After months of research, I've narrowed my career options down. Before I make the final decision, is there anything I'm missing? (PCB Student / 2 NEET Drops My Qualifications: 12th Pass (PCB), 72% | Hi everyone, I'm a 19 year old PCB student from Maharashtra. I scored 72% in 12th and spent the la
Hi everyone,
I'm a 19 year old PCB student from Maharashtra. I scored 72% in 12th and spent the last two years preparing for NEET (2 drops). I've now decided to move on from medicine and switch to a different field.
For the last few months, I've been researching different career options and spending a lot of time reading online because I genuinely don't want to regret this decision later. Even after all this research, I'm still confused.
My long-term goal isn't just to get a job. I want to build something of my own someday. I'm not really interested in spending my entire career in the corporate world.
These are the options I explored and why I dropped some of them:
B.Voc Automobile Engineering – I was genuinely interested because I love cars, but I couldn't find enough good colleges with strong industry exposure. Most programs seemed to focus mainly on service and maintenance.
BBA Entrepreneurship – I liked this option a lot because of my interest in business, but my parents aren't comfortable with me choosing BBA, so I've decided not to pursue it.
After eliminating those, these are the options I'm seriously considering:
B.Des (Product Design / Transportation Design) – I love cars, which is why I'm leaning towards this. However, I'm not good at sketching and have no prior experience with design or sketching.
BCA (AI / Machine Learning) – I'm also interested in AI, but I'm not good at maths. I don't know how much maths is actually required, and honestly, it scares me.
My interests are:
Cars
Technology
Automotive Technology & Design
Entrepreneurship
Business
Before making my final decision, I wanted to ask people who are already studying or working in these fields.
Am I overlooking any better degree or career path?
I'm especially looking for something that:
Has strong long-term growth potential
Gives me the flexibility to start my own business in the future
Is suitable for a PCB student
If there are any underrated degrees, interdisciplinary programs, or career paths that you think I should explore, please let me know.
I'm completely open to changing my decision if someone gives me a genuinely better option with good reasoning.
If you were in my position today, what would you choose and why?
Please be brutally honest. I'd rather hear hard truths now than regret my decision later.
Thank you! ❤️
Jobadvisor
Good question to ask before locking in — and there are a few things in your research that I'd flag, including one that could change your plan.
The biggest thing you're missing: eligibility rules by gap year
You passed 12th roughly 2–3 years ago (two NEET drops). This matters a lot for design entrance exams, because they don't treat all "12th pass" candidates the same:
- UCEED (for B.Des at IIT Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, etc.) requires that you passed 12th in 2026 or are appearing for the first time in 2027 — candidates who appeared for the first time in their qualifying examination (Class XII) in 2024 or earlier are not eligible. If you passed 12th in 2023 or 2024, UCEED is likely closed to you. This is the kind of thing that's easy to miss when you're reading "eligibility: 12th pass, any stream" summaries without reading the fine print.
- NID DAT looks more forgiving — candidates who have passed class 12th or equivalent in any discipline from a recognised board are eligible, and it seems to focus more on age limit than year of passing. But NID's age limit for 2027 is born on or after 1 July 2006 for the open category — check your DOB against this carefully.
So before you commit emotionally to "B.Des," go verify your exact eligibility for UCEED and NID DAT against your actual 12th-passing year and DOB. If UCEED is closed, your realistic B.Des doors are NID, and private design schools (MIT-ID Pune, Pearl Academy, Srishti, Symbiosis) that run their own aptitude tests — these usually don't have the strict recency rule. This is worth confirming now, not after you've spent months prepping for a drawing test you can't actually sit for.
On not being "good at sketching"
This is a skill, not a talent you either have or don't. Nobody walks into transportation design sketching well — it's taught through observation drawing, perspective, and form studies, usually over 6–12 months of structured practice before the entrance exam. If you're drawn to cars and design, don't let current sketching ability be the deciding factor — let it decide how much prep time you budget, not whether you attempt it.
