hi guys
I need some advice from you guys. I am kinda confused at this moment whether i should join nursing program or go for MECHANICAL engineering. I am accepted in a associate degree of nursing in a reknown community college. it's very tough to get in, but i don't know how i made it. I thought it would be impossible to get in so I changed my mind and decided to go for MECHANICAL ENGINEERING in other university, but i drop in application for nursing, just in case. Also, I have already completed admission process for biomedical engineering in LSU. At this time, I am trying to evaluate which would be the best way.

some friends are telling me to go for mechanical but many refers nursing.
i guess the benefit of joining nursing is in 2 years I would be RN and would get job(guaranteed) and after that i can go for physician assistant( as i am planning). BUT if i go to university for mechanical I would graduate in 2 yrs which is the best thing, i guess. and maybe i might have to go for master, since i don't think i will be able to land a job. and keep working in gas station, as i have seen lot of people doing that.

So smart sajha communities, Can I please have your thoughts in this matter.

thanx in advance.

If you are asking Electrical vs Mechanical vs Civil vs any engineering, I could have something to say but Engineering vs Nursing, no comment.... it's worth less to compare, totally diffirent field....

hidne manchhe,

You are entitled to your view. I don't think I wrote anything wrong. Is Nursing in demand worldwide? May be. In USA, it is, because of demand shock. Now tell me, if some job pays you as much as 100K (according to a posting above), where job is guaranteed, where according to you there are so many futher opportunities and prestige, then why are so many people are not pursuing that degree? Is it so quantitative that people can't learn it? Why so many organizations are going all out in USA to encourage people to study nursing?There is such a chronic shortage that average age of nurses in this country has gone way up (because fewer young women are choosing that degree--you can just google for these info if you don't trust me) Isn't this country a materliasitic society where money is paramount?

I have nothing against any profession. You choose what you want to be, what kind of life you want to lead. If it makes you happy to take care of needy people, if you feel better when you help sick and old men, then nursing is the best job. Like I said, it is noble job. But you must understand the root of current demand shock in USA, and think whether it will sustain.

Plus, engineering and nursing are difficult to compare. At the minimum, engineering requires intensive math, nursing doesn't.

At first i was also confused, but i decided to take biomedical engineering...coz....bioengineering rocks..

My two cents.... I have a degree in engineering from a pretty good school, it wasn't really difficult to get into the program and I am happy with my degree.
However, this is in response to pire saying that it is not difficult to get into a nursing program. Do you know anybody who tried to get into nursing school? I know a few people who have tried and I know a few people who did not get in... tried a couple more times did not get in and then just got a degree in another field. This is true of both 2-yr and 4-yr nursing colleges/ schools. I think you need to check the "reliability" (as you put it ) of your information. It is really difficult to get into nursing school, and there is a wait in most schools.

To answer the original question of this thread, if you are in a hurry to finish school and get a green card and want assurance that you will have a job as soon as you graduate then Nursing is the way to go..

However if you want to take your time in school (4 yrs) and if you're more interested in it you should go for mechanical engineering.

Both of them are NOT dead end jobs. You have advancement opportunities in both and you will earn good money in both so I think it just boils down to how much time you have, and where your interests lie.

Good Luck in whichever field you choose!!

my ex gf's mom was a nurse and she worked 2 days per week, still she made $80k per year...

don't forget that mechanical graduates makes around $58k right after they graduate...


but yeah, career choice shouldn't be about money but rather be about interest...

I completely agree with pire bro on this matter.

For someone on F1-visa, and having look at the hardships of seniors both before and after graduation, Nursing might like the better option. And in fact, it is if you look into the immediate future.
But if you are really career conscious, Engineering is way better than Nursing in long run.

Crystal cracker you are right in something but not all. your judgemental statment" Engineering is way better than nursing " is false absolutely false. If you were nursing student you would not tolerate this. What makes you think that engineering is better than nursing? I know pire has very supportive statment that is relevant and true but not yours. If you ask the question which is best in long run, the answer depends on whether he/she is nurse or engineer. Both of them are satisfied in their profession and their answer always favors their field. There is nothing in this world which is best for the whole world. It is situational. I swear if you were here in USA in F1 visa and had an opportunity to study nursing, you would jump at least for the sake of getting GC.

I agree with sillygirl. I know the factors such as necessity and survival often comes to our immediate consideration. But what matters in long run is, what you love to do, what you have passion for, coz you are not talking about few years of working in these fields, as you might end up working for next 40 years of your life! So go with what you just LOVE to do...

Sajhakhohero @ Yale?

Coming back to the topic, while some might think that Nursing is a fairly inferior job, I tend to disagree with the argument that Mechanical Engineering is a better job, career wise. Like somebody already pointed out, reality check is the most essential thing before someone decides to seek a career. While getting into Nursing Schools have been EXTREMELY competitive , I know a LOT of women who were forced to wait for over a year before they got accepted ) , the scope for it is massive indeed. While I agree w/ Pire's statement, I completely disagree with his statement on Nursing being an inferior job. FYI, you're talking about an established Mechanical Engineer aren't you? Can you compare a well established M. Eng with a well established Registered Nurse and say that the Nurse is pursuing a career that's inferior? No!

