Am I distracted? Deciding to switch careers.

[new vision]

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time poster. Little about myself: 23 year old living in Phoenix, AZ enrolled as a 5th year Architecture Grad student at Arizona State University. Been lost as of lately on what I want to do in my life. Architecture was my first passion, but now with the hard hits from professors and students I am learning that it's all subjective and part of the artistic side of the brain (right side?). All the hard work and dedication I put in just does not show through my projects, nor do I care anymore. I am coming to learn that I am a left brainer. I've always been extremely motivated but as of lately I have ran out of passion in this field. I am tired of the egos and I am tired of the bull**** that is architecture. It has become a joke in my life that I am not taking serious. I feel like I have fell into it and I am stuck but I am going to do something about it.

I took a year off in between my grad school to work in the "real world" and was that strong whiff of vinegar through the nostrils. Was getting paid 40k after bonuses, no big deal, to be a locked in a cage in front of a computer screen all day long. This is not how I want to live my life. With the economy tanking this career doesn't seem so dependable. Hence the housing market. So I am questioning why I am even in grad school for architecture? I do not get the prestigious 'Dr.' title. I know what I get... a glorified drafter certificate at the end of the day when they give me that receipt in two years. In reality all the hard work and pressure, and freaking out, and the time I put in, and the hair I've lost doesn't result in a thing. A measly 40k yearly salary with no room what so ever to expand on that... is it worth it? So I've been deciding maybe a big switch in careers where its technical and more of a science side of the brain. I like straight answers. So why did I choose optometry? I am not going to lie, the pay is attractive, but it is also because I love working with people. I love being around people and the work environment does not seem stressful at all. 3 days a week is nice if I ever decide I ever want to have a family down the road. Job security. Having a Dr. as a title. Something I can be proud at the end of the day and rest easy at night opposed to trying to find the answer of life as an architect.

Now my problem: I live in Arizona. No optometry schools. Having a BSD in Architecture means I have almost none of the prereqs accomplished. I don't know where to start. I like to take community college courses to get the prereqs down because it's an one on one environment that I can learn from. I've took a few lecture classes @ ASU where the teacher doesn't even know your name or if he cares and I don't care for that. I know that Community College is a problem with some Optometry schools so I dont know where to go or what to do anymore. A part of me says stick it out for another 1.5 years and get my Masters in Architecture. Another part of me says drop everything RIGHT NOW, and just contemplate on what I want to do. I know this isn't going to be an easy ride... and another 6-7+ years of my life... but I know it will be worth it. If I survived architecture I know I can survive anything.

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[Absolute Vision]

As a fellow non-traditional applicant, and career changer, I can empathize with some of your feelings. You should also ask other non-traditional applicants such as Ponderosa and RegularGuy (he's currently a 1st year student at SCCO) on their perspectives with respect to changing careers.
If you do decide to switch careers, I don't think the optometry schools will look unfavorably if you complete your pre-requisites at a community college since you've already earned an undergrad degree. Just make sure you perform well on your pre-reqs. If I were you, I would definitely do more research on a career in optometry. As you start shadowing different optometry practices and subspecialties, make sure you ask the shadowing ODs their perspectives on the profession. If you've already read some of the posts by the practicing ODs...they're really pessimistic. I would recommend reading SaveYourSelf's post on why he thinks optometry is not a career for him. However, you'll need to get as many perspectives as possible and then formulate your own goals and ideas as to whether this is a profession for you. Fortunately you're still quite young, so you have plenty of time to make your decision. Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[Eye]

If you're serious about being an OD, email or get a hold of whatever schools you think you may be interested in the future. Explain your situation, then ask if community college pre-req equivalents will suffice. It would suck if the school didn't take them, so no harm in dropping 10 minutes to an email and ask now.

 

[thanotoriousfob]

As a fellow non-traditional applicant, and career changer, I can empathize with some of your feelings. You should also ask other non-traditional applicants such as Ponderosa and RegularGuy (he's currently a 1st year student at SCCO) on their perspectives with respect to changing careers.
If you do decide to switch careers, I don't think the optometry schools will look unfavorably if you complete your pre-requisites at a community college since you've already earned an undergrad degree. Just make sure you perform well on your pre-reqs. If I were you, I would definitely do more research on a career in optometry. As you start shadowing different optometry practices and subspecialties, make sure you ask the shadowing ODs their perspectives on the profession. If you've already read some of the posts by the practicing ODs...they're really pessimistic. I would recommend reading SaveYourSelf's post on why he thinks optometry is not a career for him. However, you'll need to get as many perspectives as possible and then formulate your own goals and ideas as to whether this is a profession for you. Fortunately you're still quite young, so you have plenty of time to make your decision. Good luck in whatever you decide.

