What would you do? (another education thread)

[sal]

I'm sitting here having doubts, and I am only 3 months into my degree course (BA/Business). I don't feel like I'm learning any immediately usable skills and have been losing interest rapidly with the coursework.
The last few nights I have been spending a lot of time trying to find my 'passion' - sadly enough all I could come up with was computers and gaming.
So I have came here for some input on what I should do.

The degree has 32 months left and I'm having doubts already. I'm bored of the work(although this always happens to me) and I don't like the idea of writing papers and following guidelines on material that isn't going to help me towards my main goal: financial freedom (I am impatient as f$%k).

What I have been thinking of doing is switching to a 1 year software development diploma (java/web based client development) which would help me with all my fastlane pursuits along with the fact that I am comfortable with computers, and generally pick up things easily on them.
The place I'm considering in taking up the diploma states that upon graduation of the course they help with employment straight into the IT sector which is perfect for me because the chances of any of my fastlane pursuits taking off to the point of financial stability within a year is uncertain.

I was talking to a good friend yesterday about this and he said that I should stick with the degree, because he is afraid that I will just do the same thing with this diploma and get sick of it, as I have for the electrical apprenticeship which I started and left 6 months later post-highschool. He thinks there is a pattern, although id like to think that I'm looking at this in a more opportunist way.

Pros of Business Degree:
Learn something that may be helpful every once in awhile towards my final goal.
Meet business minded people.

Cons of Business Degree:
3 years left
Job isn't guaranteed
Can learn more real life business here/online and universities theory from books.

Pros of Software Dev. Diploma:
1 year left
Job nearly guaranteed in a growth industry
Will help with self coding my projects
Immediately usable skills
More interested in this
Can start immediately (no time wasted)

Cons of Software Dev. Diploma:
It is just a diploma


Save time:
*Finished HS
*Started Apprenticeship
*Left 6 months later cause it was boring
*Started at university studying business (BA)
*Thinking of changing to a Diploma in Software Development 4 months later


I know that you don't necessarily need to get a piece of paper to achieve my final goal of financial freedom, but the position I'm in at the moment is that it is either study and work on fastlane ventures (partially funded by family), or work dead end labor while working on fastlane ventures.
I believe getting into the programming field could be very beneficial for me in the long run (have already worked with alot of languages html/xml/php/sql/javascript/codecademy etc but all on a cargo cult level lol -barely fresh).

Now I'm hoping that I will get a bunch of opinions that will sway my decision one way.
What would you do?
Thanks in advance people

 

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[deepestblue]

Any education and any job is like chicken soup - it can't hurt. While you're in school (regular school or software school), develop some product to try to sell to the market. Try to make 2 sales of it to people who you don't know. If you can do that you're on the path. But don't "count" on that happening. Get a job after graduation if you have to. But by all means get to work and make those 2 sales. 2,000,000 sales is great, but start with those two. Because the first one could be a fluke. And the first sale is the hardest one to make.

At the core level, business = sales. EVERYTHING else a business does is secondary and is in support of those sales. Don't let the theories and hypotheses of school professors skew that point, however well meaning they may be.

 

[St.Alpine]

At the core level, business = sales. EVERYTHING else a business does is secondary and is in support of those sales. Don't let the theories and hypotheses of school professors skew that point, however well meaning they may be.

Have you thought about doing a sales job? Besides wheter you decide for a) or b)?
You will learn a heck full of stuff for yourself.
If you are serious about business, knowing how to sell
is essential. If you don't know it or have a mental barrier, you need to hire somebody.

I've said it many times, but as long as your customer hasn't
put his credit card on the table, he means nil profit to you.
Telling you, that he's going to buy something
means nothing.

I would switch to the software programm, if you are like me, who
doesn't understand people doing a econ/business degree
without having the goal of starting something on their own.
But if your main interest is starting your own business, stay on the program
and start developing apps besides the degree.