Like I said before, Reality check is the key to solve the dilemma in here! I don't really know how high the demand for Mechanical Engineers is but I'm darn sure that the demand for Nurses is sky rocketing high and while a common American girl might hesitate to pursue this "challenging" career, there are tons of American girls desperate to get enrolled in a Nursing school. Green Card, Shit load of money, Respect ( yes Nurses are well respected as well ) , a good future versus a career that offers, highly reputable degree, white collar job (?) is what's lined up before this guy ( the originator ). I say, go get the Nursing degree dude!!!
Had you been a GC holder ( in terms of able to get loan/grants, no urgency to join the Grad School ) then you'd have lot less to ponder about but at this point, I can't see why you should let you opportunity of attending a Nursing school slide, especially with the shit load money that you're going to make as I stated in my earlier post!

P.S. I'm pursuing double majors , Finance and Accounting, hence I'm darn sure that I'll be needing some guidances myself in a short while.

guys can you suggest me the best nursing colleges in US?? of course it should be reasonable and/or grants good scholarship....I'm going to apply in the spring semester..please help

kasto afno aim nabhako manche hola baaaa....

Nursing and Engineering are 2 sides of man...how are you comparing these ??? It can never be compated....

I mean, they can never be compared...

ali logical comparison hunu parcha nih...

nursing is for girls dahling................
don't make misatake of studying nursing just because of $$$ and opportunity...
check whether if that is your interest else engineering gives you broader choice.

This must be the MOST abnormal and inconfident question that I have ever seen in sajha...

Well, as for the best male nursing school, I guess UT Austin has been ranked the best nursin school for male, donno why.
Regarding choosing bet nursing and Engineering, go for which ever field u r intereted in.
Dont forget nursing is diff in USA, I remember calling male nurse as " BHALE NURSE" back in Nepal hahaha but its totally diff. DUDE if I were u I wud go for it. Career wise, job wise and satisfaction wise since u r here, NURSING rocks. Though people say money doesnt matter, I'll tell u it does.
I was amongst the 1 who hated nursing back in Nepal, but I got acceptance here in one of the best NP program, I differed my admission n Im still confused, but I guess ill go for it. I myself come frm diff field n im confused hahaha.

Samrock.
Cheers for joining Mech Engineering. Like everybody said, Engineering and Nursing are two different sides of a coin. But of course you made a right decision on dumping Nursing and choosing Mech Engineering. According to wikipedia,

Nursing: Nursing is a profession focused on assisting individuals, families, and communities in attaining, maintaining, and recovering optimal health and functioning.

Engineering:The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.

That might basically clear your confusion which one is best, in comparision. Let me tell ya something even doctor profession cannot defeat the professionalism of Engineers. Doctor serve people but Enginneers serve people, country and nature as well.

Now based upon money and opportunity, I wouldn't agree more, Nursing is better than Engineering. Nursing has been a growing as well as to be demanding jobs in U.S. They almost make same money as Engineers and is more helpful on getting GC or H1 after graduating. But Engineering is definitely a hard ass subject, had to go through super intensive math, physics and problem solving skills. After graduation, you might also have hard time finding jobs because engineering jobs requiires atleast 3 years of experience to be able to get hired. As a fresh engineer, you might have hardest time finding job and if gotten starting from $45k whereas Nursing jobs are everywhere. Just look for it and you get one.

Nevertheeless, as long as you get Internship and little bit experience, Engineering rocks. It's way better than Nursing. As you worked 4, 5 years, You can be promoted to Managerial or Supervisor positions. One of my fren, a Mech engineer after working 4 year, is a Company Team leader/Supervisor and earning like $75k. Nursing never gonna go that high.

Last but not least, I would suggest you go for your own interests. Interests is the decisive factor that drives you ahead. For me, I was majoring in Computer Science but lost interest on it. So I decided to go for Mech Engineering. Had I stayed in Computer science, I would be graduating on coming fall but i still have 1 1/2 yrs left just because I changed it. So I would say, just pursue degree that you have interest on. Jobs and Opportunity will knock your door if you are smart and skilled. You don't have to look for it.
Sayo nara
Sirus_me

switch to architecture...

architect: LEADER...
engineer: follower...
nurse: assistant...

so you choose...

Sirus me? Are you seriously saying a nurse is NEVER going to make as much as a Mechanical Engineer? Do some research dude. Just because you switched to a Mechanical Engineering major doesn't mean that you can undermine the goods of a nursing degree. Like I said, In cali, a RN makes at LEAST 60 bucks an hour. That's 2400 dollars a week!! That's abt $10000 / month!!!! That's AT LEAST 100 thousand Grands a year?!?! I respect your opinion but you've said it yourself, a Nursing Degree provides easy options for GC, H1 , Money and so on while a MEchanical Engineer has to go through a shit load of stuffs, degree, hard work, internships, job hunting and such before being successful!

On a different note, yes , if someone is thinking about going back to NEpal then a Mechanical Engineering degree is FAR better than a Nursing degree !!

In my opinion, you have to look for more than one factor. In almost all of the above posts, money is taken as the only factor. Some people have brought prestige into it.

Here are things that I take into account: money, prestige, ability to serve/satisfy your close relatives or background. The last one influences me a lot than the first one. You have to evaluate yourself. Would you prefer money or something else in life. Considering other factors is very important because in either of the professions, u will make what you need to survive.

A question to you, as I ask myself at times: What will you do in the year to come if GOD comes to you and says that you have as much money as you want in your bank account ? For sure, first few months, you will spend in luxury, and other few months in charity. But after a year?

At that time, you need other category that would wake u up every morning. So in my opinion, you have to list all the things that drive you to hard work everyday. Give percentage weight to them. compare the two fields. Choose the better one. You will have some down feelings about the other one, but just remind yourself that the one u chose was the BETTER one.

what a situation. either of the options would be good to those who could not get into good major for whatever reasons. And here you are, admitted easily into both equally competitive ones, and still have a problem.