Who here has a College Degree?

[neverfastenough]

I think college is plain overrated and you can check the success rate of people who went to college who are millionaires.
Most millionaires didn't go to college...because its teaches to conform.:smxF:

About 80% of millionaires have college degrees and about 18% have master's degrees; though I've seen statistics placing those numbers even higher.

 

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[GoldenEggs]

But as i read these post and thought of my own experience, i concluded that in conjunction with all the money that is spent to go to college it is really a waste... but that just my opinion.

So what is the next step for you? Are you going to stop college and pursue something else?

 

[biophase]

Sound like this is from personal experience.

No, our snowman wasn't 20 ft tall...

If I had to do it over again... I would go to a school in a warm climate (Arizona, Florida, Cali) and I would pick a school with a good basketball and football team because going to Bowl games and Final Fours are the most important things during a college semester!

 

[tchandy]

What school did you graduate from? Norwich University in Vermont and Central Michigan University in Hawaii for my Masters
Are you happy you went to school? Yes, but I lost a lot of weekends in Hawaii reading
Any life long lessons about school you can share with me? It's a good place to meet friends and see what some of your weeknesses are.
Do you think its necessary to go to college to be for successful? It depends on how you define success.
Do you think it actually makes you into a better person? Or is that just what the commercials say? I think it will expose you to things you may never have thought to read or learn about. It broadens your mind.
Has going to college even contributed to your success right NOW? It got me my current job and also exposed me to accounting which plays a part in my side venture.

I think overall everyone will have a different perspective on college and it's what you make of it.

Tom

 

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[Scout]

What school did you graduate from? Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
BS Electrical Eng.
BS Mechanical Eng.
MS Manufacturing Eng.

Are you happy you went to school? Yes, best thing I got from school was my wife.

Any lifelong lessons about school you can share with me?
It's a good place to grow up, figure out what you want in life and learn how to problem solve, like anything else the more you put into it the more you will get out. My parents made me pay for it. knowing if I skipped a class it was $100 out of my pocket made me get up for the 8:00 electro-magnetics class in the winter.

Do you think it actually makes you into a better person? Or is that just what the commercials say?
It does if you are open to growing inside, if you fight it and see it as a burden you will get nothing but a piece of paper and loans for the next 20 years, WPI has a unique project based/problem solving approach. I went to work for the coast guard for 7 weeks in DC, my senior projects were based around rock climbing and fencing (my hobbies), my wife went to England to study theater for 7 weeks and then to Venice for 7 weeks to develop an ambulance dispatch system. So school can expose you to a verity of environments while being in a safe structure. If you choose your subjects wisely it can lay out the tools you will need for any future ventures.

If you are lazy you will not get much out of school. It can also be a good spot to start investing and trying business ideas. You have a pool of peers to try out different ideas with minimal repercussions.

 

[NoMoneyDown]

I echo the majority here who have a college degree. Even though it does take time and money, it's anything BUT a waste of time and money.

Bachelors of Science (Texas State University)
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Mathematics

 

[Edge]

Kansas State University
BS Industrial Engineering
BS Manufacturing Systems Engineering

I had the absolute time of my life in college and wouldn't exchange those years for anything.

Graduating from college is what made the lightbulb go off for me that I needed to find a better way to spend the rest of my life. During the last weeks leading up to graduation, I was dreading moving on, leaving college and getting a real JOB. Everyone else seemed excited to start their 9-5s and making the big bucks. This is when I realized I was wired a little different that most.

 

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[imcmillionaire]

So what is the next step for you? Are you going to stop college and pursue something else?

Well my next step is to stay in school, but at the same time continue to build my successful online business. Even tho i dislike the traditional education, i expectto meet some cool people, my next girlfriend and some long time homies in college , while use my spare time to become financially independent.

 

[lightning]

Because my Father was the wrestling coach at the school I wanted to go to, I went to college for 1/4 of the usual tuition rate that my peers did, allowing me to graduate with a double major in Business Management and Business Marketing (while acruing and graduating with only $17,100 in loans) in 2004. I then obtained (at the time), an entry level Government job that had a very interesting perk, and that is; they would cover 100% of any graduate degree I desired (tuition, registration, books, graduation costs, EVERYTHING!!). Knowing this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that many of my other friends entering the corporate world only dreamed about, I seized it. I ABUSED this priveledge while it was available, and 2 years later (2006), I obtained a Triple concentration Masters Degree (MBA) in Business Management, Business Marketing, and Corporate Finance. Shortly after I graduated in the Spring of 2006, ALL tuition re-imbursement in our agency was slashed, and my friends that had put off going back ("Ill enroll next semester) began kicking themselves, as their desired MBA's and MS degrees would now cost them a personal fortune. Me? My 6-years of higher education (equivalent to 8+ years) cost me a grand total of yes, $17,100. I am thankful to this day for that blessing.