Everything is great until you said rad SaveYourSelf's post. That guys is just suffering from major self-esteem issues and only seems to care about respect he gets from others. If there is one good piece of advice that I got was that if you want to do something for the rest of your life make sure you do it for yourself and not to please anyone else.

 

[Absolute Vision]

I just think that if you're deciding to change careers you need to look at different perspectives even if they are positive and negative. Even if you don't agree with SaveYourSelf's post, at least, you get a different perspective. Honestly, I don't care if you agree with me or my posts. Yes, I'm a career changer, so if I decide to change my current career it's because I've done enough research for myself and my family. I have friends who didn't research enough on their future careers and are now complaining and regretting just like SaveYourSelf. At least he is trying to pursue a 2nd career in law. Anyways, whatever makes you happy. I'm confident with my abilities...I'm at the point in my life where I know what's important and what's not. My purpose for posting on SDN is to help other students or individuals if I can with my perspective or knowledge about optometry...whether they agree or disagree will be up to them.

 

[bluesfan]

I too am a non-traditional applicant. I understand a bit of your frustration about architecture, not since I am one, but because my husband is. He is currently taking his AREs and has felt really frustrated with the profession because of things like pay, arrogance, time for training to get his license. He is a residential architect so we are definitely worried and feeling the pinch of the current housing market. His boss keeps making comments on how things aren't looking good right now. We are really hoping that things look up soon since we are relying on his income to help with our expenses if and when I go back to school.

I currently work in public health and have been looking at going back to school for a really long time. I agree with previous posts that you need to figure out what is important to you and not to do what you think will please others. I know how hard it can be to find the right career path. It took me quite a while to figure out what I want to do. I'm 34, married and have two kids (4 and 2). I'm 10 years out of graduate school and I am finally making a career change.

As was said earlier, find opportunties to talk to other people who are in your same type of situation. Try to get opportunities to shadow, talk to practicing ODs and optometry students. And also, talk to people within your current program, especially any faculty advisors and professors, to get their perspective. Maybe your issues are just reawakening your passion for architecture or maybe it truly isn't the field for you.

Even though my husband complains frequently, at the end of the day, he still loves to draw and design homes. He has often said something about changing careers himself but ends up coming back around. When the economy and the housing market starts to look up, things will come around. Salaries in architecture are better for those who get licensed so that might be something to consider if you stay in the field. If you are content to work for someone else and never get your seal then you will also have to deal with lower potential for income. You will get paid more after having your master's degree but you are right, optometry certainly has more opportunities for growth and pay.

PM me if you are intersted in talking further. Good luck with your decision.

 

[StushOD]

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time poster. Little about myself: 23 year old living in Phoenix, AZ enrolled as a 5th year Architecture Grad student at Arizona State University. Been lost as of lately on what I want to do in my life. Architecture was my first passion, but now with the hard hits from professors and students I am learning that it's all subjective and part of the artistic side of the brain (right side?). All the hard work and dedication I put in just does not show through my projects, nor do I care anymore. I am coming to learn that I am a left brainer. I've always been extremely motivated but as of lately I have ran out of passion in this field. I am tired of the egos and I am tired of the bull**** that is architecture. It has become a joke in my life that I am not taking serious. I feel like I have fell into it and I am stuck but I am going to do something about it.

I took a year off in between my grad school to work in the "real world" and was that strong whiff of vinegar through the nostrils. Was getting paid 40k after bonuses, no big deal, to be a locked in a cage in front of a computer screen all day long. This is not how I want to live my life. With the economy tanking this career doesn't seem so dependable. Hence the housing market. So I am questioning why I am even in grad school for architecture? I do not get the prestigious 'Dr.' title. I know what I get... a glorified drafter certificate at the end of the day when they give me that receipt in two years. In reality all the hard work and pressure, and freaking out, and the time I put in, and the hair I've lost doesn't result in a thing. A measly 40k yearly salary with no room what so ever to expand on that... is it worth it? So I've been deciding maybe a big switch in careers where its technical and more of a science side of the brain. I like straight answers. So why did I choose optometry? I am not going to lie, the pay is attractive, but it is also because I love working with people. I love being around people and the work environment does not seem stressful at all. 3 days a week is nice if I ever decide I ever want to have a family down the road. Job security. Having a Dr. as a title. Something I can be proud at the end of the day and rest easy at night opposed to trying to find the answer of life as an architect.

Now my problem: I live in Arizona. No optometry schools. Having a BSD in Architecture means I have almost none of the prereqs accomplished. I don't know where to start. I like to take community college courses to get the prereqs down because it's an one on one environment that I can learn from. I've took a few lecture classes @ ASU where the teacher doesn't even know your name or if he cares and I don't care for that. I know that Community College is a problem with some Optometry schools so I dont know where to go or what to do anymore. A part of me says stick it out for another 1.5 years and get my Masters in Architecture. Another part of me says drop everything RIGHT NOW, and just contemplate on what I want to do. I know this isn't going to be an easy ride... and another 6-7+ years of my life... but I know it will be worth it. If I survived architecture I know I can survive anything.

