35 replies
First, I hope that this is in the right section. If not feel free to remove it.

I am 20 years old and in late August I start my Sophomore year in college. I will eventually major in business, possibly get an MBA.

I have just been thinking, is it really worth it? I mean you go to college in order to prove your life later down the road. So let's see what happens after you graduate.

You now have debt (most)
You have a job you think you want
You now will be at that job M-F 40yrs.
You will probably will be in a median or possibly low upper class
You have a boss
You will spend your time in traffic going to and from work
You will not spend any nice days outside if it is M-F

That's all I can come up with.

I am probably biased, but I really don't see why college is so great, especially if you spend 40 years M-F working for a set amount of income that will never make you rich.

I am not sure if it's me or what, but it seems that college is somewhat hyped. I do agree that college will let you have the opportunity to have a better job after you are done, but at the same time you could start a business or do something creative and make much more money with not having to work 40 yrs.

I can not imaging working for 40 years M-F. This part just blows my mind. What a waste of a life. What a massive amount of life you are wasting working and blocking opportunities to experience the world and other enjoyable parts of life.


Give your take on it.
#college #hype
  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    If you think college is stupid, You're probably taking the
    wrong courses.

    Some of the most boring people I knew in college were in
    the business programs. Most of the funnest people
    weren't.

    Funny how that works out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Kelsall
    I personally think some people are meant for college and some are not.

    Personally, I didn't get out of the 10th grade due to some life circumstances and I turned out fine - Well, most of the time anyway

    I have friends that went to college to get business degrees that are now managers for Convenience stores busting their ass 70 hours a week for a 35K a year salary. They were still paying student loans for years after they got their degree which they were paying out of their 35K a year...I used to make fun of them for it lol - Not in a mean way, but just the way that guys rib each other about stuff like that.

    I'm of the opinion that if you want to be a doctor or lawyer - College is needed. Most other jobs - Even Management positions anymore would rather have practical experience than a degree on your resume.
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    • Profile picture of the author AmericanWoman888
      I could not have stated it better than Jeremy. I went to college about 20 years ago. It took me 10 years to pay it off. I hated it while I was there and I really hated the debt I amassed too. $20,000 at 12% in the early 90's what a croc! If I had it to do over again, I would not go to college for any reason. I was in the business school too - which seriously lacked any fun people. If you want to be a doctor or a lawyer - you need it for credibility, otherwise it is a waste of time and money.

      My highest salary before I left work world was a very lousy $35,000. I was a glorified secretary at best. This was 7 years ago. I have started and sold several successful businesses since I left me job. Former co-workers are seething with jealously - tough! I took a lot of risk to break out on my own.

      Gosh - I hope you follow your dream of being a self starter/entrepreneur. I guarantee you will be much happier.

      I would applaud you if you decided to drop out. Take classes on line at some point in the future, just so you can have that rag (er...um) sheepskin on the wall.

      Best of luck to you in whatever you decide.

      And, yes, your observations on dead on. I am 20 years into the 40 year drudge. I grew a brain around 13 years into it thank goodness.

      AW888

      Originally Posted by Jeremy Kelsall View Post

      I personally think some people are meant for college and some are not.

      Personally, I didn't get out of the 10th grade due to some life circumstances and I turned out fine - Well, most of the time anyway

      I have friends that went to college to get business degrees that are now managers for Convenience stores busting their ass 70 hours a week for a 35K a year salary. They were still paying student loans for years after they got their degree which they were paying out of their 35K a year...I used to make fun of them for it lol - Not in a mean way, but just the way that guys rib each other about stuff like that.

      I'm of the opinion that if you want to be a doctor or lawyer - College is needed. Most other jobs - Even Management positions anymore would rather have practical experience than a degree on your resume.
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    • Profile picture of the author Gene O
      Originally Posted by Jeremy Kelsall View Post

      I personally think some people are meant for college and some are not.


      I have friends that went to college to get business degrees that are now managers for Convenience stores busting their ass 70 hours a week for a 35K a year salary. They were still paying student loans for years after they got their degree which they were paying out of their 35K a year...I used to make fun of them for it lol - Not in a mean way, but just the way that guys rib each other about stuff like that.

      I'm of the opinion that if you want to be a doctor or lawyer - College is needed. Most other jobs - Even Management positions anymore would rather have practical experience than a degree on your resume.
      This is how I view it...it's literally something I would have written if you already didn't. Nice post.

