Dropping out of college

[Sammyhav]

If you continue to take classes you don't care about, are you going to pay for it yourself? I would never feel right about my parents paying for something I'm not even going to try and earn a decent grade on. You could learn online and from peers in your field rather than wasting their money. They want you to keep going to get a Plan B degree but to do that you have to PASS... if you're not passing you are taking advantage of your parents generosity and love.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[FastLearner]

If you continue to take classes you don't care about, are you going to pay for it yourself? I would never feel right about my parents paying for something I'm not even going to try and earn a decent grade on. You could learn online and from peers in your field rather than wasting their money. They want you to keep going to get a Plan B degree but to do that you have to PASS... if you're not passing you are taking advantage of your parents generosity and love.

Have you read this whole entire thread thoroughly? I don't believe you have. Next time you post, please read EVERY SINGLE COMMENT and analyze it before you type on your keyboard. Make no mistake, I'm trying to SAVE my parents money. Goddamn it.

 

[Sammyhav]

Sorry, missed the ONE post you stated you'd pay by yourself if you continue. Good on you, take a breath.

 

[FastLearner]

Sorry, missed the one post you stated you'd pay by yourself if you continue.

Figured that out on my own.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Breaking Free]

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. I've dropped out of college twice, ending with only my associates. But I've got a six figure slowlane job. I'm also self taught, and provide a very unique perspective in the IT field (I'm very creative and logical, and the people I work with aren't the least bit creative).

Would I do it again if I had the chance? Naw. I'd do my own thing, like I'm working on now. I also believe academia can pigeon hole you into a certain mindset; for us writers, if you buy into the lies and myths taught to writers these days, they can really hurt instead of help. A good friend of mine is trying to overcome that mindset, and can't believe I'm writing as fast as I am (she's a novel a year at the most type).

You gave it a shot, and unlike me, you saw through the BS early. And it sounds like you have a plan. Do you have something to hold you over in the mean time, or are you going all in?

 

[1PercentStreet]

Figured that out on my own.

Take a breath, sometimes people make mistakes.
Some of your replies indicate that we know everything about you.

Not trying to hate on you, just realize we're trying to see this from all angles and HELP.

I think you already know what you want to do.
What is life without college?
What is life with college?
What happens if you dropout?
What doesn't happen if you dropout?
What happens if you don't drop out?
What doesn't happen if you don't drop out?


Think about these things.
Perhaps take your own advice?

 

[FastLearner]

Perhaps take your own advice?

I have taken my own advice, which is why I don't go to school anymore lol. I think that goes without saying.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[FastLearner]

Not trying to hate on you, just realize we're trying to see this from all angles and HELP.

You've helped by posting screenshots of my responses? Quite a contribution.

 

[FastLearner]

Do you have something to hold you over in the mean time, or are you going all in?

Going all in whilst still educating myself via the web. YouTube, Google and the books I download everyday from my Nook have become my classroom. My work towards my venture has been ongoing for MONTHS just couldn't give it all the time it deserved because I had classes to attend. At the time, I was staying as a plan B. But what is a plan B if you've got plan A figured out?

 

[Sir Ingenious]

You don't need school to accomplish amazing things.

I think school is only good just so you can sit down and follow directions for a long period of time (8 hours), and comprehend basic things like literacy and mathematics. School is a LOT like a job, if you think about it. So, you do all of this just so you can take orders from your boss very well. School is to train students like dogs being trained at a dog school. They give you good grades like dogs get treats for obeying orders from their masters. So, like dogs, an employee gets bonuses for being good boys and girls. Is this is what you want for your life?

Break rules, go off the unbeaten path, venture off onto another road, go back into the future where there are no roads, etc.

Do you think King Tut needed school to accomplish being a Pharaoh at 12 years of age?

Do you think Benjamin Franklin needed to go to college to accomplish being remarkable at such a young age?

Do you think Julius Caesar needed to go to school and college to join congress before he was 18 years of age?

