Did you work through College?

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Did you work through College?

Joshua D.
Investor · Columbus, MT · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Listening to this weeks podcast the guest made a statement that he would Never hire someone unless they had a job in collage. How many of you successful folks out there had a Job in collage? 

(I realize some of you never even went to school) 

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Brent Coombs
Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y

[Before I went to collage, I coodnt spel profesor. Now I are one!]

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  • Amy H.
    Rental Property Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2017 · 295 posts · 229 votes
    8y
    Joshua D. Yes! I worked 40 hours a week on campus every year of college until senior year where I obtained a full time in the physical therapy field. That experience of having to balance work and school helped shape me into a frugal person and understand the value of the dollar. I took out less student loans because of it. I used to hate the fact that I paid for college myself, now I appreciate it. It helped set the foundation of hustling for the long term results.
    7Reply
  • Brent Coombs
    Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    8y

    [Before I went to collage, I coodnt spel profesor. Now I are one!]

    10Reply
  • Chinmay J.
    Investor · Northern, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 904 votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Amy H.:

    Joshua D. Yes! I worked 40 hours a week on campus every year of college until senior year where I obtained a full time in the physical therapy field. That experience of having to balance work and school helped shape me into a frugal person and understand the value of the dollar. I took out less student loans because of it. I used to hate the fact that I paid for college myself, now I appreciate it. It helped set the foundation of hustling for the long term results.

    Good for you ! I worked as a tutor($10/hr) and in computer lab ($5.25/hr) when I was in undergrad. I had to take some student loans, which I paid off when I started working as a professional rather quickly. They were less than $10K. I completed my grad school whilst working professionally and had my employer foot the bill for most of it.  I might have paid about 30-35% out of my pocket, if that. 

    Working does instill a sense of pride in you that wouldn't be there if you were to have mommy and daddy pay for everything. I have some co-workers who are coddling their little cocoons, and I shudder to think what will become of them as young adults.  Some of them are already in their early 20s.. 

    With push to raise minimum wage to $15/hr, some of the jobs that are so instrumental for kids to enter workforce will disappear as technology will replace them. One has to understand that some of these kids will never have an entry level job, and that's not by choice or they are lazy. 

    0Reply
  • Mala S.
    Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2013 · 129 posts · 122 votes
    8y
    Yes, I worked throughout college. The experience I gained was invaluable. One job I had was to measure houses to produce as-builds for renovation projects. It felt super tedious at the time to measure every nook and cranny of a huge house for days, and then do it all over again for the next one. But after I had measured several dozen of these houses I could see the patterns of construction and had a better understanding of how things were built. I still think back to the lessons I learned measuring those houses in my work now. ( maybe even more than my architecture classes in college)
    0Reply
  • Franklin Romine
    Visalia-Fresno, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 863 votes
    8y
    I had a couple non paid internships. Priceless experience. Franklin
    0Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    8y

    I did...sort of.

    I was in the military for 21 years. I learn better through self-study than sitting in class so I decided to enroll with Excelsior College where they allow students to earn credit through assessment. You pass a test, you get the credit. I would study a particular subject for 5-7 days, one hour per day, and then take the test. I passed all of them, earned over 150 credits, and was awarded my Bachelors in about six months without ever setting foot in a classroom.

    I did it because I knew many employers want that box checked. However, I quickly realized after retirement that I didn't want to be another hamster on a wheel with a college degree and a pension plan. If I could earn a 4-year degree in six months through self-study, surely I could learn how to make it as an entrepreneur. I got my real estate license and haven't looked back.

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  • Cheryl Butler
    Professional · Delaware, OH · Member since 2017 · 51 posts · 39 votes
    8y

    I always worked when in college.  When I was young I waited tables through community college, then later I worked at a fortune 50 company, who was paying most of my tuition to get a bachelors degree. The first time school was the focus, and the second time school was a side project, and in both cases the outcome was the same: I earned a degree. The real value and education has come through life life experience.

    0Reply
  • Jeff Bousquet
    Rental Property Investor · RI · Member since 2017 · 94 posts · 52 votes
    8y

    I went to school full time. I also worked a full time corporate security job, and part time as a line cook. 

    1Reply
  • Thomas S.
    Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    8y

    I started working at age 13 as a farm hand in the summer and worked part time while in school till I got my first full time job at 18.

    2Reply
  • Bill Goodland
    Rental Property Investor · Allentown PA, United States · Member since 2016 · 567 posts · 442 votes
    8y
    I worked as a lifeguard at an indoor pool during the winter, and umpired baseball from spring-fall and was a lifeguard at a summer camp. I then worked for student government at school planning events on campus while still umpiring and starting a job as an aide at a PT clinic. I was in a clinical program and basically worked 20 hours a week for free, but then also worked first aide for cheerleading camps my last summer before college.
    1Reply
  • Erik Anderson
    Saint Cloud, MN · Member since 2017 · 90 posts · 70 votes
    8y

    I worked through college and graduated with around $40,000 in savings and zero student loan debt.

