Gosh, I'll try to give you a little bit of parental advice here first - cause as a parent I feel obligated. Maybe you can switch around some classes and find something that will suit your future job - if you can get the 4 year experience of just even going to college, why not get it - but do something worth your while - otherwise, just a big fat waste of money.

Now advice from me person to person - HELL NO you don't need a college degree. My highest grade completed was 8th and I'm pretty successful. As long as you can read and write, you can do anything. But make sure you do something. Discipline is a MUST. Organization is important. Dedication is the only way you can succeed.

Sometimes school just doesn't work for some people, I'm one of those people.

I don't think so. All the richest people in the world have no college education.
I think education that you obtain from your motivation is worth more than a college education.

Personally, I am a big fan of college just because it can open a lot of doors for you. If you are serious about IM and think you can do well, sure you could quit going to school... I would suggest finishing that AA degree first... because you will have that if you decide to go back to school.

If you enjoy working in the IM field and have some ideas that you believe are worth pursuing, then I say go for it. A college degree isn't a lot of use to an entrepreneur, since you're going to be your own boss (and I doubt you'll require one of yourself!).

There are lot of ways to make money online whether you choose to work for local businesses offline or get into something like affiliate marketing or C.P.A...

If you love it, just do it!

Also, a college degree can be a huge financial outlay. There's a documentary coming out soon that exposes the college loan industry as a serious racket! It's called "College Conspiracy"

If you want to pursue a career that requires a degree then it will help. But for IM or Offline Marketing Consultants its not necessary.

I didn't learn much in school. I taught myself everything after I finished high school. Hopefully you have the same mind and can do the same.

I would suggest staying in school as it is a big regret of mine. I had the same mindset that you do but it is tough when you put all of your eggs in one basket. What if IM doesn't work out for you? What is the backup plan?

As much of a pain formal education can be, that degree will last a lifetime for only 4 years of work. Nothing worth having in life is easy.

Can IM be done without a college degree? Absolutely. But you always want to have options and I can assure you that without a degree, there aren't all that many appealing options.

Good luck to you.

To build a business you don't need a degree, you need marketing experience something you will not learn from books, videos, etc.. only you can learn by yourself, and when you know it you will not disclose it. coz it's money

i think it's important , that's why there are so many college students

Switch your major to business, take some web design courses. ^.^

Necessary for what?

A business? No...

Growing up? Yes...

I did a double degree and graduated last year, best time of my life. I didn't do it for a job though, like you, I didn't want a job, still don't.

But the experiences I had were invaluable to my growing up to be an adult. I was able to do a bunch of travelling studying overseas, learnt a lot about the world, myself, what I want to do, other people, other cultures...it definitely was time very well spent. Sure, there are other ways you can develop as a person, but for me it was necessary.

Don't think of going to college as just a predefined path to being an employee. For most, it is. But if you want something else, why not enjoy your time there by doing stuff you want, while working on the business?

You're only going to do this once (in most cases), and the people you meet, the experiences you have will be with you for a long time to come.

Simon

You do not need a college degree , but it will not help only make you better. Education is key to be successful in life , either from being self taught or university taught. I highly recommend you attend college if all else that is something you can always fall back on.

I'm with Simon on this one. Is a college degree really necessary for what?

For success? No.
For business? No.
To become a doctor? Yes.
To become a teacher? Yes.
I could go on and on.

It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. In my case I wanted to be a financial planner, but I didn't realize that until 4-5 years into it, and while you can become one without going to college, I knew it was better to go to school.

It took me 7 years to get my Business degree because I had no idea what I wanted. I changed majors a couple times, partied hard for 4 of the 7 years (ok, ok maybe 5), and ultimately I'm glad I did it that way. I took me a long time to mature. I didn't take college seriously until my senior year.

Personally, I think college is way behind the times in many areas, and while I don't think it's necessary for actual "success" in business, if I had to do it all over again, I would. Sure, I had a fun time doing all the social stuff, but I made it point to network with other people, both other students, professors, and the professionals and entrepreneurs that came to campus. I worked on my public speaking, practice my sales pitches, and worked several internships to get an idea on what the working corporate world was like.

To my way of thinking, you get out of college what you put into it. I graduated college with a C- average and I learned way more than my grades will ever show.

If I ever have children I'm going to send them to college (if they want to go), but from day 1, I'm going to instill in them the pride and knowledge of entrepreneurship and frame college for what it is: a test and a learning experience.

Maybe you need to take 6-12 months off and work your IM business to see if that's a path you really want to take at this point in your life. Maybe you need to take a year off from IM and focus on school. Who knows? Since you're 18 now, in most countries you're a legal adult so it's time to sit down, write down what you really want to accomplish and then go for it. Is this something you're able to talk about with someone with more experience than you?

RoD

I am not saying you should or shouldnt because that is up to you.

But I will say that 99.9% of my friends that make between 100k to over 1 million a year either dont have a degree or dont use the one they have.

You will see that in the next 1-3 years they will have a degree for Internet and Social Media Consultants in local colleges.

The value to me was not in the curriculum (although I really liked some courses) but in the environment. So many great learning experiences.

And I mentioned this to someone else asking about this, you leave a lot of money on the table as a businessperson if you walk away from college.

Absolutely NOT. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to leave school behind and pursue your own business if that's what you're passionate about. I myself don't even have a bachelor's degree and it has never held me back in any way that I can easily identify.

Remember this: people are driven by their passions. When I was young, I used to think that not having a degree might hold me back. Now I know better.

Sup man.

Like you, I was 18 when I went to college and I dropped out
after my first year for the same reason you're going for now:

Entrepreneurship & Business.

I'll bet you $100 I can pin point a few of the reasons WHY
you want to drop out:

1. NONE of the teachers you're learning from has had little if
ANY experience in running a successful business.

This confuses you. Here you thought "Wow! they have class
-es on entrepreneurship!" In reality, it's classes about being
a good manager or top level executive in other businesses.

2. You're LEARNING a lot of theory, but you got a feeling none
of it's applicable to anything.

You're studying a lot, but you're not taught to put it into
action right away. You're taught to STORE information like
a squirrel and acorns.

3. You feel anxiety and a bit of depression the LONGER you
stay...because who do you please? who are you REALLY
staying for?

Is it family, friends, or recent high school graduates who are
all in college themselves?

I bet it's a combination of "all of the above".

You know people are going to look at you funny if you drop
out. How are YOU going to handle that pressure?

People WILL question your decision to stop now before you
get in to deep with college debt. Will it be enough for you
to go back?