Do you think William Shakespeare needed to go to college (or even school) to accomplish writing great stories at such a young age?

Do you think Justin Bieber needs to go to college to live a great life?

Do you think Michael Jackson needed to go to college to make something of himself?

All of these people above have accomplished more than a man who've always done what he's told because these people followed their hearts. They followed their 'truth' in life and believed. They lived their lives outside of themselves and served other people. And they were persistent.

Modern society was to feed you crap and made you think you needed school or else, you were to become a lesser being. Ignore that crap and listen to what life is telling you instead. The reason you're somewhat hesitant to do what you wanna do is because of conventional wisdom. However, your heart is telling you to do something else. Do that instead.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[DeletedUser394]

Word of caution, don't substitute the time you spent at school with spending time on the forum.

You seem to log on every 2-3 hours and post incessantly.

And take a chill pill, do some meditation, or just plain grow up.

Getting snarky with everyone offering sound advice or someone simply making a mistake is not the way to build bridges. We don't know who you are, we don't follow your posts with bated breath, but everyone here is attempting to help.

You made a good decision, now go out and get er done.

 

[Breaking Free]

Ingenious brings up a good point. If I had gone to school to learn to write, I actually think that would have been detrimental to my current fastlane. If I went to school and learned all the "traditional" ways to write, publish, and market my work, I'd still be working on my first book.

And now I've got seven on Amazon, with more on the way. Granted, I've made only about $30, but that would be more than I had made the "traditional" route.

 

[FastLearner]

Getting snarky with everyone offering sound advice or someone simply making a mistake is not the way to build bridges.

Let's not get on you, my friend lol

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[splok]

worst advice ever

z

If the options are school or work full time on business, then I agree. However, for most people the options would be school or full-time employment, working on business in the spare time/capacity that either affords. Which one of those leaves you with more capacity for working on your business?

 

[DeletedUser2]

sometimes a picture is worth a thousand threads

Z

 

[Tlcalis]

Good luck

By putting all the eggs in one basket aka burning all the ships might show that you're really serious about this.

Now go out there and rip their hearts out

And I don't belive you should be discouraged if you fail

Even Henry Ford failed 2 times before he became successful

Just make sure you are able to afford rent, necessary food for survival don't spend your money on unnecessary luxuries.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[tafy]

Go for it dude! I did 4 years of university doing Computer Science and never used the degree paper since. I did however have a good time drinking and gaming...

Actually the degree did come in handy when I wanted to teach english in Thailand and they wanted a degree paper so I could get a 1 year visa, but apart from that nothing.

And that picture saying you can learn everything from the internet for free is so true

Now the problem you will have is to come up with ideas for your businesses, so make sure you ask for some advice before you borrow lots of money from family and friends for a big fail. But since your in this forum you probably gonna be ok dude GL

 

[FastLearner]

Now the problem you will have is to come up with ideas for your businesses, so make sure you ask for some advice before you borrow lots of money from family and friends for a big fail.

I'm already working on a venture and I refuse to ask for money from my family to fund it. I absolutely won't. I have some savings that I will be putting towards it.

 

[tafy]

Wow what you commented there made me sound mean lol (didnt mean it like that)

Dont be scared to borrow money if it is really a great idea and you have done some research on it, imagine the facebook dude didnt borrow money to start his business.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[RogueInnovation]

I'm already working on a venture and I refuse to ask for money from my family to fund it. I absolutely won't. I have some savings that I will be putting towards it.

Hmmm, my parents supported me dropping out. They even let me F*ck around for a few years.

Here is my opinion on that.
a) I was an idiot chasing approval not a good plan that worked for me
b) I had no access to anything that could set my mind right

I failed at it cuz I was so passive, and ignorant. Because of that (and not the stance of my parents) I changed strategy about three times before I then begrudgingly turned it all around (much later) and took control of everything.

