Day 969 of 1000
We often spoke about vocation when the kids were in Jr. High and High School. Our idea was that it was important to follow a vocation for love, but if that vocation was something like Business, Psychology, Sociology, or some other social science, then it would help a lot to first get a technical Bachelors degree in something like Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry, or some such with possible a minor or second major in the field of interest. That would be followed by at least a Masters degree in the social science or business. I have already talked about this a number of times because we are so thrilled this worked so well for Kelly as she has decided she wants to go on to a Business PhD. The concept was never really tested with Christian because he was technical from the get-go.
I said all that to lead up to this: Kelly skipped two years of high school to graduate with a Bachelors degree two years early from college. I repeatedly told her that is a really big deal, but it was always overshadowed somewhat by the fact that Christian skipped all four years of high school to graduate from college four years earlier than normal. So now something kind of cool is happening for Kelly. It turns out that most Business PhD students at tier one Universities got into the program by first getting an undergraduate degree in Business. Even if they knew they wanted to go on to a PhD in Business, they have to work for 4-6 years in industry so they can get accepted into a good MBA program. Only then do they start to apply for PhD programs. So typically, a student would be 22 years old when they graduate with their Bachelors degree. The five years experience takes them to 27 years old. An really good MBA program usually takes two years. So most of the people who apply are in their late twenties or early thirties.
On the other hand, Engineering PhD’s often start right out of their Masters degree at 22 or 23. Of course there are a good number of older students, but it is a lot more normal for engineering students to start their PhD in their early 20’s. Christian will start his PhD at age 18. Since Kelly is starting her PhD in Business at age 20, that means there will be a significantly greater difference in age between Kelly and her classmates than Christian and his classmates. In addition to that, their schools are 1400 miles apart. Kelly will almost certainly not have to deal with that overshadowing thing anymore!
Betty Blonde #103 – 12/08/2008
Click here or on the image to see full size strip.
I like to read the Thinking Christian 
Who knew homeschool would lead to something like this? My Dad bought me two brand new suits when I was about 30. I needed them when I moved from an engineering function to a sales function in my first “real” job that was something that more than just a way to earn money to get by. Neither he nor I could afford it at the time, but he did it anyway. Now, I get to return the favor.
I am dying to see how he looks, but the suits are currently with the tailor and will not be available until I leave on my next trip to Arizona.
I would love to buy some of this same stuff for myself, but I am still holding on to the illusion that I might lose some weight some day before too long. Well, that and the fact that I do not have any mone left after making all these big expenditures. I called my Dad and had a nice talk with him about it. I do not think he even remembered that he had done it nor how much it meant to me. He just always did whatever he could to help us. I really hope that Christian gets to do this for one or two of his own sons someday.