You will learn 90% of the important topics besides your degree.
A business degree is preparing you for the corporate world.
Not a world, where YOU are the boss.
97% of all business students end up working FOR
somebody. Not for themselves.

 

[Runum]

Since you put in parenthesis (another education thread), you are aware there are other threads. Have you read them? How do you think your situation is any different than those situations?

As far as your questions other info needed...

Who is paying for college? How are you going to separate yourself from the other biz degree graduates? How will you use the education?

The college degree is going to be what you make of it. You could work on your own biz development while in college. you could find local biz incubators and develop relationships with them. You could go to charity socials with the right kind of people. You could join a frat that will provide a biz brotherhood that will serve you for life. You cannot sit back for 4 years and expect that everyone will serve you your education for 4 years.

Yes, you do have to take "irrelevant courses". However, that language arts or social studies course may give you your next great contact or idea. It may pay off to be a well rounded individual.

If you switched schools are you going to quit college right now or would you complete this semester?

The IT college you are considering will have a lot of people with the same mentality. What is going to separate you from the crowd? Have you checked an independent source for their accreditation and job placement statistics? Who is paying for it? Many of these IT schools are diploma mills that businesses don't respect. You may indeed get a job through them but not the dream job you are thinking. You may get a simple minimum wage job in a boring IT field and that job fulfills their end of the contract. The IT school is a for-profit biz. It probably costs a chunk of cash for a one year degree. Is it really going to provide you the value vs cost?

You still have a lot to weigh in your choice.

As far as your impatience, that's not unusual. There is probably something in your mind always telling you that you need to be somewhere else doing something else. The voice is telling you that you are missing important stuff somewhere else. I had that voice in my 20's and no one around me seemed to have it. I was always on the go to somewhere else, anywhere but here.

To this day, I am not sure where that voice came from or how it got in me. I can tell you that by being impatient and being on the go you do miss opportunities right where you are right now. No one can fix this impatience for you, that is something you have to resolve for yourself. 10 years of age will fix it for you too.

I wish you well.

 

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[sal]

I would switch to the software programm, if you are like me, who
doesn't understand people doing a econ/business degree
without having the goal of starting something on their own.

I think I understand what you mean, but I'm not fully sure. I do look at people weirdly if the course is the only thing on their mind though..

You will learn 90% of the important topics besides your degree.
A business degree is preparing you for the corporate world.
Not a world, where YOU are the boss.
97% of all business students end up working FOR
somebody. Not for themselves.

Yup and this is exactly what it feels like >.> ... not ideal.

If you switched schools are you going to quit college right now or would you complete this semester?

Who is paying for college? How are you going to separate yourself from the other biz degree graduates? How will you use the education?

I am paying for it (student loan) but here the study fees are quite cheap, along with the exchange rate... I can start right away/I would leave right now (or within 2 weeks) and not finish this semester (or possibly time it so I pass with just the marks that I have achieved so far).
I have no intention in separating myself from other biz degree graduates, university in my eyes is just a time extension for what I really care about... I'm fairly confident that I won't need a job once the time of the degree is up, for some people getting into university was their goal but to me it was just there when I had no other options I was happy with.

The voice is telling you that you are missing important stuff somewhere else. I had that voice in my 20's and no one around me seemed to have it.

Sounds exactly like my situation!

Have you read them? How do you think your situation is any different than those situations?

Yes I have, and it probably isn't but I just thought id be specific and maybe get a bit of specific help as I'm sick of wasting time :/

Have you checked an independent source for their accreditation and job placement statistics?

Not from an independent source, how would I go about that? On their website they say 'over 90%' although like you said, its a business.

You could join a frat that will provide a biz brotherhood that will serve you for life.

Frats aren't in my university as far as I know :/

Is it really going to provide you the value vs cost?

How can I know for sure? What I do know is that I'm in that 'anywhere but here' state at the moment and just see university as a time extension to focus on my own projects, and if that time can be spent learning coding then it could help me. I know that I don't want to work for anyone but myself and that if I do have to work for someone else that id prefer to work in an office. Decisions decisions decisions...