On "not good at maths" for BCA-AI/ML
Two separate things get conflated here:
- BCA admission — most BCA programs don't require Maths in 12th (PCB is fine), though some universities do, so check each shortlisted college specifically rather than assuming.
- Actually doing AI/ML — this needs linear algebra, probability/stats, and some calculus, at a level that's learnable from scratch with consistent effort. It's not JEE-Advanced-level maths. Your fear is about a vague idea of "maths," not the actual difficulty — worth testing this by doing a free intro linear algebra/stats course before you decide it's a dealbreaker.
That said, be honest with yourself: BCA programs vary wildly in quality, and a mediocre BCA-AI/ML from an unranked college won't give you much of an edge. If you want a real shot at building something in tech, the degree matters less than the projects and depth you build outside class.
A genuinely underrated path you haven't mentioned: Diploma → Lateral Entry B.E.
Since you're a PCB student, most Automobile/Mechanical B.Tech programs technically want PCM. But Maharashtra has a specific, well-established route around this:
- You can join a Polytechnic Diploma in Automobile/Mechanical Engineering directly in the 2nd year — Maharashtra's Direct Second Year admission explicitly accepts 10+2 with Physics/Mathematics/Chemistry/Computer Science/Electronics/Information Technology/Biology among the accepted subject combinations, so Biology stream qualifies.
- After finishing the diploma, you can do LEET-based lateral entry straight into 2nd year B.E. — after completing your MSBTE diploma, you appear for Maharashtra's MHT-CET-based lateral entry and join B.E./B.Tech 2nd year directly, and this is especially strong for automobile engineering given Pune's manufacturing corridor has Tata Motors, Bajaj, and Mercedes-Benz plants with established diploma-to-industry pathways.
This is hands-on, genuinely automotive, doesn't require PCM, is much cheaper than private engineering colleges, and gives you real industry contact early — arguably a better fit for "I love cars and want to build something" than a service-heavy B.Voc. Downside: it adds time (roughly 5 years total from here) and involves a maths bridge course you'll have to clear.
On the BBA-vs-parents situation
You don't have to fight this battle now. B.Des and Diploma+BE both keep the door open to entrepreneurship later — an MBA/PGDM after either is a very normal, well-respected pivot in India, and it'll likely be an easier conversation with your parents once you already have a "real" degree in hand. Don't let this option's elimination mean giving up on the business side of what you want — just resequence it.
If I were being brutally honest about what I'd choose in your position: verify UCEED/NID eligibility this week — that fact alone could reroute your whole plan. If B.Des (via NID or a private DAT) turns out open to you, and you're willing to put in 6–12 months of sketch practice, it's the closest fit to "cars + design + eventual entrepreneurship." If the design-school door turns out narrower than hoped, the Diploma → Lateral B.E. route in Automobile Engineering is the strongest genuinely-automotive option that doesn't fight your PCB background, and it's underused precisely because most people your age don't consider it after already doing 12th.
What type of career will balance my interests with a good salary?
I'm entering my Sophomore year of University and realizing I have less than zero interest in my current area of study- business intelligence. I'm the type of person who finds my motivation in how meaningful my work is, whether to myself or to the greater public. I find the following paths capitalize where I find meaning with things I'm good at.
Here are some paths I'm interested in but worried about as far as payout:
Neuroscience, Psychology, Biology (Marine, Environmental, Molecular), Law (scared of massive debt), Physics, Statistics
Here are paths that I like but doubt even more:
Philosophy, Poly-Sci, History, Art History, Fine Arts, English, Archiving, Forestry, Language studies, Photography
I don't mind pursuing a Masters, and know that for things like neuro it's necessary to enter the field, but from what I've seen even with extra schooling it doesn't pay off much salary wise. I'm not interested in medical school or anything involving analyzing data in a business role - I've been taking classes related to this and can't see myself pursuing it. Law seems to combine a lot of my loves (such as reading, writing, logic, essays, and politics) but I don't enjoy the idea of being 100K+ in debt. I'm managing my undergrad debt-free so far (yay!).
