Originally posted by @Ryan Dunton:
Originally posted by @Willard Blair:
I think it depends on your end goals. There are pros and cons to both. A tradesman like a carpenter would definitely be better by attending a vocational school first rather than trying to get OJT. It is not because one is better than the other but because the opportunity for advancement will always go to the school trained guy and the OJT guy will still be a laborer for years to come. With that said, if you want to be an employee and climb the corporate ladder then definitely go to college. College does not teach you everything you need to know, I would say it does not really teach you anything but it does show employers that you stick with your commitments and you have a basic understanding of the subject. My Bachelors Degree would have been great for me to get an entry level management job in a business that was already established but it did nothing for me when I started my business. It is great that you have a mentor with an established business. Are you making assumptions that you will one day run things? I would ask your mentor what he/she thinks you should do. Does your mentor have a degree? Does your mentor think you would be a better employee/investor with a degree? Do you make enough money working for your mentor to pay off a student loan?
Yes, my mentor has told me I will most likely take over the company someday. He also has a degree that was useless for him, yet he still thinks I should go to college. I want to be a millionaire or at least financially free in my 20s, I feel like college would impact this goal and prolonge it. I have my student loans covered if I decide to go. I do not see myself ever wanting a corporate job. Is college worth it?
Again, it depends.
I also wouldn't bank on your mentor handing the company over to you. If it happens, great, but don't plan on taking it over unless you have something in writing that assures you that will happen at some point in the future, and even with that, I wouldn't bank on it.
Is college worth it, what exactly is the "it" in this instance? Is college worth delaying your investment career? That depends. Can you go to school, and also invest? I think it's possible. Take some time and think about this decision long and hard.
If you trust your mentor, who is advising you go to college, why would you consider a different route? You're young, give yourself time to grow. College can have it's advantages. If you are going into college with 100% certainty on choice you've made for your career, you can plan your classes with a pointed focus to better equip you to have a successful career. Also, college is a great place to build relationships for the future.
But is it worth it? It depends...
I'm not banking on him giving me the company at all, more like a dream of mine. Thanks for the responses your insight has been helpful and got me thinking! I can see myself trying to be a real estate agent through college, what would you do in my shoes?