      Btw, I went to a trade school after HS. Spent 9 months learning how to be an electrician. Got out and got a job....where everything I learned wasn't put to much use.

      Knowing what I know now, I should have just gotten a job as an apprentice. Learned out in the field and got paid to do it. Instead of learning in a classroom and paying to do it....only to just go do what I could have done without schooling.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jon Steel
    Straight Talk -

    You will need money to fuel your dreams. If you want to start a business, that's fine. However, if you go to college and get a decent job - you'll have something safe to get the bills paid AND allow you the freedom to explore other options (like becoming a net millionaire if this is what you want). And once you catch the money train you can always jump ship and you don't have to work until you are 40 years old.

    However, if you skip college, there is a possibility that you may not find the resources to fund your dreams.

    Don't get me wrong - college means nothing if you are not studying what you love. BUT you definitely have to ensure what you love can pay dividends on the other side. I know so many people that went to college just to graduate and they thought they were "entitled" to a great job afterwards - only to find that their degree was worthless.

    Make sure you plan appropriately on the decision you make. I strongly believe that "He who controls the options has the power." And if you don't attend college, you may be closing some doors, losing options that you would otherwise have on the table.

    It's one hell of a decision to make. But ultimately - the decision is yours...

    js
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    • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
      I've always believed in a college education, but not for the academia, the book smarts, or what the mainstream society would like to have you believe. If you're going to be a doctor, an engineer, etc. then those things matter. I went to college for very different reasons. Other than picking up girls and hosting 12-Keggers, I went to school to:

      1. Network
      2. Learn about human nature / psychology by interacting with a lot of students, professors, and professionals.

      And even though I graduated with a C average, I had a ton of job offers and business venture options when I walked in my graduation gown because I knew how to network with others and build relationships. Do you need college to learn that? Of course not. But think about it, there are a ton of people all crowded onto a relatively small area. The learning opportunities are infinite. If it's a good university then you have a ton of resources at your command as well.

      Something else to think about. You're never going to be this young again. There's also something to be said about enjoying this time in your life. I'm saying all this even though I think college is overrated in many ways, but man oh man, you can learn a TON of things that you can never truly learn from a book. I learned how to interview, sales, fund-raising, networking, write business plans, and a whole lot more in college.

      If I had to do it all over again I'd go to college again. If I ever have kids they're going to college (though I'm going to train them to be entrepreneurs at a young age so they don't go to study to become an "employee"). I also agree with Jeremy. College isn't the path for everyone. Bill Gates is a common example people bring up. Only you can truly decide.

      On that note, I'm taking out my keg of Negra Modelo......

      RoD "Kegstand-King" CorteZ
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    • Profile picture of the author dljmktg1
      Bottom line is this:

      If you think college will be wasting your time, then it will.

      And, from the tone of your question this seems to be the case.

      But, if you think there's something to learn... and if you apply yourself... and if you learn everything you possibly can... there's no telling where you can end up.

      Sure, start your own business if you want (that's what most of us are here for anyway) and take classes part time. I did just that back in the 70's. You don't need a degree program. You can just take those classes that can help your business.

      Plus, college can get you some of the best real-world networking opportunities there are.

      The choice is yours. And, you can change your mind often. I did that too.


      Dan
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      • Profile picture of the author Emily Meeks
        Originally Posted by dljmktg1 View Post

        If you think college will be wasting your time, then it will.
        Very true. If your heart's not in it then there's no point. My best friend's dad failed every single freshman course when he was 18 because he never applied himself. He took time off school, went back 10 years later when he was finally ready, and now he has a Ph D.

        I'm interested in a lot of different stuff so I take whatever classes I want, but I never overload myself. I'm sure college advisors would see my transcript as very random >
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  • Profile picture of the author pur113810
    It sounds like you are complaining about not going to school today. Let me ask you, what do you want to do for the rest of your life? Do you want to play sick so that you don't have to go to school or you go to school and enjoy the rush in your life? Without rush there is no fun slowing down. You will end up regretting at the end.
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  • Profile picture of the author Emily Meeks
    This is exactly why I never pushed for university >

    I *do* however, take community college classes for stuff that I want, not because of the degree and following job. I take/plan to take German, Martial Arts, Theatre, Middle-Eastern Dance, Oriental Cooking, Archeology, Jewelry, Creative Writing and more - why? Because I'm interested in the subjects, not the degree.

    When people say I need to go back to school, I tell them I agree - I really do miss all the ladies I've gotten to know from dancing and I've wanted to learn ninjutsu FOREVER. Of course, this is never quite the answer people are looking for.

