Should I stay in college?
By nickjperez
@nickjperez (5)
United States
December 5, 2006 10:21pm CST
Yes, I know that college graduates can get better jobs more easily with a higher salary, and I know that most decent jobs require a degree of some sort, but let me explain..
I don't want to be employed. I don't want to wake up early every morning to do someone else's work with a boss I don't like constantly watching over my shoulder. That's not how I want to spend my life, and money is no compensation for unhappiness.
I'd like to do some sort of independent or freelance work, and hope to start my own business. Specifically, I'd like to either be an independent game developer, or a sound engineer. Both fields are difficult to make decent money in, but they're the two things that I'm good at and the two things I love.
I'm in my first year at a community college and this semester hasn't gone so well. I'm not taking any computer or music courses and I'm highly unmotivated to do any of the crap they're asking me to do in English and History. Computer programming is a highly complex job and it's difficult to continue my own studies while keeping up with irrelevant prerequisite courses that I'm required to take. College is wasting my time and in doing so, hindering my progress in what I absolutely need to learn.
Considering that I don't want to be an employee for my whole life, and I don't feel as if I'm learning anything relevant to what I really want to do, should I just forget about college so I have more time to learn more about programming and possibly intern at a studio to learn more about audio engineering? I mean, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. I can't bring myself to say that he's made any bad career decisions.
13 people like this
131 responses
@misskatonic (3723)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I'll be honest. I didn't go to college. I still managed to land a managerial position and make $400 dollars a week. ALl of my friends who went to college and graduated with two or so degrees? Working clerical, entry level positions for 8 to 10$ an hour. College doesn't always mean a better job and a better salary.
I didn't go because the feild I was going into (animal care) didn't require a degree. I got hands on training.
I'd say either try to learn programming yourself, or look into specialty colleges that focus on programming. Or just take what courses you feel will help you, and don't go for a degree. There are options.
I wish you the best of luck in your pursuits!
@nickjperez (5)
• United States
6 Dec 06
That's a good idea. For some reason, it never occurred to me that I could just choose not to take useless courses. I think I'll start looking for places that can help me specialize in computers without all the bureaucratic bs that traditional colleges are so obsessed with.
1 person likes this
@Bunny2 (2102)
• Australia
6 Dec 06
Oh what a dilemma. I can understand that you feel bored and that you're not getting anywhere, but I think gone are the days when you could get a good job without qualifications. You practially need a diploma or degree to pack shelves at a supermarket. Perhaps you've chosen the wrong subjects for you? You might be better of trying a different diploma or degree? Or a different college or university? Good luck with your choice- but I suggest you keep at it.
2 people like this
@vinaykiran28 (5149)
• India
6 Dec 06
ur thought is nice brother, getting early in the morning, and all problems with this degrees and jobs, so start a freelance writing it helps to gain knowledge on various topics
@smokingskull (137)
• India
7 Dec 06
hey dude follow your heart!!!! study the subjects you want pursue ahead!!!! if you are interested in sound engg then do some course in it!!!! if courses are not available in coll then find some sound engg ask him to teach you!!!! say u work free for him or something!!!!! learn the tricks of the trade!!!! hey you can even do parttime along with the coll!!!!
1 person likes this
@happyloser (40)
• China
7 Dec 06
well.i think that u should still stay in the college,for u can learn more:)
@JDillio12 (57)
• United States
7 Dec 06
The only thing you're not considering is that Bill Gates dropped out of college because he ALREADY HAD an idea of what he was going to do as an alternative. If you had already established how you were going to start your business and how your were going to PAY for it, then you'd be in about the same situation as him. I'm a computer science student at the university of arizona and I can say that there are some useless classes to the major, but the purpose of college is to make you a "well rounded individual". If you would rather just focus on programming and what not, don't be afraid to look into some tech schools like ITT Tech before completely dropping school. You will still be able to start a business but you will have the tools you need to succeed as well. Good luck man!
@ability (692)
• China
7 Dec 06
I can understand you. Working for the boss is really boring and unhappy, especially for you bad boss, that's a disaster.Everyone want to start his own buiness even it's so difficult.If you have made your mind, just do it. You will be successful!
@shirgie (230)
• United States
6 Dec 06
College is a waste of some peoples time. In your case, if you aren't motivated to learn, you at least are wasting someone's money. Remember whatever you do in college is on record and speaks much about you. I would have a solid, workable plan though before I switched gears. No offense but your question reminded me a little of a conversation I had with my 10 yo dd. She says she doesn't want to go to college, doesn't want to get married, and doesn't want to work. She does want to adopt a baby. She knows what she wants but how on earth can one adopt and support a baby with no income? She is only 10 though and hopefully she will grow up and obtain a little more sense. Your plan may or may not be o.k. However, I think you should procede with extreme cautioun and work very hard at whatever you decide to do. You may be another Bill Gates but probably only if you are a very hard worker and very focused.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
6 Dec 06
College is more for the interpersonal experience than the actual education that you don't get. The required ed classes can be a pill but sometimes you have to do things that may not make sense at the time but make much better sense after you gain time and perspective on them. I dropped out of college when I was 19 I was making more money as a stripper than I was going to make in my chosen career so I went to see where the money went. After over 14 years in the biz I am now 32 and going back to college.