I love being outside. I enjoy both practical, hands-on work and theory. I don't want to be a millionaire, I just want to not stress too much about money and have time for my hobbies.
I know it's a lot, but does anyone know any careers (however niche) that have an expected good payout with the paths I'm interested in? Has my idea of my future in these paths been negatively skewed by others' bad experiences?
I'd like to say again that I don't see myself pursuing business roles. I like math and data as it relates to science, not finance, if that makes sense.
Jobadvisor
Good, this is a much more solvable puzzle than it probably feels like right now — because a lot of your "loves" cluster together in ways that point to some specific, well-paying niches most people don't think to look for.
First, a reframe: your "worried about payout" list (neuro, psych, marine/environmental/molecular bio, physics, stats) isn't actually one bucket. The pay problem is almost entirely in the pure research track of those fields (postdocs, academia, wildlife biology field jobs) — not in the applied track. The applied track pays well. So the real question isn't "which field pays" — it's "which application of these fields pays."
The one I'd point you to hardest: Patent agent (not patent attorney).
This is worth taking seriously because it matches almost everything you listed — reading, writing, logic, science, and no massive debt:
- You need a STEM bachelor's degree and to pass the USPTO patent bar exam — no law degree required. Many patent agents practice their entire careers without ever going to law school.
- Pay is genuinely good: reported figures cluster around a median in the $110,000–$150,000 range, with senior/specialized agents earning $150,000–$180,000+, and it's relatively rare and well-compensated because the combination of STEM expertise and legal credentialing is uncommon.
- The actual work is reading dense technical material, understanding how something works, and writing precise, logical arguments about novelty — basically applying "law-brain" skills to science instead of business.
- If later you do want the JD (to become a patent attorney, $180K–$300K+ range, especially in biotech/pharma), having a STEM degree + patent bar experience makes you a much stronger scholarship candidate — firms often want you and will help offset the debt fear you have now.
Biology, physics, or even neuroscience degrees all qualify you to sit for the patent bar. This alone might resolve your "I like law but not the debt" and "I like science but not the pay" problems simultaneously.
Other real clusters worth knowing about:
- Biostatistics / applied statistics in science (not finance): stats + biology/medicine/environment, without the "business intelligence" flavor you're rejecting. Biostatisticians work on clinical trials, public health, ecology modeling — solid pay (often $80K–$130K+), grad school usually funded (unlike most master's), and it's data-as-it-relates-to-science, which you specifically said you like.
- Environmental consulting / GIS analysis: if "love being outside" + environmental science + practical/hands-on appeals to you, environmental consultants (contaminated site assessment, regulatory compliance, water resources) pay meaningfully better than academic ecology, get you outdoors part of the time, and don't require a PhD.
- Genetic counseling: psych + biology + working directly with people and meaning, requires a master's (usually 2 years, well-defined path, not endless PhD grind), solid mid-career pay, strong job growth.
- Science/technical writing and editing for research institutions or journals: if the humanities-adjacent list (English, philosophy, archiving) is really about wanting to read, write, and think carefully, technical/medical writing pays notably better than journalism or general writing, and pairs naturally with a science background.
- Forensic science / crime lab work: biology/chemistry + logic + writing reports for legal contexts, if the "law" appeal is really about argument and evidence rather than courtroom work itself.
What I'd honestly steer you away from: most of your "even more doubtful" list (philosophy, art history, fine arts, forestry as a standalone career, photography) — your instinct there is largely correct. These aren't bad interests, but as standalone degrees they're weak on the "don't want to stress about money" goal you named. Better to keep them as electives/hobbies and let one of the above be the credentialed core.
Given everything you've described — meaning-driven, likes theory and hands-on, math/data around science not finance, outdoor time, wants stability not wealth — my honest top pick for you to actually research next is patent agent path via a biology or physics-adjacent STEM degree, with biostatistics as a strong second option if the legal-adjacent work doesn't appeal once you look closer.
