College? I'd Rather Major in IM

How about s slight change to your plac about the backup support plan? Why look for the support post-facto if you can do while you are "at it" and thereby keep enriching your IM career at the same time? Your last resort remains, but you get more means by this.

What I am saying is easy. Simply launch services. Since you are good at making videos, launch a video making service in some decent freelancing site and dedicate N hours per day to it, never more.

That way, you have a reputation built up, and if your other part of the IM business plan does not pan out then before your community college or electrician job you have this as a buffer. Pus, this will keep you in closer touch with IM and also help you build a stronger business on the Internet. It could transform your life even more to a positive side.

But on another note, I must say I feel great to see your planning ahead of time. That by itself shuold push oyu a long step forward.

Do you know anything about running a business? It is, after all, what you are planning to undertake. Also be aware that most businesses fail.

Your best bet is to go to college, major in business, and work your IM stuff on the sideline. The chances of anything you mentioned actually happening are statistically very very small. The odds of success are not in your favor and you are likely to fail. Should that happen, your high school education isn't going to take you all that far.

I dropped out of college for IM.

I don't regret it I'm making MORE than I ever dreamed of and I have a nice house and stuff I'm only 20.

That being said I'm going back to college to major in Finance and then I'm taking a venture into the world of Forex.

So I guess IM was just a venture to fund my journey into larger amounts of money! If I succeed that is.

hey a1batross, I completely understand what you are going through man. I recently had to make a decision between going to university and getting my master's degree in Psych or continuing with internet marketing and I choose to go with IM because I truly believe in it. My parents were really pushing me to get my psych masters degree so I can according to them get "a real job" but trust me once the money starts rolling in they are not gonna complain any more

I guess what am saying is as long as you don't give up you will succeed and this online thing will work for you.

Hey, OP, I have some content recommendations that will help you tremendously:

Lifestyle Business Podcast
The Lifestyle Business Podcast

TropicalMBA
Get Paid to Travel the World – The Tropical MBA — Start and Grow a Global Business From Your Laptop

These are put out by a couple of guys doing business around the world (one based in Bali, another in California, products sourced from China, etc.) and generating more than 1Mil per year. They're the real deal...we know them personally.

They started an amazing thing: Tropical Interns. They started flying up-and-coming entrepreneurs around the world to places like the Philippines and Thailand to help them grow their business and to help them get their own started. The model is extremely valuable...we've followed in their footsteps and brought out first Intern to the Philippines a few months ago and he's killing it for us! - John The Intern

Best of luck in your journey...

I think you can succeed. Why?

Because you seem willing to work and seem to have a sensible viewpoint. I don't get the impression that you are a dreamer.

People that go to college make much more money on the average than people who do not. This is not necessarily because they are smarter or that they are better employees, but society is set up to give them access to jobs they could not have otherwise.

Further, there are some jobs, particularly in the professions like medicine or law or accounting, where the degree is required, and people in these jobs tend to make more money than the average job.

However, the individuals that make the most money do not typically make it because of their college degree, whether they went to college or not. The people that make the most money are in entertainment or business, and for those that start their own businesses a college degree is not essential and may not even be helpful.

Now, lots of businesses fail. And many people who are phenomenally successful in business owe a lot to luck.

But there is still room in this world for bright people who are willing to work and who want to create something for themselves. And these are the ones who are successful in business.

There is one thing that you should pay attention to, if you are planning on getting into the field of internet marketing, and this is a point that is often lost or overlooked or purposely hidden in this forum:

INTERNET MARKETING IS ABOUT MARKETING.

Marketing involves bringing a product of value to the consumer and getting something in exchange. The key word here is value.

Marketing, whether internet or otherwise, is NOT just about making money. Money is just a medium of exchange. It is about providing a service or a product that people need or want.

If you do this, if you find a product that people need or want that you can provide at a profit, and if you work intelligently and ethically, you have a very good chance of becoming successful.

I would caution you not to just look at marketing products on the internet. The tools and ideas that you get here can be used anywhere. And you may have more opportunities with products that are not strictly internet based.

For example, look what Ray Bradley did with a lawn mowing business he started when he was 12 years old:

As grass grew, so did Ray Bradley's landscaping business - Tampa Bay Times

Good luck to you.