I'm going in for an interview on Wednesday for the Diploma but I'll see what happens. I'll be asking a lot of questions before I decide.

 

[skipper]

At the core level, business = sales. EVERYTHING else a business does is secondary and is in support of those sales.

This is a bit too simplistic. If it were like this, Apple wouldn't have engineers, patent lawyers, designers and manufacturers in China. Just Apple stores.

 

[Crumbs2Bricks]

I'm sitting here having doubts, and I am only 3 months into my degree course (BA/Business). I don't feel like I'm learning any immediately usable skills and have been losing interest rapidly with the coursework.
The last few nights I have been spending a lot of time trying to find my 'passion' - sadly enough all I could come up with was computers and gaming.
So I have came here for some input on what I should do.

The degree has 32 months left and I'm having doubts already. I'm bored of the work(although this always happens to me) and I don't like the idea of writing papers and following guidelines on material that isn't going to help me towards my main goal: financial freedom (I am impatient as f$%k).

Going through the process of getting your degree helps you stay focused and organized. It teaches you to finish projects on time. It teaches you to meet strict deadlines. All are skills that you'll need to succeed as a business owner. It's a mental process more than anything. Are you np to the task?


What I have been thinking of doing is switching to a 1 year software development diploma (java/web based client development) which would help me with all my fastlane pursuits along with the fact that I am comfortable with computers, and generally pick up things easily on them. The place I'm considering in taking up the diploma states that upon graduation of the course they help with employment straight into the IT sector which is perfect for me because the chances of any of my fastlane pursuits taking off to the point of financial stability within a year is uncertain.

Nothing is certain. Nothing. Not even your Fastlane business "ideas".



I know that you don't necessarily need to get a piece of paper to achieve my final goal of financial freedom, but the position I'm in at the moment is that it is either study and work on fastlane ventures (partially funded by family), or work dead end labor while working on fastlane ventures. I believe getting into the programming field could be very beneficial for me in the long run (have already worked with alot of languages html/xml/php/sql/javascript/codecademy etc but all on a cargo cult level lol -barely fresh).

Now I'm hoping that I will get a bunch of opinions that will sway my decision one way.
What would you do?
Thanks in advance people


What kind of marketable skills do you have? I have a degree in Finance. I graduated from college at age 22 and since the age of 25, I've been in management. I'm 39 now and I can honestly say, the best thing that I could have ever accomplished was getting my degree and going into management. That 1 skill will be very instrumental in my success as an entrepreneur. Learning how to mange people is a great skill to have. You'll be tested like none other. I've managed low level hourly staff as well as middle managers at the executive level.

As I started to move up in management, I was given large budgets to oversee. I'm talking millions of dollars. Another great skill that I have.

I cannot tell you what to do but I think you're looking at things all wrong. Some of you NEED TO STAY in the Slow lane and learn something first.

Use your degree to help you develop skills that you can apply to your business.

My remarks are in bold letters.

 

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[Lights]

Fastlane is obviously how to get to the rich/wealthy as quickest as possible. And to me, I interpret that as risking your life for the millions (yes.... IF I FAIL at this... THEN I will face poverty, possibly disown by my family too, maybe excommunicated by the Church lol *seriously* , but I don't care....).... Forget the degrees, you don't need them. Degrees doesn't make anyone rich, it just gives you a nice comfy seat at an office to boast your self-esteem. My self-esteem comes from within, I'm everything, the shell that encompass my brain is all I have. What makes someone rich is business intelligence, social skills, and finding a need. SALES. I feel like I learn everything from my high school, and college is just wasting my time. Still, I have to read the fastlane again, it's getting rusty.

I need to know how much you are paying, receiving financial aid for this, or costs....

3 yrs is a heck of a longtime. If you are paying more for that then the other, I would drop that business degree. Right now while you didn't put a huge time investment. I don't know, you can't do much without capital. Capital is what hold me back, but I have capital now... and fear. I could had started this summer this yr, but I was a chicken. I could be working right now on my company. Lol.... but no regrets!