My situation has some parallels to yours. So maybe I can offer some information that will help you. I am a non trad, coming from a business background. After school I worked in the business side of pro sports. Although it had great perks, the pay was much worse than architecture with 60+ hours a week. In addition to that the employees had bigger egos than the athletes, and there was a ton of politics involved. After that spent 5 years in finance. Didn't like being behind a desk all day, ect, ect.

Like you, this led me to look into health care careers. Because of academic backgrounds like ours, it takes some time to take the pre-reqs + additional science classes to prove your worth to the schools.

The first thing you should do is determine if you are committed to going down this road. You will need this commitment to get you through the long road just to get accepted, not to mention through OD school. Like others have mentioned, get as much exposure as your schedule will allow to determine this.

I can give you an idea of what it took for me (a non trad/non science background) to get accepted to OD school. I have taken about 42 credits post bach degree in pre-reqs + non pre-req upper level science classes. The OD schools wanted more than pre-req classes to better compare my application with traditional science background students. I had to invest the proper amount of time studying for the OAT to ensure a solid score. There was also countless hours determining what each OD schools requirements were, if they accepted community college creds (some don't), local colleges that offered classes that I needed, figuring out work sched for living expenses, strengthening my extra curricular activities through research/shadowing/internship/volunteer work (Optom and non optom related), and keeping this all organized. For me the classes and OAT were much more stressful than undergrad, because you HAVE to do well and you cant afford many B's or a mediocre OAT, if you want to be competitive.

Overall it took me 2.5 years to get accepted from the time I started taking classes again. Although I had interviews, I was not accepted the first year I applied (b/c of lack of non pre-req science classes), but was the 2nd time around. This 2.5 yrs included working/getting married/refurbing my house. So it could be done quicker, but you will be busy.

Like I said earlier you will need to be motivated to get through the adversity that being a non trad/non science student will bring. If you have a stellar undergrad GPA, you may not need as many non pre-req classes as me, so that could work in your favor.

In summary, as tough as it is to do this, I feel that it is MUCH HARDER to go to work everyday for the rest of your life in a career that you don't like. So for me it has been worth it. Despite all of the negative aspects of this career, I expect to be happy after I graduate as well because I will be doing something that I enjoy. Optometrists are not alone, MDs/Podiatrists/Vet Meds/others, have many problems to deal with too. Find out if you are passionate about optometry and go from there. Hope this helps you, PM me if you have any specific questions.

 

[KHE]

Everything is great until you said rad SaveYourSelf's post. That guys is just suffering from major self-esteem issues and only seems to care about respect he gets from others. If there is one good piece of advice that I got was that if you want to do something for the rest of your life make sure you do it for yourself and not to please anyone else.

I don't really agree with that. 90% of what that poster said was in fact true. Yes, he or she did not present it in the most rational way, but factually it was basically correct. People need to understand that before committing to optometry. Fact is, 99% of you are not going to end up working in and/or owning a Guggenheim type optometric practice with a waiting room stuffed with cool and interesting ocular pathology and a multitude of patients willing to fall all overthemselves and throw money at you to partake of your unending expertise. This all, in spite of the image the AOA gives.

 

[optometristan]

Now my problem: I live in Arizona. No optometry schools.

Don't know if you've read about this or not, or if it'd be any help to
you... http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/06/04/story5.html

Edit: Sorry, this may be a better link http://www.midwestern.edu/AZCOPT/

 

[Oogilily]

So why did I choose optometry? I am not going to lie, the pay is attractive, but it is also because I love working with people. I love being around people and the work environment does not seem stressful at all. 3 days a week is nice if I ever decide I ever want to have a family down the road. Job security. Having a Dr. as a title. Something I can be proud at the end of the day and rest easy at night opposed to trying to find the answer of life as an architect.

I wouldn't be expecting a six figure salary right out of optometry school. It takes a lot of hard work to get to that point. Also, working only 3 days a week doesn't happen very often. That might only happen as an exception to those practices that happen to be making a lot of money. Also, I wouldn't expect to start up right into your own private practice. That is getting harder and harder to do. It really depends on where you want to practice. I recently talked to a doc that practices in Arizona, and she told us to practice somewhere else because the state of optometry in Arizona is looking a little grim. I didn't get all the details, but I would find out about that.

I guess my point is. Just don't look up stats online to see what this career is all about. Go and shadow doctors in the area where you want to practice. Find out what the career is really about before you decide to do it. Because I will tell you this, Opt school is VERY hard and it is a ton of work. It is a giant time investment and it is very expensive. Make sure this is what you want to do for sure before you invest in it.