    In short, college is mere hype for people like us. Most people are unimaginative, uncreative, and completely conditioned to follow the expectations of others. This is why people spend $100,000+ to work in an underpaying, overworking job with a miserable boss, annoying coworkers and deprived of the opportunity to cherish their spouse and watch their children grow. I said, "F**k that," a LONG time ago, though my family doesn't understand it.

    I'm sending you a Friend Request because we're about the same age and this post basically reflects my thinking, word for word.
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  • Profile picture of the author HarrisonJ
    It all depends what you want to do. If you want to work for a company, it really helps to have a degree when applying for jobs. If you want to start a company, college isn't necessary, but it will give you an edge.

    You will learn a lot in college if you go to class though. You'll also meet a lot of people who can have a big impact on your life.
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  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    When me and my buddy split up after High School, he took out big loans for college, and I worked at a gas station, and played on my computer all day. He now has a Doctorate, and is nearly 100k in debt. I still play on the computer all day, and make well over 100k per year.

    Ps - I may still finish college, but I'll be able to pay for it up front.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ken Strong
      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      When me and my buddy split up after High School, he took out big loans for college, and I worked at a gas station, and played on my computer all day. He now has a Doctorate, and is nearly 100k in debt. I still play on the computer all day, and make well over 100k per year.

      Ps - I may still finish college, but I'll be able to pay for it up front.
      This is it in a nutshell, for me.

      This same question about college pops up in the forum every couple of months or so, and I'm always surprised how many people still think college is a necessity.

      It is for some people, but if someone wants to start an online business, it seems to me advising them to spend several years of their life along with a ton of time, money, and energy to get a degree is sending them in the exact opposite direction of where they want to go.
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  • Profile picture of the author ahlexis
    If you think college is a possible waste of time, I suggest you read Rich Dad, Poor Dad (if you have not already).

    In it the author, Robert Kiyasaki, says that his rich dad told him to "go to college to learn how to figure out which company you want to buy". How's that for a paradigm shift? Something to think about...

    My point is, if you think college is a waste of time, then you're probably right. Just like the old saying: Whether you think you CAN do something or you CAN'T do something, either way you're right.

    If you already know what it is you want to do with your life then maybe you need to find courses in college to help with that, courses that excite you. And if it is not available at your school then perhaps you need to look at changing schools.

    Or maybe there are other ways of getting the knowledge required in order to do what it is you love to do, and maybe you should pursue those avenues instead. Perhaps an apprenticeship or other specialized training would be in order.

    My suggestion is, find your passion. And then pursue it, wherever it takes you.

    By the way, did you know that Bill Gates dropped out of school? Ross Perot? Brad Pitt? Even Michael Dell? We won't even talk about Kobe Bryant (he didn't even GO to college, just went straight from high school to the NBA). Each one of them found something they were passionate about and pursued it. I don't think any of them turned out too bad, do you?
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  • Profile picture of the author PrettyJenny
    If you think college is stupid and don't feel motivated about it, you are going on the wrong road. Maybe take the wrong courses, major, etc. I personally love college, now I'm planning to go back again for a Master, I know exactly what course I will take and I can't wait for it.
    Maybe at your college there's a student consultant or something? I had one at my school and she has offered great advices about which direction you should go.
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  • Profile picture of the author AllAboutAction
    Disclaimer: I have a CS degree and an MBA.

    This question isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I will definitely encourage my children to go to college, but there are negatives as you've outlined. The biggest, in my opinion, being the debt involved.

    If you learn a trade and work at it you could very possibly match a college grad dollar-for-dollar at retirement. Even exceed if you are particularly careful with your money and the college grad isn't. But at the end of the line, while the tradesman has been punching the clock every day from 9-5 and, let's face it, worked daily with some pretty dim bulbs, the college grade has:

    o Learned subjects that s(he) didn't think would be important in life, but actually turned out to be. Things that would have never been uncovered were they not required in college.

    o Met like-minded people and built friendships that have lasted a lifetime. This one is not to be underestimated. As a middle-aged man, *ALL* of my friends of any consequence, as well as my wife, came from my time in higher education. While it's possible to hang out only with party animals throughout college, you might be surprised that even many of these folks will do better than your average plumber over time. As another poster mentioned, the people you meet really are important, and you'll meet the best and the brightest people in the better universities. In fact, this is the real selling point of institutions like Harvard and Stanford over your run-of-the mill community college.

