I have been contemplating this for some time. I am not sure what I should do. Here is my situation I graduated H.S. last year I already started 1st semester my freshman year at PSU. I completely hate school :( always have, it’s just not my thing.. I’m not doing great in college so far, just enough to get by so I don’t know if I should stay in school or drop out. What do you guys think I should do? Right now I have been running my hosting company for about a year and I really love doing it! I’ve made about $40,000 profit so far this year and I think things are only going to go up (hopefully). I think if I quit school I would have more time to devote to my business and possibly start another. I can’t see my self working for anyone else so I don’t even know if getting a degree would be right for me. Do you think I can rely on my hosting company as my source of income? How long do you think “hosting” will be around and this market won’t suddenly come to an end. Any feedback from you guys would be appreciated as I am not sure if by dropping out I would be making a big mistake… I mean I “may” need it and I don’t even know if I can pass (as I have almost no motivation) and I already have found something I love to do.

Stay in school, get some sort of business degree and use this to help you better run your company. Because you don't want to live off of $40k for the rest of your life.

I have always been in favor of education. It is one of the very few things you can't lose. However it appears that your business is going well. What about this. Since you are not doing well in college you are wasting your money. However I suspect part of why you aren't doing as well as you can is because you are concentrating on your business. Why not take 2 classes next semester but REALLY work at them, shoot for A's and B's ONLY. Then continue your education while running your business full time.

It will take you longer to get your degree but it is something you will always have, and you will learn a thing or two about business (am I correct in assuming you are majoring in business? if not consider it)

Ultimately at your age (I do not mean to sound condescending) you have to do what is best for your future. Best of luck

Stay put, take advantage of your time there to network like a fiend (college students need web hosting), and learn. Even if you go to a reduced-courseload for a while, stay connected to that environment for a while yet - not necessarily as long as you can, being an Eternal Undergrad isn't a good idea - but you can learn.

I wouldn't worry about necessarily changing your major to business - but do major in something in which you have an interest, something that you actually want to learn more about. (And take a few business courses as electives.)

The best thing that most people get out of uni is that it teaches you how to learn: how to do independent research, how to learn more than just enough to pass some standardised tests, how to creatively problemsolve.

More advice: depending on the JC in question, taking your first two years' worth of courses - all your gen eds - at a junior college can provide you with as good an experience - sometimes better. In the experience of myself and several other friends and acquaintances, getting our gen eds out of the way at a top-flight JC cost less money than taking the same courses at uni, cleared the decks so that we could concentrate on our "major" courses at uni, and being a JC, was a more practicable approach to the subjects as opposed to many universities, which seem to concentrate heavily or even solely on the theoretical. Many JCs also have matriculation deals with colleges and universities, so that if you take the right gen eds, you are guaranteed a spot at a four-year school when you graduate from the JC.

I dropped out of high school. I'm doing very well for myself and my family, running my own business.

You can always go back to school...or go to school part time. Sometimes, if you wait on a business venture - the opportunity will pass you by.

Just my experience...not saying its right for everyone.

--Tina

Stay in school !!

I dropped out of college when I was a junior. I got a good job now .. but man I regret dropping out of college.

The thing is I mean I barely passed HS, I really hate school to say the least and it is hard to see myself graduating. I mean my mom was vaild victorian of her class, and right now I am making more than her per year (and she works a lot more than I do). I have ADD so school bores the hell out of me, I mean I know it's a good thing to have but I think I found what I want to do for a living and I really do enjoy it. I just can't see myself working for someone else EVER so do I really need a degree? I think I am just going to get Linux Certified (is it even worth the time to get it)?

Originally posted by drhonk
Stay in school !!

I dropped out of college when I was a junior. I got a good job now .. but man I regret dropping out of college.


OKay, I will elaborate on my answer then...

If you want a job, stay in school.

If you want to run a successful business - then, as long as you have ambition and a solid business plan and a little luck...school probably won't help you that much and can always be done later.

--Tina

Originally posted by AffordableHost
I dropped out of high school. I'm doing very well for myself and my family, running my own business.

You can always go back to school...or go to school part time. Sometimes, if you wait on a business venture - the opportunity will pass you by.

Just my experience...not saying its right for everyone.

--Tina


Tina,
I would say we think a like. I just looked at your page and your prices are in the same ball park as mine, so hearing you are doing quite well for yourself kinda lets me know "it is possible".... Do you have any kind of Linux certification or any other types of certification?

Originally posted by AffordableHost



OKay, I will elaborate on my answer then...

If you want a job, stay in school.

If you want to run a successful business - then, as long as you have ambition and a solid business plan and a little luck...school probably won't help you that much and can always be done later.

--Tina

LOL,
I just read that after my last post... I swear can you read my mind LOL, we sure do think a like... BTW if you don't mind me asking how old are you?

I urge you to read the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

BTW - I just emailed you with more info.

--Tina

IMO, I would run with your business if that's where your passion is. I only say this because your business is already making good money. I would never say to anyone to drop out of school to go get a reseller account and start a hosting business etc. Your business is already established. You can always go back and complete your schooling at a later date.

STAY in school!

Continue and expand your business part time. Try to juggle both at the same time.

Study for the education. It does not means that if you continue studies you will have to work for others. You can get an education and also be a business owner. Win/Win.

Don't look back in regret.

I would stay in school. Aside from the education, you will regret
missing out on the social aspects of college life. E.g. where else
can you hang out with 20,000 other people your age and party
like its 1731!

Then again, if you are more into a life planted before a computer
with little-to-no social interaction then go with the business ;)

Seriously, though. What ever you decide, make sure you really
think it through and that you think it through big time. Going to
college when you are 40-45 is a lot different then going when you
are 18-20, and while you may have more time to devote to your
company it may be better if you just worked on juggling your
activities more. A good mix of class, work and play will make you
one happy camper :) A bad mix will leave you full of regret. Regret
sucks.

I would stay in school. What if your business goes out of business in 2 years? If you stay in school, you will always have that degree to fall back on.

Refsoft, very, very well put

Originally posted by dbbrock1
I would stay in school. What if your business goes out of business in 2 years? If you stay in school, you will always have that degree to fall back on.

What a load. If his business fails...he can start another one. There are a million opportunities out there.

The average millionaire has gone bankrupt 2 times before hitting on a winning business idea.

Falling back on a degree, in my opinion, is giving up on your dream of being a successful business owner.

--Tina

all school is good for is getting hired places... making money on your own is so much more rewarding... i dropped out of college after first year and it was the best decision of my life... so free...

Stay in school....webhosts are a dime a dozen right now. Take some basic classes for now. Keep the business for another 18 months (stockpile cash to pay for school, plus another year after you graduate) then sell it or hire somebody for day-to-day stuff, get a CPA for the tax stuff. Then you can get serious about your Bachelors degree with a specific Major. You might check out the Business school there. They may have an entreprenuer program.

I dropped out of HS to work on my business, I did. It progressed, I was going to go back. But I decided to get my GED. I was thinking of going to college. But didn't right away. I continued with my business. Then it died down, and I had time to look into college. I'm now going full time and working full time.

It's fine, but I'm not the only person in my company. If it wasn't for my partner, The business would not beable to continue.

There's different paths for everybody.

But let me tell you this, there's TONS of older people in my Cisco classes and my programming classes. There were more but alot of them dropped out because they couldn't handle it. Most of them started their own business and it failed. So they're back. Some of them went into the work world, and they're back because they want to make more money.

So.. it all depends.

Originally posted by AffordableHost
What a load. If his business fails...he can start another one. There are a million opportunities out there.

The average millionaire has gone bankrupt 2 times before hitting on a winning business idea.

Falling back on a degree, in my opinion, is giving up on your dream of being a successful business owner.

--Tina
Got to agree with Tina here.

I'm not anti-education. I'm all for it. The last time I was in school was about 17 years ago. Life is one huge constant learning experience. You never stop learning.

It would also be difficult for you to balance a growing business like your hosting business and your studies. It's best to do 1 or the other.

At the end of the day and the BOTTOM line is - it all comes down to cashflow. Who's got it and who doesn't have it.

Here's another coupla options to think on:

* drop to part-time student status - that lets you take a few classes, stay "in school" while you plan more, explore your options

* if you do decide to stay in school, at any participation level...get thee to a JC. I also don't do well in "traditional" educational settings - they bore the whey out of me, always so very rote. Memorise this, regurgitate that...hideous. Junior colleges (again, if you choose a good one) provide smaller class size, and a better student age mix, and can be a bit more flexible with the curriculum. Universities are good enough places, but their primary goal is to prepare one for a career in academia. If that isn't the route you know you want to take, don't waste a whole lot of your time. I would have gone batty if I'd tried to do all my higher learning in a university setting.

If you, personally, don't feel that college is providing a good experience for you, shop around. Try different things. Try different learning methods. Same thing we tell people who come looking for recommendations about hosting..."shop around, do your research" ;->

Whatever you do choose, best of luck with it!

There is little that has been more important in my life than having a higher education and that includes making lots of money in business. I consider completing college one of my greatest achievements and experiences in life.