You have to take step to enter in to world of internet marketing.Good luck

Do both.

My 2 years in college helped me loads in terms of "brain power" needed to build my online business.

Since you are 17 I say go for it, do the things you are planning for this summer, get yourself out there, make a few bucks and see what you think come the fall. I personally would suggest you go to college for perhaps biz marketing or web related programs. Maybe not in the fall, maybe not in a year, but dont dismiss college totally. The person you are at 17 is not the person you will be once you enter your 20s and have matured somewhat.

My son is 24, he took Small Biz & Entrepreneurship at college, worked a year, went back for two yrs in Biz Marketing which he has now finished. The marketing course was so much more appropriate and relevant for him now that he's done it, he learned a lot and is implementing it now. You can do the same.

So do what you want for now, but keep an open mind to the benefits of college down the road a bit. As I told my kid, you cant have too much education.

College is about a lot more than just your degree.

You learn self discipline, you make friends that last a lifetime, and you learn how to learn.

Obviously it isn't necessary to succeed, but I still think that its a worthwhile investment.

Just make sure you don't go to some overpriced Ivy League school that "teaches" you by just giving you case study after case study.

Honestly, you can easily set up a very nice IM side business whilst attending college. You are overlooking a LOT of external factors that the college provides, which IM does not.

It gives you an organized schedule, social interaction, breaks from IM and it powers your brain through learning.

I'm personally going to university this year (I'm 24) and I regret not going earlier, but during my 5 master degree I will have plenty of time for IM, more than plenty!

Not everyone can success online. I'm still studying for college while being active in IM. What if you crash and burn? You still have a degree and have a bright future.

I don't think that every youngster should just quit college and think they can become a millionaire online. it is not that easy.

Going to college for me is like an insurance. Or should I say...Backup plan.

You should try a marketing major in college. I wish I knew what IM was when I was 17, I feel like now I have A LOT of missed opportunities to make up for.

I sympathize with you. Getting a job is tough, and going to college doesn't guarantee you a job anymore than than getting a GED does. However, I would still go. If you're successful at IM, then you can go ahead and pay off those loans with the snap of a finger. Otherwise, you might be glad you went to get a degree if IM fails.

I am a Marketing major in Business school right now and I have to say that what I learn when I come home every day is much more interesting than my professors drilling me with information that I will forget a month after the semester ends.

However, I must say that I have learned some invaluable information from school that has helped me in my IM ventures so far. You can really do both if you want to.

All I know is that even after I'm done my degree I don't plan on going to work at some stuffy office for someone else. My advice to you is to finish up school but at the same time don't give up on your IM dreams because if you work hard enough they will come true.

I commend you. This is a great step you are taking. I'm going to tell you things that many people will or will not agree with, but it does not matter because you need to hear this before you make your journey. If you don't take anything from this thread, at least take this: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO! It really is as simple as that. You are already a leg up because you have a plan. Do not listen to any negativity from anybody even if they mean well. You will encounter many people that will try, and deter you from what you are doing, but if this is what you want to do, let it go in one ear and out the other. Always listen to what people have to say, but it is up to you to determine what advice to take, and what not to take. Honestly, you didn't even have to make this thread. As long as you believe in yourself, nothing can stop you. You are going to have to prepare yourself mentally for your journey, so take some time for introspection, and become a master of yourself because once you can master yourself, you can master anything. Also, be patient. We tend to want things to work on our time frame, but we must remember that nothing comes before time. Just keep doing what you do, and things will fall into place. If I may, I also suggest you read the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill if you already haven't. Many people such as Oprah, and Bill Gates attribute their success to this book, and I don't think I need to list their credentials to further prove my point. That is it for my rant. Just always believe in yourself, and listen to your intuition, and you will be fine.

Your career plan sounds great and well-structured and it is sure to work, if you believe yourself to be a highly-focused, dedicated person. However, I would still recommend that you attend college because it is not employment, but education that really transforms an individual intellectually. At the age of 17, it may sound silly to leave your money-making abilities for education, but when you become, say 60, and look back, you will realize that the things learnt were more worthwhile than the things earned.