    o Gotten a "degree". There is still a lot of discrimination against those without degrees in certain fields. If you want to be a software engineer, marketing professional, or even a policeman, it sure helps to have a "degree", regardless of the GPA or the school. Otherwise, you may still get the job, but it will be much harder to be promoted through the ranks without a degree. This isn't a hard rule, but for most it's reality. You mentioned that you don't want to work for 40 years M-F, but I think you'll find that even if you start your own business, having the "college experience" will help you bond with the other business owners who did go to college.

    o Become part of an alumni association. Most graduate schools have alumni associations where you can meet with other grads of your school periodically. My particular business school has alumni associations in something like 150 countries, most of them meeting every month. Wherever I travel, there are excellent opportunities to meet with people with whom I have a shared experience, and that goes a long way to getting on your feet quickly in a new place.

    So, while I think a good, skilled tradesman/entrepreneur can do far better than a sub-par college grad financially over the course of a lifetime, one has to ask one's self whether that's sufficient. If you're good, and you know it, you'll be financially successful either way, and you should focus on the benefits of a college education rather than the disadvantages.

    One final thought. If you are going to become an entrepreneur, I would definitely recommend the MBA. You're going to be working a lot anyway (just hopefully at something you enjoy) and the MBA will open doors in ways you might not be able to image at this point (such as the alumni associations that I mentioned above.) But beyond all of that, if you are going to be owning and building your own business over a lifetime, the education will be the most important decision you've made. When you are relying on other professionals to handle parts of your business, such as lawyers, accountants, consultants, etc... you need to be able to speak their language. You also need the confidence to talk to them in such a way that they know you mean business. If you rely on them to tell you how to run your business, you will fail. You need to be making the decisions in the end, and I think the MBA, above everything else, will give you enough confidence and understanding of the mechanics of business to get started. It also helps you to know enough to not get taken for a ride.
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  • Profile picture of the author indexphp
    I can relate, because I am close to your age (22). GO TO COLLEGE. Way more fun than sitting at home on the internet all day. The girls ALONE make it worth it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joeman
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Originally Posted by Joeman View Post

      Uni is a "right of passage" into adult hood. go there and have fun!
      Rite of passage. Adulthood.

      Uni is not just about study...
      Obviously.
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  • Profile picture of the author indexphp
    ^^^yea Joeman... just yea.^^^
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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi Rod,

      though I'm going to train them to be entrepreneurs at a young age
      Did someone prime/train you to have the right mindset, or did it just happen or did some event cause it?

      You obviously DID have the right mindset from a young age. How many people know to do the smart things AND the fun things as well? Most are lucky to just get one of them right...

      College isn't the path for everyone. Bill Gates is a common example people bring up
      I guess I'll just have to make do with following the Bill Gates path It wasn't so much a case of bad priming/training with me, it just took me ages to find the 'brain-ON' button, and even now it keeps turning itself off...
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      Roger Davis

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      • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
        The experiences I had in college were priceless. I couldn't duplicate them in the "real world" if I tried.

        A number of my friends are people I met in college 20 years ago. One of those friends introduced me to my future wife 7 years ago.

        I learned how to prioritize things I needed to get done... how to better manage my time to meet deadlines set by someone else... how to function in high-stress situations (like finals week in college).

        I have 2 degrees and 2 professional health licenses... none of which could have been obtained without attending college. It gives me a tremendous sense of security because if I ever decided I was tired of online marketing and copywriting, I could always "fall back" onto any of my degrees and get a solid job. Not a likely scenario but still it's a nice security blanket. The thing is... how many people have given themselves that option? The truth is, most people don't and that's why so many people are working in jobs that they hate but can't make a career switch or outright quit.

        20 is a great age... Some of my most fun times in college were then. I did some of the typical college guy stuff: drank lots of beer, chased girls, studied when I needed to, made a lot of friends, and even worked part-time at a pretty cushy student dorm job.

        I also did some things that I wouldn't have done had I not gone to college: run college track for 2 years, study martial arts, hold a position in student government, budget myself on $15/week and still get my laundry and social calendar done every week.

        As a guy who turns 40 next year, I'll tell you that the older you get and the more responsibilities life puts onto you... things like a spouse, kids, a house, and so on... the harder it will be to go back to college.

        College is a time where many students have little or no money and still find a way to get the necessities covered and have fun. Real world life... well, it's hard to go from having money in your pocket to budgeting yourself on a few bucks each week.

