Is college necessary for success?

DarkStarNovember · 2015-02-22T02:37:00+00:00

I'm despising the idea of college all together. It just seems like a degree is becoming worth less and less.

About to graduate with a STEM degree. You have to invest everything - money, time, your youth. If you don't have the heart for it, you're completely correct. Especially if the degree doesn't have realistic aspirations. Alternatively you can do a two year trades program like plumbing, carpentry, elevator repair - something society needs.

My question really goes out to those who are entrepreneurs and have been successful with their own business, if they even lurk here. I want to strive towards that.

If you really want to be successful stop watching TV and any other useless time wasters. The most practical thing college or the military teaches you is to absolutely dedicate yourself to your goals. If you can't learn to do that you'll drop out. I figure it's the same with business. If you can muster up the motivation by yourself day after day, then that's worth more than a college degree.

secret_barber · 2015-02-22T01:48:29+00:00

No, you don't have to have a degree, depending on what you want to be doing 10-20-50 years from now.

If you do go to college, go with purpose. You can get your basic classes out of the way at a cheap, accredited community college.

realdev · 2015-02-22T04:04:32+00:00

No, but it certainly helps.

I dropped out of college to go the entrepreneurial route and it set me back at least five years.

Helps to have a lot of business experience before you go that route. I wouldn't rush it.

oldredder · 2015-02-22T04:38:46+00:00

No. Most men entering college today will get no job and will have more debt they can pay in a life-time and it can't be removed using anything like bankruptcy.

Major blue-pill Matrix bankster-mafia trick.

Learn a trade. Make lots of money. Get good credit. Once you have your own career & place to live and good credit you can actually get your credit limits high enough you can PAY for tuition USING THE DAMN card and that is EASY forgivable in bankruptcy PLUS unsecured so you don't have to pay it AT ALL - you are NOT LIABLE, can't be sued, PERIOD.

Unsecured credit - not a loan, not tied to collateral - is the best credit to use and abuse. Businesses do shit like this all the time & it's time each PERSON broke out of the blue-pill Matrix-debt nonsense and understood.

NOT - LEGALLY - LIABLE. Zero dollars due. Can't be sued, can only go to collections. It's not fraud, under the collection/terms you sign you repay when you can & when you're not they apply a higher interest rate.

Worst-case you don't pay: they wag a finger, you pay nothing, you get bad credit BUT you may have enough cash by then not to NEED credit ever again. I've lived a very long time with no use of credit.

Starting your own business, however, can easily get you into debt WITH collateral, able to be forgiven in bankruptcy BUT you still MUST pay out to who a judge says to for creditors AND most businesses FAIL.

You're only 17 - do you really have what it takes to run your own company, even a little one?

Plumber / carpenter / welder / similar -> get credit -> get HIGH limits on lots of cards and don't use them -> look at tuition locally to where you live / move to do this -> keep living at your OWN place on the cheap while tuition is paid by credit card -> pay the credit cards IF you feel like it or NOT AT ALL

All legal.

Josh_The_Boss · 2015-02-22T04:47:43+00:00

Not at all. I've been going to EMT and Paramedic community college classes for about 7 months and I'll graduate this August. After I get out, I'll be making $50,000/year at my local fire department, thanks to connections I've made through my courses (being one of the only people who actually gives a shit at CC is a major bonus). After that, I'll have 3 years of additional college courses almost entirely paid for in full and then I'll have my PA.

I'll be making six figures with no debt, minimal work (relative for my field) and 3 years of field experience and connections.

All by the time people in my graduating class are finishing up their liberal arts degrees, $70,000 in the hole with nothing to offer the world.

It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you have a plan and the discipline to follow through with it. I really wouldn't drop out of high school. You could have the solution to the energy crisis, but without any credibility, finances, or practical know-how, you're tying a cinderblock to your feet at the edge of a pier.

High school is pretty shitty, it's the one place where you have to interact with literally everyone in a 15 mile radius of the school. But talk to your counselors. If you can find a decent one, their assistance is invaluable. And don't bullshit your way through classes, talk the time to learn the material. Absorb the information, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur then you must be able to draw inspiration and ideas from everything around you.

Best of luck, friend.

