How College Ruined My Life and What You Can Learn from My Mistakes

Hey Brad, 

Interesting points.  Although I feel your pain regarding debt, I don’t fully agree. College is about giving you a foundation build upon.  You don’t stop learning when you leave school, at least I didn’t. On the contrary, it was because of college I released how much I really appreciated learning.  Without college, I would not have been given the fundamentals for success.  

Not trying to bring my ethnic heritage, but the reality is the bordertown I grew up in, the educational system sucked and still does. College is where I improved my information-base, improved skills and discovered a little more about who I was as an individual, which has allowed me to persevere and nurture my passion for information. 

 The educational system isn’t fully up-to-date, and it never will be.  But I think for the right student, directed studies are an avenue not taken advantage of.  College students have an opportunity to learn something on their own with the right teacher and receive college credit.  I did it, and I loved it.  

In essence, I was able to create my course with the guidance of a professor. And yes, this was while I was an undergraduate.  It gave me the flexibility to do what I wanted, read what I wanted and then craft into something that could be graded. I did this for my music and Latin-American studies degrees.  I wanted to learn more about the tango, the music and the dance, so I found a teacher with similar interests and studied the art form with him.  The credit applied towards my Latin-American studies degree, but the teacher was from the music school. I managed to combine both worlds nicely. 

Although the loan payment is painful, and doesn’t feel like it will end anytime soon, I do believe college provides a foundation that nothing else can provide.  

Distinguish between the desire for knowledge and gaining work-life experiences; both feed off each other.  There is information best learned in a classroom versus on your own. (Many) Professors are mentors that guide students towards success and can help them find a path of their own.  

Cheers, 
Miguel

Hi Brad,
I am new to your site,  just discovered it today and am already loving what I’m seeing!  You have expressed here, with facts to back it, points I have been expressing to my children and anyone else who will listen for the past few years.  I love to learn and research things and like you I have learned & retained more when my studies have been self initiated  I do not think self starters and entrapreneurs need college, and I do not think that most 18 year olds need college.  I think most 18 year olds need at least 1 year of hard work and thinking it over time.
I am not totally anti-college, but am fed up with the “college is the only smart choice” mindset that has been fed to our culture  regardless of the student’s personality, goals, learning style,  etc.  
  I am 45 years old and have witnessed the following  average american story  many times, both in my own generation and in every generation to graduate highschool since.   It goes something like this:
It’s Joe Average’s highschool graduation celebration and you, the guest, greet Joe and then ask “So, what are you going to do now?”   He  has a wonderful, well rehearsed answer about how he is  going to “Such and Such” college and majoring in “Something Impressive”.  Joe signs up for a load of debt and heads off to school in the fall.
 Now the story often takes one of two turns, either Joe discovers that he really isn’t sure he wants to be a “Something Impressive” for the rest of his life and changes majors, adding a year or more to his time at school and continuing to doubt the new choice as well, OR he sticks out the “Something Impressive” course, gets the degree but ends up going into something totally different for the rest of his life.   Sometimes, his ending up not using his degree is not at first by choice, sometimes he can’t find a job in the oversaturated workforce and so takes a labor or retail job just to have a source of income when the loan payments start but ends up staying in that “just temporary”  field.    
Now, I realize this is not the case of all college students/grads, many do stick with the “graduation day plan” but  I can personally think of several friends and relatives who ended up in one of these scenerios and every time the subject comes up, others always agree that they also know several who fit this scenerio.
  Now my purpose is not to criticize the victims of this sad situation, my purpose is simply to get people to think about why college is presented as “the only way” and to exam themselves and  to think about why they are planning to go or to send their kids.   I want them to think for and about themself.  I want them to think about why they are choosing the wonderful sounding major, is it  really what interests them? or are they  leaning toward it because everyone else (or even just someone else) says that they  would be good in it?  Did they just pick  the major from a catalog list?    Was it the least of evils, the easiest degree to achieve?  Did they consider whether they will  really be content doing this thing that sounds good now for the rest of their  life?  Do they have a “stick it out” kind of personality, or are they the type (and it’s Ok to be this type) who like a change of scenery and would be happier changing jobs every 5 or 10 years?  Have they studied the job market that they will be entering?   If yes, and if it is already saturated, are they willing to relocate?   What is the entry level pay for their field?  Have they figured out how many years, based on the prospective  salary and other expenses (housing, car etc.) it will take  to pay off the loans?  
This is a subject that I could say much more on, but the main thing is to encourage people to consider all their options and all the costs/consequences.  I really appreciate your speaking out in this area that is a “sacred cow” in our society.  I also appreciate Miguel’s view and I know, as he witnessed that many who go are happy with their choice, so  again, my main argument is simply that kids need to consider all the facts and know that it is a choice, not a requirement.
 Blessings,
A mom in the “YOUR KIDS AREN’T IN COLLEGE????!!!!” camp