It was for me...a LOT of pressure...but this is mostly program-
ing from all your school years. Are you STRONG enough to fight
it to pursue what YOU want to do?

If not...you will look back 4 years from now with a shiny new
degree and REGRET going...because in those 4 years you will
WISH you had quit while you were only 1 year into it.

"Damn. I spent 4-8 years of my LIFE pursuing a degree I will
NEVER use. Now I'm starting from scratch doing what I really
wanted to do from the beginning -- and I'd be so much further
along had I had the balls to carve my own path".

Granted, this "leave college mentality" doesn't apply to ALL pro-
fessions -- only those which are not life threathing, life or death,
(lawyers, dentist, vets, doctors, etc).

But as an entrepreneur...if you don't quit. You WILL regret it.

Now, I look back and I pat myself on the back everyday for
bucking the pressure and going against the tide...because I
flow by my own river. It was WORTH it.

...sometimes I wonder what I would do if after leaving college
I didn't do what you have the FEELING to do right now...

I would be severely depressed because I ignored my gut feeling.

Don't ignore that gut feeling. I say "QUIT!". You have ONE life.
Live it the way you want to.

It depends what you want to be when you grow up. If you want to be a doctor, or lawyer... then yes, college is important. If you want to be an entrepreneur then no, it's not as important, if at all.

From my point of view,
college degree is not necessary,
but after taking the course will made
you a better person in terms of abilities to analyse things better.

Is really good to know at your young age,
you already have your own mind set,
but may i ask why in the first place
you take up these course?
It is influence by others, friends,
parents, etc?
If it is not your own will,
then i suggest you change course
soon, before you made a bigger mistake by
spending so much of your time and money,
but later do not use what you have learnt.

Go for something that you are passionate about,
and you will be very successful in it.
Stay focus, consistent, and persistent.

Get yourself a proper education,you are only young once and now is the time,do your IM on the side while you are at college.it's always good to have a degree to fall back on just in case.


Steve

No, need for a degree Check out Affilate Marketing and MLM ( Multi Level Marketing)! As for me I am doing both! Just you have the right mind set because you want to open your business. Now, you just have to learn all you can about online marketing and just duplicate!

In my opinion, a college degree is not necessary.

I finished 2 years of college and was in the process of transferring to USC, then my father suddenly passed away from a heart attack while in the car with me. I had a choice: Fork out $45k+ per year, or self-educate and become an entrepreneur.

Today, I still didn't finish my last couple years, but I have created a successful marketing company that's known around the world. Would a college degree have helped me? No. Did they teach Internet marketing in college when I was attending? No. Are my friends with college degrees doing much better than me? No way.

Follow your path and remember that college isn't for everyone.

[DELETED]

Completely agree with the first responder ReikiGirl, she made a brilliant reply that is 100% accurate, I could have not said it better myself.

I never finished college but I wish I did just for the education and experience and to just have a degree. If you're getting it paid for then do it.

But like she said hell no you don't need a degree, I don't have one either and I am pretty well off also.

sometimes, I think college is overrated.. unless if you want to be a lawyer or doctor or something that requires to have a degree.

Probably the wrong advice...

but I left college after completing 2 and 1/2 years because it got in the way of my IM business...

I don't regret it.... Yet anways, lol

Good Luck

You should always consider going to college.

Even if you don't want to go because it will give you a back up when time are though.

As a student who is just finishing a degree, literally, I can give you a good prospective on this...

College isn't just about the subject matter itself, it's also about developing you as a person. I can honestly say I've come out a much more effective and efficient person.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to know yourself, know what your strengths are. Mix your strengths with your dreams, add a bit of knowledge to this and you have a great formula for success.

College is an opportunity for development, however you have to ask yourself the question: Is it right for you?

College can open the door to higher paid jobs and give you a shortcut in life. But are you the type of person who wants to start off lower down and work your way up?

Be aware of who you are, be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and decide whether this is an opportunity you want to take or if it's just a period of laziness?

Good luck!

College will teach you how to be a good employee. If you are an entrepreneur than you don't need a degree.

It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision.

Set a goal for making enough money in IM to live on by the end of the summer. If you make it, take a one-year hiatus from school and set another financial goal in IM. If you don't make it, finish your AA and try IM full-time again the following summer.

It's always good to have a goal and a backup plan if you don't make it.

BTW, as someone who has directly hired literally dozens, if not hundreds, of employees at various levels throughout my career, I can tell you that I can think of absolutely no instance in which I discounted an applicant because they lacked a degree. My hiring philosophy isn't based on how much time a person spent in school, but rather on their ability to demonstrate to me through experience and their face-to-face interview just exactly what they have done, what they can do, and what they have experienced.

There's a lot to think about when making such decisions, but there's one thing I will tell you with absolute certainty: if I were hiring and I had one position and two applicants, and Applicant A had graduated college with a four-year degree but lacked any real experience and Applicant B had no degree but had spent four years running his own business (successfully or not), the choice for me would be incredibly simple. Applicant B would rank head and shoulders over Applicant A.

How successful are you with internet marketing currently and how fast are you picking it up?

I know several people who've dropped out of college and are really successful online now. But they were already making pretty good money online and knew IM was something they really wanted to pursue completely before they dropped out.

It's not for everyone. I think you should think about it for awhile before you make a final decision and decide to dropout of college.

In all honesty I'd start working fulltime asap and save as much as you can and invest as much as you can. BE SMART WITH YOUR MONEY! Plus try and make some money online and if you do this while you're young, you'll be way way way ahead of everyone else, even those with a degree. Since you are not my child its a lot easier to give this advice.

Of course things may not work out but unless you are super smart and want to be a doctor or other high paying profession, you're better of skipping uni and work right now because the old way of going to school, uni, getting a guranteed good job after uni is old, stale and irrelevant these days.

Stay out of unnecessary debt, save, invest and dont buy a sports car and no credit cards, hold off on the overly expensive holidays and set yourself up by the time you're 25/30 and youll be having the time of your life while others work a 9to5 job and struggle with their big fancy house until they are old and grey.

Whatever you decide be sure and remember life rarely goes as planned so be prepared for the worst too.

Just my 2 cents.

College is a good experience for some and a waste of time for others. See how things are going for you, redirect your goals and priorities always considering the future. Keeping a mindset goal and working you way towards will help.

Learning and expanding your understanding is essential and should not be taken lightly, what you use your time learning should be an important step in your life.

Now figure out what you want to do, the ways to accomplish it and what you need to do to make it a reality and go from there. If its taking a business course at a college or getting a technical course to better your understanding of web design or programming etc.

