'll teach them what they need to know."

Now, if you get your GED over your Diploma, that's just one more strike against you. That's one more thing the other guy has over you, and one more thing companies frown upon.

As far as opening your own shop? They don't make that great of money, unless you invent the Windows operating system, which unfortunately for you, has already been done. Owning your own shop requires a lot of responsibility, that as of right now, you have proven yourself incapable of handling. Not only that, but if you get in a body shop as a job, it doesn't pay shit, and you'll go nowhere. $15/hour, big whoop. I can be a nurses aid at a hospital without a degree other than a high school diploma, (not GED,) and make $22/hour. And then they'll pay for my school if I want to further my education in the medical field, but I have to keep a 3.5 GPA. There are a ton of companies out there, that will do this.

And I hate to tell you even more, but you'd probably make more as a manager at Wendy's than workin/owning your own body shop.

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93civicracer

I just said I'm going for the diploma.

And I've already said whatever I do is going to be in the automotive field, it's just what I want to do I have a lot of fun messing with the Civic and other cars, and my car needs some body work, and it seems to me that it'd be a lot more satisfying doing something I enjoy rather than something I hate to make more money. I've never done body work, so I'm taking a highschool course for it next year and see if I like it enough to go for it. I'd really like to learn how take all the little dents out of my car and line up all the front pieces, then spray it with a nice fresh coat of paint, and if I can do it myself it can feel very rewarding.

But I think I know where you're going with this. I think you're saying I should go to school for something that probably sucks ass to do like a pencil pusher's job that makes a shitload of money so I can have a whole lot of money then learn the other things I want to do on my own time, right?

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daveholiday

Almost, but not quite. I'm glad you decided to go for the diploma, good choice.

What I'm saying, is that there's not a lot of money in the automotive field unless you own a highly successful dealership, or make a new car that is a huge success. And there is a little bit bigger of a picture than feeling the rewarding experience of looking at what amazing paint you just did, what front end you just aligned, etc. Like my dad for example went to school and got his bachelors in computer science. He now manages a huge network for GEAE (General Electric Aircraft Engines) and makes aprox. $120k/year. I've talked to him a lot about his job, and if there's a couple things he's ever said, I'll remember these:
- Don't think about what you have to do to get you by, but think about the future at what you'll have to do to get your family by.
- Don't do your #1 hobby as a career, because chances are, when it's all said and done, it'll no longer be your hobby. You'll work hard all day, come home, look at your hobby, and shiver, and never look at it again as your hobby.

Sure, he sits in front of his desk most of the day. But his job isn't exactly "pencil pushing." He works in an area that he can't even take his phone to work because it has a camera. Sure, he'd like to work on cars, VW's particularly he says, but instead he chose for something that he can support both of my younger brothers, and my stepmom, so that she doesn't have to work, while buying her a brand new Volvo, himself a new VW R32 (06,) as well as a new Yamaha R1 every couple years.

Just work hard dude, like honestly. Don't settle for what will get you by. Settle for what will take care of you and your family and your hobbies. And don't let your hobby be your job because it probably won't be your hobby anymore. My buddy loved Honda's, so he got a job at a Honda dealership as a mechanic. He makes ok money, but he got so sick of them in general that he went and bought a Silverado.

Just think about it dude. I'm not gonna criticize you anymore, and I'm all out of advice.

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UNDR8D

You don't need any business training to open a body shop. Just common sense and an understanding of very basic economics, accouting, and time/personnel management. There are many small b usiness owners who still don't have that much knowledge, and they do ok.

Also, well said again daveholiday, there is almost NO money in the automotive field. Seriously, I have been involved with it for 5 years now, in part time and full time work. It't not really worth it.

BrutalB83

Sorry, I'm gonna thread-jack for a minute...

UNDR8D, in your other post you said you're working on an MBA. Two things...first, if you don't mind me asking, how much are you paying for tuition and other expenses? And second, doesn't that kind of suck to have a BBA and only be making $8 hourly? That would piss me off so bad, lol...I guess you're just more patient than I am...

UNDR8D

Ya. tuition is about $375 a credit hour, so, 3 cred hours per course, and the program is 15 core courses and 2 or 3 electives. I can't remember. The program is difficult, but is designed for working professionals to take two classes per trimester and finish in two years. I am trying to speed up the process by taking 3 or 4 per trimester, but also do exceptionally well in them, which is why I don't work more than part time. I'll take the financial hit now in order to learn. and retain as much as possible. Also, the area is extremely depressed so $8 is good to many people. Clearly it's not great no matter where you are but the dynamics of the job market here are such that you take what you can get. I am about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh, PA, where most of my classmates work, but I see what they go through working 50 hour weeks and always being late for class. I did that in my undergrad, taking 5+ classes per and working 40 hour weeks. I always had money but my school work suffered and now, I'm playing catch up on the things that I am expected to know as an MBA student. So, in getting back to the topic, even in secondary education, lack of focus can be detrimental. It's not always enough to just "have a diploma" or "have a degree"...