interesting read.  Having a background ( brief) in education ( I can now explain in technical pedagogical terms why I hated school:)… I have a lot of mixed opinions about the public education system.  Or maybe not so mixed:)  Are there things that kids need to learn? yes, definitely! is the public education system the place to learn them? I am not so sure. I do know that the primary “lessons” kids learn in school are NOT things they need to know, and would do better never having experienced.  Peer pressure, which entails caving in to the external expectation.  Conformity versus identity.  social hierarchies that create inequalities based on absolutely arbitrary norms and expectations.

the initial goal of public education was to create a basic, 8th grade education for the man ( yes it was the men who worked), who would then get a job on the assembly line/ at the plant, and work there as a lifetime employee.  this world no longer exists.

most education is about creating conformity, which is also, essentially, about creating placid members of society and most essentially to the western model… consumers! a sort of capitalist feudalism or serfdom, maybe?

As such, education, at very few levels, from k-12 to collegiate and beyond- instill creativity, leadership skills or innovation.  the people who have taught the teachers, have culled the fields, reinforcing the drone-clone model.  Ironically, the higher you go up the educational ladder/ tree.. the fewer branches and diversity there are.  Professors rarely reward someone who thinks radically differently.  their psyche is more comfortable with those that reinforce their existing world view.

as to the relevance of education.. I would wonder if anyone had done a comparative study, between someone who had opted for a non-traditional route, whether internship, self-learning and travel etc.. and compared where they were at, at the end of 4-6 years.

One thing, I do think that our western capitalist society aims to do- is have the student in debt, which thereby requires that he become a part of the corporate machine, in order to attempt to free himself from the wheel of debt/servitude buried in the fine print of his college degree:)

fortunately, there s now access to just about any and all data via the internet- perhaps it won’t be much longer before a degree and diploma will be less relevant than a portfolio of what someone has accomplished.  wouldn’t that be an interesting world.  Or as they say in indigenous speak- that’s nice, but will it grow corn.  and diplomas do not necessarily grow corn– esp if monsanto has anything to say about it:)

ha, i feel like without an engineering degree starting making 60k a year you are pretty much phucked….and dont even get me started on those liberal arts and crafts schools. the truth is you need a solid career and even more important, a good pension plan 

Well, college loan is a big help to students when they need money urgently if it will just being used for good cost but there’s always consequence with it. So I guess it’s still best to save money so that we can use it in the future.

I total agree with your view.
I recently graduation from college this May and I honestly wish I would have followed my gut to dropout my. I sat in class wondering how is this crap really going to help me. But everyone I talked to said, you need a college degree to be successful so finish. Now I have a piece paper saying i’m a drone that will jump through every hop you tell me to and will not question your authority. 

I honestly got a better education reading tons of business, personal development, autobiographies, and psychology books before i started school. But now i’m trying to unlearn all that so called “higher education” shit.  

proven to secure things for better understanding and to use on for different instances,, nice post,.

Bradley

I can relate to you wholeheartedly regarding going to college. I entered school in Jan 2006. I have a single class to complete to get my B.S. I call it Bull.Shit. degree.

The first two years were exciting because I got to break new ground in learning. But not long after that I began to realize that all this “misc” education from useless. Do you realize what it feels like to fill your head with a bunch of pointless nonsense? I heard it for years. Being told that all that algebra would make me smarter, whether I actually used it or not. I was sort of a prodigy in my youth, skipping public school many times as a kid. So much that I became friends with the delinquents. Yet, I could come back to school and still be the top math student. Teachers were amazed by it. The fact is that we all have something unique built in that drives us in a certain direction. We are all capable of being above average at something without having a piece of paper with a man’s signature on it. It’s insane to takes years of college, graduating, and then getting handed an insane bill to pay that will no doubt take at least 10 years. So we have a mortgage by the time we leave college. More disturbing is the fact that I look around at other countries that do these things to their people. They seem to care about quality of life above all else. America doesn’t seem to care at all about its people. That’s the kind of “freedom” we all enjoy. The freedom from security. We’re all brainwashed into the cultural ideology. Then we are placed in a modernized slavery that makes us work hard and receive much less in return. Only a select few have it made. Free enterprise.