Just remember that having a teacher or someone that has experience in the field or subject guiding you is always going to be the fastest way to learn. Out of all the sites i have seen Warrior forum is the best for IM guidance and help.

Hope i was of some help

so many opinions, so little time.
it is true that at 18 you probably dont know fully what you want to do, hey you did ask the question ... but if you do a uni degree associated with something that you love, you can always fall back on it later.

Yep that sounds lame, but if you look at the unemployment stats, and see that most jobs require some kind of qualification, it would be really remiss not to recommend anything else.

if you were completely entrepreneurial and had IM already figured out, you would probably be making great money from it right now and wouldnt be asking the question. Either way, IM isnt always the pancea that many snake oil sales people tell you, and it cant hurt to have a qualification, a bricks and mortor business AND be great at IM.

Life for most people is about keeping their options open and doing what you love while making money.

I recommend getting a college education. There is probably going to be a time in your life when you need to find a job and that education is going to come in handy. It doesn't mean you are any smarter than someone without a degree, but some employers really do require that piece of paper.

I would take some web design classes or technical writing classes if they are available, they will help in IM.

As far as college being necessary for IM, I don't think it is. I have learned more from this forum in a year, than I hav learned the last 5 years. I also have a subscription to Lynda.com and that is where I learn wordpress, seo, dreamweaver, etc.

I don't think you need a college degree, but you do need the discipline to see things through and to finish what you start.

You don't need a college degree to be successful in IM or business in general. I have three degrees (two bachelor, one associates) in two different fields of study (marketing and criminology) and I would have been just as successful with my internet marketing business without them. However, I am very happy that I went to college. The experience was amazing and I have something to fall back on if ever needed.

A degree is definitely not necessary- I know a there are a number of 6 or 7 figure guys without one.

Well my idea is that it's always better to have something on paper rather than not. You never know how life will work out for you.

As you can see, you aren't going to get a definitive answer here. Every opinion, including mine, will be filtered the the opiner's life experience. Every one of those life experiences will be different than yours.

Do you need a piece of parchment with some fancy calligraphy on it to succeed?

Nope.

Do you need the college experience, the discipline, the learning how to think for yourself, the social interaction, the connections you could make?

Maybe.

And it may take more than one shot at it.

The first time I left school, I was invited to take some time off by the school because my best grades were in frat parties, hangovers and oversleeping. I blew a free ride that time.

The second and third times I left school, life simply got in the way.

The fourth time was the charm. I got an engineering degree and, as fate would have it, I've reaped more benefit from the rigor and discipline of the classes and from the structure of the subjects than I did as a working engineer.

Take the stories here for what they are worth. If you stay in school or if you leave, do it for your own reasons, not because you don't like your classes or because some stranger on an online forum told you what you should do based on their lives rather than yours.

I wish you luck...

A college degree is necessary to enter certain fields. I needed a degree to become a teacher. I now take courses only in areas that I am interested in or can help me.

I have met many successful people in Internet Marketing and NONE of them have bragged about what college they attended or even if they went to college. In certain fields (law for example), the school you attended is far more importat than what you learned.

Later in life, if you find a degree is necessary - you can return to college. For now, be honest and ethical, and treat your customers well.

A college degree is only necessary if you fail with internet marketing and never make a lot of money with it. It takes time to learn what works and what doesn't work. I think college is good if you want to work 9-5 or have someone control how much you make. There is a higher chance that you will make more money with a college degree than without one. This only applies if you are looking for a real job. However, if you want to control your life and develop a business, a college degree isn't going to do much for you. I think all a human being needs is a high school education at most. That's enough intelligence to have a successful life.

Plus if anything college institutes and reinforces time management skills..those same skills I apply today online AND applied 10 years ago as an active attorney. It's all in what you put into your experience and what your expectations are.

Its a big bad world out here - arm yourself with everything you can

Best advice I can give you from my own personal experience (as a junior in college)

- yes college will help you A LOT in getting a well-paying day job

- you really DON'T need a college degree to have the skills to create a successful business. in fact, there are so many "sheep" in college that i almost feel it's mostly politics. well, that and information generally unapplicable to the real world. (i'd say maybe 1/4 of my classes have really taught me something valuable)

You'll learn a ton from your own experiences, however you NEED to realize that YOU WILL FAIL. You're almost definitely going to have to lose some money doing things the wrong way to realize how to fix them to the "right" way (aka one that makes you money).

The other thing is that there's no "magic bullet". Most opportunities that are "easy" to make money are quickly saturated and don't last very long. That's not really a bad thing though.. if it was that easy competition would be through the roof.

You're gonna hafta keep trying new things to get your website where it needs to be, and what works in one niche on one website might not work in another niche (or even the same niche) on your website.

One last thing.. the summer is approaching. I HIGHLY suggest that you get a day job and work on your business when you have the time. When you've got steady money coming in from a day job, all of your financial decisions for your business will be much easier. Worrying about finances (say you just lost $100 on worthless advertising), will bring you to your "lower self." A lot of poor financial decisions are made in the lower self, looking for quick fixes that end up hurting you in the long run.

Good luck! And don't hesitate to send me a PM if you wanna bounce ideas off eachother or need some advice.

Funk Doctor

Y u ned an edumacasion? Just kidding. If you can make tons of cabbage online without going to school for 4 years, then why no bag it? I've got a member in my DL that actually dropped out of high school, (mind you, he is a very intelligent kid), and is telling people "when in high classes I was losing too much money".

Well, it's always good to have something to fall back on just in case you fail in your online business.

Not everyone succeeds with their own business, and it never hurts to have backup.

Higher education is primed and ready to be one of the next bubbles to burst.

Even if you have to continue in the 9-5 rat race for a while, focus on building your business. Flipping burgers at minimum wage is incentive enough - as we've already seen from students in middle-school, high school, college, AND graduate school!

One reason the first couple of years of college is chock full of the "core curriculum" is because K-12 is that pathetic - the colleges need this time to bring everyone up to the same level, which is actually being prepared for college work. It varies from school to school and is largely directly related to how competitive they are, but roughly half the entering freshman class also has to take remedial courses in math and/or English.

Don't blame your teachers! Blame the politicians, teachers' union and the idiots on the school board who each have their personal ax to grind and their pet "solution" - always at everyone else's expense - especially the students and taxpayers!

Besides, no one has EVER gotten to any the really "good stuff" until graduate school.