I realise that if I had turned it all around back THEN, dropping out would have just been smart.
But as it stood, my ideas were impotent and "hopeful" (only realistic in some stupid dream world).
If you stay away from the dream world stuff
- I'm doing the right thing
- In five years this will be well known (after doing nothing but will it into existance)
- I'll do it in a way everyone agrees with, because we know that following what is agreeable is the plan to success
- Hmm, nah, I don't need anything really, so I won't scrutinise opportunities because sitting back and thinking is better

If you avoid that crazy stuff, then, its pretty much a sure thing, given that you work yourself hard enough to freak out (you learn from adapting to and calming down those freak outs as well as detailing further nuances to your own personal understanding).


Your parents approval isn't worth much, ime, it makes you lazier and stupider because they don't know biz and how to do it properly. So I think the fact you are doing most of this on your own is a better sign than if you were somehow working on some compromisation plan with them.

Gain the SKILL of business, not its knowledge. That means, the mindsets, the asskicking, the steel in your gaze, and knowing everything inside out.
Taking control is a HUGE task, and it is NOT accomplished by "standing your ground", its accomplished by running this stuff like you mean it.

For most, they seem to go through some kind of crisis when turning it around, but if you focus you'll do ok. Just avoid bsing yourself. Build skills so good that NO ONE can tell you they know better.

I don't envy you, but F*ck it, its like a bandaid, its better to get this stuff DONE than to let it just sit in the back of your mind.

Zen D, had a shortcut method in his golden nugget thread, and to me that describes what you have to do PERFECTLY.
Dig into this stuff and totally own it. Its the only way.


Don't ask permission and sit around waiting, make like a samurai, be calm, and change your perspective.
When you are in a house surround by an enemy don't think you are the rat surrounded by eagles, know you are fortified and that those around you are just random theives.

Everytime you get knocked down, you just keep getting back up.
You don't quit, even if it makes you cry, you just keep going.

You'll make it.
I'm good at reading peoples chances for success, my bet is you make it with room to spare.


My dropout sucked, because I sucked. I had all the wrong mentalities. Get the right mind. And then just take everything else out too.
If I eventually got my stuff together when I had no help and the worst mentalities known to all of biz, you sure as hell are not going to suck that bad.

If your parents are against this, they are paranoid. Ignore it, every single time.
You are stronger than they know so just kill it. Don't be shy about it. Make noise. Kick and scream if you have to. Never back down, always push it a little further.

Focus.



Who cares what the situation is, if you have the will to succeed and you don't want to f around, then who is anybody to tell you you should waste a SECOND of your own precious time.

Sooner you succeed, the sooner you can do what you want.
That won't make people comfortable, but if thats the price, then what the hell, its a small price for them to pay for your happiness and success.

Go get it!



Burn success into your mind. Find the heart of what is stopping you, and shove in a new engine. Rock it with EVERYTHING you have got.
Ruffle feathers. And get a hold of this stuff. Don't just think outside the box, break it.
And try to have some fun.

 

[dknise]

And take a chill pill, do some meditation, or just plain grow up.

Word of caution... you already know exactly what I'm going to say.




For everyone saying the Plan B stuff... have fun being a waiter at P.F. Changs. :smilielol: You guys are hopeless.

Z's advice is solid.

 

[FastLearner]

Wow what you commented there made me sound mean lol (didnt mean it like that)

Oh no, I really didn't take it that way. I'm so sorry if it came off that way :/

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[lilyhollies]

Dear child, by the time you read this I sure you have probably dropped out by now, however, I would just like to say to everyone, follow your gut instincts. It took my son five years to finish his three year degree, and by the time he came out of it he was much happier and optimistic about life than he would have been had he not taken time off to work, travel etc.

I hope this would help any other students considering to drop out

 

[GravyBoat]

I did however have a good time drinking and gaming...

Exactly what I view college for these days.

I am currently 18 and cannot see myself even entertaining the idea of college. In those 4 years wasted, so much more could have been done. Glad to see yet another case of someone finding out that college is NOT where they want to be. Be extremely glad you didn't have to pay yourself to find that out.

