College Grad or CEO?
So, anyone who knows me knows that I am not a study bug. I don’t really like school….sure i like the lifestyle, partying, friends, etc… But school itself, um, not so much. Like most kids I went off to college with out thinking twice about it because where I am from that is what you do. Now I am starting to think about where I might be if I had seen the future, or taken a riskier rout. My summer internship really has me thinking outside the box, or at least the box I live in. Scott and I had a couple discussions about going to college or starting a company, because the costs were similar. I did some research and the average cost of Private Colleges in the US is just under 25 grand a year. And we all know that is growing faster than we care to think about. And many out of state public Universities cost almost the same. So would you rather go to school for 4 years, or have $100,000 to start a company? I think I would have rather started a company, but i’m almost done with school now. I am a huge advocate of learning on the job rather that in the classroom, infact that is where I excell. However I also think that there is a lot more you learn at school than just from class. There is so much personal growth and maturing to do in those 4 years to prepare you for work. But besides that, I would much rather have had the money to start a small company and learn 10 fold what I will have in school. What are your thoughts? Are we at a point where an undergrad degree is required in the work force? Or is this kind of work/learning experience more valuable? Let me know what you think.
I definitely have thought the same thing. I’m coming to the end of my time at school. Only a few classes, and I’m just trying not to fail because I’m working on starting a business that I really just want to do full time.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to pay for school, but it has taken a lot of time. Would I do it again? Probably. I hate school. I was a straight A student until my senior year of high school, but ever since, I really don’t care. But, there is definitely something about having a degree.
Personally I’d like to think that undergraduate course is a waste of time, unless you want to become an engineer or scientist or scholar. However, to start a company you’d need the money which part of it you can easily get from an internship, along with the valuable experience. So I’d say you should just do a 3 year UG course, whilst gaining work experience and industrial insight at the same time, then consider starting a company which by the. Would be of a strong foundation.
School in the US costs a fortune. It’s a good security net to have the qualifications as it’s a barrier to entry for many jobs. Try starting a company while in school so when you graduate it’s a) going or b) your current employment is self employed when applying for a job.
Ultimately if you can work for yourself from the web you can go anywhere anytime. The games changed…
Yes, many people may gain more valuable experience out in the work force/real world than at school. But without a degree these days, not many companies would take you seriously and it would be hard to move to the top of an industry. Ultimately, I think that a college degree has become necessary in the world today and the numbers prove it (average lifetime income of higher degree holders vs. high school, etc). It may not work for all but ee should still value higher education and at the same time emphasize gaining experience.
I think you are looking at it wrong. It is not an either or proposition. School teaches you how to learn…..more than an individual skill. Being able to absorb inputs, analyze them and make intelligent decisions one of the most important traits for a business leader. The list of what you have learned in your undergrad is way beyond the curriculum and is absolutely required to start, lead and grow any business. Now take your degree, go get your $100K (which you are now better equiped to raise) and build you business as a more rounded better equiped you!
I wish I’d had the money to go to school, but if I’d had it that I really wish I had that kind of money to put into my own company now. I’ve grown from my experience on the job and wish I could go back and finish school…but the money would solve a lot of problems and I’d kill to be my own boss.
Being a college dropout myself, I think you were very wise to stick with it. I missed out on the whole maturing thing, went right to work thinking that’s what I wanted to do. Furthermore, it’s very difficult to climb a corporate ladder without the degree. Get the degree, work for a few years, make enough money and THEN start a business doing what you really want to do.
I think there is a place for both ways of thinking. I too learn better from actually doing the work, rather than reading about it. That being said, I learned a LOT in college and am now able to apply it to business situations. I think St. Thomas offers a lot of hands-on learning experiences that keep you focused on doing business rather than learning it.
[...] My friend Hiedi, who was our awesome intern this past summer, has a great post up about the decision to stick in school versus taking the money that she spent on tuitio…. [...]
Knuckle Sandwich » Blog Archive » Angel Money vs. College said this on October 27, 2008 at 5:13 am |