I am also 21 not much older and I also don't have a college degree right now and I don't feel I need one. I also jumped in the IM at your age and I was more interested in exploring it rather than starting my own business. When my knowledge was at some respectable level I applied for jobs of internet marketing because I was in need of early money and IM business takes time as you know. After sometime I also jumped into web development and right now doing a professional course of website development. My friends of school are still in college while I am a totally professional person doing a 9 to 5 job and consultation for other companies with some development projects. So I am in much stable position and don't forget I haven't started my own business because of time but I will do it soon. I am on the reasonable postion without any degree.

Not always, but quite often it is... perhaps even most often it is.

Education is very important. It teaches you routine, and it motivates you to keep organised and alert. It depends how you look at it. I went through school, college, and university and i wouldnt change it for the world. The life experiences were absolutely awesome, and im glad i went through the education route. You have to adapt too dont forget, just because you dont have a college education doesnt mean that you cannot succeed. However you will find that most of the successful businessman do have some form of formal education.

i think it's necessary!
all of us know that applying a job without a college degree is difficult for us!!
although we can get a job but not permanently!!

I think you're really asking the wrong question and I think most of the answers you're getting pro or con relate directly to whether or not the poster went to or finished university.

Starting a business online or off is a relatively simple thing to do. Building it into a sustainable enterprise that's incredibly successful...well that's a different story altogether.

There are many successful small businesses around the world that owned and operated by folks who never went to college or finished high school. I suspect most of these are either service or retail oriented for the most part.

Regardless, no matter how far anyone gets, it boils down to three things:


Over time, as you gain experience, you will also gain the education you need. No, you're not getting it in a classroom or a lecture hall, but you are getting it just the same.

Whether you spend a few years learning everything about IM on your own or spend that same time in school, it is going to take you time to get there. I know a lot of folks in IM that spent a good 3 or 4 years learning the ropes before they really started earning consistently. About the same amount of time you'd spend in university.

On the one hand, those folks earned some money, gained some experience and eventually realized their basic goals. On the other hand, they still have gaping holes in their knowledge and understanding of business itself, something the university folks generally have a better grasp of.

Now for the person who claimed that all the richest people in the world have no college education, I'd sure like to see the data backing up that statement.

Don't think for a moment that education, regardless of how you get it, ever stops. I've earned 3 degrees, (two post graduate), and am working towards my doctorate, albeit slowly, and am still learning new things every day about business, especially online.

If you think guys like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet ever stopped learning, or needing to educate themselves, you'd be dead wrong.

When I made the move online full time, I brought with me years of education and experience that allowed me to get up and running successfully in about six months. Without it, it would have been two or three years at least.

Do you need a college education to succeed in IM? Absolutely not. Will a college education give you an edge? Absolutely. Who do I think is more likely to become super rich? Those with a solid university education and a willingness to continue to educate themselves by any means necessary.

If I had to do it all over again? I'd still do it the way I did it...

If I were to start all over, without going into the military, I would probably have learned a trade. One that would not be effected by outsourcing, such as a plumber. That, or I would have gone on to get an advanced degree.

Liberal arts degrees are mostly ineffective in getting you a job. You may be able to move up the corporate ladder with a bachelors, but it is not a guarantee, by any means.

I guess it really depends on where you want to live, what you see yourself doing (realistically) in 5, 10, 20 years, and how hard you want to work to get it.

Many of the 9-5 jobs are more about schmoozing and popularity, more than capability and drive. Yes, I'm a little bitter. </end rant>

I quit school early because I hated it.

I went to college and completed an IT course

I went to university to complete a degree in IT

I quit university with 6 weeks to go to start a business.

My advise would be to go get the experience, there's nothing stopping you from working on a business idea while you study.

i am 21 year old ,doing btech ,this is my 3rd year
Remember you can do IM anytime in your future
but this is timefor your studies .
If you cant stop yourself doing IM ,first of all finish the syllabus of your college and switch on to IM<

I would say finish out your 2 year degree if only because it is nice to have a fall back option. I work a great day job while I am learning IM and I couldn't swing it any other way. Part of me feels like the antipathy you have for college may carry over into your IM work.

Just DO what you like.

You seem to be motivated to do IM and motivation is very important. Geniuses like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page etc.etc...they all made billions because they were motivated and did the right thing at the right time (+ LUCK & foresight).

Has anyone ever asked whether those guys have a college degree? Who cares.
Some might disagree, but that's what i think. Do YOUR thing.

You think that working a 9-5er at company X is "consistent"? Keep on dreaming. IM is not less secure or less consistent.

A college degree is necessary. There are people who make a living of IM, i personally do it for extra income. The fact is, you never know what's going to happen, you don't really know how Internet is going to be in 10 years.
But if you get a college degree you'll have it the rest of your life, nobody is going to take that away from you.

have you made boatloads of cash in IM in the last 7 months? If no, keep at it and stay in college and adjust your courses to something you are interested in.

As a college senior about to graduate no I do not think a degree is needed to well succeed in this world BUT I do think an education is essential to doing whatever it is you want out of life.

I think the only exception is when you are needing to go into something that requires a degree and certification like a elementary school teacher in the public school system or a doctor of some sort. Other than that, absolutely not!

But remember an education is important...but don't think college is the only way to get one ;-)

I was in the same position once.

I had just finished my first year in engineering at the university of Toronto. I hated it, and so I decided if I could make a steady income of at least $3000 a month from IM than I would quit engineering and reapply in a year to marketing.

I did and it worked out quite well for me, however do not drop out of school if you cannot maintain a steady income before the end of the summer leading into your second year.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Steven Patterson

Back in the early 1940's when I was a teenager a college degree was necessary if you wanted a good job. Nowadays it's not necessary as there are many more opportunites available. You kids don't realise how fortunate you are

I'd suggest to stay in college and use some of your financial aid money to outsource your website creation and online marketing. By the time you graduate, you should have a good stable income.

I think a college degree is necessary for those who don't come from money. Because a degree will give you certified skills that any employer would respect. It will keep you out of the worst income bracket which is the income people get by working in home health, fast food, and any other non skilled job. You may or may not succeed in IM the way you would like. Why chance it.

Always have something to fall back on that is 100%. Even if you can't get a job in the field you studied, you will still qualify for a higher paying job than those very low paying jobs. I think the best thing to do is both.

When you limit yourself, you will be sorry in the end.

A degree isn't necessary, but if you're smart and want to give yourself an edge, it's probably a good idea.

Who wouldn't want to aquire knowledge?
The real question you need answered is just how much knowledge you should get and that's really a personal decision.

There are 4 year degrees, 2 year degrees, Certificate programs, Aprentice programs, Adult Education courses, you get the idea.