My advice to you is no advice. It all comes down to your choice and the path you decide is the right direction. Do what you feel will give you the most happiness, security and fulfillment in life.

I agree with localhost.

advice is the worst vice.

Originally posted by hosting12
I have been contemplating this for some time. I am not sure what I should do. Here is my situation I graduated H.S. last year I already started 1st semester my freshman year at PSU. I completely hate school :( always have, it’s just not my thing.. I’m not doing great in college so far, just enough to get by so I don’t know if I should stay in school or drop out. What do you guys think I should do? Right now I have been running my hosting company for about a year and I really love doing it! I’ve made about $40,000 profit so far this year and I think things are only going to go up (hopefully). I think if I quit school I would have more time to devote to my business and possibly start another. I can’t see my self working for anyone else so I don’t even know if getting a degree would be right for me. Do you think I can rely on my hosting company as my source of income? How long do you think “hosting” will be around and this market won’t suddenly come to an end. Any feedback from you guys would be appreciated as I am not sure if by dropping out I would be making a big mistake… I mean I “may” need it and I don’t even know if I can pass (as I have almost no motivation) and I already have found something I love to do.

Hi hostign12 - I myself had this dilemma a few weeks ago. I run a hosting business (UH Hosting), and going to college. Recently we have expanded and hopefully keep expanding. I wasn't paying attention to college as much as I should. But I knew if I didnt pay attention to my business it will never get bigger etc.

So, I decided not to drop out of college. But to change course. I was doing a full time course (5 days a week). I changed to an evening course. Now I only go to college twice a week for 3 hours each night. Studying level 3 networking.

I certainly have time to enjoy myself and run a business. With lots of time to give college the attention it needs. But its up to you. Dropping out of college wont be the best option. If your business fails, or you decide to close you will need something to do. Either get a job or sit around doing nothing...

As well as college, you can do some accountant courses/e-commerce etc, just to keep up to date on what is available.

I dropped out of school, regular day-time school, however, I am still taking correspondence courses to receive my high school diploma, then move onto University education to get my degree in BA, then move into MBA as time progresses.

It's always good to have a back up, just incase something flops out :)

In addition to having a degree as a backup...it looks much nicer to investors to see that the business person seeking expansion money (as an example..it may not apply) has some education.

Plus...well it just looks like you have the "stick-to-it-ive-ness" because everyone knows school gets to be a pain in the butt after a while, but if you have the degree you stuck to it and muscled through.

Originally posted by greatbeast
In addition to having a degree as a backup...it looks much nicer to investors to see that the business person seeking expansion money (as an example..it may not apply) has some education.
But even better if you don't need investors and build your business from the ground up, keeping cashflow positive all the way. :D

Originally posted by hostingplex
It's always good to have a back up, just incase something flops out :)
I could say something here, but I won't. :D

Originally posted by greatbeast
In addition to having a degree as a backup...it looks much nicer to investors to see that the business person seeking expansion money (as an example..it may not apply) has some education.

Plus...well it just looks like you have the "stick-to-it-ive-ness" because everyone knows school gets to be a pain in the butt after a while, but if you have the degree you stuck to it and muscled through.


Wrong. I have taken out several business loans, for a previous retail store, for purchasing my first servers (my first colo's) and, recently, to get our new datacenter together. No where did they ask my educational background. They ask for business profit/loss and previous tax returns. They also want to know why you want the loan.

If you want to go to college - more power to you. I'm not saying its a bad thing. However, the reason why successful business owners are the minority...and why most people end up stuck in a job until they reach retirement...is because of the "lemming" mentality that states you MUST go to college for financial security and to have something to fall back on.

Okay, you go to college...and when you graduate, come see me for a job. :D

--Tina

Finish your first year of at PSU, it may not be your most enjoyable experience however the great thing about school is there are always new oppotunites that you find. If you finish the first year you've at least given it a chance. You have credit for those courses - nobody can take that away from you. During the rest of the school year you just might come across something that really sparks your interest and you might stay in school. Either way you can say you've experienced post secondary education and go forward from there. Ultimately you must do what makes you most happy.
I've wrestled with this question myself many times over. My dad skipped out of college, biggest mistake, and only regret he has. Without a degree these days you can't get a job, unless you create one for yourself. I too have a wonderful job, making more money than all those people out there at minimum wage jobs. I am also going to college. I decided over the long run an education is worth much more than a good year in the business i'm in. How can I be sure that this job will continue to supply me the necessary income to live. I might be making $20,000 right now but will I be consistent. Its like gambling, but its consequences good or bad are huge. Do you put all your eggs in one basket and hope to be lucky to score? Or, do you give yourself options with less potential short term, but possibly a large return in the long run. I don't know your situation, i'm not in your head. Whatever decision you make, you must pursue it %110 without thinking about why you didn't chose differently. There should be no doubt in your mind.

"Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the one less travelled, and it has made all the difference." -- Robert Frost

I think most higher educated people would echo my sentiments when I say the four years I spent at university were amongst the best and most influential years of my life. Clubs, keg-parties, midnight pizza, not to mention life-long friendships and the intangible qualities of being surrounded by young, beautiful and intelligent people in an academic environment.

I wouldn't trade these memories for a 25 million dollar business.

People have been saying you can always complete your education "later". By that same logic you can always run a successful business "later" too. Between the two I'd say the latter is much easier than trying to fit in an environment that is younger and hipper than you are.

Take that 40k and hire some student peons to manage the workload. And be sure to hire based on looks rather than qualifications. :D

I would say go to an extension school. You get the same level of education as a regular college but your schedule is more around you. Many large universities including Harvard have extension schools which you can attend.

Switch to evening classes 2 days a week. 2 classes per semester. shouldn't be a load. you can complete your homework in 2 hours every week and you can say you'r in college too and finally get a degree.. if courses are hard, you have so much time to find a good tutor .

that is 2*2 = 4 hours of college time, 2 hours of homework time. 6 hours of studying in 1 week. lets say you spend 1 day in 1 week to college. not bad

. hmm watcha say?

Your school education is the only thing no one can take away from you for any price.

+ stop giving youself a hardtime and you can make these college years the best years of your entire life.

Good Luck

Originally posted by voltron
I think most higher educated people would echo my sentiments when I say the four years I spent at university were amongst the best and most influential years of my life. Clubs, keg-parties, midnight pizza, not to mention life-long friendships and the intangible qualities of being surrounded by young, beautiful and intelligent people in an academic environment.

I wouldn't trade these memories for a 25 million dollar business.

People have been saying you can always complete your education "later". By that same logic you can always run a successful business "later" too. Between the two I'd say the latter is much easier than trying to fit in an environment that is younger and hipper than you are.

Take that 40k and hire some student peons to manage the workload. And be sure to hire based on looks rather than qualifications. :D

A'men!

I'm curious. :)

How many of you, in this thread, depend on your business as your sole source of income?

How many of you are employed by someone else and also have a business?

How many are employed by someone else and do not have your own business?

It would be interesting to see which side of the "go to college" / "don't worry about college" you stand on, posted with your answer. ;)

--Tina

Tina, I would add one more question:

How many of you who has college degree advice him to drop out college?

Probably I would advice You to drop out college when I was in high school or during college but after I graduated I recommend you to stay.

You don't know the future, You don't know if your business will survive but people with college degree earn way more.

I have my own business and only this is my source of income, I don't earn as much as I could get working for someone else, but I like it. And yes, I have had job propositions with higher pay than my hosting business.

Originally posted by VIPsNet
Tina, I would add one more question:

How many of you who has college degree advice him to drop out college?

Probably I would advice You to drop out college when I was in high school or during college but after I graduated I recommend you to stay.

You don't know the future, You don't know if your business will survive but people with college degree earn way more.

I have my own business and only this is my source of income, I don't earn as much as I could get working for someone else, but I like it. And yes, I have had job propositions with higher pay than my hosting business.
I hope english is your second language. You might want to check your above text for numerous spelling and punctuation mistakes. Bad spelling and punctuation is a killer in sales. ;)

[edit] fixed spelling of punctuation (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=punctuation) :emlaugh: :o

But I'm not the one arguing for a degree and a college education. ;)

Originally posted by Aussie Bob

I hope english is your second language. You might want to check your above text for numerous spelling and puntuaction mistakes. Bad spelling and punctuation is a killer in sales. ;)

Now don't go putting a foot in your mouth. ;)

Originally posted by Aussie Bob

I hope english is your second language.

Yes, it's my second language

You might want to check your above text for numerous spelling and puntuaction mistakes.

yeah, i just noticed few mistakes

Bad spelling and punctuation is a killer in sales. ;)

yes, it is ;)

Originally posted by labzone
Now don't go putting a foot in your mouth. ;)
:blush: :emlaugh:

Originally posted by Aussie Bob
I hope english is your second language. You might want to check your above text for numerous spelling and puntuaction mistakes. Bad spelling and punctuation is a killer in sales. ;)

It's about the proper noun as well Bob!

