Starting in the real estate industry advice - college student

[Eric Bailey]

Hello everyone,

I am a senior at ASU and am looking to get involved in the real estate industry. I am currently interning at a real estate firm in Scottsdale, AZ and am learning a lot about private equity real estate investments. The company invests in multi-family properties across the US. I am getting my real estate license next month in the hopes of interning / working / learning about the industry my spring semester before I graduate. I am attracted to real estate as a career for many reasons and would like to do it full time after college. My roommate's father does real estate full-time and I've seen how successful his company has been. He started off doing rental properties 12 years ago and since then he has started developing millions dollar properties. The idea of being able to grow wealth through real estate with no ceiling is what fascinates me. Everyone in life wants financial freedom and real estate is an industry where that can happen because of the limitless potential. My parents, however, are not fond of this decision. They think I should get a job at a reputable company to start my career. I don't have a lot of money to invest with, but I think I would start with mobile home "flipping" and/or wholesaling. 

My question, then is this; How difficult is it to begin a career in real estate? What area of real estate should I start with that would allow me to learn the most? If 90% of the worlds millionaires are involved with real estate, why aren't more people going into it?

Best,

A curious student