Go with the amount you feel comfortable with and that you think will serve you well. You can always continue your education if you reach a point in life where you feel not having a certain amount hinders you socially and economically. Although what usually happens later on in life, is that you have less time to devote to furthering your education due to financial and family responsibilities.

No it is not necessary. College grads do make more money, but they are working for someone else. Many are without jobs. Do what you really enjoy. It's not always about the money.

It's not necessary (look at Bill Gate or Mark Zuckerberg), but it's a nice place to meet people.

I find myself in a similar situation, finishing my second year of college and I'm waay distracted by IM/SEO. School imho is much easier, less rewarding, and not really an effective means of learning, which is why I spend much less time on it.

"In school we are taught something and then given a test. In life we are given a test, and then we learn something from it."

Classrooms are not a natural learning environment and there is no analogy for a pen-and-paper test in real life. You mean this decision is final and I can't consult a coworker or manager??

I'm taking summer classes so I can graduate sooner, but sometimes I think about taking a semester off and I can't help but feel quite excited at the prospect of the time I would have on my hands to focus on my online business. Personally, I just don't want a chip on my shoulder for not graduating. The funny thing is I'm majoring in entrepreneurship and I've finally got 'Entrepreneurship 101' next semester - I'll be walking into that class with an established business and I'll probably get like a B- because I'm too busy running a business. sigh...

College degree is absolutely not required to do well in IM.

However, if what you are experiencing is some sort of "the grass is always greener on the other side" thing, you would be doing yourself a disservice by dropping.

If you can say (with 100% determination) that you don't want to graduate, and that IM is what you want to do, then I'd assume there would be no harm.

But on the other hand, I see no harm in trying to graduate at the same time either.

In the end, it is your life. If you need affirmations about what you are going to do, then maybe you should think again. Very carefully.

i am a qualified engineer but left engineering almost 10 years ago and make far more money working for myself as a serial entrepreneur than i used to when i was working in engineering, and i used to get really good pay and benefits...

i certainly work more hours now through choice, but i love love love what i do - but saying that having an education opened a lot of doors for me and feel that it helped me with the mindset i have today

theoretically it also allows me to have a plan b and fall back in to engineering should the need arise...

with or without a degree i believe your mindset, drive and foresight will make or break you

hth

jay

Believe me, it is very important but of course not a guarantee...

If you have the opportunity to study then a little more time won't hurt, after all you have your whole life ahead of you. The great thing about IM is that you can do it in your spare time and when it suits you. In fact you will probably focus more than some of us 'full-timers' if you have to structure your time more efficiently. Good luck

In my mind and with two degrees, I see a college education as a back up plan and if you had a family to support, i'd tell you to get that education. You don't though and if IM is your passion, no college degree currently exists to feed that. I know a few MBA's and they don't have the slightest internet savvy. It's as if their comprehensive education has provided them all the tools specifically for an in-person, office-based 9 to 5. My own masters degree, in counseling, at least prepared me for IM in terms of making genuine connections with potential clients. Other than that, the degree serves me no purpose except to have an alternative if I had no choice but to get an offline job. I don't see that happening though, since it was ridiculously easy to double my offline income within a year of becoming a full-time IM'er.

Ah it is indeed rare to see an entrepreneurial fire in youth these days. I can already tell from what you have posted here that you will be a success. I also had the same situation you are currently in, except I quit college (2 years in) all together. It was a brash decision and my parents did not approve but could not argue my logic of wanting a better life for all of us.

You see I have a small circle of friends all of the college graduates, degrees in nursing, business management, radiology, you name it. Yet only one of them has put that degree to use. The grim truth is once that degree is acquired it's no guarantee that a job will follow. My brother is also a business graduate and he operates a train for a living. Ironically his hobby since he was a boy where trains. He never had an interest in business, it was advice given to him by family. There is a moral to the story here son don't miss it.

As for advice, I can only give you what I deem to be practical as I don't believe in throwing education away. I would suggest getting into internet marketing courses, it's a skill set that will be invaluable to what you currently have your sights set on and will even qualify you for jobs that few people can fill.

Make no mistake here son... No form of income is secure or guaranteed. Not even the so called "good jobs", believe me it can be here today and gone tomorrow if you are not careful. The best chance any of us have is to create and control our own income rather than rely on a wage. They both have the same amount con's, but not nearly the same amount of pro's.

lol
All the richest people in the world have no college education.

If you want to make it in Corporate America then yes, you need several degrees, plus an advanced course in CEO butt kissing.

If you are planning on being an entrepreneur you need to make a consistent applied effort to educate yourself, then follow through with what you learn, because in the end it's not what you know or how you learned it that matters, it's what you do with it.

Speaking from my personal experience, you don't need the college education to be successful. BUT, the experience, connections and networks you will form can be priceless. Not just for monetary gain, but also for guidance and help in the many other things you will experience in life outside of your career.

V92,

I would personally do both. Why not continue to build an IM business and get a Sales or Marketing degree from an inexpensive, online, self-paced and fully accredited university like WGU?

All the Best,

Rich

who was it...donald trump (goldfish pouting boy) that said the street smart people are always smarter, but he always hires people with degrees cause it shows commitment. that is what he likes to see over people that havent gone to college.

While this is a good debate, i think people with experience are far better than those with degrees, that is just a piece of paper, I have one myself. but there are people out there doing very well who quit school in grade 10.

It is necessary upto some extend to get a Job only. Otherwise knowledge & Education have far more distance with college degree.

Can you multi-task....go to school and do IM..?

Dont let your college keep you from your education.

I would recommnend to follow you heart but also listen to your mind....

Experience is the best teacher, I am in the exactly same position like you. And now I have found my passion, that is IM

I delayed going to uni until I was 24. I thought that I HAD to get my ass into education again to make more $$.

The outcome is 2 fold - 1, I completed my degree successfully, with good grades and managed to secure a job with a very prestigious company (in the UK) earning double what I earned before uni. 2, I have become increasingly reliant on that same company keeping me in my current lifestyle - my choices became dictated by my employer.

College/uni is great - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It develops your own self. After that experience, you are on your own. Choose a job (like I mistakenly did), or choose what you have learned to become successful in your own right.

Given the choice again, I would still go to university, but studying something that I enjoy. I don't think you can replicate the experience - especially if you an afford it. But I would not EVER enter the corporate world. It has compromised everything I have wanted to actually DO with my life for 6 years.

Things have recently changed for me, but I cannot regain those years sat behind a desk, answering to a tyrant of a boss who decides how many holidays I am allowed to take each year.

Anyway, if you get good at the internet stuff, you can pay your way through college, get the experiences and still come out doing something you want to do. HAVE IT ALL - don't let people tell you that it is one thing or another ;-)

Good luck

San

Nope, it's not. I hated school and as an adult (in my 40s), I'm glad that
I went the route that I did.