I have heard that in Canada, the motto is One For All, and All For One. In America, they say Every Man For Himself. Dog Eat Dog.

The United States of America is one extremely large failure. Technology has become the primary important element in life. It’s easy to self indulge on gadgets. People do this a lot. And they somehow arrive at the idea that life is good. They become blindsided to the reality that there are more and more people being forsaken. The media and other entities create a false umbrella over society that says “Its okay” to continue being a conformist. But I can tell you this. You are right. Google teaches far more than a college. And it will give you EXACTLY all you need. I have cured more illnesses with the Internet than my family doctor ever did.

Although things have been getting a little perspective, students are not
out of the woods yet. U.S. economy will continue in the overseas debt
crisis and stagnant job growth mercy.

I enjoy browsing your nice article, Your blog is a great tool for those interested, thanks for sharing i admire your efforts and the work involved in the development of this article.

 I have a feeling you don’t realize how the world works, and how debt can consolidate regardless of what kind of school one attends. I’m currently a Psych major at UCLA, the leading America public university and it’s an entire CROCK OF SHIT.

Do not believe the lies people: MAJOR IN SOMETHING THAT MATTERS TO YOU, BECAUSE BEING MAJORING SOMETHING SOCIETY TELLS YOU TO IS A DEAD-END.

THE INFORMATION IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, LIFE IS NOT DEFINED BY A PIECE OF PAPER.

I sympathize with you in regards to the debt. In my culture, parents are expected to pay for their childrens education, so many of us are fortunate not to have that debt. Sometimes the government will offer you loans which they will deduct from your pay once you are working too.

I don’t however agree with your views about college education being useless. It’s a privileage to be able to go to college. Thousands scramble, starve an d save for that chance. Perhaps this is due to my cultural background where education was prized for centuries, but college degrees do open up doors where I come from. I have friends without degrees (because they were too poor to go to college) who did well in their careers but they do worry about being discriminated against. The point of this rambling message is this: Be grateful for your education no matter how useless you think it is. In some parts of the world, they can’t even afford to go to college.

Now, I decided not to pursue my masters and instead take short courses on subjects I want to study. I felt that paying so much to study things I already know doesn’t compute. College degrees however give you a good foundation.

 I would think that one could learn how to spell ‘privilege’ after four years of college.

Dude college is not a waste dont listen to that idiot if you want a career rather than being a bum then get some education besides most colleges are free and some even pay you at the end if you go to college

Growing up in this individualistic society, we are raised to believe that we are special and need to stand out in one way or another. THIS is the lie. Being the lucky to have a break doesn’t make you more talented, smarter, or better in any way. It just makes you the lucky one. So for the rest of the world, learn to get along on an equal plane with others, and just survive. Go to community college and then maybe a state college, and get out debt free. The piece of paper makes the difference in the way that people perceive you and in the way you perceive yourself, but it doesn’t matter WHERE you went. For the “Ivy Leaguers” who somehow got in on merit alone, you were supposed to go to your ivy league college so that you could meet rich people’s children and later be hired BY them (even if they were terrible students they will still run daddy’s business someday). Similarly, in the 50′s women went to college to find a husband (if they went at all). Utilize your college time to befriend Richie Rich and learn to bow to the man because there is a monopoly on success and if you weren’t born into it you will realize this when you get a little older. You’re ideas will go nowhere without their money.

Good luck with that, self-absorbed ass

You’re basing your argument on a false premise. You COMPLETED college which changed you as a person and gave you the credential. To suggest people should not go to college because they will incur debt is a suggestion you simply can not make because you DID go to college and that effected your business. And you HAD a business to start with, which most commenting on here don’t have. You need to rethink what you’re telling people before you send some unwitting entrepreneurs to the streets.

What I get from this article is that the author is full of himself and is eager to suggest that his way is the best way and alternative ways are failure.

The problem is that he CHOSE the alternative to his current suggestion (likely greed was a huge factor), which has changed his life, so he can not really argue for you not to choose it because he lives with the benefits of it daily.

“YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD! for just 99.99!” Is the tone I get from this article. The author is stroking his ego under the guide of helping others. Of course that’s nothing new on the internet.

It’s true, you can do great things without a college diploma/university degree. But you can also fail, really hard. Think hard about what choice you decide to make, but don’t let this be swayed too much by an upset graduate suggesting that if you’re part of an “elite group of go-getters” you’ll be successful without going to college and incurring debt. The reality he exists in is rare enough to be useful to most and just because he’s sad he got greedy and wound up with debt like an average joe, doesn’t mean you have to subscribe to his “magical elite club” (hint: in reality there is no elite club…everyone has issues even the rich. Be the best version of yourself and you will succeed in life no matter what the circumstances.)

