Residential Landlord · Kailua-Kona, HI · Member since 2012 · 111 posts · 15 votes
It came up a while ago that there are free college classes available from places like Stanford and MIT. There are new ones coming out now in video format which until now had been a short coming with MIT (text and pdfs). Game theory is always fun.
Residential Real Estate Agent · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 928 votes
14y
I was actually an astrophysics major in college until I switched majors after I did not want to get my doctorate. My professors favorite quote was "now using basic elementary calculus, you can see how I got this answer." Of course, I was lost the whole time...
Residential Real Estate Agent · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 928 votes
14y
I was actually an astrophysics major in college until I switched majors after I did not want to get my doctorate. My professors favorite quote was "now using basic elementary calculus, you can see how I got this answer." Of course, I was lost the whole time...
Personally, I believe this is an outstanding trend. Our current educational system is mired in an outdated paradigm of classroom based courses and expensive degrees. NPR did a story on this recently.
Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2011 · 242 posts · 61 votes
14y
Originally posted by Justin S.:
I was actually an astrophysics major in college until I switched majors after I did not want to get my doctorate. My professors favorite quote was "now using basic elementary calculus, you can see how I got this answer." Of course, I was lost the whole time...
If by chance anyone does need to learn calculus check out the website: www.beyondcalculus.com created by a brilliant friend of mine.
Lender · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
14y
Originally posted by Jon K.:
Check out khanacademy for free educational videos on many subjects. He has a way of making the challenging easy and fun to learn.
I really think Sal Khan will earn a Nobel prize for his work someday. His presentations, attitude, and overall approach to teaching are creating classrooms around the world where previously there were none. Children in impoverished nations, with no access to a classroom or even a capable teacher, are now able to get a first world education. I find him truly inspiring.
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
14y
I have been watching the Yale link above and it is absolutely top-notch education FOR FREE. I hope the other top universities continue doing this.
Formal education is getting to be pretty far from necessary for continuing education now. I can access many perspectives on most topics from top universities for free. The tradeoff is not having cohorts and folks to mark up homework and tests. Once they get that part figured out people could literally take courses all day and night and customize their own curriculum. If someone integrated this training with LinkedIn somehow I think they would make a killing with it!
Real Estate Investor · Los Angeles · Member since 2011 · 55 posts · 11 votes
14y
I've been saying for a long time that the key to success is not formal education, but knowledge. I'm sure people with fancy degrees are watching this and tracking its progress. I'm really excited to see the results from having these resources available.
I wonder if anyone has or will get the equivalent of a four-year degree from using these sites.
Lender · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
14y
Originally posted by Mike Andrews:
I've been saying for a long time that the key to success is not formal education, but knowledge….
I must say that I’m totally addicted to Khanacademy and will often take a class in my spare time for fun, than idly surf the web, but I’m not sure I agree with you Mike Andrews. While I wish these courses were available when I was in college, I think at the higher levels they supplement formal education and can’t replace some of it.
Practically speaking for example, medical students must still open cadavers and spend time in a hospital, budding chemists and engineers must spend time in a lab, and even welders and machinists must get hand on experience. On a less physical level, such as say economics, these classes on their own don’t force the critical thinking or provide the give-and-take found in a classroom.
Don’t get me wrong, they supply a tremendous amount of basic knowledge missing worldwide in an easy to access form. And classrooms in even this country are country forgoing formal lectures in favor of individual tutoring these courses. But education, formal or not, often requires both physical and human interactions. While in some countries, they’re infinitely better than nothing, they don’t stand on their own.
Real Estate Investor · Los Angeles · Member since 2011 · 55 posts · 11 votes
14y
Well, Jeff S I would have to disagree with you and I think so would Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Cameron Johnson and all the other millionaires and billionaires who never got a formal college education. My grandparents made millions investing in real estate with zero formal education in anything even moderately related to real estate, finance or economics. An ex-girlfriend of mine made herself a few hundred thousand dollars in real estate investing with knowledge she got from library books.
College just isn't for everyone. Sure, if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer or any other profession that requires a degree to pursue, there is no substitute. But I think it's crazy to say that anyone who wants to be successful in something has to get a formal degree in it.
I'm not saying these courses substitute for a college degree. I'm saying if you aren't interested in going to college, using these resources combined with your own desire, hard work and will are enough to make you a success.
Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2008 · 281 posts · 113 votes
14y
I know this isn't formal education, but one of my favorite sites to get inspired with big ideas or learn more about a particular subject is TED at http://www.ted.com/. They have a fantastic iPad app and the people range from authors, inventors, scientists, artists, actors, etc. and you can choose video lectures from Technology to business to global issues. After listening to these ideas, you can always take a bit of this genius with you and start using it in your real estate business. As always, knowledge is power.
Lender · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
14y
Nowhere did I say Mike Andrews, that you must have a college education to be successful. That would be silly. I said these courses supplement a formal education but in some cases, are not replacements. My point was there are just some skills you can’t get online. As examples, I specifically included welders and machinists, who would not normally require college but are no doubt highly skilled and certainly have the same opportunities for success as anyone else.
The one name you didn’t mention was Bill Gates; another who did not complete college. He’s Sal Khan’s benefactor, providing funds for his non-profit organization. Khan won’t become wealthy from his work here. In my mind though, he’s already achieved unimaginable success for his work in changing the way knowledge can be attained universally.
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
14y
Originally posted by Mike Andrews:
I wish we could "like" or +1 comments on BP. I really enjoyed what both of you had to say.
There is a "Vote" button above each post where you can do this; unfortunately it's one of those features that doesn't work with every browser out there.
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
14y
I voted for Bryan's post and will add that lets please stay on track of sources of free education. Feel free to start an "off topic" thread for a discussion of the value of education.