Chilezen · 2015-02-22T05:08:33+00:00

I don't remember which exact article it is, but check out this guy's blog for his perspective.

fnordsnord · 2015-02-22T05:22:13+00:00

In some industries and fields, you run into a ceiling without a degree. I'm in IT, but I practice in education and I've topped out. If I want to go for Director, I have to get a Master's degree. But it's because I work in a university. I have no "street cred" in the industry without one.

If you're into the STEM fields, they pretty much require degrees.

But if you want to start a business, you don't have to have a degree.

It just depends on what you want to do.

cagethepepper · 2015-02-22T10:16:07+00:00

It depends. If you're studying something decent, then it's ok. I know some people who studied whack subjects and...really didn't have to in order to find a job. But the scary thing is, I also know people who studied Bachelour of Sciences like Biology or Geology and ended up working in call centers. Hell, I had friends at 17 years of age working call centers. So, if you don't do this stupid mistake, you're already winning.

I'd definitely look into trades. It seems our generation is awful with hands, but definitely look into this more. I know I would have if I could travel back in time.

Alternatively, if you have a good business plan, a good business idea, I'd say - go for it! I know that, if I could trade my university experience with a business that I could, I would. Have a look at /r/entrepreneur.

I can give you a story about a friend of mine. You sound a bit like him. He hated school, he always seemed to be involved in some sort of drama, he challenged authority plenty of times, was an all-round rebel (but such a bluepill magina, goddamn, and he still is). He never went to university while his friends did, and I think that really disturbed him, as he wasn't "keeping up with the flow". Well, he's in the process of starting his own business just now, and he's loving every bit of it. It's high stress, but high reward. I admire him greatly, as it shows bigger cojones than most people we grew up with.

Whatever the case, I remember what it was like being 17 - it was shitty. Despite being "prepared" in high school "for the world", it feels like you're thrown into a stadium battle with a wooden sword, while your enemies are wearing full body armour.

TalkingMonkeys · 2015-02-22T15:56:13+00:00

Degrees are worth less, but not worthless. In a wide majority of fields, the college diploma is a necessary prerequisite, if only to show that you have determination to adapt your focus to new, difficult material.

Consider your options. Especially for entrance into college. I earned full rides to my state universities, with stipends and room/board, for having slightly above average scores on my ACT. You may not want college, but if you can get into one for free, maybe even into a school with a decent engineering or business program or whatever your "dream" is, take it.

Honestly, I knew a handful of individuals in HS, low B to C students, who studied purely for the ACTs or SATs. They would cram the hell out of those prep books after school during senior year. Sure enough, high marks on national tests, and free offers came in.

Just think, free college access. Then after that, its on your shoulders to pass your classes and not be wasted all the damn time. Four years in, four years out.

Now you want to be an entrepreneur? I cannot tell you how much business you can make on the side in college. Just know that the right universities attract students with a certain financial background. Where there are stupid people with excess cash, there's profit to be made, legally and illegally.

blacwidonsfw · 2015-02-22T19:24:00+00:00

I went to I college for accounting but my current employment is because of stuff I learned on my own (programming). If I could go back I wouldn't have gone to college and just focused on honing the skills I now know are valued. So I guess it depends on what you are interested in doing, if it's medicine or law then yes you need school. Whatever you decide DON'T go to college and "figure it out" while your there. My friends who did that are fucked now, working at bars or shitty jobs. When you decide what you do have an end goal in sight. For example if you want to go to law school than choose an undergrad that is a feeder school to the best law schools.

Edit: so your prob a smart kid if your thinking about this shit and asking for advice instead of smoking weed and trying to get laid like me at 17, so another piece of advice is you should trust your own conclusions and thoughts. There are many times where I took people's advice be cause I thought they were wise but it ended up playing out worse for me. The times where I've trusted my decisions despite others protests, have undoubtedly been the highest return in terms of success.

Edit2: if you decide to go to school DO NOT GO INTO LARGE DEBT (greater than 20k) I went to a state school and through financial aid and working multiple jobs, I only had nine thousand in debt after graduating in 5 yrs. Yes I didn't sleep much and it was hard as fuck but I am so happy now. My friend has 150k in debt. FUCK that. Good luck.

RPSigmaStigma · 2015-02-22T01:36:50+00:00

No college, in the upper 30% income range. College is certainly not necessary, but it can help. Really depends on the degree. If you're looking to start a business, I'd say it's less important, but might make it easier to get small business loans. However there are plenty of successful entrepreneurs without college degrees.