Sorry if that sounded overly harsh, I had a rough day. I’m sure the author is a nice guy.

I should also mention however, that this was completely my fault. I endured something that I knew in my gut was wrong. I am a rare case, as I think most people would succeed and benefit with a college education. Also, receiving funds (not loans) for school was a breeze for me. Aid is easily available for people who attend public universities. All this talk in the media about college putting people in debt is B.S. If your in debt then you either went to a private school or didn’t look very hard.

When you forget what you learned at college you’ll love playing again.

I never finished college and find it’s very hard to find a job without a degree, unless we are talking jobs with low level pay. Unfortunately to read a book in Maui you have to be able to afford to go there. Making the median wage of an adult without a college education makes that along with many other things very hard, especially when you have no money left over after bills. I’m just saying the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence.

I have debt from going to 4 years of college and then 2 years of graduate school. But every day I tell myself it was worth it. Am I sitting in a high-rise office raking in 100k a year? Not even close. I knew from the onset that my chosen career wouldn’t make me rich, not even close. I chose it because I love what I do. Many people told me that getting a degree in Environmental Education is a waste of my time, there are no jobs there, and nothing pays well. Everything in that caveat applies to me, and yet I chose to go to college and it was the best years of my life. I had a very autonomous childhood and adolescence, and still chose to send myself to college, to accrue the debt, because I love what I do.

I was also fortunate enough not to spend “16 semester hours a week filled with bullshit busy-work taught by professors who are so far removed from reality that they distort your mind into believing you’re a product on a factory line.” There are colleges out there that DON’T do that, if you are that concerned about it, find one.

Exactly Michelle. Identity thieves – you’ve got it. Those positioned in power judge you by an undefined set of standards and hand power to those they simply like or think deserve it. Not that there is anything wrong with that unless IP is stolen.

Yes, this doesn’t sound like a scam at all.

debt is a cool thing, someone gives it to you, and if you cant pay it they take whatever back. Seems fair. The problem with that is education cannot be taken away, so if i default on my student loans what will the credit issuers take from me? Until the answer to that question is something other that nothing I think I’ll not be paying my student loans off. I am curious what the author thinks about this point of view though.

I can understand how your world view reflects your situation however it’s not the same for everyone… Your basing your view off of very exclusionary circumstantial event… This seemingly only applies to your choices…
Your clever in the inclusiveness of words that suggest a contrast between freedom of choice and individualism over the assimilation of an individual into society.
I’m an undergraduate of psychology…. This wouldn’t work for me… this wouldn’t work for a person with hopes of becoming a doctor or lawyer…. After I get my degrees and certifications I can offer my services for free to those in need being a true philanthropist. You told us your story and you’ve also chosen to masquerade your true intentions behind a victim mentality and lash out to other whom have chosen a different route than yourself…
the aurthur continues to further his own interest after you click the link that will suppose you to change your life by enrolling into another school XD
After he’s bashed those institutions XD
~My paradox senses are tingling~

What type of school did you attend that didn’t offer you specific options to choose the type of education you received learning is the individual’s irresponsibility your being taught by someone who has received notarization of their mastery over subject… How you used what is taught to you is your own choice I learn through direct usage of what has been taught to me in try to proliferate my life with the information to understand it’s use and how it may be applied to my daily life…

Life as a whole is stupid? Where did it lack intelligence.. .and I think your confused about how existence is defined by one’s determination of what they want to do with their life… and your speaking of heaven…. Why did religion come into your discussion… Oh yeah that’s right it’s because we all think and see the world in the same way! XD
What a lovely convoluted thought process… it’s running ramped on this website XD

Brad, I love your post. I feel the same way. You’re not saying people can’t be both formally educated and self educated. But for those who think outside of the status quo and prefer to go directly toward what they are ultimately after….then there is a way to do it and save about $50k – $100k in the process.

So the next time you visit your doctor, you would rather them not be college educated? To each his own I guess…

I find it ironic and sad that in many of the comments in reply to this blog post, so many people have demonstrated thier inabilty to spell or write a proper and coherent sentence.

