Thread: Should I Quit School?

Can you just not go to some classes? Or have friends sign you in, etc?

At one point I decided to do my Bachelor's and Master's at the same time. Eventually I figured it was a waste of my time, but I could still get it done with pretty good grades. Save for a few classes that I felt I really needed to sit in and listen, I skipped the rest and taught the material to myself via google, powerpoint slides or examples from the textbooks. Most of the classes didn't require attendance as part of the grade. The others I just told friends to sign my name in.

Even if you couldn't find a way around this, I'd still recommend staying. That loan is a big factor. Plus you could always just mentally check out of the actual class when you're there and work on your own ideas in your head. It would be a plus if you could bring a laptop to class hehe.

Originally Posted by mrhahn

Can you just not go to some classes? Or have friends sign you in, etc?

At one point I decided to do my Bachelor's and Master's at the same time. Eventually I figured it was a waste of my time, but I could still get it done with pretty good grades. Save for a few classes that I felt I really needed to sit in and listen, I skipped the rest and taught the material to myself via google, powerpoint slides or examples from the textbooks. Most of the classes didn't require attendance as part of the grade. The others I just told friends to sign my name in.

Even if you couldn't find a way around this, I'd still recommend staying. That loan is a big factor. Plus you could always just mentally check out of the actual class when you're there and work on your own ideas in your head. It would be a plus if you could bring a laptop to class hehe.

Nope, if I'm absent for more than thrice I'll be suspended from taking my finals. And laptops aren't allowed during school hours.

I know staying is a far safer choice, but I've contemplated over this many times.

I can either choose:
a) Remain stagnant for 1.5years, graduate with an A-levels certificate (which has no other use other than entering a university). I do not need to pay anything other than 1.5 years of my life.
b) Quit now. Save 1.5 years of my time, but requiring me to pay half a million.
c) Go on to university and get a degree.

While option (a) sounds pretty stupid, it is the lowest-risk choice of them all, but still having me to waste 1.5 years of my life getting an A-levels certificate which I won't be using.

(b) is what I'm considering right now... and I could potentially earn more (and gain lots of experience/momentum) within this 1.5 years.

(c) is the least desirable choice of them all, will cost me lots of time, however it MAY help in certain areas like again, social life, getting girls, clubs and activities, certain useful skills like being in business school. Oh and it makes my A-levels certificate useful.

Personally,
I would stick with it only if to fuel my burning desire. I would suggest that you work on your ideas on the side. Use the time in school to do business study, read about marketing and selling etc. That's what I am doing. I think it is a benefit as you have a roof over your head and a chance to make money in your free time. 1.5 years is not that long. I have waited for about 2 years because I had to repeat. I am going to skip uni and pursue my ideas, and then once I am happy with what I have made for myself I am going to do the course I really want to, not because I have to but because I am passionate about it.

James

Originally Posted by jrws

Personally,
I would stick with it only if to fuel my burning desire. I would suggest that you work on your ideas on the side. Use the time in school to do business study, read about marketing and selling etc. That's what I am doing. I think it is a benefit as you have a roof over your head and a chance to make money in your free time. 1.5 years is not that long. I have waited for about 2 years because I had to repeat. I am going to skip uni and pursue my ideas, and then once I am happy with what I have made for myself I am going to do the course I really want to, not because I have to but because I am passionate about it.

James

From what I see, 1.5 years is a lot of time!
Overall it sounds good. But I can't just start reading in the middle of a lecture. It's mad strict over here. There are teachers patrolling around just to make sure we are so-called paying attention.

Thanks for your opinion.

Question, what school do you go to that's so strict?

Originally Posted by Deeyennay

Question, what military camp do you go to that's so strict?

Fixed that for ya...

OP, I'd stick it out... 60 hours a week to school isn't a lot when you don't have other commitments. It leaves plenty of time to work on your own projects - once you're losing 60 hours to work, and have a family to look after, it starts to cut in to your time, but if you really want it, you'll make it work, and honestly, a $500k cost to cut your education here... is a lot at this stage.

Didn't mean in the middle of a lecture lol, no I was rather meaning just reading whenever you get a chance, if you are mad bored then surely you can find something to do. Another option is instead of listening to music put something on by Brian Tracy on your morning commute or w/e. If they allow you to listen to stuff in class (doubtful but maybe still possible) then again, listen to someone productive and who has made some successes.

James

Originally Posted by Inphinity

Fixed that for ya...