(open mouth...change foot) ;)

Gary

Originally posted by Aussie Bob

:blush: :emlaugh:

I would have let it slide but something tells me you're not Russian. :stickout:

Originally posted by labzone
I would have let it slide but something tells me you're not Russian. :stickout:
hehe. I can take as good as I get. :D

Good...I noticed that your spelling was a bit "lightwieght" earlier. ;)

Cheers

Gary

Originally posted by Aussie Bob


But I'm not the one arguing for a degree and a college education. ;)


No one is arguing here, everyone just says their opinion

summing up, Hosting12 if I were you, I would stay in college.

Originally posted by VIPsNet
No one is arguing here, everyone just says their opinion

summing up, Hosting12 if I were you, I would stay in college.
True. Arguing was a bad choice of word. :blush:

I'd build your business and follow your dreams.

Originally posted by Aussie Bob

follow your dreams.

agree here

Another vote for running your business.
If it is your passion; run your business.
If you hate school; run your business.

I am not going to make a recommendation but I will say this. If your a host starting out now, you will find it very difficult to establish yourself unless your offering $10/year accounts or 50gb's bandwidth for $9.95 :eek:

Why? Because plans like this have become the norm. Resellers buying accounts for $5 (I was going through the offers $5 can get you 1gb space and 10gb bandwidth) sure it might not be reliable but if you say sell a plan for $20/year people think they are making some good $$$.

It does not work like that, people think they can start a host make their millions in a week and live a happy life. I am not in the millions (working on it :D ) but I am 200% devoted to our customers.

You are established 40k in 1 year is not that bad, if you can see that sort of growth each year, well in 5 years time you should be happy with your profits :D . You can't mix and match, you have to decide which one will be better for you in the long term. You would have picked up a wealth of skills now, so you wouldn't have much difficulty finding another job in the IT/Hosting sector if your business fails.

I'm very pro-education, but if you hate school, you're not getting much out of it.

I went to college right after high school, and I hated it so much that I stopped going to class in my second semester (freshman year). I decided to withdraw rather than wasting my time and money.

I got a job, and I lucked out by getting my foot in the door of a very serious company, and worked my way up to junior management (at the age of 20 or 21).

After a few years I felt the pull to go back to school so I would have an even better future. That was a good time for me; I enjoyed the classes, and graduated summa cum laude.

For me, that was the best path I could have taken.

I don't know if a similar path is right for you, but I don't believe you can get much out of school when you hate it, nor do I believe that not having a college degree is going to make you a wino or something. There are many successful people without degrees, such as Bill Gates.

And if you ever DO get stuck because you don't have the degree -- well, maybe that will be the best time to get one. You'll have the motivation and less distractions.

Good luck.

I think passion is what drives dreams.

If you have it, you're all fuelled up and ready to go.

But before you do, research research research!

:)

Originally posted by AffordableHost

How many of you, in this thread, depend on your business as your sole source of income?

How many of you are employed by someone else and also have a business?

How many are employed by someone else and do not have your own business?



I depend on my business as sole source of income. In the past, I have been employed by others. For a period of time, I was employed and starting my own business. There have certainly been times in my life where running a business was not an option and without being able to find a regular job, I would have been screwed.

I think you will find very few people who have finished college will tell anyone "yeah, drop out, you can always just run a business". I went to college and don't regret it a bit. I dropped out of graduate school, but at that point you're really getting into the "optional" education, IMHO.

Did I learn much in my classes? No, not much relevant to my work since then. Did I mature as a person? Yes. Did I expand my horizons? Yes. Did I have enjoyable years which one can never again experience? Yes.

I can't put it strongly enough, so I won't try to. I'll just say, stay in school; it's a life experience as much as a learning experience, and when you're done, you'll be wiser and a better businessperson.

Kevin

Originally posted by Myacen
I am not going to make a recommendation but I will say this. If your a host starting out now, you will find it very difficult to establish yourself unless your offering $10/year accounts or 50gb's bandwidth for $9.95 :eek:

Establish what? A large number of people asking for support with you having no way to pay for it all? That's not a business.

These all for nothing plans aren't 'the norm' anywhere beyond the bounds of WHT's advertising forum. The thread starter is making $40K p.a. already so I think he's doing pretty well. A lot of people will wage-slave their lives away for 50 years and not make that sort of yearly income.

Having said that, I think an education is important. If I went back and did it all again, I would have finished my degree, even though it has little basis in what I do now. But if you truly hate the education process you won't do well, and therefore it'll end up being a waste of time for you.

I think you should either find a subject you do enjoy, or cash in your chips and focus on your business.

Greg Moore

Well, really the ONLY reason I started college in the first place was for the parties etc. and not for the education (good reason huh?). But paying $10,000 to go to parties, and what I feel is "wasting my time" at classes that are irrelevant to what I am doing with my business (or would only help a very little bit) isn't worth it.

Originally posted by Myacen
I am not going to make a recommendation but I will say this. If your a host starting out now, you will find it very difficult to establish yourself unless your offering $10/year accounts or 50gb's bandwidth for $9.95 :eek:

Why? Because plans like this have become the norm. Resellers buying accounts for $5 (I was going through the offers $5 can get you 1gb space and 10gb bandwidth) sure it might not be reliable but if you say sell a plan for $20/year people think they are making some good $$$.

It does not work like that, people think they can start a host make their millions in a week and live a happy life. I am not in the millions (working on it :D ) but I am 200% devoted to our customers.

You are established 40k in 1 year is not that bad, if you can see that sort of growth each year, well in 5 years time you should be happy with your profits :D . You can't mix and match, you have to decide which one will be better for you in the long term. You would have picked up a wealth of skills now, so you wouldn't have much difficulty finding another job in the IT/Hosting sector if your business fails.


I was thinking the same thing, I mean if I ran my business for say 5 years made some good $$$, then it went under for some reason couldn't I use the last few years as a qualification to help get a job? Even if I didn't have a degree would that experience be just as valuable as one?

degree is degree, i've seen people working for 25 years and more and they are kind of old and come back to the university and some even in my class to just get a degree and get paid much much more than their juniors working in their department (any company).

Conclusion : get a degree ASAP

As an educator, I find this to be a very interesting thread. There's no right or wrong answer here, and I realize you are only looking for opinions. There is no right path one should take, only the one that feels right to you. That said...

The world doesn't need a population of educated college grads looking for work. Certainly there's room to make it via other channels.

Education is what you make of it. Maybe you're just in the wrong place at the wrong time. You might not be ready to pursue a degree at the moment and there's nothing wrong with that. You may never be ready, nor want to. Again, nothing wrong with that.

What you don't want to do is drop out of school because you can shoot some good ball and are making a good living doing so. One injury will knock that plan out, and although you're not likely to suffer a career-ending ankle injury in the sport of hosting, you should be aware that businesses are not guaranteed and even if you don't choose education as your backup, it never hurts to have a backup plan of some sort. Working at a non-skilled job isn't a very solid backup plan.

As some others have said (I think), you also may want to focus your education on your business. Often times this type of degree can apply to a wide assortment of careers and businesses, so that if this one fails, you have some knowledge of how to get back on the horse and keep riding. Business, marketing, law, etc., what ever. It never hurts to know about more than one field, as you might one day need it or it may benefit you.

I think you focus on what is bad about school, rather than the positive aspects. There are a few. Socially, as was said, there will never be another time in your life when you live amongst people your age, all of whom are doing the same thing. Networking, interaction, dating, all of these things are important. Then there are the keg parties ;)

School will always be there should you choose to stop going now. They aren't closing down the schools. That's the good news. The bad news is that as hard as it is for you to go now, it is harder to return.

I hated school as well. I wanted to drop out after my first semester, but my father asked me not to. I wanted to take a break, they wouldn't hear of it. They made me continue (well, I trusted their advice really). Didn't matter to them what I studied, just that I get a degree.

I tried running a business, but personal issues prevented me from continuing it and I closed it and took some sales jobs which paid fine, but were extremely unsatisfying. Took a year off from life, heh, and my degree (in Photography and Graphic Design mind you), enabled me to get the job I have now, which is teaching (heh). So my point is that if I hadn't have gotten the degree, I would have been really stuck and it just so happened that it helped. Doesn't always, but that degree was like a little bank account that you stash and don't touch, just in case.

Education is important. How you choose to educate yourself is less important.

Well I am planning on getting an apartment with some friends that goto another college and the apartment would be almost right on campus so I could goto the parties without doing all the work (pretty good deal if you ask me).

At least you won't miss much of the social aspects then ;) :D

You should stay in school because education is something that you can always fall back on. What happens if all of the sudden your business starts to go down the drain, and you have no degree, no real formal education, what are you going to do to survive? The world and the job market is highly competitive, and you need to have something to offer a company that the next guy cannot. Corporations pay more to employees that have experience and a degree, compared to ones those that do not. I'm guessing you are around 17 or 18, why not just suck it up for another 4 years and get that degree, have that crutch to fall back on, just in case that an unforceable problem arises. The internet is a great avenue and arena for people to pursue their dreams, but generally speaking it is mostly a lot of dreaming that people do. Get an education.

<start edit>
There is more to college than the whole social environment, it's really a powerfull tool for networking. Most colleges here in California have job fair days where local companies come out and recruit potential employees, but a lot of what college can offer you is networking.

<end edit>
-Steven

If you are really making $40,000 profit (net income) per year, then here's what I would do..