If I’m a loser at 29, should I join the military??
I’m 29 years old. I graduated last year with a Computer science degree. 30k in student loans and I work at an auto parts store making $19 an hour.
My self esteem is pretty much toast in terms of social life, interviewing for tech jobs and other aspects of my life.
My little brother did 6 years in the army(he’s 25) and he has a security clearance at a job in DC and he makes 6 figures.
I kind of regret going to college because it didn’t improve my job prospects.
Jobadvisor
I want to push back on one word before anything else: you're not a "loser." You have a CS degree, you're paying down debt while working, and you're asking a smart, practical question about your next move. That's someone problem-solving, not someone failing. The self-esteem hit is real and understandable — grinding through a degree and landing at $19/hr while your brother's making six figures stings — but it's not evidence about your worth, it's evidence that your first move after graduating didn't land the way you hoped. Those are different things.
Let me actually answer the military question, because there's more nuance here than "join or don't."You're 29 with a finished CS degree, working while paying down debt — comparing that to your 25-year-old brother's six-figure clearance job feels awful, I get it, but it's genuinely not "loser" territory. It's just genuinely a rough job market stretch that happens to run parallel to a good outcome for someone you love, which makes it sting extra. Different data point, not a referendum on you.
On the actual military question — yes, it's worth a serious look, but the shape of it should look different for you than it did for your brother, because you have something he didn't have at 19: a finished CS degree.
Officer path, not enlisted, is the one to actually chase. If you enlist, your degree mostly won't matter for your starting rank or pay — you'd go in at the bottom like anyone else. If you commission as an officer, the degree is the entry ticket, and pay/rank start meaningfully higher. Age limits vary by branch and the info is a bit inconsistent across sources, but here's the rough shape:
- Air Force/Space Force OCS tends to be the most age-flexible for officers — some sources put the ceiling around 39, which gives you real room.
- Army OCS commissioning is typically required before 31–32.
- Navy OCS is often cited around 35.
You're right at an age where this is branch-dependent and time-sensitive — worth calling recruiters from more than one branch this month rather than assuming any single number applies. Ask specifically about cyber officer programs — with a CS degree, that's the lane that actually uses what you spent four years building, instead of starting over in an unrelated field.
The other thing worth weighing honestly: your brother's path (enlist, get clearance, land a six-figure DC job) took him 6 years of active service to get there. That's a real commitment, not a shortcut — it's a legitimate ladder, but it's a long one, and it comes with everything else military service involves (deployments, relocations, chain of command, physically demanding training even for cyber-track officers). Before you commit to that timeline, it's worth also looking at whether you can get a foot into the "clearance job" world through the civilian side: cleared IT/cyber contractors in the DC area sponsor clearances for degree holders in some entry roles, and there are relevant certs (Security+, CySA+) that make you more competitive for those without a multi-year service commitment. It's a narrower door than the military route, but it exists, and it's worth 30 minutes of research before you decide the military is the only way to that outcome your brother has.
I'd talk to an Air Force/Space Force officer recruiter and a Navy officer recruiter this week, ask directly about cyber officer eligibility at your age, and treat their answers as real data points — not as a verdict on whether you waited too long.
Should I apply to an internal position or keep my current position?
I'm looking for some outside perspectives because I'm a bit torn.
I'm currently working in an Assistant Manager role, earning in the high $50k range, while also completing my second year of a BBA in Accounting. I attend evening classes, so I'm balancing full-time work with school.
I've been with the company for eight years and worked my way up from a dishwasher position to where I am today. Overall, my current role fits well with my class schedule, but there are times when someone calls in sick and I'm the only person available to cover the shift, which can make balancing work and school challenging.
An internal opportunity came up that pays roughly high $50k to low $70k and this is a 10-year project. It seems like a good next step, but I don't meet some qualification they listed, so I'm not even sure I'd get an interview.