BUT, my kids are going to college

Since you only have one year left, you mind as well finish your degree out. But your in the right mind set as far as making your own money is concerned. Because you will graduate college with more debt then a job will pay you in annual salary.

Havent you ever heard the saying "A and B students work for C and D students"

I have a degree and ended up never working a day in the field i studied, unless you want to count an internship.

I will say this however, if you want to be in IM take some classes related to IM. They dont have to be college classes either, for example look where you can get certified in stuff like Dreamweaver and Photoshop, or PHP programing, Windows Server ect that type of stuff will come in handy and later you can find lots of places to sell freelance work.

A college degree isn't necessary if you want to pursue IM. While certain things you might learn in college might help you along the way, I would have to say that I learned more in my first 3 months of Internet Marketing than I did in the first 2 years of college. Just my two cents.

Here is an article people might find interesting:

The Intercept: Student Loan Debt Hell: 21 Statistics That Will Make You Think Twice About Going To College

Just found a pretty nice article

A College Degree is Nearly a NecessityLARGE ARTICLE

good question)))
I think it is sort of backup..definitely should have one..
by the way a purpose of learning (obtaining a degree in the end) is to make your brain work!

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Kind of in the same boat. Except I'm 22 and graduating in 2 weeks. I went through a phase where I knew I could succeed in IM if I put in time and couldn't care less about getting my undergraduate degree in chemistry.

People will tell you that a college degree = job security, which is true to some extent. But in this day and age, I don't think any job is 100% secure.

And personally, I value my own time and freedom above all else and just can't work a 9-5 everyday.

I felt like academics were a huge waste of my time. I had no interest in my major and every exam I spent studying for, I could have been building backlinks to my website That said, I still decided to finish college because...

1.Even if you don't give a **** about the academics, there's an entire 'college experience' you get out of it- meeting new people, partying, doing pretty much whatever you want socially without THAT BIG of repercussions. Things you'll never get to experience outside of college

2. Being disciplined to finish what I start. Some people may not agree with me on this, especially those who always advocate 'just follow your passion'. But I have a tendency of quitting things I start.

If I quit college, how can I trust myself to ever finish anything else when the going gets tough? There's actually a correlation between not finishing college and higher divorce rates.

So part of the reason I decided to stick through with it was because I wanted to prove to myself that I can work hard and get a degree.

3. Parents- my dad really values academic success. I really wanted to make him proud.

Sorry this post is so long and if I'm rambling. My advice to you would be to take the courses YOU LIKE and do what you want to do. Use college as an opportunity to try new things, drink too much beer and meet new people

[DELETED]

[DELETED]

Hello, you are looking for a reach man; there does not mean to you should have a degree from colleges. you're in right place..go ahead

I, like many others, said that college education is not required for success in IM. However, seeing some posts suggesting that college education is somehow a "barrier" to success makes little sense.
In the end, life is simple. You take every advantage you can put your hands on. College education is an advantage (at least as a backup plan as a fellow warrior said). Yes, you don't need it, but no, it cannot hurt you.

A college degree is good for two things:

1. getting a head-start in the rat race
2. rejoining the rat race if your IM business goes tits up

I don't have a college degree. I am educated to an NVQ Lv2 in Business Admin and I am so sorry I didn't go to college. One side, it forces me to be self-employed because after you've experienced a large influx of money over 1 day, it's almost impossible to go back to work knowing what you're missing.

The other side, when you're backed into a corner and disaster strikes you have NO career because you don't have the required qualifications.

Do yourself a favour. Get the qualifications and education you need to start a career, and at the same time work on your online business.

I definitely wants my children to get into University but for the course they love to do ... big 5 no-no profession in no particular order are doctor, accountant, architect, engin33r or lawyer ... generally these profession will lead them into a life of a bucket carrier, read “The Parable of the Pipeline” By Burke Hedges.

Agreed with Damian and many of the previous posts, a uni or college degree will provide you with the life experiences and resources that you will appreciate later on in your life.

Here I was thinking I was the first person replying in this thread! lol

Well I wouldnt stay in your course if I was you! I did the same thing as you pretty much.
Did one year in software development and Computer networking, failed switched to Information technology support passed first year.

Went into second year of ITS, failed that, repeated failed again!!!!! (just one module by 1%)
Went back this year repeated the module. After these 4/5 years in college I now have a higher certificate in information technology support! lol.

Started college when I was 19 now 24.. It wasn't as if I didnt want to pass I was just wasn't to bothered!

Now I have the option of going into 3rd year getting my degree. So what I am doing is travelling for the next year!!

My advice would be if you fail leave college or change course's!!!
Or maybe college is just not for me ha.

Also half the billionaires in the world left college!!!!

I prefer a degree in LIFE experiences. We meet people your age all over the world traveling and meeting new people that opens up a world of opportunities.

After having hired 1,000's of employees over the years... I much rather have someone with common sense any day of the week than someone with a Doctor Degree and can't figure out how to sharpen the Damn Pencil.

If you NEED to go to college... think Doctor or Nurse then yes you should go. If you are going just to get a piece of paper so you can say hey look at me I have a Degree... save your $100,000 and go to work doing something you love to do.

Life is to short to spend 4 years doing something you HATE.

Been watching this thread for a few days now.

Here's my take: If you are wanting to have a back-up
incase your business goes sour, then it wouldn't hurt to
have. Now most people who are marketing big, high-end
products often have a college degree. A lot of things can
be learned for free, but it's still a good thing to have.

Like many have said, a degree is not a must, however it couldnt hurt could it. Maybe try to get a degree at your leisure, part time, if that's what you really want.

College good but u should only do have of it

I have about half of an associates, but I did not finish it. I plan on going back to get it for my own reasons and then get a bachelors. I honestly feel that a degree is not as valuable as it used to be in terms of it making you alot of money. Alot of people go to school for degrees that are not specialized like liberal arts, political science, communication, etc.

I feel like a degree will ensure you are always able to get at least a low end white collar job. Even though degrees may have lost some of their earning power they still carry one powerful value point, and after reading some of the posts in this thread it is obvious. The value a degree carries is social proof or social respectability.

There are some people that no matter how much you out earn them will feel like they have an edge over you and will be respected more socially because of that degree. The argument that you will always have it to fall back on does not make sense either and that backs up my statement of it having high social respectability value.

In 10 years or 20 years if you need the degree the people getting out of college at that moment will have the same degree with updated skills. Companies will be able to pay these kids half of what they are paying anyone with it now except for those at the highest levels that are hard to replace.