1. Sell your business. With the income you are making, you should be able to get a good solid price.

2. Put that money into the bank and live off it for the next 4 years while you're in school. Get a business degree or "something" that will give you some "paper" credibility.

3. When you're finished.. start another business. If you have any money left (if you budgeted and were smart), then use that to help startup. You shouldn't have too much trouble, because now you have past success AND a degree to bring to your bank for financing, if you need it.

Having a degree will not hurt. There will always be business opportunities, but you will not always have the opportunity to go to school. (Think time.. if you get a family/wife/kids, then you will want to spend time with them, not in school. Do it now while you don't have any other responsiblities.)

THink about this.. how many people do you meet (older folks) that regret not going to school. How many regret not starting a business.

Only you can make the decision, but I personally recommend doing the school thing. At the very least, it will give you a chance to experience something unique that you will remember for the rest of your life. College/University can be a good memory.

Cheers!

If you live in Australia - I would not recommend tertiary education unless it is specifically required for entry a professional organisation or you are keen to study a specific science. Otherwise tertiary education in Australia is of third world standard and most definitely not worth the expense. And by the way, this is not a flippant remark, I have had involvement with many universities throughout SE-Asia as well as having studied at UNSW and RMIT.

You would be better off taking a few years to travel the world and educate yourself. However, if you wanted to have the experience of university, then a arts/humanities degree will be the best bet. Studying computer science at an Australian university is a complete waste of your time and intellect.

My comments only relate to tertiary study in Australia. Other countries might have education systems that work.

No matter what you do always have a backup plan ;).

Hello.

If you are going to ask me, it depends on how you look at education. If you see education as merely getting a degree, then the best thing to do is drop out of school.

But, if you see education as an opportunity to learn --- good values, great skills, then I should say you have to stay in school.

I remember one time when I was in College, one of my teachers said that "Education is what has been left after everything you have learned has been forgotten". I soon realize that you get to study in school not for the degree but to prepare you for life. You learn the values and the skills you will need to help you manage life. I see education as opportunity to train me so that I will be able to serve others and my country later. I don't see it as a privilege to land a good job later and earn money for myself.

Get yourself educated my friend. Life is not at all a matter of money.

I hope I have expressed my concerns very well. By the way, I am teaching in a University (chemical engineering department) right now. So I know very well how important education is. I have given some information about myself just to convince you to stay in college. Remember not everyone has a rare opportunity to go to college like you do.

Take care.

:)

School FIRST no matter what. BTW, I am also in college.

Originally posted by flitcher
School FIRST no matter what. BTW, I am also in college.
No way. This is far too broad of a generalization.

----

I really know what this fellow is feeling. Five years later, I'm on the other side, one semester from hopefully graduating.

I won't give you advice. I'll tell you my story. I think it may be more useful.

Fall 1997. I'm just starting to do well with my "business". 17, going on 18, making $400 of pocket money per month, and entering my first semester of college. I was never a school person, but I felt it was the thing I was supposed to do.

Fast forward to the summer of 1998. I find some interesting ways to market and sell my service. I'm a clever guy. From June to July or so, I go from making $900-1,000 a month to $6,000+ a month. The business is booming; I'm having fun playing "adult" ...and then there's school. It just seemed the downer in the whole plan. I partied hard my first semester, but other than that, I wasn't motivated. There wasn't much to grab me. I had moved from the dorms to a nice full-sized apartment over the summer, and put up a nice home-office in the bedroom so I could do cool "adult stuff".

Considering school, and this other life of mine, I weighed the options in both hands. On the one hand, I had this thing I really didn't want to do at this point in my life. Laying on the other hand was all that I desired about growing up -- responsibility and a successful business. I gradually faded out of out school, dropping to part time in the fall of 1998, then dropping it completely the winter of 1999.

I saw this great opportunity to live my dreams. This sudden financial independence was a vehicle for me to do what I truly wanted. My business required little intervention, and I had steady cash wired in to my account bi-monthly. It was nearly the perfect situation. Nearly.

February 1999. One night I decided I was going to travel the U.S. -- something I had dreamed to do. I got a domain name, had a digital camera overnighted, and setup a website to document my travels ( http://www.thegreatdrive.com ). A couple days later, I was on the road...

I was 19 when I bought my first car -- a brand new Lexus GS400. It was decided after much research, but bought on a relative whim while visiting my grandparents. A beautiful and fantastic car -- yet another dream of mine. The GS accompanied me out West for the best road trip of my life. Each day, I went nowhere in particular, yet wherever I wanted. It was a spiritual experience. These memories stand as a portrait for the true freedom and fortune of that point in my life.

I followed my dreams.

Fast forward to Fall 2001. I decided to quit my lucrative "business". It was not the success I wanted to achieve and was not the kind of work I wanted to be doing for the rest of my life. One night I went out for a cigar, and decided there -- between me and God -- that I was no longer going to do this. It was the hardest decision of my life. I was giving up a lifestyle that I had come to rely on. Literally overnight, I went from making a fair living to becoming a poor college student. Easy come, easy go.

But during all of this, I never completely cut my ties to school. Even when I wasn't going, I maintained relation to a student organization. I kept up with friends, and "stuck my head in" every now and then. When the ride of my business ended suddenly, school was there. And it felt right for the first time.

I've spent my whole to get where I am. As an 8-year-old, I wanted to be fully grown and responsible. But now that I'm here, it seems like I can't get it to slow down. I've done so many great and fun things over the past half decade. I realize this is a unique time in my life and I just want to enjoy being my age.

I have no regrets. I've been in a fortunate position to have done much, and have seen the paths that I could choose. I only suggest that you consider where you want to be, not only today, but five years from today. Don't put yourself in position where you look back and wonder what other turns you could have taken.

Brian

Originally posted by AffordableHost
I'm curious. :)

How many of you, in this thread, depend on your business as your sole source of income?

How many of you are employed by someone else and also have a business?

How many are employed by someone else and do not have your own business?

It would be interesting to see which side of the "go to college" / "don't worry about college" you stand on, posted with your answer. ;)

--Tina

I'll bite. I'm currently pursuing my Master's at Cornell University. I'm also employed by Cornell. However, prior to coming here, I was an independant consultant for a couple of years. Prior to that, I ran my own design studio that focused on User Experience and Branding/ID. So, I've done both -- been my own boss and worked for "the man."

I'd still recommend finishing school. Here's why -- an education is something nobody can ever take away from you. You can always lose your business. You can get sued, have one huge deal that folds and breaks the bank, etc. The economy is not predictable, especially in these days.

I'm a huge fan of those who have small businesses, entrepreneurs -- I was one and loved it. Once I finish my PhD, I'll probably do it again. Having your own business is great. I'd recommend everyone try it at least once.

However, in this person's case, especially considering the age, there's still a lot of life to experience. The original poster's best choice would be to hire some college kids to help manage/monitor the servers for something like $7/hr, cut his earnings to something like $25-30k a year and continue going to school part/full time. Then (s)he get's the best of both worlds -- build the business and get a college degree.

I can't tell you how many people I know now that don't have anything more than a HS diploma and can't get anything more than a job making $7-12/hr. Those with a formal education are making 20% more and then some.

An additional note, the Hosting business is extrememly unreliable in that customers bounce from one host to another at the drop of the hat.

Finally, if you go to school, do something with business and you'll learn ways to run your business better, saving you more money, making more profit. You'll make connections, friends, and give you new ways to expand your business.

great answer!

Stay in school -

(I have a degree in MIS)

I know that every time I get together with my friends we talk about how great it was in college.

I was an average 'C' student, got into the fraternity scene, and ended up liking school so much that I stretched it out for 5 years. I found that college really isn't much work, as long as you show up for class. An average load is about 15-16 hours a week, and if you add in an hour of study time per class time (although I think that would be a bit much - did I mention I was a C student?), you're still only busy 30 hours a week.

College let me make the best friendships of my life, and a good portion of my current clients are fraternity brothers from school. Go to school now, have fun, live life - there will be time later to be glued to a computer trying to make money.

Originally posted by Lurleene
There are many successful people without degrees, such as Bill Gates.

I think it's more accurate to say there are a few examples of successful people without degrees -- Bill Gates is one of them. There aren't MANY -- he's one of the few.

Stay in school. If you have decided that you want to own your own business, and be in business for yourself, then direct your learning toward this.

Yes, you currently make 40k, but why not double that or triple it with the education and know how?

Herein lies the delima. This guy is making $40,000 a year right now. If he drops it to do something he does not like just because it is the "right" thing to do based on societal rules and the business takes off and grows with somebody else at the helm to the point that he could have sold that business later and been set for the rest of his life, he will always regret not pursuing that business venture to its fullest extent.

If he drops out of college and the business goes bust, he may end up regretting not staying in school and making the most of college at an age when he could have very well enjoyed both the education and social experience.

As a background, I am a Masters Degreed Chemical Engineer that runs a hosting business and works for a large chemical corporation. So this is coming from somebody that has been through the college scene and even post graduate studies.

