Should I go to college?

[freelife2014]

yes, you should. It's necessary.

 

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

[Royael]

I have the same question for me to decide (6 months left). What I came up with is that I will definitely apply and just visit it, but then I will gradually just keep doing my own business and just stay there until they literally kick me out. Honestly I do this not especially for the educational value I expect from university, but more because of the "culture" and the people I hope to meet there.

Here in Germany its free to apply and attend university so therefore I can just meet the people and get a nice experience of what it feels like to be in a university - and if I should like it I will stay. What I experience a lot is that people are way to fanatic about this whole going/not going thing. It's not a theft to apply and then leave it as soon as you have something to trade it for - but many people don't even consider this as this wouldn't be a good story to write a book about anymore. (You know, the "I never went to college" story).

 

[Nur]

Since most of my business will be online, should I go to college for web design and development? My parents want me to go and I still have another year left of deciding.

I hope it's not too late for you to watch this

 

[Twista]

I hope it's not too late for you to watch this

I've already decided. I don't know what I was thinking back then.

 

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

[rcdlopez]

Maybe

 

[TonyStark]

Do it.

 

[Rethagos]

Do it.

Sorry, i couldn't help myself

 

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

[Madhu]

I went to college (or university as we call it in the UK) to study web design (amongst other media technologies). I found that the mature students who had first spent a few years working in the industry got way more out of it then I did for the following reasons.

1. College courses tend to be out of date. So we wasted time learning technologies that we were never going to use in real life. The mature students knew which technologies they were going to use, so they could apply the theory they learnt to those languages.

2. A lot of college courses encourage you to produce work that is involves thinking outside the box. In theory, this sound great, but in practice it means you’ll end up with a portfolio full of innovative things that are too edgy to appeal to potential clients/employers. The mature students had a much better idea of what employers were looking for, so they could tailor their portfolio to match. In many cases, their portfolio consisted of project that their former companies later used as client work.

I finished with a first class degree, but found it hard to get hired. After completing my degree, I had to start from scratch and learn everything that my course skipped over.

Hence, I’d recommend spending sometime in an agency first, as you’ll then be able to focus on your university learning on things that will actually be an asset to you. If you spend long enough at agency, you’ll probably find that they have some big problem which they keep on putting off because they don’t have time to solve it. For example, a lot of agencies build sites in a very inefficient manner, but they are too busy with client work to change. If you find out these problems, then you can use your university time to find solutions. This would give you a leg up in employment or starting your own business.

I’ve seen a lot of comments in this thread saying that a college education isn’t needed because you can learn it all online.
University does bring some advantages. The biggest is networking. A good college will have connections with key industry players. Plus you can form relationships with other students, which might prove fruitful later on. In both cases, the university won’t push these opportunities: It’s down to you to make the effort.

Other benefits including developing time management skills and working to deadlines.

Personally, if I had a year to decide, I’d spend that year going to agency and/or trying to find my own clients and working as a freelancer. Within 3 months, you’ll have a much better idea of how much value college can bring.


EDIT: I just noticed: Although the replies on this thread are from today, it was started in 2013, so you've probably already decided. Whoops!

 

[Vigilante]

OP hasn't been here since April. Great bump, Jason!

 

[TonyStark]

Just remember guys, before starting any venture you must ask yourself:

 

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

[Nick Lim]

No

 

[Almantas]

Maybe

 

[Pedro6868]

Should I GO to College?

Not that long ago the college diploma was the gold standard, prerequisite door opener. However there were other careers at that time that were not like that. The art field is a good example. Employers could care less where you studied. They didn't care if you crawled out of the gutter. All they wanted to know was "what can you do?" You showed your portfolio with real or mock-up real examples of your ability. Stuff you actually did. That is what landed the job.

Today the world is much more like this. Degrees were the "agreement" that you were capable and qualified. They no longer indicate that. They are looking more like "debt badges".

Why would any young person pay tens of thousands to learn what can now be learned online? Again, it reminds me of art school. Traditionally "art school" meant learning how to draw. The reality of learning to draw is 99% the DOING and 1% instruction. The real reason young artists go to "art school" is for the discipline that they have not yet developed - to condition themselves to actually put in the time. Drawing is truly "self taught" in that it is an activity that takes place by repetitiously firing neurons through practice. No school's name can deliver this.

Todays world is more the world of the "hit man". Clients don't care where you learned your craft. Can you kill him? Can you do it cleanly? This is what they want to know.

There is Lynda.com (and others) which is an inexpensive subscription site and access to thousands of videos covering a vast array of modern business subjects. Everything is broken down to bite-sized videos. I am now using this to learn to build a new website. No need to pay for university. It's right here on my desk-top.

Go to college?
I remember my years as a caricature artist. My main customers were youngsters through college age. I witnessed countless conversations of my customers talking about what is the best college to go to. One of the main criteria was the party scene. Was it a top party school? Are the girls "gone wild?"
College? No, I think college has passed it's prime.

 

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

[LiveEntrepreneur]

The answer is actually VERY simple, I learnt this a while back. Alot of people complicate answers to this question but the ONLY reason you should go college is if you know EXACTLY what you want to do. For example if you say "well something in IT" not good enough you must be EXACTLY sure, this is a good example "I want to work in networking" this is good. Also you must think about your circumstances do you need college to achieve your goals? If not then don't go, if you do then go. It's really as simple as that, try not to overthink it.

To be honest in your situation I think it doesn't make sense to go to college because they will teach you stuff that is completely unrelated to what you need to learn. I think its better just to bust your a$$ off this year learning to code, I think you will get way more out of it if you teach your self, because you are learning a valuable skill. The ability to teach your self and not have others guide you is crucial in this field, that's what college does it guides you, coding is something you need to learn your self you can't have someone holding your hand, something I learnt.

 

[Pedro6868]

I can hear the drum roll... "the ONLY reason you should go college is if you know...." yes, yes.... if you know....what?

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

I can hear the drum roll... "the ONLY reason you should go college is if you know...." yes, yes.... if you know....what?

huh?

 

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

[Pedro6868]

I can hear the drum roll... "the ONLY reason you should go college is if you know...." yes, yes.... if you know....what?

Sorry, on my end you were completely cut off. Your post ended with ..."if you know..." I see the whole things now. I completely agree. Of course- If you know exactly what you want to do.
And fo sure, students can't just assume they are going to get a complete picture just taking in what is taught as opposed to rooting out all options.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

Sorry, on my end you were completely cut off. Your post ended with ..."if you know..." I see the whole things now. I completely agree. Of course- If you know exactly what you want to do.
And fo sure, students can't just assume they are going to get a complete picture just taking in what is taught as opposed to rooting out all options.

Oh sorry mate I made a mistake I accidentally pressed enter or something before I finished my post. My apologies.

 

[Anshu]

I mean that you should be go to college because you can learn more knowledge and generate better business in his future.

 

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