If you do not have a highly specialized degree and consistently update your skills then you are losing your edge by the day, no matter how much experience you might have in a given field unless you are at the top of it. I say go to school and get the degree.

Do it for the experience, which is where most of the value for people is (dating, parties, on campus clubs, etc) and do it for the social proof/social respectability that you might not get otherwise, even if you make hundreds of millions of dollars.

If you don't and you become ultra successful you may still be looked down on by those who earn 30.000$ to 50.000$ a year who have a need to feel superior to you in some area because you out earn them by so much. Your lack of a degree will be the focal point for them.

Is a college degree necessary for a stable backup plan in case your IM plans don't work? YES

Education will always be important though sometimes there are some good exemptions to this rule...

Finishing education is still very important...because you can use it as a reliable fall back...

Another Note,

If you have the extra money to actually pay for college, then of course!!

But if going to college requires you to take out a bunch of student loans then NO. Most college graduates only make about 35k/year...if they can even find a job.

You can get a Real Estate License and sell 3 houses to make 35k. A Real Estate License will only run a couple hundred bucks. Also, if you plan on running a business, most the information you learn from your professor will most likely be useless.

The only thing a school teacher can teach is "how to become a school teacher." If you want to learn how to run and operate a successful business, then you need to learn from somebody who's doing exactly that. Just my opinion.

I say do what you want to do, and take the necessary steps to get there!

If that means college is necessary, go for it. If not, forget about it!

But make sure you have a plan and a direction! In order to reach the end of your path, you must be focused on exactly that is!

If you fail, you will know you tried your hardest to succeed, and you can be proud about that.

If you succeed, then congratulations!!!

I quit school! I find it a waste of time (In the end we just learn how to become buyers)... I decided to focus 100% on internet marketing

Luis Gabriel

P.s: But that's just me. If you want to finish school, go for it

Haha V92,



I faced the exact same situation as where you are in now.

You and I are the same.

There's no better advice than to listen to other people's stories and then deciding upon your own mind.

I was 18 years old too. I had done my A level (pre U, foundation, or whatever you call its equivalent) for Engineering...

I was then left to choose whether I want to pursue my Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or not.

BUT

The only difference between you and me is I did straight up hardcore direct sales for about 1 year.

SO

I had 2 choices.

I was left to choose between going full time in direct sales (I wasn't making much but I saw the light in this path [doing business and the entire self improvement thing]. It was my passion I guess. Still, know that the motivation to run away from something is GREATER than the motivation to achieve something. This is human nature)

OR

Proceed with Mechanical Engineering degree, which takes 4 years and a RM50,000 loan, which is pretty huge. Cause buying a house here could already cost RM100,000 - RM400,000. Just to paint a picture of the currency. For extra reference, please go to Cost of Living (what an excellent site).

WHAT I DID

Back then, I was 50/50 like you (I'm judging by the way you sound here in this thread). I clearly did not know which path to tread on.

I went to every lecturer's room (about 10 of them) randomly and asked them this important life question: "should I continue university?". And accumulating about 20 hours of talk time in total, the answer is of course yes. They're freaking lecturers @ the 1st place!

Surprisingly, most of them gave me some solid advice which I did not know earlier.

4 YEARS LATER

Here I am, having graduated with Mechanical Engineering.


LESSONS LEARNED

I was glad I pulled through although I did not quite enjoy the multitude of theories in Engineering. But here I am today (24 years old), proud enough to tell people that I have a Mechanical Eng. degree.

I don't know how to judge whether an Engineering or an Arts degree is more "important", but to me the entire university life and environment was like a testing ground.

Testing ground for what?

- to truly discover yourself (boy oh boy, I truly discovered a lot about myself, strengths and weaknesses, like really to the core. Why know this? So that you can leverage your best skill and produce the best results)

- skills to socialize with people (think of university as the 'lite' version of the working environment in future). You can basically do whatever you want and learn a lot from your mistakes. Don't do mistakes in the working environment. It's costly

- to form bonds with CEOs of the future (I hi byed to a TON of people back then. I basically knew everyone although I was not close to them). Now that I've graduated, I simply made some calls and most of them (95%) were wiling to help me get a job at a big, reputable company. Boy oh boy, you'd be surprised knowing that just by knowing people here and there, you could make big connections. Trust me on this one. I've tried it

- develop a good work ethic (here's my advice for you. Don't follow the crowd and give in easily and slack away. It's as equally as being dead. Always fight for everything. Homework? Ok, do it. Exam? Ok, study hard for it. The whole point is to give your best. Dude, we only have got one life, do you want to do things 50/50 and let life get by you? I don't know about you, but I don't

PS: You have to understand that in whatever I do, I do it best. But honestly, I'm not perfect. I do procrastinate sometimes (who the hell doesn't?). However, you really have to understand that I absolutely dislike sleeping and eating because I think they're time wasters. Well, just to reflect that I really have this mindset whereby I constantly want to do the best all the time. So I'm far from the typical bum you know of. I really can't understand why bums are the way they are. It's like being a zombie.

PS: If I were you, I'd just stick to college and enjoy the best years of my life 1st if you're still undecided. Boy oh boy, I had a lot of fun. Ever heard about sarging?

PSSS: Unless you have like only 10 years more to live (cause you have cancer or something), then stay in school! You learn a hell lot more things in life (everyone just seems to be focusing on the academics). And remember, you're only young once. And you only have the chance to attend college once when you're young. Think about it.


Calfred

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We were having this discussion over dinner last night funnily enough.

Let me preface this by saying that no education is ever wasted and the
experience and knowledge gained from a university degree is priceless.
I loved every minute I spend on campus.

However, Universities do tend to shape you to work in the corporate field,
usually as an employee, in a large firm, or institution. Bear in mind, I am
saying usually and not always.

What is lacking is a course that teaches one to be a free thinking entrepreneur.
Instead of teaching one to learn and think in a way that prepares one for the
corporate world.

That could be why so many huge successes have not received university degrees
because they tap into that free thinking.

I am not sure if I am expressing this very well, but having said all this, I still believe
a university education is something not to be missed, but at the same time, keep
open the channels of free thinking and entrepreneurship.

Angela

Education is meant to enlighten you, a college degree is usually a plus in some areas but basic education works well for other people.

Hi:

Shireen here :-)

I can't tell you what to do but I can share some of my experience.

I was a university lecturer. I have a master degree in economics, but I don't really like to work for other people.

I quit my job last year and go full time online.

My master degree don't really help my online business :-)

Hope it helps...