Here is my advice. You have a very personal decision to make and there is neither a right or a wrong answer. I have read a ton of cliches on both sides of this arguement. There is the "you will always have something to fall back on" and the "follow your dreams". These are both emotional arguements. Do not make any decision in the heat of emotion for it will likely be a bad one. Make your decision as rationally as possible and then commit yourself to follow that decision and never look back upon that moment with regret. You have to make this decision for yourself and not for anybody else. You are very young, and Lord willing, have a long life ahead of you. I say, live that life to the fullest in whatever you decide to pursue whether it be school or the business.

I will say that school and the business are not mutually exclusive. Do not put your thoughts into a box. Make sure you understand all the options before deciding. It is not just a decision between school or business. You can do school part time. Who knows? You may stumble on something that you like in the process. Ultimately, make this decision for yourself, based on a rational analysis of what is best for you and then don't look back!

Originally posted by truthintruth


I think it's more accurate to say there are a few examples of successful people without degrees -- Bill Gates is one of them. There aren't MANY -- he's one of the few.


Isn't he considered to be the richest man in America? I'd say that means he proves my point. :D

--Tina

Originally posted by Marty
Herein lies the delima. This guy is making $40,000 a year right now. If he drops it to do something he does not like just because it is the "right" thing to do based on societal rules and the business takes off and grows with somebody else at the helm to the point that he could have sold that business later and been set for the rest of his life, he will always regret not pursuing that business venture to its fullest extent.

If he drops out of college and the business goes bust, he may end up regretting not staying in school and making the most of college at an age when he could have very well enjoyed both the education and social experience.

As a background, I am a Masters Degreed Chemical Engineer that runs a hosting business and works for a large chemical corporation. So this is coming from somebody that has been through the college scene and even post graduate studies.

Here is my advice. You have a very personal decision to make and there is neither a right or a wrong answer. I have read a ton of cliches on both sides of this arguement. There is the "you will always have something to fall back on" and the "follow your dreams". These are both emotional arguements. Do not make any decision in the heat of emotion for it will likely be a bad one. Make your decision as rationally as possible and then commit yourself to follow that decision and never look back upon that moment with regret. You have to make this decision for yourself and not for anybody else. You are very young, and Lord willing, have a long life ahead of you. I say, live that life to the fullest in whatever you decide to pursue whether it be school or the business.

I will say that school and the business are not mutually exclusive. Do not put your thoughts into a box. Make sure you understand all the options before deciding. It is not just a decision between school or business. You can do school part time. Who knows? You may stumble on something that you like in the process. Ultimately, make this decision for yourself, based on a rational analysis of what is best for you and then don't look back!

The absolute BEST advice I've read in this whole thread!!!!

--Tina

One thing that you can do is to join an online university or transfer your current credits to it. This will give you all the time you need for your business and studies. You can study at your own time or when the exams are near ;) .....

here's the real deal, about 80% of the fortune 500's richest people are college dropouts.

If you know you have drive, and the "vision" thing then drop out and you wont' regret it. If on the other hand your not sure and it's just business keep at school.

But if you drop out you better eat sleep and breath your business and do everything in your power to make it bigger. Either your a good boss or a visionary. Bosses stay in school.

Originally posted by AffordableHost


The absolute BEST advice I've read in this whole thread!!!!

--Tina

Thank you.

Unless you are making 200,000$/year off webhosting or some sort of business and it is going steady, I would not drop out. Even if I was making that much money, I still wouldn't drop out if I were you=] Just take 3 or 4 however many years and you will have rest of your life to do the job part=]

Originally posted by AffordableHost

Isn't he considered to be the richest man in America? I'd say that means he proves my point. :D


No. In college you might learn that the exception doesn't prove the rule.

There are relatively few dropouts, as a percentage, who are really, really successful. A greater percentage of degree holders are successful. I don't have citations for this, but it's considerably less silly than the assertion that 80% of the 500 richest Americans dropped out.

This all reminds me of college athletes ignoring their studies, assuming they will make it in the NFL, NBA, etc. But very few do, and many are left with nothing to fall back on.

Kevin

Originally posted by truthintruth

I think it's more accurate to say there are a few examples of successful people without degrees -- Bill Gates is one of them. There aren't MANY -- he's one of the few.

Yes, and here's what Bill Gates says about dropping out of college.

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:AB8OTyLUIXkC:www.microsoft.com/mscorp/museum/Myadvicetostudents.doc&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Kevin

Kevin:

I'm trying to find the link but it is in the 2001 Issue July Issue of Fortune 500.

Being a college graduate from Northwestern, I actully use my education to help out my hosting business. School is definitely worth it!

Cajun

i am in the same situation as you.. im in college now.. i am also working.. plus doing a lot of other things.. i never liked school either.. but here is what i concluded...

i can manage both.. why not finish college and get a degree i can fall back on if things go sour?? im getting payed and enjoying college life... i dont need the 4.0... a 3.5 is fine :D ...

bottom line is, get a degree you can fall back on and pursue your dream together... make them work together..

btw, bill gates etc were post graduate drop outs.. they did graduate... and i think our friend is an undergrad right now...

kunal :)

Bill Gates doesn't count, he's a dork lol I don't know many people who want to be him. I'd rather be Larry Ellison or Steve Jobs.

Education is asset which will always remain with you. Take it as medicine and you will feel better after sometime.

Originally posted by inkhead
Bill Gates doesn't count, he's a dork lol I don't know many people who want to be him. I'd rather be Larry Ellison or Steve Jobs.

Those jobs are taken. Make your own way and be yourself.

On Forbes Richest 40 under 40, seven of the top ten finished at least one degree. Right below that, the selections get odd, with Master P and P Diddy, so that might skew the numbers ;) But then, we're talking about running a Web host, not become a rap star (now there's an unlikely fallback plan).

Kevin

Originally posted by inkhead
here's the real deal, about 80% of the fortune 500's richest people are college dropouts.

That's crazy. I have a hard time believing that. Where did you get this info from?

From Bill Gates' "My Advice to Students"

My basic advice is simple and heartfelt: Get the best education you can. Take advantage of high school and college. Learn how to learn.

It's true that I dropped out of college to start Microsoft, but I was at Harvard for three years before dropping out--and I'd love to have the time to go back. As I've said before, nobody should drop out of college unless they believe they face the opportunity of a lifetime. And even then they should reconsider.

July 2001 Issue of Fortune 500, I'm trying to find it online somewhere...

Marty made some excellent points, nicely said Marty!

I personally am a proponent of finishing your education, but that is a personal decision.

The one thing I can tell you is I learned more being at college and being active on campus than I EVER learned in a classroom. If you are going to go the college route, I would recommend doing it 100%.

I know others have posted this, however, once you get the piece of paper, they can't take it away. You may not need it now but who knows what will happen 10 or 20 years down the road.

As Marty suggested, you need to determine what is best for YOU. Once you have made the decision, run with it and don't waffle back and forth.

Good luck!

Thank you, Brad. I am feeling the love. :love:

Brad:

I definitely don't want to encourage someone to dropout of college. I guess I was drawing mostly on my personal experiences.

I consider myself a very intelligent individual who loves to learn. When I went to college I was only there for a year before I was more than fed up with the bull****. College is basically about putting you through **** to mold you. You will learn more outside the classroom on campus than you ever will in class. I got so pissed of sitting in classes paying $500 an hour to learn something I already knew. Case in point, a math professor incorrectly put a formula on a test and on the board. I "politely" corrected him which of course outraged him the rest of the semester. Or other classes where when questioning a teacher he would read out of the book in front of the entire class. Maybe I'm wrong to get mad, but for me I learned more by staying home most days. I took extremely difficult classes. I've toured many universities in the united states, many considered to be the best in the world and the way knowledge is taught all seems pretty much the same.

If you do decide to stay in college follow through whole heartedly. Get good grades. It's not what you know, it's that stupid little piece of paper they give you. Unless you live on the West coast your paper might just not matter.

All the best!

Dont be biased with any of the 2 options u have. Business can be picked up anytime. opportunities dont go away forever. but the time and effort for edu is to be given rt now... not when u become 30. choose the right time to learn and earn yourself. i suggest you to do some business edu. if you say you are good at biz, you must be able to do good in biz. edu degree. and if u cant, big biz is going to be difficult for u anyways. Make sure u take UR DECISION.

Mark

Hehe, very intresting. I am kinda in a same situation as you. Just graduated from H.S back in summer and now attending part time college. I hate studying!. Its not just a waste of time and energy but also a headache. However, I have decided to get a degree while continue running business. In the past I have worked a lot for consulting company working from home but I know what it means to work for someone. I sure don't want to work for anyone in the future but education is something always good to have because one doesn't really know what might one have to go through and might even work for someone for living. So give it a thought. And LAST BUT NOT LEAST. SCHOOL SUX!

I guess the reason maybe college got on my nerves was because of my unique situation. I was homeschooled and spend the rest of my time in private (high school) schools geared towards business. Any free time I had I poured into learning business, advertising and plotting my master plan all through high school and after graduation. That might be why I felt the stuff at college was old hat and highschoolish. I honestly don't feel I walked away from college learning anything.

In a few years when I'm bored I will go back and get a law degree just for the hell of it.