        So my advice would be to finish college. Have fun. Make more friends, some of whom you'll have for the rest of your life. Try activities you've always wanted to try. There's a ton of clubs and activities at every college, many of which you have to look hard to find in the real world.

        Have fun. Because once you're out of college, there's a very good likelihood that you'll be working for the next 40 or 50 years. Even if you do get to the level of being financial security, you may still opt to work so you can do things like build financial security for your family or to help support charitable causes or just avoid becoming bored with too much time on your hands and nothing to fill the time with.

        Best of luck,

        Mike
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      • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
        Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

        Hi Rod,



        Did someone prime/train you to have the right mindset, or did it just happen or did some event cause it?

        You obviously DID have the right mindset from a young age. How many people know to do the smart things AND the fun things as well? Most are lucky to just get one of them right...



        I guess I'll just have to make do with following the Bill Gates path It wasn't so much a case of bad priming/training with me, it just took me ages to find the 'brain-ON' button, and even now it keeps turning itself off...
        At a very young age I saw how hard my father worked and the toll it took on him. He also told me to get a good education and to "invest in real estate". He also encouraged me to read books about investing and business. I started reading them as a teenager and those books opened my mind up to a whole new world. I realized that if I wanted to I didn't have to work for someone else. I knew at a very young age that I was going to be an entrepreneur.

        My father was the spark and the seminars that I attended during my teenage years were the fuel that lighted up the path to my destiny. Thanks for asking Roger.

        RoD
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  • Profile picture of the author SullyUI
    There's a lot of great places to learn business. College most of the time isn't one of them. There are probably a few programs here in the States I can think of that would be worth going to for business education (certain executive MBA programs). And those programs are fairly difficult to get into.

    I think college is good for other things like meeting people, learning about other cultures, and the social aspect.

    Otherwise, unless you have a highly specialized major like computer science or engineering, you can probably learn the same things by apprenticeships, experience, or reading books related to the topic.

    Just my 0.05, after going through the process of getting a degree, take it as you will.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bishop81
    If you would have asked me about a year ago, I would have said that college really isn't all that necessary.

    Now, however, I feel somewhat differently about it. If you can learn everything that you will need to know in life on your own, then there's no point to college other than to get a degree, which will really help in only a couple areas. If you're applying for a job, the degree could define whether your resume gets looked at when the hiring person has a huge stack and needs to just cut them down. It can also be important as a tool to prove your worthiness for financial consideration, if you start looking for investors to your business.

    I'm currently working on finishing a degree after taking 10 years off, simply for the knowledge. I have learned a ton already, and have only done 3 classes. I'm a programmer, and do all kinds of computer stuff, but I can learn that on my own. The degree I'm after is Business Administration, but Entrepreneurship is really my main interest. The only reason I'm not pursuing it at this moment is because my company won't reimburse for that one. Anyway, I've already learned so much just from my Accounting and Human Relations classes, and that's just 2 of the required ones for the degree.

    I could honestly care less about the degree, my interest in college is now for the education to take my businesses to another level.
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  • Profile picture of the author Treece
    I use what I learned in college every day. I majored in business. At the time, I was clueless and my dad suggested it would be a good major for me and I complied. I have never regretted my major, nor have I regretted going to school. I often feel like I get the bigger picture because of what I learned.

    My strategic planning classes were probably the most valuable. Each day I evaluate my competition, my market, and the future of the business. How can I grow it tends to be the first question people ask, but often people forget to look at what might stop the business in its tracks - new competitors, new technology, etc.

    College isn't the answer to wealth and happiness. I know many more people that say, "I wish I went to college" than those who say "I wish I never got my degree."
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  • Profile picture of the author ASM Marketing
    I'm a firm believer in higher education. I've just graduated from University and I can say that along with my six months spent travelling the world, they're EASILY the most enjoyable three years of my life so far.

    I met hundreds of people, I socialised on a daily basis, I learnt to be independent and I learnt to manage my time - something I value highly. Oh, and I came out with a good degree!

    It's great that people bring up icons like Bill Gates... but the harsh reality is that there aren't many of people like him around, a college education will give you something to fall back on.

    Get educated if you have the opportunity... and THEN follow your dreams. At least if you don't turn out to be the next Bill Gates you can say you gave it your best shot whilst still being employable.

    If education isn't for you, then get experience under your belt before you go jumping in working from home full-time unless you have a rock-solid plan. It's all about creating a net for yourself, should you fall off the success ladder.