All the best!

best of luck

I recommend still going to college. I could write a novel on why you should, but here are a few pointers.

1) Don't pick a BS curiculum; I recommend a hard science, math, or finance. (I'm a graduate student studying CIS with an emphasis in security.) (I'm worth lots of money because I'm dedicated to learning.) - I have more options than most people I know, regardless of how successful they are.

You hear about people who owe $100,000 after college. That's because they didn't educate intelligently. Live off campus if you can. Pick a major that's actually valuable and practical (computer science, math, finance, engineering).

2) Apply for every grant and scholarship you can find; you're a marketer right? This is great practice. (Practice that copywriting.) - I'd tell you how much money in grants and scholarships I've obtained, but I hate to brag. (And you probably wouldn't believe me.)

I've received scholarships so rewarding, that I've been been paid to attend college. (scholarships and grants that were so large, I almost started freaking out because at first I thought it was a bill. Then I started dancing when I realized it was notice of grant issuance.)

3) I've known plenty of people without college educations who are very successful. But those that went to college were typically more well rounded and more likely to succeed. You're ultimately more intellectually powerful with a college education in most instances. Why frown upon refined learning?

4) Learn. Never stop learning. It doesn't matter if you attend college, or read on the Internet. When college is done, you're just getting started.

5) Attend college, and market on the side.



Good luck kiddo

You are not going to find IM as a major in college. It changes too quickly. I would recommend attempting the "traditional" route while self educating and doing stuff on the side (nights and weekends). Eventually if you do things right you will start to prosper then you make a decision about the direction you wish to take.

My recommendation is to still go to college, not necessarily for the degree, but to develop your organizational, people, and business skills which will definitely benefit your IM ventures.

The most important thing I got from college was the experience of interacting with my classmates and being organized which were far more important than the degree in my opinion.

You're going to constantly be interacting with others in IM as well, so it's best to develop your people skills while you're young.

17 and you have all the answers - just like every other 17 year old. Go to college. Later, you'll look back and realize you didn't know squat as a teenager and be thanking your lucky stars you got a college education.

There is no reason why you cannot go to college AND pursue IM dreams at the same time.

.

A College degree is always a good cushion, just in case your business ventures don't work out. I have a degree in Economics and I will never use it to get a job (hopefully), as I will always support myself running businesses online. If things don't pan out, I will have that cushion to get a reasonable paying job. That is a big benefit of a degree. Also, once you have a degree you always have it, and it is much better to get it right out of high school.

With that said, you sound like a smart kid, and with enough conviction in yourself and dedication you will succeed, regardless whether you have a degree or not. My advice though: major in business, economics, or accounting if you plan on being self employed, and at the same time, learn how to make money online while you are in school. It will go by fast and you will have fun too. College does have other benefits, such as hot college girls but it also expands your intelligence, and helps you find what you are really interested in.

I commend your self determination to succeed in life by mapping out your road to achieve this. However, my advice is that you don't jettison your college education. It is better to be a well informed Internet business mogul. As a young guy, you can possibly be capable of having your college program and Internet business run successfully together. You have my best wishes !

ultimuw45

Mmm alright my friend. I wanted to wish you good luck and I can definitely respect your decision.

It's not going to be easy but it is sure possible. Come to think of it, all the friends I have who are millionaires didn't finish college either. So it's doable but it's damn tough. Know that. Like you're going to really have to pay your dues.

If you don't quit and cop out when the going gets hard then I'd say you got a good chance my friend. The reason most people don't "make it" is because they're cop outs. Think about it. Business success is not about "luck" or other bs like that. It's about becoming valuable or providing something valuable to the marketplace. So that just comes down to SKILLS.

And heck all the how to information to learn almost any skill is already out there. You just have to go get that info.

This said, I hope you're not going into this naively. You know there's health insurance, life insurance, dental care, medical insurance, rainy day funds, rent, car, misc. products like toothbrush, toothpaste, gel, and all the other things we take for granted when we're young. These things add up so just be prepared for that.

Also, there's the whole tax game to think about. There's a lot of rules we young adults don't know about.

But with that all said, listen...if you are really going to commit to this path go and study everything Dan Kennedy has to teach. He's a marketing legend and he never went to college.

Go, go go and good luck buddy!