Any updates since the last post? How are the Fastlane ventures coming?

Best of luck!

Gravy

 

[Damian2015]

So I would have a degree for what exactly? Just an extra piece of paper amongst my documents that cost tons of money that I didn't want my parents to spend. In hindsight, I'll be saving my parents THOUSANDS.

you my friend just answered your own question about having "doubts" i read this reply of yours and it looks to me as a clear to hell with college, most people think by getting a degree it will also guarantee a job or career which is not always the case but i am glad you were willing to face your parents and tell them what you think, good luck with your venture

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[PrideOfAccra]

In the early hours of this morning, in my most pensive moments, I wrote my father an e-mail with "Why college isn't for everyone" in the subject line. In the e-mail I forwarded him an article from an old MSN money post (http://money.msn.com/saving-money-tips/post.aspx?post=7432d686-f2e7-482b-a2e7-b5a630e2bec8)

Now, for the past year I've been attending a pretty nice university here in Arizona. My parents have decided to pay for it and I will never have to worry about student loans or debt in my lifetime. I've decided to drop-out to pursue my venture which is an e-commerce business that fills a pretty significant need (will disclose details on my niche in a future progress thread..). My parents are firm believers that education is the key to success in this country, and while I do agree that education itself will provide opportunities, I believe that self-education is far more beneficial than formal education. In college, we learn and spend a lot of time on bullshit that will not necessarily serve or benefit us in the future. Before I decided to drop out, I had been taking some classes that will further help my venture and while the semester isn't over yet, I had a fairly huge assignment that I had due in one of my CSS classes (and while I'm not excellent at coding, I am still efficient enough to build a standard website.) I looked at the task and looked at the points I could accumulate for this assignment and asked myself:

"Is a grade in this class REALLY going to matter?"

I've been asking myself that a lot since last year. I hate grades. The whole notion just seems stupid to me, that someone is only "good" at something because someone else gave them an "A". I have always hated school and though I've always excelled in academia it simply does not fill my soul. I don't find anything valuable at school besides the things I choose to learn. I don't really like people my age either. I have never liked the curriculum here in the U.S (lived and went to school abroad in my younger years..) At some point, I will probably get an academic suspension due to the classes I've dropped that correspond to my major. My advisor isn't very helpful, but I think all academic advisors don't really know shit to begin with..

I really don't care about school, even after graduating High-school I did not foresee college in my near future but because of my parents insistent talk on "the value of formal education", I went along with it.

I have no confusion as to what I want in life my goals and plans are very clear to me. The problem is, my parents aren't very "fastlane savvy" (both were born in 1948, mom's a nurse and dad's an engineer) They have no idea that I've been building a business, they have no idea that I'm even at all entrepreneurial (I'm fairly distant from my family and don't really disclose much about myself..) except for this morning when I decided to write my father an e-mail. And while he hasn't responded to it yet as he is still asleep, I am really nervous about his reaction and I know he will not take this lightly.



Sorry if this came off as a rant, I just really would appreciate some wisdom or words of advice on how to handle parents that are not so supportive of their kid dropping out of *gasp* college.



Thanks for reading.

Hopefully your parents receive it well. I recently graduated from University, I got a 2 year diploma from a junior college and started working and I transferred to a university and finished my degree while working fulltime. Although you might not think college might help you it will definitely help you build your character and teach you a lot about yourself. I would suggest sticking with it till your venture gains traction and you have some revenue coming in, you can justify leaving school to your parents by showing them the money you are making, numbers don`t lie. Best of luck I hope it all works out for you.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

you it will definitely help you build your character and teach you a lot about yourself.

Having been to college AND been in the throws of starting a business, I would say that I learned a lot more about myself starting a business and dealing with the real world (and it made me money!) versus something that indebted me to a job.

 

[PrideOfAccra]

Having been to college AND been in the throws of starting a business, I would say that I learned a lot more about myself starting a business and dealing with the real world (and it made me money!) versus something that indebted me to a job.

You make a good point MJ !

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.