I'm a 19 year old freshman in college studying architecture but I'm realizing I'm more interested in the business of buildings and not building them. There's a real estate program here, but I'd be going 100+ thousand into student loan debt. I'm considering dropping out, getting a job or two, and getting my real estate license. My reasoning is that by the time everyone graduates with debt, id ideally be doing some form of a real estate career with no debt. Is this a good option? I'd also be more happy with this option.

Dude, I would not drop out of college.

Thats just me though. I value education because it is more than just a piece of paper you get.

It is the ambition the discipline, it is aiming high, and your mind is like any other muscle. you need to exercise it for it to grow bigger and stronger.

Hell I am crushing it in my market BECAUSE I am a NASA caliber robotics scientist.

I became a master at SEO because I see numbers. I see patterns. I understand and see the reasons for something before I even know myself why it is.

I am not saying you NEED to go to school,  but why drop out? Not only is it a waste, you are training your mind that giving up is an option.

You are young, and you have the energy to do both at the same time. Ask yourself if it is not just lazyness or a shortcut you are after, BECAUSE know this.

Most people fail doing REI. MOST as in 90%+

So many reasons why you shouldn't drop out of college.. but then a gain.. I am biased.

I am extremely educated....

so lets wait for the others before you take my advise too seriously.

@Jerryll Noorden There are many reasons why I believe dropping out is the best option. Here are the main ones:

1) I’m not happy, My major in architecture requires an unbelievable amount of time and effort, I’m doing extremely well but I’d rather be investing this time into something I enjoy learning (real estate).

2) If I stay this track, I’ll be 120+ thousand dollars in debt for a degree in architecture when I do not need this degree to be in real estate. Instead of going into debt during this 5 year program, I can work multiple jobs and get my real estate license. Yes working many jobs will suck for a while, but at least I’ll be making money rather than going into debt for something I don’t enjoy. When others are graduating in debt, I’d ideally be debt free and a future in real estate.

3) I’ll have no other option really but to succeed in real estate, so I’ll be even more motivated than I am now. I’m not considering dropping out because school is hard, I’m doing extremely well, but because school is not necessary and is “wasting” my time when I can be doing what I believe I enjoy.

Everyone goes to college and works a 9-5 for the rest of their careers, I can't imagine that for myself. A degree in architecture or any degree is not necessary (I think) to be a successful real estate agent. I'm only 19 so this all may sound very ignorant and typical of a young mind, but it's really what I'm thinking. I really appreciate any feedback because I don't really have anyone who knows what they're talking about in this subject.

My friend,

I can't argue with that. You need to go find your happiness!

You need to balance "desire" with "what is the smart thing to do", and weigh it out.

I kinda did what you did too, so I shouldn't talk too loud here.

I quit my job BEFORE I started REI, and so I too had no option BUT to succeed.

So my dude, good on you, in that case step up and go get it!

@Jaden Adams   College is big business and a scam.  It's a cycle of insanity.  You borrow ungodly amounts of money so you can attend school for four or more years so you can get a job to pay off the loan.  WTF?! I graduated with a Masters degree in literature.  But when I attended college the cost was between $75 - $125 per credit.  Will that buy even one used book these days?
Follow your instincts and your heart.  In four years you'll be light years ahead of your peers in terms of happiness and finances. 

@Jerryll Noorden I appreciate you very much. You’ve been the first real advice I’ve received, going to talk to my counselors and more family, but I doubt they’ll change my mind.

Originally posted by @Jaden Adams :

@Jerryll Noorden I appreciate you very much. You’ve been the first real advice I’ve received, going to talk to my counselors and more family, but I doubt they’ll change my mind.

 No worries my dude. Yeah you are wise beyond your years. Definitely go talk to counselors and family. Keep in mind, what ever they say, they have the best of intentions!

@Michael Carbonare I 100% agree! I can work many jobs and build a savings while learning real estate. By the time my peers graduate, I’ll have some money from my jobs and a potential career in real estate! I’d rather take this risk now than accept a 9-5 future with debt, although I’m sure more obstacles will come. I very much appreciate your encouragement at this point in my life.

Originally posted by @Michael Carbonare :

@Jaden Adams   College is big business and a scam.  It's a cycle of insanity.  You borrow ungodly amounts of money so you can attend school for four or more years so you can get a job to pay off the loan.  WTF?! I graduated with a Masters degree in literature.  But when I attended college the cost was between $75 - $125 per credit.  Will that buy even one used book these days?
Follow your instincts and your heart.  In four years you'll be light years ahead of your peers in terms of happiness and finances. 

Hate to admit it... but you do have a point.. damn it!

BUT.... this is only/mostly in the USA.

In Europe... we get PAID to go to college.