P.S. One last thing - a wise mentor of mine once told me: you don't want to put yourself in a situation where you NEED to make a sale because it puts you in a state of desperation which will make you make poor decisions.

If it's possible for you to stay at home and build your business - DO SO. There's no shame in that. If it's possible for you to go to school and build your business while you're in college - DO SO. There's no shame in that either. In fact, the truth is we still live in a world where having a college degree can open doors (if not for a job, then at least while networking with people).

a1batross - You sound sharp. Your idea that you can skip uni and go right into making money on the webs has potential. I'd spend 100% of your time seeking a mentor you can work directly with. REF:
Getting yourself in a group of people who are all doing it is the quickest way to success. Most people toil away with how-to's after work. They do that because they needed to pay the bills or similar. Those are the same people who advise having some padding or backup plans.

Backup plans don't work, not because they aren't a good idea, but because they take a ton of resources. Resources (time, money, effort) are exactly what entrepreneurial careers need.

You are in a unique position-- you don't need money and you don't have responsibility. Use that advantage to re-locate where you can work directly with entrepreneurs. Because you don't need to make money, they'll let you hang around. Eventually, they'll pay you. Because you are smart. Then, they'll fund you. Same reason.

If the following two assumptions are true: 1) you are smart 2) you are sure you want to be an online entrepreneur and do the work than going to college is probably a waste of time.

Go work for somebody (now) who does exactly what you think it is that you want to do. If you can manage to get a gig like that (it's not easy) you'll learn way more than you'd ever learn in school.

Dan

PS, thanks for the shout up there J$ !

College is over-rated and nothing like the old-timer's here might opine about.

The only college degree worth working for is one with a technical bias -- engineering, heavy math, finance, etc. The rest are garbage and overpriced commodities, at best.

My recommendation is to school locally at a State university. Live with you parents if you can stand it. And work your balls off on developing your dream and skill set.

COLLEGE IS FOR LOSERS. Let me tell you what, "higher education" is a complete scam. The worst decision of my life was to go. THEY RAPE YOU AND DO NOT DELIVER VALUE. I hated every second of it, but was afraid to quit because of what my parents might think. Don't listen to any of the negativity from people here that can't make money. Go read the threads about everyone that's succeeding.

Man, you're only 17. If you commit to IM and go hard for 4 years I GUARANTEE you will end up better off than any of your friends who are "studying business" at university. And just so you know, any of the "business" majors do not actually teach you anything that you can apply to IM. I've taken about 30 college classes and learned NOTHING of practical value, but am in debt.....

I'm 20 and am not returning to school in the Fall so I can make money online.

And that's a really great point from DanAndrews. BACKUP PLANS DO NOT WORK. If you have a dream that you want to achieve, like making a full-time income and then some from IM, you have to commit to that only. You're not going to "go to college so I can always be secure and get a corporate job" and make it in IM. It doesn't work that way. Your motivation levels will only be high enough if your brain knows it HAS to make this one route work.

hmm...
in a good case like some success dropouts, it can be worked but,
if you browse around, you will find some threads in WSO about internet marketers that almost desperate because they can not generate money.
at that time, they need backup plan and that's the role of the college.

I suppose it depends on the person. But, for me, going to college was the best thing I ever did. I studied business, marketing, copywriting, and art.

Even if you have grandiose plans of becoming a millionaire Internet marketer, college provides you with a back-up. A "plan B" in case your millions are slow to come. Without a degree, your opportunities will be limited. A degree can help unlock doors.

When I was about your age, I worked in a factory for a summer. Inside that plant, it was hot, dark and noisy... and the work was hard, dirty and monotonous. Every minute seemed like an hour. When you do that kind of work, you end up wishing your life away. Every morning as I walked in, I hoped 5:00 pm would come quickly.

That summer convinced me college was worth the investment of time, effort, and money. And it was. After working for many years in corporate America, in my opinion, wearing a business suit and being in a brightly lit, air conditioned office while sipping coffee beats the heck out of factory work.

