To Academia or Not To...this is the question!

This blog topic is specifically written to entrepreneurs and business professionals. Graduating from high school the most common practice is to go to college...that is what we are suppose to do right? So what do your peers think and what do your parents say if you don't go to college and decide to go without? Many of the business greats don't go to college at all or simply drop out. Do you need to go to college in order to become a millionaire?

Here is a simple rule of thumb...only seeking learning from those who make more money than you do. For example how much do college professors make a year? And how many years do they have out on the street doing business? Most professors are full time academia people and no real life experience and are really good at research - thats it.

In my case I did attend college and I did graduate with a Bachelors degree. I did want to drop out when I began my 3rd year...but my wife insisted that I finish. I am an advocate of not giving up and finishing something you start...so it was best that I finish what I started. I didn't want to be a hypocrite.

My first two years of college I studied Wildlife Management...then I switched to Business. After doing some research and counseling with a College Counselor on how long it would take me to graduate with a Bachelors in Business...I decided to take the path less traveled. I ended up graduating in General Studies. One may ask why and what the heck is that? Well it allowed me to not have to take those silly math classes that I would never need, it allowed me to skip out on english classes that I did not enjoy and it allowed me to custom tailor my own curriculm.

So I took classes that I would need and would help me throughout my life, for example: auto shop, wood working, photography, ecology, personal finance, housing, real estate, real estate finance, consumer education, real estate appraisal, microsoft office, urban geography, marketing, insurance, etc. So that way I was able to enjoy myself, learn applicable - real life information. There is nothing worse than to have to go to college. I can't stand that feeling of having to be somewhere, that I don't want to be and what I am learning is totally irrelevant. Its the worlds way of brainwashing us to be employees.

Do you know what happened after I graduated from college? I couldn't find a job. I couldn't keep a job...so I ventured off on my own to work for myself. I felt it was the only solution. Now did school come in handy? Did I learn things from college that I needed and used? My answer is yes. But I am not saying that one needs to attend college. If you know what you want to do...you can learn what you need at seminars, from mentors, books, etc. But we will discuss seminars at a later blog. You also have to take into account the cost of school?

As a business person...is it really worth your time to spend $50,000 plus dollars, 4 plus years to walk away with a degree that means what? Are you treated differently because you have a degree? Are investors going to fund your project because you are a college graduate? Another topic we will discuss will be networking...its who you know and how to leverage your relationships in a good way.