What it really comes down to is him being a negative cry baby

I have no authority to even reply to this post, since I am senior in high school, but here’s my point of view. Although you might, in theory, be right when you say one doesn’t necessarily need a college education, you have to support what you are claiming with reliable evidence. Because if you look at statistics, there is a higher degree of success in people who attend and finish college than in those who do not. It is easy to think ” oh, had I not done this I wouldn’t be in debt”, but ask yourself, would you have the same job opportunities you have because of that little piece of paper called a diploma. What you are saying would make sense in an alternate universe where higher education is not as highly valued as it is here. In the society we live today, having a degree in anything is the norm to get a good enough job to sustain yourself. Now, what you really are trying to say is, I think, that what we do with that education is what makes the difference. You have to be aggressive and put your education to use. go out there, take risks, and do what you want to do professionally, but don’t be stupid. Don;’t make the huge mistake of thinking than anybody is going to give a damn about your abilities if you don’t have the piece of paper to prove it. Now that I’m done ranting I want to be honest and say I have no first hand experience in this, but from my understanding of the world we live in today this is pretty much how it works. like it or not. I am 17 years old and I’m graduating from high school in about 4 months. I am planning on going to college no matter what it takes and you want to know why. because I have seeing my parents what not getting an education can do to a family. Be thankful you had the opportunity you had to attend college and stop spreading information that would only be of use to a handful of people.

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Listen to audio books while working out? What kind of wussy workouts do you do where you have the ability to concentrate on a book?

Says the guy that works at McDonald’s flipping burgers on his second promotion.

Mac city bitch, Mac Mac city bitch..ten ten ten, 20 chicken nuggets, bitch.

I would have to agree with the author in this case. In my college career I’ve studied a little bit of chemical engineering and a little bit of mathematics before settling with economics. From some of my physics courses I’ve learned that you can achieve that exact same solution with a completely different approach. And the ultimate lesson I’ve learned was how to be disciplined. If one can learn these things on their own then college is absolutely unnecessary. Steve Jobs audited college classes and never had a formal education because he always thought outside of the box. Mark Zuckerberg dropped out and ignited facebook. Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, Larry Ellison, Mary Kay Ash, and Rachel Ray. All successful and set for life individuals who chose not to follow the herds of assembly lines and enhance their own visions, all WITHOUT a formal education. You’d be surprised to know how many CEOs don’t have formal or completed college educations. If it exists, then its attainable. College is not a necessity.

actully iam a successful student in my 10th board examinations.after that i ruin my life with my lazyness.i failed in fail exams

hey, I’m sorry you had such a rough college experience. and yes there are things you can learn outside of college or school, that doesn’t always teach you and not everything you need to go to college for. but certain things you do like to be a e.c,e or doctor, etc. i find it a little insulting as you seem to be suggesting that we’re wasting our time. i’m going to graduate from my diploma program, have gotten accepted into the bachelor program for the fall and I have a very high g.pa. i still find time to have a lifen i also have a learning disabililty(yes my parents pay my tution but I’ve had some bumps)

Many of the responses here are from the typical tools you’ll find advocating for college because they or someone they know happened to make it through the struggle. That’s like saying we should all try to swim across a river because one person survived the task. Truth is, if schools really were honest institutions, they wouldn’t spend so much on marketing themselves and it wouldn’t be such a hot topic in political debates. The government perpetuates this type of thinking and reinforces student debts. It’s all part and parcel of the college sham. The author has become enlightened by the true reality, that is that academia is not for everyone and there are many doors to success.

Dude…way harsh…he’s just sharing his experience and his truth…why be a troll?

Wonderful post. I know enough about myself to know that I’m not a self-starter in any way but I admire that you have such a clearly defined vision. Best of luck destroying that lone debt and getting your business to take off!

I would think you would have noticed that English is not her first language. Do you spell perfectly in any other language then your first language?

attending college or not is not the question here, It depends on individual, if you learn everything your teacher wants you to learn and not what you yourself are interested in , then that’s your own choice. College can only give you knowledge, but whats wrong is thinking that only a college degree can deem you successful. Getting good grades by pleasing your professors is the worst way to learn, they dont know everything, who does?
corrupt administration and hiked fee are the worst things about college, the notion that you have to be like everyone else, that’s what’s wrong with college and the whole education system. I for one am struggling with college not just financially but also emotionally and on a spiritual level, teachers think that just because the other kid is cheerful and talkative, everyone has to be the same. They dont bother about kids they dont connect with and neglect the one’s who break the rules. COLLEGE HAS BEEN A SSHITTY EXPERIENCE FOR ME, BUT GOING THERE MADE ME REALIZE WHAT I REALLY WANT AND WHO I REALLY AM . When you force yourself to do stuff you get to learn a lot about yourself.One should just stick to education till bachelors, but it depends on individual goals. Even without a college degree one can do wonders with his or her life.

