It’s unrealistic for *everyone* to become an engineer
for some reason, i see a lot of people on career guidance/advice subreddits advertising engineering as the “get rich quick, anyone can do it” major that pretty much anyone can do (and should do if they don’t know what else to do because apparently most other degrees are useless and/or a gamble) and like, sure, engineering offers some pretty solid salaries post-graduate, but there is a reason why engineering has such a high-drop out rate, and why it pays so well, and it’s because not everyone can do it. whether that be because they don’t enjoy math/physics, aren’t good at it, have learning disabilities, don’t care for engineering at all, etc etc., it’s unrealistic to say that everyone should do engineering, and nobody should pigeonhole themselves into a specific major or field just to make a decent living.
Jobadvisor
You have hit on a major point of frustration in the modern "career advice" ecosystem. There is a persistent myth that engineering is a universal safety net, but that narrative ignores the reality of cognitive load, burnout, and individual aptitude.
The "everyone should be an engineer" trope is often a well-intentioned but misguided reaction to a volatile job market. Here is a breakdown of why your perspective is not only realistic but necessary for a healthy career outlook.
1. The "Aptitude" Filter
Engineering isn't just "hard math"; it’s a specific way of processing the world. It requires a high tolerance for ambiguity, iterative failure, and systems thinking.
The Dropout Rate: As you noted, the attrition rate for engineering majors is often
around 40% to 50% The Skill Ceiling: You can "grind" through a degree, but being a good engineer requires an intuitive grasp of how things break. Doing it just for the paycheck often leads to mid-level stagnation and resentment.
2. The Opportunity Cost of "Misalignment"
When someone forces themselves into engineering despite a lack of interest, they face two major risks:
Mental Health Erosion: Spending 40+ hours a week doing work that feels like "pulling teeth" is a fast track to burnout.
The "Mediocrity Trap": A passionate graphic designer or a talented salesperson will likely out-earn a miserable, bottom-tier engineer over a 30-year career. Excellence usually pays better than reluctant competence.
3. The Myth of the "Useless" Degree
The internet tends to polarize degrees into "STEM" (good) and "Liberal Arts" (bad). This ignores the reality of the labor market:
Soft Skills Gap: Companies are currently desperate for people who can communicate, manage projects, and understand human behavior (psychology, sociology, communications).
Diversification: A healthy economy needs nurses, accountants, tradespeople, teachers, and artists. If everyone became a mechanical engineer, the market would saturate, and wages would plummet—which is basic supply and demand.
4. Financial Stability vs. Wealth
Engineering is a great path to a stable, upper-middle-class life, but it is rarely a "get rich quick" scheme. Real wealth usually comes from business ownership, specialized healthcare, or high-level sales—paths that require entirely different skill sets than calculus and thermodynamics.
The Mindset Adjustment
Instead of looking for the "objectively best" major, career guidance should focus on the overlap of three things:
Market Demand: Does someone want to pay for this?
Aptitude: Can I become better than average at this?
Sustainability: Can I do this for 10 years without hating my life?
If engineering only checks the first box for you, it’s probably a bad investment.
How to know if dentistry is for you and if it's worth the sacrifice
Hi everyone, this is a bit of a long story but I feel like I need to give the full context in order to receive the advice I'm after.
I graduated high school in 2023 and went straight to uni to study undergraduate Law at The University of Queensland (UQ). FYI Law is a 4 year degree in Australia and you don't need to do postgrad to be admitted as a solicitor.
I've never really wanted to be a lawyer or anything of that sort, but I enjoyed legal studies in school so I carelessly put UQ law at the top of my Uni preferences. I got in, accepted the offer, and started the degree in 2024.
I'm pretty neutral about the content of the degree. I don't mind it but I don't love it, so around May 2025 I decided to revisit my interest in being a dentist. FYI in Australia you can become a dentist with just a 5 year undergrad degree. For context, I wanted to be a dentist from grade 8 to grade 11, but never pursued it because I discovered I had to do the UCAT (an aptitude test), and I thought I didn't have what it takes to get a good UCAT. Back to May 2025 - this is when I impulsively decided to just book the UCAT and try and get into dentistry to fulfil my past interest in the career. I only had 7 weeks to prepare for the UCAT and I put in my all. I ended up getting 2160+725 and I was able to bring my GPA up to 5.8 (the 99 ATAR equivalent) so that I could be considered to getting into UQ Dent.