Originally posted by mark876
Dont be biased with any of the 2 options u have. Business can be picked up anytime. opportunities dont go away forever. but the time and effort for edu is to be given rt now
Heh. I think you've got these reversed, bub. I don't think Microsoft would have done quite so well were they founded in 2002. :)

Brian

stop right now, linux certified, thats a JOKE. What do you have to fall back on? **** happens. I once thought like you too, I was A DOLT. It rarely works out. Does it for some, yes of course, but not for most. A degree is worth more then you think.

Originally posted by hosting12
I have been contemplating this for some time. I am not sure what I should do. Here is my situation I graduated H.S. last year I already started 1st semester my freshman year at PSU. I completely hate school :( always have, it’s just not my thing.. I’m not doing great in college so far, just enough to get by so I don’t know if I should stay in school or drop out. What do you guys think I should do? Right now I have been running my hosting company for about a year and I really love doing it! I’ve made about $40,000 profit so far this year and I think things are only going to go up (hopefully). I think if I quit school I would have more time to devote to my business and possibly start another. I can’t see my self working for anyone else so I don’t even know if getting a degree would be right for me. Do you think I can rely on my hosting company as my source of income? How long do you think “hosting” will be around and this market won’t suddenly come to an end. Any feedback from you guys would be appreciated as I am not sure if by dropping out I would be making a big mistake… I mean I “may” need it and I don’t even know if I can pass (as I have almost no motivation) and I already have found something I love to do.

I have to say from the questions you are asking, you NEED to remain in school.

You ask questions such as: "How long do you think “hosting” will be around and this market won’t suddenly come to an end."

If you knew your business and the market it trades in, you would know these questions.

Also, if you knew the internet and how its structured, you would know these questions.

Originally posted by inkhead
I honestly don't feel I walked away from college learning anything.

In a few years when I'm bored I will go back and get a law degree just for the hell of it.

Sounds like either you picked the wrong college then, or didn't apply yourself. I'd probably guess the former. Next time, spend some more time investigating the college and pick one that is more suited towards your "unique" situation -- there are 10s of 1000s of colleges out there -- you can find one that's a right fit for you and leaves you with the assurance that you learned a lot.

I had a drink and got more to add

" I can’t see my self working for anyone else "

Again I thought the SAME thing. Working for someone else for the most part is the BEST. You get benifits, you get to go home at night and sleep, a lot less stress.

If you aint havin fun at school, im sorry but you are doing something wrong.

I have met quite a few people in the IT industry and if you think of getting another job, most WONT hire without a degree, its a simple fact.

i dont know if someone has said this already... sorry if they have.. but i dont feel like reading all 7 pages because they seem pretty long.

anyways.. if you like sitting on your computer all day with you hosting company... why dont you take online college courses...?

or something like that?

Originally posted by AffordableHost
I urge you to read the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

BTW - I just emailed you with more info.

--Tina I read that book; it is a good book.

Stay in college too. Don't let a medical condition prevent you from getting an education.

Originally posted by davidb
I have met quite a few people in the IT industry and if you think of getting another job, most WONT hire without a degree, its a simple fact. Yeah, that's a simple proven fact. Before I had any schooling it was hard for me to do anything, and now that I'm *IN* school, I've been bombarded with offers to do stuff, and I'm not even out.

As a fellow college freshman, I am in the same situation as you. Although I have always done decent in school its just not my thing, however I do believe in getting a degree or at least an accos. degree.

My advice is rather then spend $$$ at a big school like PSU try a local community college until you figure out what works.

Also def. take the business classes. I found accounting, although quite a lot of work, really useful with billing customers and just managing the books. Plus talk to your professors about doing projects outside of class. My main revenue stream is web development and I have done a good amount of ecommerce sites, so I talked to the professor of my ecomm class next semester and rather then attending class i have to do a presentation on ecommerce.

Also try varying your schedule. For instance, as much as night classes aren't that fun I am taking english one nite a week next semseter which frees up my mondays. The rest of the days my classes start at 8 and end at 11:30. Not the best times but aleast i have the rest of my day free....


I believe I will always be working for myself and that most of the computer courses I take I could teach but the business courses are mostly worth while. I am also going for a loan and the banks require a resume... it looked kinda shaby not having a college degree on mine. :rolleyes:

I think that no one here can tell you what to do as thats your decision, but my advice is work with the professors and you'll get through it, and you never know who you might meet at school, maybe your next business partner.

Good luck!

After reading this entire thread I had some more thoughts....

Next semester I will be adding a developer and admin. assitant, sure it will cost me some money but its worth while and because of the experience I have at school my first place to advertise the opennings will be at the schools' job centers.

Marty, I thought your advice was excellent. I do not know what the road ahead brings, but I am going to go with the flow. That's the best you can thing you can do....and always follow your dreams!

Here is the link to the Bill Gates Document:
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/museum/Myadvicetostudents.doc

To say in school or not is up to you but no matter what always keep learning!

Originally posted by hosting12
I have been contemplating this for some time. I am not sure what I should do. Here is my situation I graduated H.S. last year I already started 1st semester my freshman year at PSU. I completely hate school :( always have, it’s just not my thing.. I’m not doing great in college so far, just enough to get by so I don’t know if I should stay in school or drop out. What do you guys think I should do? Right now I have been running my hosting company for about a year and I really love doing it! I’ve made about $40,000 profit so far this year and I think things are only going to go up (hopefully). I think if I quit school I would have more time to devote to my business and possibly start another. I can’t see my self working for anyone else so I don’t even know if getting a degree would be right for me. Do you think I can rely on my hosting company as my source of income? How long do you think “hosting” will be around and this market won’t suddenly come to an end. Any feedback from you guys would be appreciated as I am not sure if by dropping out I would be making a big mistake… I mean I “may” need it and I don’t even know if I can pass (as I have almost no motivation) and I already have found something I love to do.

Let me preface this response by saying that each individual's situation is unique and that this is a very personal decision you are faced with making. I very recently faced a situation that was more or less similar to yours. Hopefully you will find knowing about my experience helpful in your decision.

I graduated high school in June of 2000. Throughout high school, I became more and more disillusioned with conventional educational systems, the senseless busy work, the intense day to day academic competition, and the ineffective, bureaucratic administration that constantly hindered our school. Needless to say, I hated school. More or less, the last three semesters of school, I only did the absolute minimum to pass (and my grades reflected in this) in classes I didn't feel were worthwhile. At the same time, I also put much effort into the science courses I was taking, and also into running my budding business.

Even though I wasn't particularly looking forward to college, I did put quite a bit of effort into the college selection process. Unfortunately, I was drawn to top tier liberal arts colleges who really seemed to place a huge emphasis on the individual and the community of students. I only applied to two top tier liberal arts colleges, and was not accepted by either - most likely due to my low grades in certain classes. At this time, my parents and I decided that I could take a year off between high school and college to develop my business.

2001 was a year that brought much change. The business continued to grow nicely. At some point in the middle of 2001 my parents forced my hand and told me that I needed to get a place of my own. Luckily, I had inherited enough money from my grandparents to put a nice down payment on a condo.

By October 2001 I was living on my own, living entirely off income generated by my business, but honestly I was struggling. I certainly didn't have enough disposable income to lead the type of lifestyle I was used to and had to cut back on a number of luxuries. However, now that I was living on my own and faced with a declining life style, I was all the more energized and motivated to grow my business.

Fast forward to present - Even in these rough economic times, my business has continued to prosper. Sales are up a considerable amount over 2001. We've been able to implement a variety of enhancements that have increased customer service leaps and bounds. We've been able to hire additional staff. My personal net income exceeds the median *household* (read: 2 incomes) incomes for the area I live in. The luxeries that I enjoyed before moving out on my own are now part my lifestyle again. Personally, I feel very financially secure - I have enough money in the bank of cover living expenses for at least 6 months.

Socially, I haven't lost out either. There is a inside joke amongst my friends that I have spent more weekends at Uconn (the local university most of my friends go to) having fun with then a large portion of the people who actually live on campus.

Education-wise, while I'm not in enrolled at any conventional learning facility, I am in the process of completing my MCSE and I am constantly reading something about business or technology - most of which is highly relevant to my life and is actually useful!

Overall, I am very content with the decision I've made to focus on my business and not a formal education. There are times when I think about pursuing a degree in MIS or Business Management, but at this time that idea is merely just an idea, and will likely remain just an idea until I can find the time and the right mix of staff to adequately provide my customers with the same level of service I can provide when working with them directly.

Also, remember that you are young, and in this case youth is an advantage. You have no familial obligations, no mortgage to pay, no kids to feed. If you take a year off from school to focus on your business and things go well, then excellent! If things don't go so well, you will be able to back to school having the experience of starting up a business, seeing it run profitably for some time, and then seeing it fail for whatever reason. Regardless of what the pro-education people might say, you will be able to glean a huge amount of experience and educational value from your venture.

In closing, there's no doubt in my mind that your life will be much easier if you focus on one thing - either education or business.

Take it from an old man - get the education, then your whole life can be spent following dreams. Just in case they don't work out your education will be there to fall back on.

I say DROP OUT! You dont need an education to run a web-hosting biz.