You tried waaaaay too hard to get more out of that post than was really present. Realize that an ass is an ass. It is what it is.

Read my name.

I understand college isn’t for everyone, but neither is being an entrepreneur. I went to college and grad school to become a scientist (scientists can work in either academia or industry, but the path is higher education). It makes sense then that people who don’t plan on going into STEM careers should think twice about going. But it is nonsensical to completely throwaway college/university as an option. (I suggest going to a state or local college to combat high costs)

If you know who you are and where to go you dont really need college to succeed. and this is what we r talking about-not that college is useless, but it is possible to become who ever you want to. i found out thers only one advantage of college- you get all info u need served on plate. but if i could choose, id go for private lessons because its worth the money. you learn much quicker, no distractions of imature unambitionist people and anoying teachers, your time is expensive when you r serious about ur career. once you become succesful you dont need to prove any qualification to anyone. most of sucesful people have no proper education but they r wonderful self learners.

Kind of sad…$70K and his life is ruined. I thought he was a self starter who could make things happen. Why would I pay attention to his academy if he is such a whiner.

I think that the author raises some valid issues about the structure of college education, what it intends to do and for many, what it actually does. I respect him for telling his story. It sounds like he grew through the process. His perception is his, just as yours is yours. We must take the information we are exposed to, utilize what applies and throw the rest to the wind.

It should be: *than your first language?

Sorry. I normally won’t correct spelling and grammar, but if you’re in any way calling someone else out about spelling and grammar, then I just can’t resist.

How in the world did a kid from an Indian reservation with such high grades and ACT scores not land scholarships to pay for college?

Your article lost all credibility the moment you tried to sell me an educational product.

I agree with you 100% man. Good job. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Considering you don’t know how to structure sentences, I’m going to suggest you return to school.

Great article. I worked my way through college during a time when it was still possible to do this. I emerged with only $1,500 in loan debt and a love for learning which has always been a source of great joy. Now, when I talk to college graduates 20 years or younger than myself they do not seem to present themselves as educated people. Attractive, infectious, genuine intellectual curiosity is rare to find. It is disheartening to see the result of what these schools are doing to young minds and the price they charge for it. If the issue is path to work and you have the wherewithal and talent to bypass college, I now say go for it. If the issue is education — and you like me have indicated that you also do value this in and of itself — sad to say but this too (with a few notable exceptions) may scarcely be found anymore behind Ivy covered walls.

I feel exactly the same as this writer.

I honestly feel all schooling is a scam. Public schools are a scam to rip off government money, and private schools are a scam to rip of individuals. They are not in place for your and I’s benifit, but to make someone money.

They are to trick people into believing lies,

Into wasting peoples time. It is all about keeping people BUSY without actually doing anything.

The point he made of, if he took the money he used for school and put that into his company, what kind of company could he have had? What if 10 people did this? What if 100 people did? Think of the company that could be made.

Seriously think about it, they could put all the informantion from grade 1 to grade 7 into 2 years of school, then make grade 8 to 10 1 year, then have 2 years for grade 11 and 12.

Why don’t they? Because They don’t want people creating a future for themselves, they want people WORKING FOR THEM!

THINK ABOUT IT! If everyone in your family started working at the age of 14 (even factory style non thinking jobs) or started making companies, and actually spent the time spent in school on IMPROVING THE FAMILY. Gardening, making solar sheets for power, making aqueducts, tending to farm animals, ect ect.

But no, the system doesn’t want families improving themselves. They want the family to have to send all the kids to school every day, PAYING for the school, paying for the rides to and from, paying for the books, for the supplies. Then on top of all that paying, think of all the time the family spent going to and from, being at school that could have been spent actually doing something.

Instead of learning by being crowded into a room why not learn by actually DOING?

Once you see how the WHOLE SCHOOL system is just a system built to keep you busy, you start to see how THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF MONEY is built the same way.

Think, WHY DO YOU NEED YOUR JOB? To pay for school, for you, your kids, for day cares ect ect. Why do you need school? To get a job! THE WHOLE POINT OF MENIAL JOBS, minimum wage jobs, school, debt, money, EVERYTHING IS TO KEEP YOU BUSY!!

Who ever is in charge activly want’s people spending as much time possible In their cars, on the road, away from their families, all split up, doing things for corperations and not their own family.

Everyone I know spends more time and effort benefiting a large multi-million dollar company they work for, and almost NO TIME on their selves or their own family.

When will people learn, that with CAPITALISM there is no government. Their is only corporations. Our gorvernment is a business, not a government. It is only government in name.