Unfortunately, offers came out last Thursday and I didn't get into UQ dent, but I was really close. I saw somewhere that they said you need to combined score of around 2950 (mine was 2885) and I got just 70 points under that. So I know if I try the UCAT again this year, I have a good chance of getting into UQ dent next year. I would've done the UCAT before and would have 6 months of preparation (if i start now( instead of just 7 weeks.
I'm just feeling really unsure on if I should do it because I'm about to enter my third year of law, and I know if I complete the degree I'm gonna end up with a good job that I probably would somewhat enjoy. My thing is, I don't wanna put in all this work to get into dentistry and have the same attitude towards it. Let's say I get into UQ dent next year. I'm scared I'll discover that I don't love dentistry but I don't mind doing it (AKA the same mindset I have towards law rn) or maybe even hate it. Sure, I can complete the dentistry degree anyways, but it would be quite frustrating knowing that: A) I put in all this work to get in, B) pushed my graduation date back around three years, and C) racked up a lot of extra student debt from switching degrees so late.
So yeah, all I really want is some advice on how to know if dentistry is for me. If I can come to the conclusion that dentistry will be more of a fulfilling career to me then law will, I'm willing to put in the extra work and time. If you've read this far, thank you so much.
Jobadvisor
It is rare to see someone so self-aware about the "grass is greener" syndrome. You are right to be cautious: switching from a high-status, stable degree (Law) to another high-status, grueling degree (Dentistry) in your third year is a massive pivot with significant financial and temporal consequences.
Here is a breakdown to help you decide if Dentistry is a genuine calling or just a "Plan B" that looks shiny because Law feels "neutral."
1. The Reality Check: Law vs. Dentistry
Since you are neutral about Law, it's important to compare the "daily grind" of both. They are fundamentally different types of work.
| Feature | Law (Solicitor/Associate) | Dentistry (General Dentist) |
| Physicality | Sedentary; mostly sitting at a desk, typing, and reading. | Highly active; standing/leaning over patients, fine motor skills. |
| Interaction | Heavily verbal/written; negotiation, drafting, and advice. | Procedural; short bursts of talking, followed by "hands-in-mouth" work. |
| Work Environment | Office-based; often high-pressure deadlines/billable hours. | Clinical; back-to-back appointments, immediate results. |
| "Nasty" Factor | Dealing with stressful legal disputes and paperwork. | Dealing with saliva, blood, and anxious/uncooperative patients. |
2. Is it "Worth the Sacrifice"?
You mentioned three specific fears. Let's look at the logistics:
The Graduation Gap: Pushing your entry into the workforce back by 3-4 years means losing roughly $200,000–$300,000 in potential legal earnings while you study.
The HECS/HELP Trap: As of 2026, the HELP loan limit for Dentistry is higher ($186,544) than for Law. However, if you have already used 3 years of Law funding, you need to check your Student Learning Entitlement (SLE). You are generally entitled to 7 years of full-time Commonwealth Supported (CSP) study. If you switch now, you’ll be pushing close to that limit.
The Emotional Risk: "Neutral" in Law might be better than "hating" Dentistry. Dentistry is physically taxing (back and neck pain are common) and can be socially draining if you don't enjoy managing patient anxiety.
3. How to Know for Sure (The "Acid Test")
Don't rely on your memories from Grade 11 or an "impulsive" UCAT success. You need real-world exposure before you commit to another 5 years of school.
Shadowing is Non-Negotiable: Spend at least 3–5 full days shadowing a general dentist. Don't just watch the surgery; watch the patient interactions, the billing, and the sterilization process. If the sight of a "bloody extraction" or a difficult patient makes you cringe, you have your answer.
Talk to a Grad Year Lawyer: Speak to someone in their first or second year of Law. Often, the degree is boring, but the job (negotiating deals, helping people through crises) is more engaging.
Reflect on "Hands-on" Interest: Do you enjoy tasks that require extreme precision? (e.g., painting, model building, detailed crafting). Dentistry is "surgery in a tiny, wet, dark hole." If you don't like tactile work, you will likely find it frustrating.
4. The "Middle Path"
You don't have to choose today.
Finish the Law Degree: You are almost at the finish line. Having a Law degree is an incredible safety net.
Postgraduate Entry: In Australia, you can finish Law and then apply for a 4-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) as a graduate. This keeps your options open and ensures you aren't "quitting" something you've nearly completed.
How do I make peace with the fact that ill succeed much later in life?