    3Reply
  • Joshua D.
    OP
    Investor · Columbus, MT · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    @Erik Anderson

    Well done! Did you live at home to keep expenses low? 

    0Reply
  • Russell BrazilBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
    8y

    I worked several different jobs while I was in school. In fact other than the summer after my 4th year in school (I was in school for about 5.5 years) Ive been employed since I was 15.

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  • Tom GimerBusiness Member
    DMV · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    8y

    I partied pretty hard in undergrad plus played a sport so there wasn't much time for work. Back then, in the county my college is located they allowed local firehouses and charities to run casinos. Roulette was my job. With amateurs running things it was fairly easy to set a $100/day goal and stick to it. Unfortunately they eventually outlawed charity gambling.

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  • Dawn BrenengenBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    I worked many jobs...most at the same time.  I was a waitress at a Pizza Hut for about 20 hours/week.  I work 24 hours over the weekend as an aide at a group home.  I also took random contract jobs working with kids and adults with disabilities.  Basically, I always worked 40+hours/week

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  • Brad Carrier
    Lexington, MI · Member since 2014 · 92 posts · 29 votes
    8y

    I was a turkey farmer and part time construction worker during high school. I paid for community college working as an I.T. tech 3/4 time while I took classes. Pretty sure I've been employed since I was 13 years old. 

    1Reply
  • Nathan Golding
    Contractor · Loganville, WI · Member since 2015 · 65 posts · 44 votes
    8y

    The last two years once I moved out of the dorms I started my own online sales business selling WWII gun parts which is now my primary income.  

    On top of that I worked part time painting houses for rich people vacation homes.  

    0Reply
  • Peter Sinclair
    Duarte, CA · Member since 2015 · 65 posts · 54 votes
    8y

    Ive never worked through undergrad.. I guess I wouldn’t get hired, then again I like to be my own boss. 

    Never liked another man telling me what do. My wife on the other hand..... 

    0Reply
  • Joshua D.
    OP
    Investor · Columbus, MT · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    @Nathan Golding

    That sounds like a cool side gig that turned full time!  Do you specialize in specific guns? Website? 

    1Reply
  • Caleb Heimsoth
    Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    8y
    Yes I worked as a part time research assistant and interned full time multiple summers during college. It was an invaluable experience in more ways then one. It took me a year to line that research assistant job up. I ended up finalizing it while I was studying abroad in Europe. Took me months just to get a hold of the person I was trying to contact. That perseverance alone I think is invaluable to REI.
    0Reply
  • Nathan Golding
    Contractor · Loganville, WI · Member since 2015 · 65 posts · 44 votes
    8y

    @Joshua D.

    Yeah it was suppose to just fund my hobby but grew so much had to do it full time.  Plus it funded the rental purchases.

    I specialize in Makarov, Mausers, Mosins and the SKS and dozens of other guns to a lesser extent.  

    I tried having my own website but trying to get traffic to it was a challenge.  I found ebay is the way to go.  People are lazy and suspicious of signing up to another new website.  Much less thought about spending 20 dollars on ebay when it takes 5 seconds to buy.  

    0Reply
  • Raquel D.
    Investor · Shakopee, MN · Member since 2017 · 102 posts · 60 votes
    8y
    Yes, I worked immediately after graduating high school and all through college, about 25-30 hours a week with a full time course load. Honestly having the work experience helped me way more than the BA ever did! (Personally I think everyone would benefit from 1-2 years food service — or at least retail. It’s invaluable experience!)
    2Reply
  • Anthony GaydenPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    8y

    I did not work through college. I went to college while working. Big difference.

    I was working full-time on the overnight shift at Wal-Mart and living on my own when i decided to go back to school and get my bachelor's degree. I went to community college at first then transferred to a commuter college.

    I went to school during the day and worked all night for years until i graduated.

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  • Brian Wilson
    Investor · Longmont, CO · Member since 2016 · 185 posts · 156 votes
    8y

    Still in progress of working while going to school. 

    Thankfully I've been working since I was 14, therefore +50 hours of work a week and school on top of it all just feels like another year. 

    After graduation it's on to a masters program.. then maybe, just maybe I'll be done with this school thing. 

    0Reply
  • Chris LumLee
    Investor · Honolulu, HI · Member since 2017 · 187 posts · 108 votes
    8y

    I'm not successful but I had a job in college. Actually, I had a lot of stuff going on in college. I was working 32 hours per week, tutoring I think 4 or 6 hours a week, and doing sporadic volunteer work. That was undergrad. And then I went to grad school while I was working a few years later. I echo the distinction that @Anthony Gayden pointed out in his comment. 

    1Reply
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