How can this be unbelievable? There are many great examples of entrepreneurs doing well without high school let alone university. I think people either have it or don’t have it. If you haven’t got that something no amount of education will help

I’ll sum up this article with 1 phrase, “The grass always looks greener on the other side”. An interesting and motivational read for people who intend not to go to college.

An intelligent person needs a damn good reason NOT to go to college. Zuckerberg went to college for some time; if he hadn’t Facebook wouldn’t exist. Founders on Google were doing their PhD at Stanford and wouldn’t have met each other if it wasn’t for that. Life is a game and there are many ways to play it successfully. Many very entrepreneurial and brilliant people went to college and are now changing the world. Even in the software industry, where you don’t need a degree AT ALL to learn stuff since it’s all online, vast majority of people have degrees. If you get a full scholarship at your state school, then I’d say you’d be making a smart decision to make the most out of it. If you have a great idea for a software startup, or you’re a musician, then maybe don’t go to college. You can always go back later.

At the end of the day, going to college is like joining a mafia. It’s worth it for some, and not worth it for others.

I agree with the blog’s author that continuous learning is one of the most
important goals everyone should have. Beyond that, however, the rest of his
posting is full of errors that could provide misguided advice to many people.

For example, it never ceases to amaze me that people, especially those
lacking anything above a high school science education, tend to generalize from
very small sample sizes. As a result, “College didn’t work for me” leads to the generalization “College isn’t good for anybody.” for many of these people.

I also find it rather odd (and somewhat logically inconsistent) that with
all the knowledge about personal finance that’s available on-line, people
like this blog’s author (who advocate drawing exclusively on that type of
knowledge rather than going to college) are often the ones who complain about
taking on high college debt. Several reputable websites exist that will help people calculate the monthly payments for debt, so they will realize the implications of taking out a loan, including a student loan, before actually borrowing the money. A personal finance class (offered at most universities) might have been helpful, too, in avoiding taking out more than one can repay.

Obviously, college is not for everyone. The world is full of examples of
successful athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, and others, who did not
go to or did not finish college. On the other hand, it is also full of examples of people that did. For example, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates dropped out of college, but Larry Page and Sergey Brin (co-founders of Google) met in the Ph.D. program at Stanford after finishing undergraduate degrees at the University of Michigan and University of Maryland, respectively. So, depending on which cases one uses, college is either the wrong or right path for successful entrepreneurs.

Just as obvious is the statement that some professors teach outdated knowledge,
but examples also exist of those that remain on the cutting edge of their
fields. If the latter weren’t up to date in their knowledge, then companies
wouldn’t pay them thousands of dollars in consulting fees, and their students
wouldn’t find jobs.

When and if the free market decides that a college education is not valuable,
then we may see a major change in university education. This is how a free
market economy works (something that could be learned in an introductory
economics class at any reputable business school). The fact that some college
programs have 100% placement rates and students receive large starting salaries
show that the market still values university training in some/many fields of study.

Overall, the fallacy of the entire “college isn’t worth it argument”
is that it focuses on college as a place to learn/memorize lots of facts.
Knowing lots of “stuff” or being able to do advanced math calculations used to be metrics we used to say someone was “intelligent.” Now that all those facts are an internet search away, however, definitions of intelligence/important job skills also need to include critical thinking skills, networking skills, leadership experience, and the ability to integrate knowledge across different subject areas. Again, college isn’t the only (or for some people the best) way to gain these skills, but it still does a good job for many people.
best) way to develop these skills, but it still seems to do a pretty good job
for many people.

Don’t be too worried about the 68,000 debt. When Obama, congress and the feds get through spending money, the resulting hyper inflation will wipe out your debt. Debtors stand to gain, and savers will lose everything.
Thanks for the common sense about the value of a college education. I think “education” isn’t much more than a government “make work” program for teachers and other employees of these institutions.

Let’s be careful before we go assuming that college drains and robs all young, creative and savvy entrepreneurs of what it takes to success. I understand and fully believe that was your life story & perception, Bradley G. But for every story like yours, there’s at least one other story of a brilliant, young, *and* college-educated entrepreneur who succeeded — either because of college or maybe in spite of college. But the point is: College in and of itself doesn’t prevent a young person from succeeding. Great example I just read about on Entrepreneur.com this morning is Kavita Shukla, patent holder of FreshPaper: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226304.
Her bio: http://babsonforum.com/2012/speakers/kavita-shukla/
(She earned a BA from Harvard.)

