Eliminate college?

[Tomas]

Hello everyone!

I am just wondering, what is your opinion to studying college?

I'm studying economy and I dont like studying. I like economy, I want (and I am trying!) to be entrepreneur (I am freelancer yet), but I feels like school gives me almost nothing. And I also realized that 80% of my suffering is because of school (some really stupid work we have to do sometimes). Problem is, that I don't earn enough money to quit school (my parents pay it, but they won't pay me anything after then) and I am scared that if I quit and find a job, I wont be happy. I have much more free time now (the college I am studying is actually pretty easy).

So, what would you choose?
1. Studying - a lot of free time, less money, very annoying and depressive (it ruins my appettite to work/do something more useful)
2. Quit college and get work
3. Anything else?

Discuss.

Thank you very much!

Tomas

[accountinator]

Tomas, I'm a college professor and administrator. If you do not feel you're getting anything out of college, then I believe you should take a break and try something else. If you're interested in entrepreneurship, then don't get a job, jump right to what you want to do and start a business. Is this your dream? Then don't wait. Go for it now.

I don't know your parents, but you might want to tell them that you don't feel that their money is being well spent on a college like this, and say you would rather take a break and learn "on your feet" starting a business. Ask them for a fraction of the tuition that they would have spent on college.

Most colleges will allow you to take a "leave" for a semester or two. So ask the college for a leave. This way, your parents need not fear that the decision is permanent. Then try to start a business.

If you're successful - then great! Now you might want to go back to college to learn more. If your business isn't yet profitable, then you might want to experiment more, or go back to school to learn more business techniques. Or who knows where your path will lead?

But wandering through college, wishing it would end is a waste of time and money. Don't do it.

[Marcie]

I went to college and I needed the discipline at the time. That's enough of my story :-) You might want to check out http://www.ellsberg.com - an author I have met (and a friend of Tim's) who has interviewed (dozens?) of millionaires who did not get formal higher education training. Just wanted to throw that out there :-) Good luck!

[bsiege]

I actually started my own biz, I was kind of in the same boat as you with not liking school.

I actually did what accountinator mentioned and took a leave of absence, started a business, and will go back to college next year. My biz is breaking even in monthly expenses, $500 a month.

I don't particularly like college, but I see its value. You may also want to consider changing majors/schools. I am, and I may or may not like it better.

Remember college is supposed to be at the least useful, at the most useful and interesting (+ some fun of course).

Good luck, and watch out some people will look down on you big time for a out of the norm decision, but you gotta make your own decisions.

[Frank]

There are many more reasons for going to college than just to get a better job. It's a huge opportunity to expand your horizons, learn new stuff, experiment with lifestyles, etc. BUT, if you're ONLY there because you think you need the degree for a better job, maybe it's time to take a break.

My wife teaches several college classes, and it's amazing how many students resist trying to learn anything. Their goal is to learn as little as possible and still graduate - what a waste.

If college isn't offering you what you're looking for, maybe it's time to either rethink your goals or jump into the real world with both feet.

[officer_dibble]

Ellsberg's book is worth a read. There is, of course, nothing to stop you setting up your own business/muse while you are still at college. You have plenty of time on your hands. There's no reason why you can't earn enough to live on - even working part-time on the muse.

Then once you are comfortably covering your costs - you can decide if you really want to jump ship from college and go into business for yourself.

As Frank suggested, college can be useful for more than just studying. It is a safe environment, you may make lifelong contacts who will be helpful in the future.

You can also consider four hour work weeking your college days. I did this with my post-graduate degree that I was studying from home. One weekend every month I would blitz the assignments (I would write them in my head while out running during the rest of the month) and spent a concentrated half hour (split into 2 15 minute sessions) engaging online with students/tutor each week. Mine you it was a necessity as I had a full-time job, a muse I was working on and a new girlfriend at the time. I ended up with a distinction.