BrutalB83

Ah, ok. Thanks for the info man. Trust me, I know all about depressed economies and the difficulty of finding jobs. I live in Metro Detroit, where the economy is just about the worst in the nation.

I was lucky enough to land a decent job doing recruiting for the college I graduated from. I get a lot of nice perks working here, but unfortunately they're small and they don't have an MBA program yet, but one is in the works. I'd do it here for free if I could, but that's just not an option at this point, so I guess I'll have to start elsewhere and maybe transfer back here if they get their stuff going within the next few years.

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UNDR8D

That's pretty sweet. I highly recommend an MBA to anyone who has a business background. These days you need a grad degree to separate yourself from the sea of ba and bss...not that those aren't of some value.

BrutalB83

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm a step ahead of most just having the BBA, but I want to be another step ahead of that. And with me working full time, it might take a little longer, but I think it will be worth it in the end. I'll have my MBA and a good 3-4 years of full-time professional work experience.

UNDR8D

Ya, and the beauty of most grad programs is that you pay per credit hour instead of an outrageous amount per semester as an undergrad student, which makes it a lot easier.

93civicracer

Update on the Civic...

It fucking broke down on me about a half mile away from my house today on the way to work. Made me almost an hour late cause I had to push it all the way back, then when I got it home I checked everything out, it cranks, it's getting fuel, leaves me to check the spark plugs tomorrow and I'll probably replace the plugs, wires, if that doesn't work then maybe the dizzy. Does anyone happen know if the USDM dizzys for the d15b7 or d16z6 are compatible with the d15b vtec?

My mom pulled out one of the spark plugs while I was at work and it looks strange...it says "BOSCH PLATINUM" +4, has 4 metal prongs. I've never seen one like it.

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99sidude

well if you swapped an engine in and you didn't even change the plugs or atleast look at them, then you've got problems. I'd look at the main relay and the dizzy. Check grounds too.

93civicracer

Grounds are all good I checked them when it first broke down, and if you're talking about the relay down by the driver's side, I've already had to replace that with a good one I know that's working.

Yea that was pretty stupid not looking at the plugs...or even changing the timing belt and waterpump etc. I inspected the belt it's good. Planning on replacing the whole cooling system and upgrading some of it like the Mugen tuned thermostat and Spoon radiator, new hoses and claps, etc., and also the ignition system with MSD components so I can run a 75 shot of nitrous.

More than likely it's the plugs. Because it recently started having problems holding speed, and seemed like it wouldn't get enough spark until I nearly gun it to send enough voltage there to accelerate. Am I right? Plugs, wires, dizzy something like that it has to be it.

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99sidude

It could be the throttle position sensor. By the way, the stock radiator is fine for what your goals are. Upgrading the ignition is also unnececary as the stock system is good to like 500 hp. Don't do the mugen thermostat either. It will make your coolant run cooler, which makes the ecu think the car is still in warm up mode, making it run rich all the time, and possibly making you idle high all the time as well.

daveholiday

Thoes would be Bosch's highly unnecessary 4 pronged spark plugs that run at about a fortune a piece. Waste of time and money. NGK's are just fine.

93civicracer

Update:

Just goes to show you ALWAYS check the easiest shit first..I went and wasted $60 at Autozone on new stock plugs and the cheapest set of wires and put them in tried to start it and nothing. Then I tried to jump the ecu...and the cel wouldn't blink it just stayed on.

So I checked all the fuses and found out that the 15a ecu fuse was blown, replaced it, started right up. I also found that the fuse for the fan motor is blown, and for some dumb reason there was a 30a fuse in there instead of the 15a that's supposed to be there. I guess one of my friends accidentally put it in when we finished up the swap. Now I just feel dumb for wasting the $60. And I ALMOST bought a rebuilt distributor for $170 with a lifetime warranty.

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BrutalB83

Yeah, I actually e-mailed a guy from the university here and asked about all that stuff, and he told me the tuition would be pretty similar to what you're paying, and it's by the hour.

Looks like I be going to grad school in the fall!

Well, assuming I do well on the GMAT. Can you give me any insights on that?

Yeah, kinda sucks that you spent unnecesary money, but it's not like new plugs and wires ever hurt anything. Like you said, they probably should have been done at the time of the swap anyway.

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UNDR8D

I did not have to take the GMAT. If you have the appropriate prerequisites many schools will not make you take it. I was going to do the MA Counseling program here, so, with a business undergrad, I would have had to take the GMAT. Because I switched to the MBA, they didn't require it. Many schools, Harvard Business for example, will probably require you to take it regardless. I guess in the end it's up to the graduate admissions coordinators at the given school.

BrutalB83

Ah, okay, cool. Yeah I talked to the university here again and it looks like I probably will have to take it. I guess I'll be doing that this summer...

UNDR8D

ZOMFG gay! From what I recall it is a grueling exam full of general knowledge that you are expected to know as a grad student.

BrutalB83

Yeah that's what I've heard as well. It's not so much related to business, as just an exam of general knowledge and problem-solving skills that proves you have the ability to study at a graduate level.