Should I continue with college?

[twoturboz]

Hello everyone,

I'm 20 years old. I went to community college after high school and did all my courses online, except for two while working full time.

Then, I took a year off and worked for the same company opening a store in Europe. I did that for almost a year and then moved back.

Now, I'm going to college out of state (also paying out of state tuition ). I transferred in with a 4.0.

My concern is that I'm very entrepreneurial in nature, and I find the 3 classes I'm taking (including 2 recitations), extremely boring. I'm open option right now (21 credits transferred out of 29), and planning on majoring in something creative (aka Journalism, Advertising etc) and minoring in German. Although I basically have to spend the rest of the year taking boring required classes - i.e. sociology, math, economics etc after taking a year of community college of boring classes that I also wasn't interested in at all. I feel like all of the things I'm "learning" could be learned reading a book for free, or watching television. The only thing I find interesting about my experience thus far is that I got onto the school radio station for photo/play by play for a local hockey team and do photo for the school paper.

I feel like college is just turning into a big game. For example, I never missed a class in one of my classes. I did all the homework, I took all the quizzes, and then I got a 95% on the practice midterm. Midterm rolls around - and its probably 3x as hard as the practice midterm was, and I get a 60% with a class average of a 65%, while being told that that's a "normal" average. I'd say the majority of the stuff on the exam was never taught in class. :bgh::bgh::bgh:

Anyways, I'm currently working on prototyping a device for the automotive market and planning on opening a company selling once I have the fitments and things ready. I know there's a demand for what I'm inventing (which doesn't exist) because when I google a description of it - there's about 50x car forums asking if it exists. I don't want to work in the slow lane. I've already been micromanaged through 45 hour weeks for two years on two sides of the world and know that I don't want to live my life like that. I have the funding to start my company - the question is - should I just focus on that and stop dealing with the nonsense, or will college eventually get more interesting and worth the opportunity cost?

 

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[Ravens_Shadow]

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/sh...-But-I-Can-t-Make-Your-Life-Decisions-For-You!!

But most people here suggest not going to college. I personally dropped out, but I had to make that decision on my own.

 

[campbellronald7]

As for now I suggest you to take your classes you have no other option. I think you have an entrepreneurial Quality in you so it’s better you enhance it and groom it by studying & understanding the different markets trends. And later on you may start your business of your own.
So best of luck for your future!!!

 

[Davidla]

For me personally, classes became better in the 2nd and 3rd years (currently in 3rd year). Intro classes usually suck, and there isn't really a way around them. Once you know which classes/professors are good, and take more advanced classes the experience should be much better.

Depending on the college you are attending, or If you have the ability to get into honors/leadership classes then I'd say there's also good value in the friends you'd make there. Otherwise, seems like you are thinking that college won't be very helpful with entrepreneurship.

I am wondering, what are the reasons you are going to college right now? Why do you want to get a creative degree and a minor in German?

I think answering those questions will help.

P.S - there have been quite a few threads about college, you can search around a little and find a lot of other useful thoughts.

 

[FastLearner]

Quit school.

You're doing yourself more harm than good by staying. It's just wasting time and money you could be putting into your venture...

 

[Lakeview]

I had to make that decision on my own.

Exactly! It's a personal decision that no one here should make for you. Best of luck!!!

 

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[Tony I]

Read the thread I started:

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/sh...-read-for-young-people?highlight=drop+college

Some good advice in there.

I'm in a similar situation as you.. most likely taking a leave of absence second semester.

 

[julien515]

Quit school.

You're doing yourself more harm than good by staying. It's just wasting time and money you could be putting into your venture...

I would strongly disagree with this, going to college can potentially be of great benefit. All of the successful people I know, millionaires or making high 6 figures went to college. My step dad makes a lot of money 400k+, he runs a computer company, and he has a BS in computer science... He's told me multiple times how much it benefited him in his career. Many of his friends are equally successful and most of them also have degrees. Although there are certainly plenty of people who don't and still become successful. It all depends on what you plan on doing, If you want to be in real estate you might be better off just getting your brokers license and start selling houses. If you want to start a computer security company then you would probably benefit from getting a degree or at least a certification in computer security. The op says he's interested in developing products for automobiles so a degree in engineering may be useful. Either way to say getting a degree is a waist of time is simply not true.

 

[ZachMaddox]

I attended college, graduated with a double major in chemistry and physics, and have not once used my degree. That was a personal choice that I made when I realized I was an excellent marketer, advertiser, and gifted at brand building. I can see college being a good thing... if i would have not been rushed into directly after high school, making a rather rushed choice of what to make of my college career. I look back now and wish i would have waited and went to school later for Mass comm., sociology, and psychology to only add experience in the same field as what i have crafted as entrepreneur. It will only waste your time if it is not something that is going to benefit the main career goal in your life. If it doesn't, you might be paying for a chunk of their new football stadium and you end up with a degree that you wish was refundable. Take your gut feeling, weigh the pros and cons, and make the best estimate of what to do next from that!

 

[Brentnal]

I would finish college if you're almost done, by that i mean within 2 years.
I see school as a safety net and a way to socialize with all kinds of people and get to know different personalities and such.

 

[FastLearner]

I would strongly disagree with this, going to college can potentially be of great benefit. All of the successful people I know, millionaires or making high 6 figures went to college. My step dad makes a lot of money 400k+, he runs a computer company, and he has a BS in computer science... He's told me multiple times how much it benefited him in his career. Many of his friends are equally successful and most of them also have degrees. Although there are certainly plenty of people who don't and still become successful. It all depends on what you plan on doing, If you want to be in real estate you might be better off just getting your brokers license and start selling houses. If you want to start a computer security company then you would probably benefit from getting a degree or at least a certification in computer security. The op says he's interested in developing products for automobiles so a degree in engineering may be useful. Either way to say getting a degree is a waist of time is simply not true.

As much as you would like to disagree it is all a matter of opinion. I'm going to have my opinion on what I think is more efficient use of time and you're going to have yours. Why not just give him advice rather than disagreeing with me? I'm not the one here who needs to make the decision, I've already made the choice for myself and it's working out fine. To each their own, buddy.

 

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[Sir Ingenious]

I think you already know the answer to this.

Instead, this is the question you should be asking: do you have the balls to make that decision and take full responsibility for it?

I think this question is just a smokescreen to a real question behind this. Pretty much, it's all about taking responsibility for your decisions, which is why you are asking this question. There is no script, you're on stage and it's time to perform on the fly. Don't be afraid to be "embarrassed".

Take the leap at whatever you do. Go.

 

[Vigilante]

Yes.

No...um...NO.

Yes.

Shit.

I don't know!

I don't even know you.

Sorry.

 

[Vick]

what does your gut tell you?