What ?
Jerk !
Mr. Market is my lord and I lay in bed most of the day and these have been the most productive years of my life. Of course, you have to learn about investments. That is the problem jerks. Put your money to work for your $$$ and make money. I was a jerk like you in the past. Study Buffettology and you’ll know what I mean if your’e so smart then why do you have to work jerk ?

If you think like an employee, I’d say your’e right.

UMMMMM………

Miranda your’e not getting older you are just growing and indeed it feels like lots of time has passed by when we squeezed our brains out of trouble.

Don’t worry, I have about 15k more than you. It took me almost 9 years to finish because of financial, work, and health issues, and interest accrues quickly. College left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn’t even come out with the degrees I set out for.

You’re right. You don’t have any authority to reply to this blog. His “reliable evidence” is his past. He went to school and this is what he took from it, and I’m coming to the exact same conclusion as he did. College can be a tool for success, but it’s definitely not necessary.
Being aggressive is a valuable attribute to anybody that is job searching and trying to make a name for themselves, not just people with an education. Competition demands this.
You don’t have any clue about what you’re talking about, and your assessment of the world as a spectator is wrong. Rather than theorizing about how the world works, why don’t you go and experience it, and then think of the ways that you can change it.

Lastly, in reply to “stop spreading information that would only be of use to a handful of people,” information that is of use to anybody in the real world is extremely valuable, and is harder to find than you may think. This information in particular has the potential to change the lives of the target audience of this blog.
Now go and graduate from your high school and think long and hard about what your plan for your future requires. You may end up thanking this guy and putting his knowledge to good use.

sounds like another BS mlm

I had lots of problems getting into the classes I needed, and would have to refresh the pages over and over again. Now you can automate the process by using http://www.Alertification.com to make your life SO much easier!

Nancy,

Thank you for your perspective.

However, I know many college graduates who are unemployed and underemployed. And they have come from top-tier colleges.

To be successful in the 21st Century requires more than a diploma. And oftentimes, the diploma is a formality.

I do, however, partly agree with you. Those who want an average steady job and lead a regular life should definitely go to college.

But my story is not intended for those who want to lead an unremarkable life.

If a kid thinks they need college to succeed in life. Fine. But there’s one important law of life which most overlook; the only constant is change.

The world is changing. Higher education isn’t valued as much as it once was. It no longer carries the same significance. And it definitely isn’t the only path to becoming successful in the 21st Century.

Take for instance someone who wants to become a computer programmer. The career path is destined to become more and more in demand. And there are an abundance of workshops, bootcamps, online tutorials, books, etc that can teach a person how to master the trade.

While one may choose to go to college for computer science. It is not the only path to success in a technology related career.

Let me ask you this:

Would an employer look higher upon someone who spent 3-5 years sitting in college learning computer technology like everyone else? Or would an employer value someone who attended workshops, sought mentors, built a real-world portfolio, traveled to conferences, and demonstrated a clear go-getter attitude?

Anyway, the choice is up to your son whether or not to attend college. I am only here to present an alternative option. An option which has (and will become) a much more popular life decision.

Thank you for your comment. And wish your son the best of luck in his future endeavors!

Brad

Thank you for sharing Olivia. Your honesty and ability to reflect on your experience is impressive. It’s clear that you have a unique perspective and that there is something inside you searching for an alternative experience.

My guess is that part of your adventure is going to be learning how to navigate that passion that lives inside you and the world that wants you to conform and give up that passion.

As you see here, there are many who don’t feel as connected to that deep passion and have a different journey. But being a “successful” adult, with a family, a job I love, that pays the bills, & makes a difference, and who has lived with that deep feeling you have, I want to honor your courage and your heart, and for sharing your thoughts.

You are not crazy. You are not alone. I know what it feels like to have a voice inside you that you HAVE to listen to, but is hard when you’re constantly attacked and criticized.

This article touched you. Trust that. There is some gift inside you that you’re here to share with all of us.

I started a business in 2007. There were no businessmen in my family. No one told me it was an option. Jobs were something you GET, not make.

Being an employee is a VERY good way of accumulating startup capital while your business gets off the ground.

The college degree is evidence that you are capable of doing work you DON’T enjoy for four years straight. That is indeed valuable and being a drone is a marketable, powerful SKILL that even entrepreneurs MUST have in some way. Learning proper accounting, hiring practices, marketing strategies, and taxes can sometimes be a snorefest. Disciplined study habits kick in and handle these things and are easier to slog through than that Middle East History course you took.

I wonder if I might have done better in school had someone explain to me that learning stuff you don’t see any point to IS the point of school. Show that you can do it ALL, not just stuff you’re good at or that you like. Show that you can do the really hard stuff.