Would I do it all over again? Without a doubt. As MJ said, the things you pick up in college that can help your drive later in life are priceless. I too began feeling the same resistance he did when I graduated, knowing for SURE that I did NOT want to live a life sweating 40 years waiting for retirement. I just knew somewhere in the back of my mind that there had to be a better way! College simply gave me a safety net (which I am still using as we speak while I work on my main goals, ie, starting a business). For the time being, my "job" has been great to me, and I wouldnt be paying my mortgage without it.

I also had more fun than you could imagine in college, and the things I learned about character, girls, friendships, ethics, networking, etc. are honestly priceless as well. As MJ said, I have experiences and stories from college that will carry with me for the rest of my life, and I cant imagine how boring things might be today had I never experienced them. They were as my parents told me early on, some of the best years of my life. :groove:

 

[Salinger]

So IMCMILLIONAIRE,
You'll be wrapping up another year of college in just a few months (unless you've quit). How do you feel about the experience these days? Will you continue?

I thought this was an interesting thread, so I thought I'd bring it back to the top of the heap.

 

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[GlobalWealth]

Well, I'm going to give you a completely different perspective. I dropped out of college at age 19 because I was bored and very anxious to make money (sorry randall, i wanted to be rich and ignorant ). I started my first business, closed it a year later and started another. Closed it a year later and started my first real company at age 21. I spent those 2 years studying, living and breathing business 16 hours a day and considered that to be my undergrad in entrepreneurship.

At 21 I started my company which I ran for 13 years. during that time I bought 5 other small businesses and merged them together. this too was an enormous education by error. (meaning I f'ed up and learned a lot). I had ups and downs, but eventually sold the company 2 years ago. also during this time, I bought and sold a restaurant and owned a commercial real estate investment company. again, education by error. This was my MBA years.

In 2007, I decided i wanted to complete a goal of mine of finishing my bachelors degree. I had lots of reasons; I wanted to learn at least one foreign language (I now speak mediocre Russian and Spanish), I wanted to better understand economics, and I wanted to live abroad. so I began in 2007 towards completing my BS in International Business and BS in Finance.

This is also part of the reason I am living in Estonia. I take a couple of classes here to fulfill my study abroad requirement, but truthfully, living abroad is more of an education than studying here. i am however practicing my Russian quite a bit more though. It appears I will complete both BS degress in December of this year if all goes according to plan (in other words, as long as i dont' fail out).

While sometimes I feel like I have lived my life completely backwards (at least according to conventional wisdom), I really enjoy this lifestyle. At age 19, I didn't need to be in college. It would have been a waste of my parents and my money. Now I get out of it what I want to get out. In many cases, I can contribute to the class.

On a couple of occasions I have lectured in entrepreneurship classes here. the experience has taught me a lot and while I may be an old dog, I am learning new tricks. I am meeting some really smart young entrepreneurs and am in process of working on a couple of deals with them.

If you aren't ready to be in college, get some life experience, but remember your education is a lifelong process that doesn't always involve books and classrooms. In some ways i think 'I would have been much better off had I known X', but I don't regret my choices at all. I learned a lot running my businesses and saw successes and failures along the way. and now, I don't worry about what other perceive of my life choices.

Back to your specific questions; had I known some things I have learned in college - i would have probably been a better investor, I would have probably been more analytical, I would have made early connections in business that would have benefitted long term. I could have also ended up a homeless alcoholic with 6 dui's. (it amazes me how much some of these kids drink these days).

but I also made millions before I knew how to make a powerpoint, so maybe it wasn't so bad afterall.

 

[Cat Man Du]

Global said:

In 2007, I decided i wanted to complete a goal of mine of finishing my bachelors degree. I had lots of reasons; I wanted to learn at least one foreign language (I now speak mediocre Russian and Spanish), I wanted to better understand economics, and I wanted to live abroad. so I began in 2007 towards completing my BS in International Business and BS in Finance.

SPEEEEEEEEEED!!!!!!!! for going back to school.......even though you made millions $$$$$$$$$$

 

[SKM430]

What school did you graduate from?
Univeristy of California, Berkeley.


Are you happy you went to school?
Definitely, but there were classes/times where I would've rather been doing something else.

Any life long lessons about school you can share with me?
Learn from EVERYTHING! You may think that G.E. you're taking on native american history or elementary physics will never come in handy, but you have no idea.

What are the pro's and cons' of going to college?
Pros: Meeting alot of different people and gaining perspectives. Education inside and outside the classroom. Maturing and learning from bright minds (professors) that came before you.
Cons: Midterms/Papers/Finals.

Do you think its necessary to go to college to be for successful?
Not at all. You've heard it before: Gates, Dell, Zuckerberg, etc etc. Although, you do get to learn and observe the enviornment of the change in people with respect to education.

Do you think it actually makes you into a better person? Or is that just what the commercials say?
The only way you become a better person is because YOU wanted to. Few external forces will change that.

Has going to college even contributed to your success right NOW?
It definitely has. I've learned ALOT.

 

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[Happy*go*lucky]

BS in Finance
University of West Georgia

I set a goal to be the first person in my family(both sides) to graduate from college. Although college life was a fun experience, i have since learned more outside of college than all my years of schooling.