You seem to lack all motivation to do this? Why are you doing this? Is this social pressure? Is this job fears? You need to forget that non-sense. If your purpose to be there had logic beyond emotion, then go ahead do it.

I feel old at 20 yrs old, there's "18-22" yr old millionaires walking among us, and I'm not going to be in my late 30s before I enjoy that good life. How did they get there? How did they do it? They all fill a need. It's simple.

If I was YOU, I would go for the 1 yr software degree. Reason: less time commitment (time is all we have), you will be happier, and more job security. And you can get a job to fuel your fastlane goals quicker (get capital)

Your pros suck for the business degree too. But it's a huge cost opportunity here. What can you accomplish in the 2 yrs with the soft degree that you could had waste getting a business degree? capital right, you might be on the fastlane already.

The fastlane isn't going to happen overnight though.


--------------------------------------

It's your life, only you know your situation better than anyone here, take everything I said with a grain of salt.

 

[sal]

Nothing is certain. Nothing. Not even your Fastlane business "ideas".

Obviously

Going through the process of getting your degree helps you stay focused and organized. It teaches you to finish projects on time. It teaches you to meet strict deadlines. All are skills that you'll need to succeed as a business owner. It's a mental process more than anything. Are you np to the task?

Np? I can usually meet deadlines easily, especially if there is money involved... but I see where your coming from.

What kind of marketable skills do you have?

Have you not read that I intend on getting more marketable skills either way? I'm concerned about time.

I cannot tell you what to do but I think you're looking at things all wrong. Some of you NEED TO STAY in the Slow lane and learn something first.

Hmm maybe I am letting my impatience get the best of me... although you are hinting that I know nothing which is fine, I am the young guy here asking for advice
3 years is a hell of a long time in my eyes for a piece of paper, questionable inconsistent skills and no job guarantees O.O

Use your degree to help you develop skills that you can apply to your business.

I've stated in my posts that I plan on doing this either way, the only difference I see is that I will be studying for 1 year, not 3, and in a field that would be more directly helpful for the type of business I intend to get into.
It all boils down to this: If I can save time on my pursuit then I will.
And maybe I am not valuing a business degree as much as I should although the amount of info I've read about those who regretted the time spent on them is crazy, but...

That 1 skill will be very instrumental in my success as an entrepreneur

It appears that you have not entered the fastlane yet yourself? Yet you preach like your already there? (no offense)
Good effort with your job successes man but the reason most people are on this forum is to soak up USEFUL information like a sponge and NOT work under someone in management for years. I know I don't want to take that route if I don't have to... (no offense)

It seems like your goals weren't always fastlane and you began thinking about it sometime along the way...
Thanks for your input

 

[Crumbs2Bricks]

Sal,


Based on your tone, I get it now.


What you want is for everyone to come on here and say: Go for it Sal. Drop out of school,etc......degrees and school is useless.
Ahh, I see.



Have fun Sal. Good luck man.

 

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[sal]

Sal,


Based on your tone, I get it now.


What you want is for everyone to come on here and say: Go for it Sal. Drop out of school,etc......degrees and school is useless.
Ahh, I see.



Have fun Sal. Good luck man.

Haha I didn't mean to come off like this, I just don't see how working for years and years under someone qualifies you to give out fastlane advice in the know it all tone.
Also can't help but notice you assume it is dropping out when I have stated several times in this thread that it is merely a change in the subject id be studying?
Thanks though and same to you

 

[deepestblue]

OP, check out this post, it says it all,

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/fastlane/35694-addicted-passive-income-deposits-8.html#post216853

Check out what that post says when it comes to your school & any jobs you take. The advantage you have over 99% of the population is there is the POTENTIAL for real light at the end of the tunnel if you put in the hard yards toward your goals.

 

[Runum]

Do a search of the IT school and add the words "scam" or "rip off" to see whether there are any people having negative results and what they are.