OP, I'd stick it out... 60 hours a week to school isn't a lot when you don't have other commitments. It leaves plenty of time to work on your own projects - once you're losing 60 hours to work, and have a family to look after, it starts to cut in to your time, but if you really want it, you'll make it work, and honestly, a $500k cost to cut your education here... is a lot at this stage.

I'm living in Singapore. School is hell over here. I'm actually in one of the least strict colleges.
By the way, college is a 2 year course because of compulsory 2 year army conscription after that. I'm not required to attend though because I'm foreign.

You're right. I spend time after school on self-help books (I'm reading Think and Grow Rich now) and Facebook/Twitter/MSN. I find social networking kinda important to build relations though.

Originally Posted by jrws

Didn't mean in the middle of a lecture lol, no I was rather meaning just reading whenever you get a chance, if you are mad bored then surely you can find something to do. Another option is instead of listening to music put something on by Brian Tracy on your morning commute or w/e. If they allow you to listen to stuff in class (doubtful but maybe still possible) then again, listen to someone productive and who has made some successes.

James

Sorry for my misinterpretation. Haha I always read when I'm alone and have nothing else to do. I guess the only way for using lectures productively is to pen down ideas or revise certain materials I've read.

You should stay in school unless you can show, with undeniable ability, that you are entrepreneurial. No entrepreneur ever became less successful because of school, but a ton of unentrepreneurial individuals have.

Best regards.

If this is going to leave you with 500 k in debt, and you're not from a multi-millionaire family then you would be crazy to do that to yourself at your age.

Unless of course, you have a million-dollar guarantee chance of making it HUGE in 2 years or less then just don't do that.

Should you quit School? No...

I wouldn't quit until I turned 18 and was certain I could support myself financially... mind you a semester of college here only cost $115 + books... for foreigners the exact same semester cost them $6,000 + books.

I think I'll only quit school when business takes too much time. Just find a way to make school less of a hassle.

500k in dollars ?

I've never done the research on this, but I'd bet that most folks who quit school to start a business were not successful. On the other hand, those who quit school because the business they were already running was taking up so much of their time that school was limiting the business, did well.

If you can't find a way to focus on school, you'll find it very hard to focus on business. This is especially true when a vendor, an employee, or the government is screaming for money that you don't have.

As an employer, I always look to see how people did in school. I don't really care so much HOW they did. I care THAT they did. There aren't many MBA's who make lousy employees. They know how to set goals and complete them.

I don't care if they have 500 friends on Facebook. I'd rather they have 5 successes in something concrete.

Originally Posted by Bo_

You're right. I spend time after school on self-help books (I'm reading Think and Grow Rich now) and Facebook/Twitter/MSN. I find social networking kinda important to build relations though.

If you can't discipline yourself outside AND inside of school my answer to your question is NO!

Are you even working on something that is making money yet? Are you on the fastlane or are you on Facebook?

How fast can you get the hell out of there? If it's only your first year, talk to any advisors you may have access to at the school (or heck, even the Principal) and ask them about early graduation options (cramming in lots of credits in to only 2-3 years)? If I were a freshman again, I would totally explore that, AND I would explore taking credits online via the internet.

....but no, I'd also recommend staying in school. I need the safety years that school provides to get my sh*t together and build a solid foundation before it's time to be an adult and provide for myself. Getting a job is not an option.

I have read through your post a couple of times and really have a hard time even comprehending it.

Honestly, if you don't have the patience to tough out another 1.5 years of school, you will never, ever make it in the business world.

It always amuses me to hear kids say silly things like this. You act as though spending the next 1.5 years of your life in school is detrimental to your future success. Do you really think improving your education is bad?

Sure, when you are 17, 1.5 years is almost 10% of your life, but look at the bigger picture.

If you quit, you are stuck with 500k (I am assuming you are talking about SGD) in debt. 500k!

Sure, you are supremely confident now that you can earn that in a short period of time, but the reality is you have no business experience and no education that can put you on that road.

I have no doubt you can earn that money, but I also know that 500k is an enormous amount of debt. That amounts to over 330k per year.

At age 17, the likelihood that you can earn 330k per year is pretty low. Even if you could, its pretty idiotic to intentionally take on that kind of debt just to have the ability to quit school.

Entrepreneurs generally are an impatient breed. You clearly have that trait. But you also need to develop focus. You will never reach much success if you are incapable of focusing.