Geez I like being different :)

Yup, dropout.. "everyone doesn't need an education, the world still needs ditch diggers" to quote a line from the movie 'CaddyShack'. :stickout:

A lot of the moovers and shakers in the tech industry today are college drop outs. You need to evaluate your business: You're making 40 000 yearly already, are you still growing or have you reached your ceiling?

If you plan to be in the tech industry your whole life, I would recommend running your business. These days (especially in the tech industry), Employers are interested in experience, not a degree. Your degree will just get you in the door if you have no experience.

Just my 2 cents...

STAY IN SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a decision which could effect the rest of your life. It's easy for someone to say, "you can always do it later," but things change which could make it very difficult if not impossible in the future. The biggest "thing" being marriage and kids. Kids will take so much of any available time, because like your hosting business, your going to love spending time with them...

Stay in school! Graduate school is something you can always go back too if the circumstances permit. I'm in my middle 40's and I said to my wife just last night, "I wish I would have finished college so I could have gone on to law school" (yea, I know, just what we need another attorney). But at this stage, it's too much and to late. It's my kids turn! I had my chance(s) and I decided to run a business (and businesses). Now I have to work for them and support they're efforts!!!

If when they're nearly done with school and I still have the finances and the where-with-all, then I'll go back, but at that point in time, it will obviously be to fulfill my personal goals as going to work in the field would be laughable. Weigh your options and "struggle" through 3 - 4 more years, it's nothing at this stage!!!!

Just my 2 cents...


G

College College College

Stay in college.

Hosting12, just wondering, what's your web site?

Go to school online which means you can run your business and go to school at the same time without much interferance from each other. University of Phoneix online is a great school, and requires no attedance.

:) i have just 3 exams to go (master):) amm i guess i want leave it now :)

Both options (dropping out to operate your business full-time and continuing on with college achieving mediocre grades) are major life decisions.

I would suggest not fully dropping out of college, but try taking some time off to get your mind cleared and evaluate your position in life. Determine the person you are and will want to become.

Explore different aventues, discover what else is within your reach. You could try distance education or as someone previously mentioned, online schooling.

I can also relate to your situation on a personal basis. I myself never enjoyed school, I felt out-of-place and did not feel valued as a student, and as a person. My talents were never appreciated, rather they were sidelined. However, I did not dropout of school, I simply transfered over to private education - where my needs were finally met.

As I look back I honestly have no regrets over staying in school. Doing so was probably the best decision I've ever made - it's a decision I now cherish. At least if the time should come that my current life fails, I will have my education to fall back on. It's nice to have that sense of security.



.. Whichever road you take, I sincerely wish you luck and have the belief that your life will turn out a success. :agree:

If this is college AKA University (in the UK), do what you feel right with. My uni is boring, however it's only 14 or so hours a week for my batchelor or science full-time so I do that which is literally part-time and work part-time for a really cool company.

You can do what I do and just signup for class and not go ;) Its amazing how much homework friends will do for a little bit of beer money.

-Brendan

Originally posted by Reality Host
A lot of the moovers and shakers in the tech industry today are college drop outs. You need to evaluate your business: You're making 40 000 yearly already, are you still growing or have you reached your ceiling?

If you plan to be in the tech industry your whole life, I would recommend running your business. These days (especially in the tech industry), Employers are interested in experience, not a degree. Your degree will just get you in the door if you have no experience.

$40,000 per year (actually about 10 months) and DEFINATLY still growing. And right now I am only running 3 servers so I made the profit all of off selling space on those three servers so once I expand (say 10 servers) my income should be quite a bit more. Also I did drop out of college... So I am doing this full time (it's like summer break year round :) ). Did I make a mistake? Maybe... but I like what i'm doing and am making pretty good money doing it so I think it was the right choice for me. I think I have business in my blood I mean as long as I can remember i've always been "selling things" from garage sales, cd's (I would get them from columbia house and resell them), web design and hell I even tried MLM marketing (I made $5 total, LOL) so I think even if for some reason this didn't work out I could always start something else.

To repeat vhedesigns post about Bill Gates. Please read this meaningful advice from Bill Gates again.


My advice to students: Education counts
By Bill Gates
Hundreds of students send me e-mail each year asking for advice about education. They want to know what to study, or whether it's okay to drop out of college since that's what I did.

A smaller number of parents send messages, often poignant, seeking guidance for their son or daughter. "How can we steer our child toward success?" they ask.

My basic advice is simple and heartfelt: Get the best education you can. Take advantage of high school and college. Learn how to learn.

It's true that I dropped out of college to start Microsoft, but I was at Harvard for three years before dropping out--and I'd love to have the time to go back. As I've said before, nobody should drop out of college unless they believe they face the opportunity of a lifetime. And even then they should reconsider.

Kathy Cridland, a sixth-grade teacher in Ohio, wrote to say, "Several of my students claim that you never finished high school. Since you are a success, my students perceive that as a reason not to care much about getting a good education."
I finished high school!

The computer industry has lots of people who didn't finish college, but I'm not aware of any success stories that began with somebody dropping out of high school. I actually don't know any high school dropouts, let alone any successful ones.

In my company's early years we had a bright part-time programmer who threatened to drop out of high school to work full-time. We told him no.

Quite a few of our people didn't finish college, but we discourage dropping out. Having a diploma certainly helps somebody who is looking to us for a job.

College isn't the only place where information exists. You can learn in a library. But somebody handing you a book doesn't automatically foster learning. You want to learn with other people, ask questions, try out ideas and have a way to test your ability. It usually takes more than just a book.

Education should be broad, although it's fine to have deep interests, too.

In high school there were periods when I was highly focused on writing software, but for most of my high school years I had wide-ranging academic interests. My parents encouraged this, and I'm grateful that they did.

Although I attended a lot of different kinds of classes in college, I signed up for only one computer class the whole time. I read about all kinds of things.

One parent wrote me that her 15-year-old son "lost himself in the hole of the computer." He got an A in Web site design, but other grades were sinking, she said.

This boy is making a mistake. High school and college offer you the best chance to learn broadly--math, history, various sciences--and to do projects with other kids that teach you first-hand about group dynamics. It's fine to take a deep interest in computers, dance, language or any other discipline, but not if it jeopardizes breadth.

I think kids sometimes trap themselves into a narrow identity. I wonder if they've just decided, "Okay, I'm the person who's good at accounting."

A friend asks, "Hey, what have you been reading?"
"Well, I'm reading about accounting."

It's just their sort of self-definition, and it's probably comfortable for them. But it's unfortunate if it comes at the sacrifice of learning about the broader world, or learning to work cooperatively.

I'm as impressed as the next person is when an 11-year-old can do calculus. He or she is learning to think logically. But a kid who is reading about Robinson Crusoe is thinking logically, too. It's not completely different.

If you fall into an obsessive pattern in high school, you've got two problems. One is that you're unlikely to change when you go to college. The other is that if you don't get reasonably good grades, it's hard to go a college that has the highly motivated, capable students who can really help you learn about the world.

In college it's appropriate to think about specialization. Getting real expertise in an area of interest can lead to success--unless the specialty ends up being a dead end or you're not good at. Graduate school is one way to get specialized knowledge, although extended college education isn't always a good investment from a purely economic standpoint.

Choosing a specialty isn't something high school students should worry about. They should worry about getting a strong academic start.

There's not a perfect correlation between attitudes in high school and success in later life, of course.

But it's a real mistake not to take the opportunity to learn a huge range of subjects, and to learn to work with people in high school, and to get the grades that will help you get into a good college.

Without reading any replies and simply replying to the first post...

Stay in school. Get contacts while in school. Start your company part time while in school. Get degree. Work at your company full time. Make millions :)

Theres always one... :rolleyes:

Originally posted by wowewo
Without reading any replies and simply replying to the first post...

Stay in school. Get contacts while in school. Start your company part time while in school. Get degree. Work at your company full time. Make millions :)

lets ammend that to

dont jack around and get thrown out for bad grades in your third year.

<-- jacked around.

ill be going back next fall :mad:

stay in school, the money and business will come 10 years down the road...some say its just a paper degree but not really since college definitly helps you mind grown and move you into becomming an adult. Stay in school!

You will regret any other descision than that! Stay in school!

well, my opinion is that you should stay in school and get a degree and I highly recommed it. You have to consider your future when making a decision. For example like 10 years later the economy is in a downfall and you don't make enough sales to cover your expenses and at this time whatever degree you have will be useful. At least you will qualify for another job then and could still run your business part-time while working at your other job too. ;)

Originally posted by inkhead
Bill Gates doesn't count, he's a dork lol I don't know many people who want to be him. I'd rather be Larry Ellison or Steve Jobs.

Don't be ignorant. Bill Gates is far from 'a dork.' He has a family, kids, one of the
largest corporations in the world and a 40 million dollar house under his belt.

Bill Gates is a very respectful, knowledgeable, powerful, wealthy and normal person.
While, I would not want to be him (or anyone else) he is a person to look up to.

What do you have?

I had to reply to this post, though I know it has been beaten to death. Hosting12, you sound exactly like me, word for word. It is great to see what all these knowledgable people have to say on this forum about your situation, though, ultimately, it comes down to what you believe. School and business will always be there and you have an endless amount of options and variations of options. So you decide for yourself and don't let any comments made in this both bring any doubts forth in your thoughts down the road.