So there! 

Und zhe women...

I would probably switch degrees to something like an associates.  If you have a year under you, then you have a year left.  At least then you can say you finished something, and if it's just a general associates, it'll be fairly easy and you can do both at the same time. I have two degrees.  I knew half way through the second I didn't want to spend my life working for someone else.  I still finished, because it's important to me to finish what I start. My first degree, I got something different than what i started for, but finished none-the-less. 

@Jerryll Noorden   Yeah, the US system fleeces the very customers, (and that's what students are. . .customers), it claims to be helping  And the govt is complicit.  By making student loans so readily available, the universities are able to continually escalate the cost of tuition knowing full well their money is guaranteed by the fed.  

@Jaden Adams   There's an interesting book you might appreciate.  My daughter turned me on to it a few years ago when she was asking the same questions you are.  The book is Choose Yourself, by James Altucher.  

@Jaden Adams As I college grad I can say it's not worth everything they tell you it is. College is way overpriced now. Don't go into $100k of debt unless you want to be a doctor or other guaranteed high wage. I recommend state schools or anywhere you can get big scholarships.

I also wouldn't recommend just dropping out. If you are very determined you'll probably be fine dropping out, but it's much wiser to work on some schooling while getting your real estate business going. Go full time once you have some consistent deal flow.

@Jaden Adams I would drop out and find a cheaper method. 120k in student debt is no joke.

@Jaden Adams

At minimum switch your degree to business or similar which will have a direct application to your real estate goals. Even an associates degree in business from a community college would set you in the right direction.

@Jaden Adams I say drop out. I’m a high school drop out and college drop out. You sound similar to me. I liked school and made deans list and was in an honors society. It wasn’t enjoyable but then again, it’s not supposed be.

I can tell you this from my experience. It’s going to be hard for you and you will need to bust *** even harder. I would also highly recommend you take the classes to get your real estate license but stop there. That’s what I did. You don’t need the license but the classes can be very helpful.

Also if you’re the kind of person that can teach yourself, you’ll be fine.

No matter what you do, it’s going to be a big decision so make sure you commit and don’t look back.

@Joshua Estes the fact that you said I’m going to have to work even harder lights a fire in me. I LOVE WORKING HARD especially when I know for a fact that it’s going to get me the future I want for my family and I. Thank you so much.

@Jerryll Noorden

Great advice, get more opinions before you take any one persons’ advice. Also, do what your gut tells you to do. You may seem unsure because of lack of experience, but you will be quite alright if you take everything as a learning opportunity for experience. Go with your heart kid 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤙🏼

@Jaden Adams

Shoot me a message

Originally posted by @Christian Steiger :

@Jerryll Noorden

Great advice, get more opinions before you take any one persons’ advice. Also, do what your gut tells you to do. You may seem unsure because of lack of experience, but you will be quite alright if you take everything as a learning opportunity for experience. Go with your heart kid 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤙🏼

 Thank you kindly dude!

Go to a less expensive college and do both school and real estate.  There is no need to pick one over the other.

@Jaden Adams if you have droughts I’ve seen a couple kids go to community colleges and see if college is for you but do it for $5k instead of $25k per semester. These will be your foundational course and give you a feel for it.

@Jaden Adams you’re 19; you might not want to do RE in 10 years - then what?! Change your degree - get a business degree but I wouldn’t give up. Apply for as many grants as you can to keep costs reasonable. I have hired hundreds of people in my career - I’ll take the person with the degree 95% of the time over the person who doesn’t have one. To me it shows you can apply, dedicate, and succeed; otherwise I’m sitting across the desk from someone with failed businesses and no degree, not promising.

@Nic S. I understand that 100%. But why can’t a college dropout be more attractive and impressive than a college graduate? The dropout most likely has to work twice as hard to get to where he wants to be. Everyone goes to college nowadays, so shouldn’t the dropout stand out? College isn’t hard for me, I’m doing great, but college is not for me. Who knows, maybe I’m just being an ignorant 19 year old, that’s why I’m going to talk to my counselor and family again before I make my decision. Thank you!

Finishing a bachelor's degree later in life is pure hell. Do it now, just in case. Move back in with your family, go to a state school that is much less expensive, and major in something you enjoy. Knock it out in two more years. I'm taking a real estate development class as a guest student at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business right now, and it's phenomenal. Go ahead and get a real estate license and do that on the side. It's not enough to build a career on, in my opinion. You'll always be competing with every retired nurse and stay-at-home mom and every other guy with 40 hours to take the class. Along with the big agents who do 90% of the transactions and have huge operations to keep their momentum going. If you are going to work your tail off to compete with them, have something like a degree to show for it. Think about construction management or finance or some other aspect like that.