I didn't have an easy start compared to most people my age at the time, the fact that I didn't have a very good relationship with my family definitely made things difficult after highschool. While my peers were still living at home with their families long enough to graduate with their bachelor's degrees (or higher), get into good entry level jobs and really get their lives started before the age of 24 (most of them) I was living alone in a different state working and going to school barely making it.
Im 24 now and I'm still working towards an associates which ill be earning when im 25, bachelor's likely by the time im 28-30. Ive experienced a lot of setbacks and obstacles, ive often found myself needing to prioritize working over going to school just to make ends meet since I was on my own, and this only stunted my growth.
My boyfriend whom I now live with had everything he needed to succeed, he graduated with his BA at 21 and got his career started when he was 24 (hes 26 now) and while im happy for him, being with him only amplifies the extreme amount of shame and embarrassment i feel for where I am in my life at this point. While hes growing and advancing further, ill just barely be getting started and I find an immense amount of shame in that.
If I could start all over again, if such a chance could exist i would take it, I would do everything right if I could get a second chance, but thats never going to happen. Everyday I wake up knowing things could've been different, i could've been in a different position that where I currently am, i could've been like my boyfriend or a lot of my peers, I could've been so much more.....but im not and im deeply ashamed and saddened by this. I want to know what peace feels like, but how could I come to terms with the fact that I'll be successful when im much older?
Jobadvisor
Your feelings of shame and frustration are completely valid, and it's important to acknowledge that the path you've taken has been shaped by circumstances beyond your control. Here are some steps and mindset shifts that can help you find peace and come to terms with your journey:
1. Reframe Your Definition of Success
- Success is not a one-size-fits-all concept. It's easy to compare yourself to others, especially those close to you, but their paths are not your path. Your boyfriend's journey is unique to him, just as yours is unique to you.
- Focus on what success means to you. Is it financial stability, personal growth, happiness, or making a positive impact? Define success on your own terms, not based on societal or peer expectations.
2. Acknowledge Your Resilience
- You've overcome significant challenges by working and going to school simultaneously, all while living independently. This shows incredible strength and determination. Many people would struggle to handle even one of these responsibilities, let alone all of them.
- Celebrate your small victories, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Every step forward, no matter how slow, is progress.
3. Understand the Power of Compound Growth
- The setbacks you've faced have given you experiences and skills that others may not have. Life experience, resilience, and problem-solving abilities are invaluable assets that will serve you well in the long run.
- Success often comes later for those who take unconventional paths. The lessons you learn now will shape your future in ways you may not yet see.
4. Practice Self-Compassion
- Be kind to yourself. It's okay to feel sad or frustrated, but don't let these feelings define you. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend in a similar situation.
- Replace self-criticism with self-encouragement. Instead of saying, "I should have done better," say, "I'm doing the best I can with what I have."
5. Shift Your Focus to the Present
- While it's natural to reflect on the past, dwelling on what could have been will only hold you back. Focus on what you can control right now: your actions, your mindset, and your efforts.
- Set small, achievable goals for yourself and take pride in accomplishing them. This will help build momentum and confidence.
6. Embrace Your Journey
- Your path may be longer and more challenging, but it's also uniquely yours. The struggles you face now will make your future success even sweeter.
- Remember that many successful people faced setbacks and delays in their lives. J.K. Rowling was a single mother living on welfare before she became a bestselling author. Oprah Winfrey faced numerous obstacles before becoming a media mogul. Your time will come.
7. Seek Support
- Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling. Whether it's your boyfriend, a friend, or a therapist, sharing your thoughts and emotions can help alleviate some of the shame and sadness.
- Surround yourself with positive influences who uplift and encourage you. Avoid comparing yourself to others, and instead, focus on building a supportive community.
8. Find Meaning in Your Struggles
- Your experiences have given you a unique perspective on life. Use this to your advantage by helping others who may be facing similar challenges. Sharing your story and offering support can be incredibly fulfilling and can help you find purpose in your journey.
9. Visualize Your Future
- Take some time to imagine where you want to be in five or ten years. Visualize yourself achieving your goals and living the life you desire. This can help motivate you and keep you focused on the future rather than the past.
10. Practice Gratitude
- Despite the challenges you've faced, there are likely things in your life that you're grateful for. Focus on these positives, no matter how small they may seem. Gratitude can shift your perspective and help you appreciate the journey you're on.
Finding peace with your journey takes time, but it's possible. Remember that success is not a destination; it's a continuous process of growth and self-improvement. Embrace your path, celebrate your progress, and trust that your time will come. You are capable of achieving great things, and your future is bright.