@magdollars23 (1684)
• United States
7 Dec 06
College isnt for everybody its the age old saying. There is nothing wrong with not being college material or not wanting to be in that environment. If you are not happy being there is only going to waste your time and money, so why not put the money and energy into trying to do something that will make you happy. ALso at the end of the day if you are doing something you are happier doing you will be more successful at it.
1 person likes this
@bam001 (940)
• United States
7 Dec 06
First of all, you have a couple of good career goals. Will a college degree be the correct education/training path for those careers? Just curious. I teach at the college level and have come to realize that college isn't really the educational path for everyone.
Sometimes, career training isn't learned in a classroom, and if you are not happy in college, you might need to find some type of work in the field you want to follow!
Just a note --the classes you are taking are relevant, even though you may feel like they aren't. You are learning critical thinking and how to communicate with all types of people. One of my friends put it best...the well-rounded education that you get in college helps you to know when to speak and when not to (that was put much nicer than she did). Think of it this way...you do become a high level programmer. You are in a meeting to write code for some type of grammar software. The English classes you are taking will have given you some background so that you will have an idea of what the client wants in the software. It will also have given you the knowledge to know when and what questions to ask about the product you might be developing.
To get back to the subject...if you want to work in the computer programming field, I would stay in college and try to gain as much from the experience as you can. In college, I really didn't enjoy my humanities classes, but as I grow older, I have been able to identify the value that was in them.
@shenzhouplaza (1676)
• China
7 Dec 06
In my opinion, if i were you, I would try my best to finish my college study. degree sometimes is very important for people to find a place in the society.
we have to eat something,even we do not want to eat. do you agree.
@AlmightyBigfoot888 (553)
• United States
7 Dec 06
i would say change your major, or something, but yes, stay in college.
1 person likes this
@Symbol30 (17)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I won't bring up what my educational field or line of work it, just that I'm glad I finished school. If you are wanting to start your own business in a computer field, change your major and go into the computer field. A bank is more likely to give you a loan if you have the diploma in that field.
As for Bill Gates, he came in during a different age. If you're wanting to start your own business, you will either need a huge amount of experience or a degree in the field that you're looking for.
I asked a friend about this who works in the loan department at a major bank, and that is what he wants to see from a person looking for a loan. When he looks at experience with no education, he is expecting 10-20 years, depending on the field.
@midnightuser (252)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I understand where you are coming from. I am a college student as well and it is very frusturating taking courses that are not going to further your career. But because you want to be in game developing or sound engineer i would recommend staying in college. Try and take as many courses as you can that you enjoy. After your freshman year the courses you can take will be better. I think suffer for a little bit in college to learn what you want to do and then you will never be stuck. Because face it whether you like to or not money will always be a factor, granted it is no compensation for your unhappiness but... you do need money to be able to do things that you enjoy in life. Like have a house to be able to sleep in in. Know what I mean? Good luck
@rhammerAD (71)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I will give you some advice. STAY IN COLLEGE......don't want to sound like your dad or someone that knows you, but here is why. Bill Gates dropped out of college because he KNEW he had a great idea. He knew he could make the computer simple and easy to use for everyone on the earth. That is what he did, and unless you have some idea like that then I wouldn't drop out. Colleges can give you the chance to intern at places over the summer and everything. Also if you want to work on your own you should go to a school that offers a double major, such as computer science with a minor in business, so if you by some chance want to start your own business you will know how to do it. I am a freshman and I am in computer science and have to do no math or history, I already am in programming and everything. So maybe it is just the college you are at. Give it some time. Hope this helps.
@trish32 (1471)
• United States
6 Dec 06
While I can understand your frustrations with the courses that you feel are irrelevant (and perhaps History is for your career path) the English classes are important. Even if you choose to start your own business, it's essential to know enough college-level English to be able to impressively communicate with potential clients, partners and other people you'll need to communicate with. You need to think of each course you complete as being another rung up the ladder to success.
@jade17901 (597)
• United States
6 Dec 06
You sound very sure of yourself so all I have to tell you is life is to short! Vo what will make you happy, just think it through first
good luck!
1 person likes this
@Juliephine (286)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Well, I think it's great you want to have your own business and not spend your life making someone else wealthy! I do believe staying in college would be good, especially if you're going for a degree that would help you have your own business. There is much to be attained through college classes. As for the pre-requisite courses, see if there are any you can CLEP?! If you study for the CLEP, which you can get the material from just about any library, then you can challenge the class and if you pass it, get credit for that class and not have to take it in college. Good luck to you.
1 person likes this
@kidumathy (213)
• India
6 Dec 06
I think you should continue your studies. if you can't concentrate on your computer programming and other stuffs you just try to gofor some courses related tothat. May be you have chosen the wrong course. Discontinuing studies is not a good idea.
@abednego7 (1060)
• Philippines
6 Dec 06
First i got nothing against Bill Gates. But using his name to support your principle will not work convincing. You forgot to notice Linus Torvalds who finished college along with his dream. Even the time when he wrote the first version of LINUX he still studying and never gave it up. The results: He graduated with a master degree in computer science and now a software engineer. He did not become a billionaire because he did something Bill Gates can't and won't do: Give knowledge for free.
1 person likes this