0vercast · 2015-02-22T04:56:47+00:00

Think about nursing, guys. The schooling is hard, but the job is excellent and rewarding, it pays very well, offers great security and tons of options.

Plus, being that this is TRP, I'll point out that being in nursing/healthcare is a huge asset when it comes to landing girls.

Danedina · 2015-02-22T10:45:32+00:00

Put it this way: if you don't go to college, then you'd better be ready to bust your ass as an entrapreneur.

It depends what you don't like about high school. College is different. You aren't stuck in classes all day like in high school, which is often more like day care than education. College is also the biggest selection of quality poon you'll ever see in your life.

Someone mentioned learning a trade. I think this is a fantastic idea. Become an electrician or a plumber and start up your own business.

But if you're saying all this because you don't like doing your homework and your teachers are meanies then I would tell you to grow up and develop some better habits. Get aquainted with the library and prepare for your SATs. The people I've known who quit on college ended up remorseful and seemed to always be compensating for feelings of inadequacy. They are prone to do a little reading in one direction and then blab endlessly that they have discovered the One True Way (Ann Rand!!!!!) and every else is so fucking blind, yada yada yada. Don't be that guy.

SkorchZang · 2015-02-22T11:48:06+00:00

No, be smart and stay out of college and tuition debt.

Understand that your parents' view on this might be antagonistic, since they've been brought up in fear. "Either you go to college or you ain't shit." Well guess what, nowadays everyone goes to college, including complete idiots. So whether you did go to college now doesn't mean shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVJOoMUybsQ

F_Dingo · 2015-02-22T23:23:35+00:00

It just seems like a degree is becoming worth less and less.

Yeah, for the most part a ton of them are totally fucking worthless. You have to know what you want to get out of college. I want to be an accountant for a career choice, so going to college is required for that. The same goes if you want to be a lawyer, doctor etc. What I have noticed is that a ton of the "middle class" people who've fallen on tough times and can't get a job tend to be people without any meaningful higher education and basically got some bullshit degree in college or just fucked around in it.

There are a TON of careers that require very little schooling after high school such as the trades (plumbing, electrician, nurse etc) and can give you quite a good living and the ability to start a business in that area.

I've entertained the thought of dropping out and starting my own business, without having to deal with all bullshit, dipshits, and drama everyday at school.

I would NOT recommend dropping out of High school at all, it's way harder to get back into it as an adult and in general is a very poor life decision. You are not guaranteed success when starting a business and isn't as simple as you think it is.

Long story short, finish up High school and then make a decision about going to college.

edit: to answer the main question, college isn't necessarily required for success, but it can increase the chances of success versus someone without a college education (they studied something worthwhile).

luckybuilder · 2015-02-22T03:31:31+00:00

No. But it definitely makes success more likely and attainable.

asd1100 · 2015-02-22T14:08:27+00:00

while I'm barely making it through high school.

Well you are shit out of luck. You don't get to do the easy thing. Get help, get your grades up.

starting my own business, without having to deal with all bullshit, dipshits, and drama everyday at school.

you can do that while in highschool if you really have a real idea and the resources to pull it off. In this form it's just a bullshit excuse to not try. Also what the fuck do you think? real life has less bullshit, dipshits and drama? The stakes are just higher dipshit.

To answer the title question: Theoretically no, but if you can't handle high school, I guarantee you can't handle life. Stop looking for shortcuts, you are already on one: academia gives you a space where failure is cheap and you get a lot of second chances. The girls are easy and you have a lot of free time. This is a shortcut, dipshit. Take advantage of it because life will not get any easier.

jsalathe · 2015-02-22T01:55:21+00:00

High school dropout here who is worth more than a million. If you don't go to college do something else instead, like world travels or internships at interesting companies. You will have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps and prove yourself along the way.

As others have said, it makes it harder to get institutional loans and grants. It is also harder to start out in an industry. Like the first 5 years of your career you'll be working harder and being paid less than those who went to college, but in most careers it doesn't matter much after that as long as you're not looking to work at a Blue Chip company like IBM or the US Government.

Title	Is college necessary for success?
Author	[deleted]
Upvotes	7
Comments	34
Date	February 22, 2015 1:21 AM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/2wps2e/is_college_necessary_for_success/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/is-college-necessary-for-success.146404 https://theredarchive.com/post/146404

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