    Alex
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  • Profile picture of the author funky_budha
    From personal experience: I went to Uni, for three years and got off track before I graduated. I tried working, and really enjoyed it, and now I am in a very good position with a very comfortable salary, but i wish i finished Uni and got a degree. But its never too late, I could still take up classes while Im still working. Its up to you really.
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  • Profile picture of the author ScottFox
    Lots of good insights in the responses above.

    I would add that if your ambitions are to join one of the elite training programs in corporate America, a college degree is a necessity. In fact, you need to go to a top university and probably add a graduate degree to be considered for many corporate positions and top training programs.

    Everyone here is well aware that corporate jobs are not all they are cracked up to be, but if you think that someday you'd like to train with and work for a top investment bank, law firm, or Fortune 500 corporation in an executive capacity, a degree with good marks from a top university program is required to even be interviewed.

    Those jobs can pay very well (and be a real grind, too) but a college degree in your early 20's is generally required to get in the door.

    Hope that helps as an additional perspective.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Gates is a bad example - 2 yrs in pre-law at Harvard and then he left because he knew what direction he wanted to take. At the time, what he wanted (programming) wasn't effectively taught in schools.

      I have never met one person who completed his degree in higher education who has said "Sorry I did that - it was a waste of time".

      kay
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      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
      ***
      30 days hath September, April, June and November. February has 28 or 29.
      All the rest have 31 except January which has 500.
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      • Profile picture of the author Sissy76
        Who says you have to go to uni now?
        You're obviously not wanting to, or ready for it, so don't.
        Take some time off and go travelling. Explore the world and meet some people, who knows where life will take you?
        Just because you go to uni doesn't mean that you have to work 5 days a week for the next 40 years. Life doesn't work that way, unless you want it to.
        Don't view uni as just a degree factory to get a job, it's a place to learn new and exciting things, meet people and expand your mind (substance assisted or otherwise!).
        I loved uni, I wouldn't be the person I am today without it.
        There's no right or wrong way here, just what you want to do now. It will all change as you go along your journey anyway, so don't fret over it.

        Best of luck,
        Sissy
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  • Profile picture of the author ppcpimp
    although I love learning, I never graduated college after leaving the first semester of my full scholarship. I just knew it wasn't for me. To structured (and at the time too young). I have been doing internet marketing full time in one form or another for 8 years now. I have a brother how is a doctor and a sister who is an accountant and I make more than the two of them combined.
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  • Profile picture of the author mcloud0729
    I am in this exact same position right now. I am 17 years old, just graduated high school about a month ago, and am trying to figure out what I want to do with my time and my money. I think a lot of people go to college for all the wrong reasons. College is seen as something that you HAVE to do in order to live a good life and make lots of money.

    Wrong.

    As seen by many people on this forum you don't need a degree to live a comfortable lifestyle. I'm still borderline on what I want to do, but I know I will make the right choice either way. Plus...college could be lots of fun

    (Oh, and debt would suck)
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Max Whitson View Post

    I am probably biased, but I really don't see why college is so great, especially if you spend 40 years M-F working for a set amount of income that will never make you rich.
    College teaches you to set a goal and spend four years pursuing it.

    That's the primary value of college in and of itself. But beyond that, college is an incomparable networking opportunity. You can meet people in college who go on to be massively successful and even famous. Those are good people to know if you happen to need a well-known face for a product endorsement, or a couple million dollars seed money for a new business.
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    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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    • Profile picture of the author Bryan Zimmerman
      College was a fun time.......to party with friends. Other than that I didn't get much of anything out of it. College is good for some people and not worth it for others, but only you can answer that question.

      But IMO ONLY, I think if your not going to be a doctory, lawyer, engineer or something you NEED to study like that for, then get on with what you want to do. In the last year I've seen 3 people that were within 5 years of retirement get laid off. These people had all been counting on pensions, medical benefits and other things to be paid for from the company they worked so hard for for the last 20 years. Now they have all taken lower paying jobs just to pay the bills and retirement is out of the question.

      I think the days are gone that you can get a degree, get a job and stay their until you retire. Companies are going to look at employees even more like numbers than they did before after all this settles.

      If your going to do something in college, make sure you do it with the mindset that you are going into business for yourself! Don't ever leave your future in the hands of someone else because nobody is going to look out for you like you will!

      Recently they had on the news here that a local strip club had an opening for 2 positons as dancers. Over 100 people showed up........with college degrees! Some had double majors even. A lot of good those degrees are doing them now.
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