Good luck.

 

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[sal]

You seem to lack all motivation to do this? Why are you doing this? Is this social pressure? Is this job fears? You need to forget that non-sense. If your purpose to be there had logic beyond emotion, then go ahead do it.

Time is ticking and I'm 20 now so I need to be more cautious with what I do with it, and this deep into the thread its obvious that I'm in favor of pursuing the diploma, I was just hoping for people to set me straight and give me proper reasons not to and what to be cautious of as some of the posters have.

If I was YOU, I would go for the 1 yr software degree. Reason: less time commitment (time is all we have), you will be happier, and more job security. And you can get a job to fuel your fastlane goals quicker (get capital)

This is what I'm thinking. Hmm...

OP, check out this post, it says it all,

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/fastlane/35694-addicted-passive-income-deposits-8.html#post216853

Check out what that post says when it comes to your school & any jobs you take. The advantage you have over 99% of the population is there is the POTENTIAL for real light at the end of the tunnel if you put in the hard yards toward your goals.

So what I can take from this post is finish something that I started while working towards freedom?
By all means I would force myself to stick with it 100% if I wasn't so early on in my course.
Hmm..... I really don't know. Ill have more of an idea of what I should do after going in on Wednesday. Might sit in a few days to see what the work being done and if I can learn it efficiently on my own.

 

[sal]

Do a search of the IT school and add the words "scam" or "rip off" to see whether there are any people having negative results and what they are.

Good luck.

Ah I done this earlier, did come up with a little bit of negativity in a post from 2005 and then another post from last year about a guy who couldn't complete his modules in time and then failed the course (the place is self-paced learning).
I'll have to sit in on a few of their classes this week to see what its like and go from there.

 

[Lights]

Crumbs2Bricks, doesn't sound like he is on the fastlane. Anyone can become upper middle class if they invest yrs into their professions; it only takes 8 yrs to graduate with a medical degree after all. I didn't join this forum to get "wealthy-wasting my youth away-walk with a cane"

* I don't mean anyone can do it, anyone is given the possibility of doing it if you want too.

I know it's kind of extreme, but if my sole mission in life is to become financial secure/wealthy as soon as I can, you bet I will do that. I don't care what people think of me as, I don't care if you think I'm some greedy evil being or I don't deserve my wealth, or why her? It's like those people on yahoo complaining about the celebs having the high life... those people's opinions don't bother me if I was Amanda Bynes or Sasha Grey.

If you're "starving to death" are you just going to wait in line at the homeless shelter for food (time)? Then be denied food after spending 4 hrs in line (job security)

At least I wouldn't. I'm going to be in the garbage bins looking for food, since I'm going to die of starvation otherwise. I don't even have enough time to ask people for money for food, to be denied. I need it now. I have no time to waste. I'm going to freaken' die otherwise.

Just saying...

 

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[dknise]

I'm just about the biggest proponent against college education you can find. So I'll play devil's advocate to the rest of the forum.

Sal,

Based on your tone, I get it now.

What you want is for everyone to come on here and say: Go for it Sal. Drop out of school,etc......degrees and school is useless.
Ahh, I see.

Have fun Sal. Good luck man.

Sal,

Drop out of school. Degrees and school are useless. Last time I checked, paying a teacher who's never done what they're teaching $35 an hour with 400 other students is just about the most insane idea I've ever heard. Whoever said you had to pay out the a$$ to be spoon fed an education based on memorization and false reality is definitely a slowlaner.

Any education and any job is like chicken soup - it can't hurt.

Education can hurt when it puts you in debt. It can also hurt if you're paying to be taught the wrong ideas. Cashiering at Target because it pays $9.25 an hour over taking the unpaid internship at a corporate office hurts. Time on earth is short and you never know when your time is up. $100,000 and 4 years later you might think oh my god, why did I just waste so much time and have to start from ground zero all over again. What could you accomplish and learn on your own in 4 years and with $100k?