No but it sure does not hurt.

If you're making enough to live by now then you prob. should focus your efforts on IM, if not you should get that college degree as a backup plan

Business Sucess is important but not all the meaning of life..

What a very interesting thread along with the varying degrees of thoughts on the subject.

I was fortunate to receive my undergrad degree from Grand Valley State University, in Michigan. Although back when I attended in the mid 70's it was known as Grand Valley State College. I was part of the last group of what I'll call the hippie generation. I remember very well, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, as well as Vietnam, Woodstock and civil rights marches.

Grand Valley at the time was considered a pioneer and at the forefront of advanced educational learning. A cluster college, comprised of several colleges: the College of Arts and Science, (CAS), the traditional college; William James College (WJC), a more real world experience college, modeled after the works of 19th century American philosopher William James; Thomas Jefferson College, (TJC), what we called the real hippie college back then, the experiential college of general studies; and College IV, a self-directed, self-paced curriculum of modules, units of study or blocks of material that broke courses into conceptual chunks. Kind of like what's seen in IM courses today.

I attended both William James and CAS, receiving a degree with a double major in Arts & Media, (film, video & photography) and Business Management with a minor in Advertising and Public Relations. I don't mind dating myself here, back when I started doing video the only video cassette was one inch professional broadcast. VHS or Sony Beta was not invented yet. We had to thread half inch tape on the video recording deck. My how times have changed, I so love screenflow. And yes, I had to walk 3 miles up hill in 3 feet of snow to get to class.

CAS was and would still be considered a traditional college experience, with typical college professors. William James was very nontraditional. The instructors of WJC were not known as Professor Jones, or Professor Green, but rather as Bob, Michelle, or Adrian. Every WJC instructor was teaching a subject which they were making their living from. It wasn't about theory from a book but real world experience of what worked and didn't, from those who were living what they were teaching.

The critical aspect of what was taught in WJC was that you were taught to think and to think outside the box. A rare concept from what I gather in universities today. So my experience was not about going to college to get a good job with Ford, GM or some other major corporation, organization or institution. But rather, leaning how to create your own way in the world doing what you loved to do .

When I first started college I thought I wanted to be a clinical psychologist, because I didn't know that I could pursue what I loved, making visual art in the form of photography, video and film. I had had a camera in my hands since the age of 7 but never really thought about making that my career.

I learned my art and the other areas that I felt I needed to know to start my own business in visual media; business management, advertising and public relations. I went on to produce and direct in film and TV, act, work as a freelance photographer, test driver for general motors, several years on the staff of a U.S. Senator, regional director of a small business development center, university instructor, management consultant, GS 15 with the federal government and finally full circle with IM today, doing what I love.

It's important to understand that I'm a product of a mother who was a professional and received a college education and a father who only finished the 8th grade but was a very successful businessman.

So why am I sharing all of this? Hopefully to be of some help, but to also express that the decision to attend college is an individual one. I don't think it's a right way or wrong way. It's based on what works for each person. It worked for me and opened me up to a diverse world of thoughts and ideas that I may not have encountered without going to college. Who knows.

What I do know is, I know people from both sides of the aisle. Those that are successful millionaires with lots of letters behind their name and those who are equally successful with only a high school diploma.

What I would encourage anyone to do, is to give college a try, not because you want to get a good job but because you have a desire to learn more about something that you love.

The college experience in my opinion, is really about personal growth, expanded self-awareness, critical thinking and deductive reasoning which can lead one to excel, exceed and go beyond expectations. Can one achieve these things through another modality, absolutely. It all depends on the person and what one desires.

A big thanks to my old college adviser and film maker, Michelle Citron, who helped me to think outside the box.

Go Lakers.

Brian

P.S. Oh, I guess I should share before anyone may want to attend WJC, it no longer exist. Grand Valley surrendered to the pressure of big money and corporate interest and is now a leading university of traditional higher leaning, imo.

"Life for most people is about keeping their options open and doing what you love while making money." I couldn't agree more!

A college degree is only necessary if you believe it is.

Geoff

Ask Bill Gates or Matt Zuckerberg both are billionairs... both dropped out of college...

BUT WAIT...

They dropped out of college to persue what became multi billion dollar businesses and ideas that had the potential to make them among the richest people in the world.

They dropped out when they had the ideas, skills, and resources around them that allowed them to pursue goals and business plans.

My advice to you is to stay in school... get some practical training... if you want to be in IM study things like information systems, business management, web design, and programming... you don't have to become an expert in any of those areas but getting training in those areas can help you generate ideas, meet other talented people, and get basic communication skills and other knowledge that will help you in your business.

Will you use most of what you learn?

No.

But until you have a clear picture stay in School.

Work on your business while you are in School... develop it... and if you hit it big and School is in the way of you achieving specific goals then move on...

My friend Russell Brunson used to tell me how much he wanted to quit school... he was already running a successful business. His professors drove him nuts sometimes because some things they taught were just plain useless...

He kept going to school because he loved to wrestle and he had to keep his gradepoint up to stay on the team.

He graduated from college... his gradepoint was not the best but he was a nationally ranked college wrestler and had built credibility in the wrestling world because of his college participation. He leveraged that into building a team of Olympic hopefuls and hiring one of the best wrestling coaches to help his team.

There are many reasons to go to school...

I met my wife there ;-)

I graduated with a two year degree after attending 4 colleges and 2 universities. I dropped out of high school in 9th grade and never graduated. But I went to college off and on for years... even when I was homeless.

I did not have a lot of direction (hense the 2 year degree even though I had enough credits for a masters degree) and took every class I was interested in constantly switching my major (which is why I was not able to get a 4 year degree). During my last stint at college I was starting my internet business... I kept switching my major and taking classes that helped me in my persuit of business development on the web.

While I do not use a lot of the general education I picked up in all those years of school I did get a foundation of knowledge that helps me every day in my business.

You may already have that knowledge, you may be a genius, but for me...

Well I was a homeless transient for a good part of a decade. I got my first Windows PC and connected from the internet for the first time in 2001 when I went back to school. I took basic classes to learn everything... and eventually studied accounting, economics, business management, web design, and basic programming.

The only reason I graduated with a two year degree was because it was the only thing I could get since I could not apply most of my credits from liberal arts schools to my final program.

Otherwise I would have dropped out... but I too had definate goals, two established businesses, solid direction, unwavering confidence, and money coming in.

All right... I will stop rambling...

I admire your drive and entrepreneurial spirit...

Don't drop out... at least not too soon.

It was not until I was 27 that I returned to school and began to discover what I wanted to be when I grew up