Well, I got some stuff on my mind and need to vent a little and get some other people opinions.. kinda stuck on what to do here, but right now im currently doing electrical work for a company in downtown Boston I graduated highschool in '05 and went straight to working, I work over 50+ hours a week making alittle over $18 an hour.. im 20 now turning 21 in february, to be honest im getting sick of the electrical field I took it in highschool and liked it but its not what I want to do.. I'm not going to college as we speak but I would like to attend the local community college down the street its a 2 year college so I can transfer to Umass or some others after..Id like to become a Cop/State trooper I have some friends that are troopers and I've always had a interested in becoming one.. Now I have my mustang I picked up 1 year ago and still owe about 10k on it.. I dont pay rent or anything I live at home and just pay for car insurance, gas, and car payment I have about 15k saved in the bank.. and thinking I should just pay off the car and go back to school and possibly sell the stang and get a jeep and a bike with the money I make off the stang and from what I made off of work.. But I dont want to regret selling the stang because I truely love mustangs its been my dream car since I was young.. Its just the roads in my area are horrible and my cars lowered so it sucks + I only get to drive the stang like 3-4 months a year if that.. so this way with a jeep it be good for the winter/summer and + ill have a bike for the summer. So what you guys think I should do Sell the stang? keep it? get a more reliable winter/summer driver and a bike or just pay the stang off and keep it.. I know when the summers over ill be signing up to go back to school just want your guys opinions because im sure im not the only one thats been in this kind of situation before!! Id appriciate it!

 

do the same as jack said, cept buy a jeep or truck of some sort instead of the bike for the winter months/the rough roads.

 

Just my opinion here but. If you are good at being an electrician and comfortable doing electrical work, then you are in a very good field of employment. The demand for your skills will be high. You should consider learning electrical engineering. Most of these guys in my town are very well paid.. As far as Law enforcement goes, If that is your passion, they can make a decent living, but their salaries are kinda low in most states, for the amount of work and situations they are put in. Cops should be paid way more than they are I think.. Good luck, You are still young enough to have time to figure out what career you want.. Wish my son would do the same...

 

Cops around my area get paid quite a bit. They get a crap load of overtime. My friends fiance is a sheriff and one year he made over 100k.

 

ya, ive always had a fascination with cops.. ever since I was young watching the TV show "COPS" + I have friends and family that are a part of it so we'll see .. Maybe I'll be pulling over some of you guys for racing! haha, Nah id only pull over crapmaros and let the stangs go by..

 

yea that's where the money is to be made. ask him what he made w/out the OT. the bigger the city the more the pay cause ya gotta deal w/a lot of bullshit that's associated w/the big cities. sheriff's in my county start off at 36 or 37k. you def. don't get into this line of work for the pay or because it's a glamorized job. most ppl do it to make a difference or they love it. but anyways. stan, we're in about the same boat. i'm also in the electrical field, it's great if you make it your career, there is money to be made doin' it. and it seems that there is a lack of competant electricians out there. anywho, idk how it is up in MA, but i think you have to get sponsored to go thru the academy, i'd work on doin' that first off. do the agencies want you to have a 2yr degree in order to apply w/them?? what i'm gettin' at is the agency might have a program where they pay for your college up to a certain degree. try to get in asap so it's comin' out of their pocket and not urs.

 

lil secret...most of the guys you pull over are gonna BE cops...highway cop in ny once told me that the reason his job sucks is cause you set up a radar...test a radar...see a speeder..pull over a speeder...find out hes a cop...do that 10 times in a row and thats his night....for every 14 cars you pull over maybe one of em is a regular joe

 

I was looking at the reguirments online for the Mass state police force and it says highschool diploma or GED, also when I was reading the salaries to start out it did say that if you had a degree in criminal justice, law, or law enforcement you would get a higher salary.. also they do offer to pay for college upto a certain degree.. but ill look into it more and ask my friends more about it..

 

yea i'd def. hold off on the degree thing until u get on w/them so they can pay for it. and after u get it, they'll raise ur pay. did u find anything out if they have to sponsor you in order for u to go thru the academy?