Even though I've now been self-employed for years, having a degree meant that I would never have to work in a factory again. And, in the business world, having a degree (or even being able to say that you're in college) will instantly help your credibility. Plus, for me, college was fun and interesting. (Oh... and I met a lot of attractive girls. )

My advice? At least go to a community college part time and try it. And nothing says you have to earn your degree in 4 years -- slower is better than not at all. In my view, it would be terrible to be 40 or 50 years old and suddenly realize that you missed out.

Good Luck.

John

Why not do both at the same time?

I just wanted to check in with a1batross. How are you doing with your Internet marketing pursuits right now? I know also that some business schools might offer online marketing as one of their areas of study now.

Looking back, the only thing I learned in college was to play poker well. And poker is what taught me the ability to learn.

If you want a failsafe, spend 4 months at your first semester of college. Study your ass off, get a 3.6-4.0 GPA. Drop out, and simply say in your resume, "3.8GPA One Year at college studying "Marketing". Say it at the end of your resume as an afterthought.

When someone asks you about your history, be honest and say. "I left college to be an entrepreneur".

What you learn and what you do and your drive (+ attitude) plays a big part of how you will do.

You might find your true calling doing PPC / SEO / Social media / coding / whatever. As you become successful in gaining abilities, build a brand / clientbase (Take time out of your day to work for free if need be). Hell, all the interviews I've been going to I have not been asked about my degree. It's practical applications and how I would solve problems.

If you can learn and have motivation. You'll do fine in life. Anyone else who says different in my opinion simply doesn't understand the metrics on why people fail.

"You are one exception to the rule". For the most part, in every bit of ventures that people fail at doing. Their are literally hundreds of reasons why people could fail. From "lack of research", "motivation", "Lack of focus", "misunderstanding the market", "Some success but got lazy", "wrong mental state", "hanging with people who influence you the wrong way".

It's no different than figuring out what went wrong in an interview. From wrong body language, weak demeanor, lack of a firm handshake, lack of confidence, awkward proximities, bad first impressions. All the way to simply having the interviewer not liking your face (not a joke).

You see a problem, and fix it and get better.

It's very easy to not succeed if you lose track of your goals.

bathunter & DanAndrews are 100% spot on here. Before I moved out West...just about all of my friends/people who I hang out with were not motivated, not happy, and not willing to do anything about it. Why deal with people who bring you down? I moved to just get away, and EVERY one of my friends who I have met (okay, minus one) has dropped out of college to do whatever they want. Most either own their business(es) or work from home. The buddy who also graduated? We both have marketing majors and completely regret not leaving college sooner. My best friend was a daytrader (college dropout), he got a job that paid $8.50 to start because he was bored. Literally 13 months later he lands a sick gig at an SEO firm for nearly $100K/year. He is not an exception. He saw what he wanted to do and became the person that did it.

I plan on spending 30+ hours this weekend applying everything that I've learned so far since actually visiting WF because I might take a job offer that is extremely awesome but would mean I have to relocate (which i'm happy with, but dat girlfriend..so i'd rather not).

Okay, I will stop ranting now.

I think college is definitely worth a try, especially while you're still young. The older you get, the harder it's going to be to motivate yourself to continue your education. Also, college is nothing like high school. The atmosphere in the college classroom and on campus is completely different than high school. I would at least give it an honest effort.

First point: There are a lot of things you can DO to support yourself. Although I can't watch your vid here at work, depending on what it is and if you enjoy doing it, you can offer video creation gigs to start out with, or writing services, or start up an affiliate site... Any number of things. The point is: Just DO something. Emphasis on DO.

Second point: You've found a great resource here already, BUT, with a caveat. There are SO many things here to distract you from point 1: DOING. Learn enough to start doing, and don't over-analyze. Be prepared to make mistakes and learn from them and be creative enough to think of your own methods as well. The Creative people that are hyper-active about accomplishing (read: DOING) their goals are the ones that truly succeed.

Third point: It is not your PLAN I care about, and it is not your PLAN that will make you succeed. It is your ability to EXECUTE that will make you successful (however it is that YOU happen to define success for yourself: Keep that in mind). And, this is true in so many areas of life as well. It is your ATTITUDE that honestly impresses me the most, and I can confidently say that if you actually create a checklist of some strategy to follow that leads from "Step 1: Pick an Idea" -> "Step 2: ???" -> "Step 3: Profit" ::: The idea in any case, is to figure out the ??? behind step 2, and then to execute.