The bigger issue is that my current manager has previously told me they'd appreciate about six months' notice if I ever decided to leave/pursue accounting so they could plan for a smooth transition. I completely understand where they're coming from, and I respect them a lot.
Unfortunately, where I work, simply applying for another internal position usually notifies your current manager. I'm worried that if I apply and don't get the job, it could affect how they see me or make them think I'm already looking to leave. I genuinely enjoy working with my manager and don't want to lose their trust over an application that may not even go anywhere.
At the same time, I don't want to pass up an opportunity that could help me grow professionally and financially.
Should I just apply, talk to my manager first, or stay in my current role until a better position comes up?
Jobadvisor
First off, congratulations on what is clearly an incredible work ethic. Going from dishwasher to Assistant Manager over eight years while tackling a BBA in Accounting is no small feat. You should be incredibly proud of that trajectory.
It’s completely understandable why you’re torn. You have a great relationship with your manager, but you also have your eyes on the future.
Here is a strategic breakdown of how to navigate this situation, balancing your career growth with the respect you have for your current boss.
The Verdict: Talk to Your Manager First, Then Apply
You should absolutely explore this opportunity, but do not apply blindly if the system automatically notifies your manager. Because you have a strong, respectful relationship with them, hearing about your application via an automated HR email would be the real trust-killer here—not the fact that you want to grow.
Here is why this is the best path forward, and how to execute it.
Step 1: The Pre-Application Conversation
Since your manager already knows you are pursuing an accounting degree, they are already aware that you have long-term plans to transition. Your goal is to frame this internal application not as "I'm trying to escape," but as "This is an unexpected, perfect-fit stepping stone."
How to pitch it:
Acknowledge the 6-month request: Remind them you respect their request for a long transition, but note that internal moves often have flexible start dates or allow for a transition period where you can help train your replacement.
Focus on the alignment: Point out that this 10-year project aligns perfectly with your business/accounting studies and offers professional growth that stays within the company you’ve both invested 8 years into.
Ask for their advice: Managers love being mentors. Frame it as seeking their counsel.
What to say:
"I saw an internal posting for [Project Name]. I know we discussed a six-month transition plan for when I eventually finish my degree, but because this is an internal project, I wanted to talk to you first. I think this role aligns incredibly well with my BBA studies. Do you think this would be a good next step for me, and would you support me putting my name in?"
Step 2: Address the Qualifications Gap
You mentioned you don't meet all the listed qualifications. Apply anyway.
The "8-Year" Advantage: You have internal company knowledge that an outside candidate with a perfect resume will never have. You know the culture, the systems, and the pain points.
The Growth Mindset: As a BBA student who climbed from dishwasher to management, you have proven you are highly adaptable and capable of rapid learning. Highlight this adaptability in your cover letter or interview.
Step 3: Weighing the Risks vs. Rewards
To help you finalize your decision, let's look at how the scenarios play out:
| Scenario | Risk | Reward |
| You stay put | • Continued stress from covering short-staffed shifts. • Potential missed financial bump ($58k vs. up to $70k). | • High predictability. • Zero risk of upsetting your manager. • Easy scheduling for classes. |
| You talk & apply (and get it) | • Learning curve in a new role while studying. | • Major salary increase. • Resume-building experience directly tied to your career goals. • No more emergency shift-coverage stress. |
| You talk & apply (and don't get it) | • Mild vulnerability in showing your cards early. | • Your manager knows you are ambitious. • You get interview practice. • You signal to the company that you want to climb. |
A Final Reality Check on the "6-Month Notice"
While it is wonderful that you respect your manager, six months is an incredibly long transition period in the modern workplace. It is a request, not a binding contract.
A good manager who genuinely cares about your development will not want to hold you back from a significant financial and professional leap just because it makes their scheduling easier. If they react poorly to you wanting to move up within the same company, they are prioritizing their convenience over your career—and that is a sign that you shouldn't let their preferences dictate your timeline.
Go have that conversation. You’ve earned the right to ask for this growth.