Be who you are and who you want to be, that is the only way you can be.

Education is a tool. You only need to think whether or not you require the education to improve your business. By the sounds of how well you are doing in business, it seems obvious that you know what you will do for the rest of your life. Sounds like someone is pushing you to get a higher education.
Take some evening courses as needed for business management.
Go do what you enjoy! It took me till 40 years of age to discover my love for the internet business, and I graduated with two diplomas that I hardly use at all.
Good Luck!
_Andy

I think degrees are overrated -- by day, I’m 22 and I am a senior web/database developer for the largest financial conglomerate in the world. By night (okay day too, but don’t tell), I run a decent sized ISP.

I finished High School and started community college, dropped out to answer technical support calls at Earthlink, got promoted to a programmer and then I left there after 2 years to work where I work now for the last 2 years.

I make well over $50,000 a year and I don’t have anything more than a High School Diploma; you just have to work really hard to climb over the seas of hypocritical, prejudice, discriminate dinosaurs who hate people who are half their age and make twice what they do because they, themselves are lazy, stupid, close-minded and have to struggle to survive. A good manager with whom you continually install trust and completed objectives also helps pave the way.

Having said that, my hosting company always kept my pockets lined with spending money for stupid electronics I didn’t need, until I decided to stop working for other people and work on my business until it can support me and the lifestyle I’ve grown accustomed to.

If you were smart, who would you hire to help with your company -- someone with a degree and a bunch of textbook theories or someone who has built their own company?

You could always do like Sky Dayton (founder of Earthlink): build the largest non-AOL ISP in the world and then duck out a year after broadband becomes popular, leaving the company in the hands of Mindspring’s executives. A lot of businesses are built with one objective: a high profit, low cost company with lots of customers.

Unless you’re a doctor or the like, I don’t feel that a degree is any better than a couple night classes on business, marketing, communication or writing! Oh yeah, math is good too.

Stay in school... even just reduce your classes if you want to spend more time on your businesses. Believe me, knowledge DOES help, even stuff that doesn't even seem remotely related to what you're doing. Perhaps some courses in history and business if nothing else to fill your credits :). Glad to hear you're having a lot of success with your businesses!

My suggestion is to stay in school with a reduced class-load and work your business. Part of the reason I suggest this is because it is what I am currently doing. I am working at a Computer Science Degree from Georgia Tech and I am learning all sorts of things that I would not have looked at otherwise. To be quite honest, Tech is not helping me with my business, but it is helping me be more rounded and allowing me to learn a little bit about a lot of things I would not have otherwise worked at.

It is hard to succeed, but I think it is worth it.

Best regards,
Frank Rietta

I suggest staying in school too. One day you will have wished you completed college and recieved your degree. It makes people think higher of you at the workplace. People change, and 10 years from now you can think you were stupid; a lot of us think we were 10 years ago. Don't decide your entire life about college right now.

Well heres my reply to the first post without reading thru the long list lol.....


You sound like me. I coasted thru school. I was 'passed on' from 6th grade all the way to 9th. 9th they finally failed me one to teach me a lesson i guess. Even after that I just coasted, just enough to get by. There were a few classes that I just couldnt stand and would just get by in and there were always 1 or 2 that I could get A's in without trying because it interested me.

I was ADHD and 153 IQ bored out of my skull.

Looking back I wish I had pushed myself a bit, done the work and gotten the better grades in those classes I hated.

My advice is this... Stay in school - reduce the courseload to a few classes. Work the business and work hard in the classes even though it may take more effort. You will be glad later that you pushed through your disability (yes I think ADD and ADHD are disabilities) and made the best of it.

It sounds like the business is going well and is only going to get better. Try to make sure school is going just as well. :)

Stay in school. It will pay off in the long run. Have some fun. Meet people be a kid, it only happens once. Your college might even have a program in business that concentrates on entrepreneurship. Just because you go to college doesn't mean you have to work for someone else.

In all honesty, being in the computer business does NOT require any sort of post secondary education. I can easily go to amazon.com and purchase a book for dummies on running a hosting biz, programming in PHP, or using Photoshop 7.

I am in the same situation as you are, but I've decided to go to school. The reason is because you're only a teenager once and they are the best years of your life. Everything you make is income, because you can usually get your parents/grand parents to cover many costs, and the women and parties are incredible.

19 year old women won't want to be with you when your 45 years old and jobless.

Take a year off, work on automating your hosting business so that you work only 1-2 hours a day instead of 10-12 hours a day and then go to school and finish with a C or B or A.

Put away the $40K you're making so that when you do come out of college you can put down some money on a nice condo and begin real life.


-

Here is one solution, go to a college with wireless internet campus wide, get yourself a laptop and have it on all day checking email for support questions, etc.

I've read most of the responses here, and it appears a lot of them are geared toward the "backup plan" route. Well, I say if that's your attitude, then you should definitely not goto college and drop out now.

There are a couple of main reasons for higher education. One is to gain knowledge but not necessarily money, and the other is to gain value/knowledge so that you can earn more when you get out. It appears we're focused on the latter here, so I won't address the first.

If you're goal is to advance your earning potential, you should definitely pursue a college degree toward your future career/business. It should not be your backup plan, but your MAIN plan. That has to be your focus. It'd be a waste of time (earnings-wise) to major in psychology and graduate and do hosting.

Also, my thinking is that you should look deeply within yourself. If you're not gonna commit to school 100% then just don't do it at all, at least not till you're ready. Getting a C average or graduating with a few academic probations behind you won't do you any good when you finish. It's all or none.

Lastly, I suspect many people recommend education over business because it's easier advice to give. People on here don't know a thing about your current business, the growth, the long-term viability, your studying habits, etc. Without the in-depth insight into those things, people are going just give you a cookie-cutter answer (it's a big tipoff when they don't even ask you about your current business). So on the one hand you have a societal norm of pursuing higher education, and on the other you have something others know little of. Which will they choose to recommend? Does this mean it's good advice? Not if they don't understand your business.

So, this is a question only YOU will be able to answer for yourself. Smart people with good intentions might give you incorrect advice, since not all of the facts are on the table.

Follow your dreams.....

Get a good education.....

Before all this, before the money, before your hardwork, what is it that you want? A simple question? Yes. A simple answer? Unfortunately not. The bottom line is is that only you can decide this. It sucks.

Any advice given to you will be trivial or cliche to someone else. That's fine. Getting feedback on experiences from other people is a great source of information. Ask your parents. Ask friends. Ask someone who knows a thing or two about the business. Ask someone who's been to college and back. You've done that and look at all the great responses. The best ones, in my opinion, are those who've shared their experiences that were similar to yours. You'll see regret, you'll see pride, you'll see relief, you'll see uncertainty.

I was 16, a junior in high school. 5 out of the 6 classes I took were AP/Honors the second semester of my junior year. Had I gotten straight A's, it would have been a ridiculous 4.8 GPA. But I wound up with a silly 4.67. 17 years old, senior in high school. My GPA slipped to 3.7. How did this happen? I didn't give a **** anymore. I also missed out on the opportunity of asking a girl out. All I needed to do was ask her out, and maybe my senior days wouldn't have been such a waste. That's how much I didn't care about school. Grades up 'till junior only mattered for college apps and I only had to maintain a 3.0+ for guaranteed admissions. I was still taking honors/ap classes. I felt lost and without a goal, the kind of mindset you do not want to have going into college. Thinking back, I wish I didn't take all those retarded ap/honors classes. I didn't even like most of those who were in them anyways. I wish I took wood shop, auto shop, food classes, art classes, music classes, all these classes I couldn't take because I was too worried about getting into college. Now I'm 22, I've spent 3 years in a respectable university on the border of getting kicked out for good. I spent 3 years wondering aimlessly through thoughtless decisions about life, my major, and my goals. WTF is an 18 year old fresh-out-of-high-school graduate suppose to know what to do about his life. All the dumbass counselours only worry about my academic performance. Those mindless droids have no opinions worth of any interest to offer. I made the wrong decision of jumping into school too early. Partly because I was pressured from my parents, and relatives who've all established themselves through higher education and only believes that this is the sure way to live a half decent life.

I've had many different jobs during college, took different classes, met different people. All of which I've learned a great deal from. It makes me realize that I've been through what most of my family hasn't and probably won't understand. But everything I've experienced helped me understand what life is.

Reflecting back when I was 17, I was a dumbass. Now I'm taking classes at a community college and planning on finishing with a CS degree and maybe double majoring with Cognitive Science. I always believed that CS would do me absolutely no good. Whether it's the need to learn programming, or just plain interest in computer hardware, digital video, web design, or the different application it has, it always ends up pointing to the need of understanding computer science. Is this a step backwards? Yeah, it is, but it's a step back which I should have taken years ago. And I still have the chance to take it.

My dad always told me, "You live your life only once, find what you truly want to do, and do it passionately."

Originally posted by dvstuff
"You live your life only once, find what you truly want to do, and do it passionately."

Awesome quote and great post! I wish you the most success in whatever you take on!