I think you get the idea. But from how you describe things so far, you sound driven, and based on that, I think you'll do great. I wish I had half of your resources when I was 17. You're 'not quite' half my age, and it seems by the time you get "here"... well, let's just say I think you'll be doing well.

But, the final question (perhaps the most important): Does it REALLY matter what "I" think about your chances of success?

Good luck to you, young sir!

Going to college was a great experience for me. I didn't start until I was 24 and didn't graduate until I was over 30. For me that was a perfect age range to be in college.

So, if you are 17 you can probably give it your all to try to build on online business and if, for whatever reason, you decide in a few years you want to go to college you probably still can. You are young enough to do something like that. Although if you do go that route just remember that life happens and going to college later on may not be as simple as it is right now.

Wow, many thanks to everyone who came to offer their advice.

There's some negativity in here towards not going to college. Which is understandable, and I see how it would be good choice for many people. I'd like to clarify, however, that I have no intention of becoming a millionaire. Of course, if there's opportunity for that, I'd take it, but that's not what I hope to accomplish with IM. Furthermore, I'm not even looking into getting any kind of permanent residence. Not for several years, at least.

Simply put, the purpose of IM would be as a source of income while I'm making music and writing. With luck, hard work, and enough time, these could become my primary sources of income. Writers and musicians don't make money overnight though--there's uncertainty and money doesn't start rolling in until there's already been a serious investment of time. I know I can put the effort into IM, so the question here is not "Will I be able to devote the time to do IM," but a matter of what I devote my time to.

Now, I realize that I'm talking a lot about money, but it's just something that has to be under control before I'm able to live on my own. See, I'm not the kind of person that has any expensive habits, or even wants something like a nice car and television set (actually, I stopped watching TV over 2 years ago). The things I enjoy are cheap or free, like meeting new people and reading books or going camping. Which is why IM is appealing--it frees me up to be able to go anywhere without being attached to a particular workplace. So I wish anyone who does want to live in a more permanent residence luck, and see how college would be a solid option for them. But before you call me naive, remember that the statistics about income levels of college vs high-school graduates aren't important. It's the lifestyle that's important.

Hi Op,

So various posts have probably conveyed this - at least cumulatively - but here's my thoughts:

First, there is no right answer. There are no guarantees with anything - college or no college there are only choices and action and then how you deal and relate to what your choices are actions are. Happiness and success isn't about money or status or a degree, it's something that you earn for yourself based on your experiences in life and who you are and become as a person.

Ok, got that out of the way . I don't think personally there is any reason to go or not to go to college that is objective. It's completely based on you and your personal circumstances. All the numbers and stats and other peoples experiences are just that: numbers, stats and OTHER peoples experiences. Make you own way. If it's best for you for whatever reason to go to college and try IM on the side, do that. If you really want to give IM a go, and put college off for now, do that.

The one piece of practical info I'll give is that that your actions should follow your reality and your dreams, not just your dreams. Whether they realize it or not, most people - including some on this thread - are just sharing their opinions. There is no right or wrong way and in fact, these opinions are their dreams and so that is how they act. My practical advise is this: act both on your dreams and on what you need to deal with the daily considerations of life. Specifically, if you want to pursue IM, awesome. Do it, but simultaneously support yourself and take care of whatever 'responsibilities' you have - be they college or just a job to pay for food and housing.

The best way to learn is by doing and acting. If you can try to move in the direction of your dreams and still cover your a** in 'real world' terms, that is the optimal balance. It's the same in IM as it is in a regular job as it is in a relationship. Don't mistake your dreams for your practical responsibilities and visa versa

most college students also work while going to school so why not do both? if you want to not spend a fortune on college then do the first 2 years at a community college while running your IM business and then you can transfer to a 4 year state school for the remaining 2 years while you still continue your IM business. Four years from now you will have a bachelors degree and 4 years of experience in IM and hopefully will have made a bunch of money. I would recommend majoring/minoring in some combination of Finance/Marketing/Computer Science/IT.

Yeah go for both.

But don't listen to the standard.. "But what if you fail, where is your backup plan?"

If you believe you can succeed, then you will succeed, period.