Top 10 Reasons Why Automotive School Is Better Than College

Take it from a girl who's done both.

1. You learn what you came to learn. Period.

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None of this "well rounded" nonsense. You came to learn about cars; that's what we're gonna teach you. You want to be well rounded? Eat a pizza.

2. Classes rotate every 3 weeks.

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At my program, there's no such thing as waiting months for the semester from hell to end. You have 12 school days per class segment: 11 to learn the material, 12th day for the final, and then you are outta there and on to your next class. Can't stand the teacher? Hate the material? Your classmates are morons? No worries -- after 12 days, they go poof. Like MAGIC.

3. You learn one subject at a time.

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No color-coded schedules splitting your time and concentration to the breaking point. No piles of textbooks on everything from Accounting to Art History to Underwater Basketweaving. One textbook. One 12-day class at a time. That's it.

4. No homework.

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AMAZING, AMIRITE? Practically all work at my program is done in school during class hours. You can do as much of your own research or studying on the side as you want -- ooh, is that a whole youtube channel about cars? OM NOM NOM -- but it doesn't have to spill over if you've got better things to do.

5. You can learn as much on breaks as you can in the classroom.

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One of the charms of automotive school is that around 3/4 or more of the student body is crazy about cars and they're more than happy to talk about it. Ask a guy about the car he's building from scratch and he'll go on about the trials and tribulations of trying to get the engine to hit that elusive sweet note. Pepper your more experienced classmates with questions about everything from durability to pricing to oil changes and listen to their crazy stories (EVERYONE has crazy stories). Stand over a homemade car in the shop and its owner is bound to give you an in-depth tour.

6. The dirty jokes are endless.

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You'll lose track of how many times you can joke about "lubing something up" or how "it...just...won't...fit!" (Everything is phallic, in case you didn't know.) The best instructors know they can make things memorable by throwing in a double entendre -- "The radiator hose should become rock hard during this pressure test. If your hose doesn't get hard, see a doctor--I mean, check for leaks." And of course, when you get to wiring, the jokes get wonderfully politically incorrect: "So I should put the black ones with the other blacks?" "Oh, and I bet you're gonna put the whites with the whites? And the yellows with the yellows? You RACIST."

7. It's cheaper.

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Sure, there are some super expensive programs out there, but there are ones available that will cost you significantly less than a liberal arts degree. And give you actual, real-world skills, to boot. Because not all of us can get by on our hotness and our curiosity. Sorry, Einstein.

8. It's shorter.

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The programs are measured in months, not years. SO MUCH TIME LEFT TO USE FOR OTHER THINGS. Because you have those things to do. Of course you do.

9. The souvenirs are the best.

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All sorts of random detritus can be thrown away in a day's work in shop. Broken bearings, stripped nuts, used tire-balancing weights, and lots more. Take it. Take it all. Show it off. Make a collage. Wear an inner tie rod clamp as a ring because you are just that boss.

10. Lastly: people actually respect the knowledge you're getting.

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Yeah, you can learn a lot of impressive terms en route to your liberal arts degree. But I'll tell you a secret: people may nod and acknowledge your brilliance, but every time you use a word like "intelligentsia" or "Kierkegaardian," someone is judging you. But talk about brake pads and head gaskets and timing chains and everyone is like, "Whoa, that dude/dudette KNOWS stuff."

I'm sure there are more reasons, but these are my top ten. Stay tuned for my next post -- on Top 10 Reasons College is Better Than Automotive School! Because everything has pros and cons.

(And if you liked this list and would like to read more about my automotive school adventures, check out my blog and my GoFundMe campaign -- links below!)

www.smrosenbergblog.wordpress.com

www.gofundme.com/sm-automotive