I have seen many millionaires who never even finished high school (and no I don't mean Rich Dad:smash It doesn't take a degree to be intelligent, nor does it make you rich. Only you decide that!

 

[Cat Man Du]

Phd in Legggggggggggies !

 

[LondonLife]

What school did you graduate from?
University of Edinburgh, UK. Bachelors and Masters degrees.

Are you happy you went to school?
Yes. I loved every minute.

Any life long lessons about school you can share with me?
Enjoy the first couple of years to the full as you may well be working quite hard for the final years.

What are the pro's and cons' of going to college?
Social life, parties, life experience and the chance to make life long friends who share more in common with you than your current friends. Alot of people go to uni and realise what true friendship is. The negatives for me are non existant, as I worked on business ideas throughout my uni life so it didn't hold me back.

Do you think its necessary to go to college to be for successful?
Not at all. It's advantages for me were beyond the education it gave me, as I have self taught more than I ever learnt there. But the life lessons and experience certainly helped me become more succesful. This may not be true for others.

Also, although it may not be fair, to break into the field I work/worked in would also be very very hard without a degree. I have interviewed hundreds of people, many who have become successful in their own right. Would I have given them a job without a degree? Yes. But I would have expected a portfolio demonstrating at least a level of work and knowledge to that of a university graduate.

Do you think it actually makes you into a better person? Or is that just what the commercials say?
It'd have to agree with this one due to the experiences you get.

Has going to college even contributed to your success right NOW?
Yup. My e-commerce investment company is run with people I met at University. My marketing company (before I sold it) was managed by someone I actually sat in lectures with for years. Without University I would have found it so hard to find like minded people, and ones who would accept me as a partner without a degree would eb even rarer.

 

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[randallg99]

Well, I'm going to give you a completely different perspective. I dropped out of college at age 19 because I was bored and very anxious to make money (sorry randall, i wanted to be rich and ignorant )...

the rest of your post is very interesting, you live a very exciting life.

Each person and scenario is different, so I think its best to say if one has an opportunity to enter college and doesn't have the faintest clue what to do with their lives, then they should probably take advantage and go to college. (that's the sentiment I sensed from some of the posts on this thread)

On the other hand, if someone has ambition to pursue an idea or investment, then weighing those options against college is prudent.

I just don't want anyone sitting around at home reading this message board saying, "hey- they've become rich by not going to school" when in fact they had plans to pursue businesses, ideas or investments.

 

[Bilgefisher]

What school did you graduate from? Thomas Edison State College
BSAST Nuclear Engineering

Are you happy you went to school?Yes and no. Glad I earned a degree via distance learning while deployed, not glad I attended CSU in person.

Any life long lessons about school you can share with me?College can never teach you real world experience. Take every opportunity you can to get on the job training. Internship, summer jobs etc.

What are the pro's and cons' of going to college?The paper was needed for my job. Other then that not a whole lot can be said. I use very little of taught knowledge and use 99% hands on knowledge in my job. Its a related field. College would be great if it prepared you for the workforce. Instead most students and schools concentrate on everything but that.

Do you think its necessary to go to college to be for successful?Absolutely not.

Do you think it actually makes you into a better person? Or is that just what the commercials say?IF you need to learn how to apply yourself, then sure it helps. I learned that in the Military.

Has going to college even contributed to your success right NOW?Yes and no. Yes, for it provided me a paper that earned me a job. No because that was its only usefulness.

 

[GlobalWealth]

the rest of your post is very interesting, you live a very exciting life.

Each person and scenario is different, so I think its best to say if one has an opportunity to enter college and doesn't have the faintest clue what to do with their lives, then they should probably take advantage and go to college. (that's the sentiment I sensed from some of the posts on this thread)

On the other hand, if someone has ambition to pursue an idea or investment, then weighing those options against college is prudent.

I just don't want anyone sitting around at home reading this message board saying, "hey- they've become rich by not going to school" when in fact they had plans to pursue businesses, ideas or investments.

I was only joking with you a bit. I was smart enough to know what I didn't know. I hired people to fill in my weaknesses. but there were likely advantages to finishing uni first. maybe I wouldn't have made all the mistakes I did make. but to me, the mistakes were my education. sometimes costly, but hey, so is college.

I have gained a lot from the past 2 years in college for sure. truthfully, the economics classes have helped me tremendously in my investments. but i feel had I taken those classes age 19, I wouldn't have received the same benefit. my mind is in a different place now and open to different ideas.

 

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[songwriter]

I'd say that if you you don't have a burning desire for some specific knowledge or any other source of motivation to go to college, then there is no reason to go. As for me personally, I am doing work that is not even closely related to what I studied in college--and I am miserable. If were doing something related to my degree I think I would be a lot happier. The one biggest regret I have though is not going to grad school as soon as I finished undergrad. I am itching to go back to school now, but it's so much harder than it would have been had I gone right after finishing undergrad.