My college story:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/fastlane/42077-go-college-little-rant-4.html#post232730
My philosophy on education and the acquisition of knowledge summed up quickly:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/in...nt-trying-get-right-beginning.html#post233066

Best of luck!



.... figured I could ad some more.

You won't learn marketable skills in the classroom. There are a lot of things you can't learn in the classroom. For things you could, rather than over paying an under qualified professor to point you in the direction of a $35 book written by THE expert on the subject, just get the book by THE expert on the subject. My reading list exploded after I dropped out of school, because I started learning from the people I should have been listening to the whole time, the author's of the book. Not the "I failed in life so I came back to teach" professors.

Not going to college is definitelyyy the hard route. College has also changed a lot in the last 20 years. It's no longer a "privilege" or "higher education." It's been dumbed down for the majority of the masses and the quality of teachers has declined with the demand.

After 3 years out of college, students who just graduated my year are now being shot down for a programming gig at Microsoft that I just chose to walk away from after a year and a half for the fastlane.

Yes... I am bitter haha. Being told you're wrong and a screw up by 99% of the mortgaged, in debt, memorized then forgot over-priced education slowlaners really can get to you! I try and not show it, but it's reaaallly coming out tonight! hahaha

 

[dknise]

Oh! Forgot, I have a c sharp cert from the university of Washington and it was a waste of time. I took it because it was supposed to be taught by the author of the book but they switched teachers out and the guy was terrible. After working in enterprise software... y cert probably gave me about 2 % of the knowledge required for the job, but it was the one thing on mypaper that landed an interview to show them what I know. Books have always taught me the most and the only class I'd ever sign up for would have to have a track record of real world experience and knowledge, not just a Prof title.

Man typing from a tablet is hard! Sorry for the spelling errors haha

 

[Lights]

Education can hurt when it puts you in debt. It can also hurt if you're paying to be taught the wrong ideas. Cashiering at Target because it pays $9.25 an hour over taking the unpaid internship at a corporate office hurts. Time on earth is short and you never know when your time is up. $100,000 and 4 years later you might think oh my god, why did I just waste so much time and have to start from ground zero all over again. What could you accomplish and learn on your own in 4 years and with $100k?

Not going to college is definitelyyy the hard route. College has also changed a lot in the last 20 years. It's no longer a "privilege" or "higher education." It's been dumbed down for the majority of the masses and the quality of teachers has declined with the demand.

I bold the part I really like

-
Time is everything. And college has little value nowadays, I really think it's just a paper for people to say, "I did something with my life!" I hate the fact people are treated like losers just because you don't have a degree. It's a stereotype, but more for the olden days, since back in the pre-2000s, college meant something because it was more expensive and less people enter it. I think the stereotype will fade as time goes by.

Nowadays, I see people entering college just to party, drugs, and just continue their high school yrs so they wouldn't have to work so hard.... then drop out, or get a degree in 6-10 yrs, and massive debt. The system really supports the lowlife lifestyle, with welfare and financial aid being abused. At least the majority I see. There are a few who really do the college the way it was meant to be, since the career demands it. Like doctors/nurses.

I'm not perfect, when I enter college, I wanted to become a doctor. I change my mind after a semester or two, lol, and I am pursuing what I really need to do in life. I wasted a yr, kind of, at least I saved some money. I was doing it for my family. It was free from financial aid, and I was working too. I'm still in college, but I am taking wanted classes for my business. I also want more financial aid for capital.... I also need a few more months. But January is go-time for me. I'm dropping out then.

A yr ago, I join this forum, too... but I had no clue how to go about it all. I don't really regret the past, I went to college, it was a safe environment for me to save up money. But if I continue any longer beyond Jan.... yes I will regret that.

My life right now can be describe in a Gwen Stefani song, What you Waiting For

"You know it all by heart, why are you standing in one place?
Born to blossom, bloom to perish
Your moment will run out 'coz of your sex chromosome
I know it's so messed up how our society all thinks
Life is short, you're capable"

 

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