What is your COLLEGE DEGREE IN!?

What is your COLLEGE DEGREE IN!?

Westford, MA · Member since 2016 · 113 posts · 106 votes
Hi BP! My name is Scott and I am just starting out my real estate investing venture this year. I find it to be imperative for all investors to look back on their past and understand how their formal educations have helped launched their real estate investing careers. PLEASE JOIN IN AND SHARE HOW YOUR COLLEGE DEGREE HELPED LAUNCHED YOUR REI CAREER!! I was trained to be an architect at Wentworth Institute of Technology. There I earned my Bachelors of Science in Architecture and Masters of Architecture in 2015. On top of that I earned the title of Valedictorian and an AIA National Award for Emerging Professionals. Upon graduating I had numerous offers from several prestigious design firms throughout Boston and greater New England. In my past two years I have found that working as a Young Architect provides too much stability and consistency. Personally, I enjoy the adrenaline rush of controlling my own future and destiny. Also, I love being on site studying and analyzing properties, design layouts, and creating ways to add value to homes. When people ask me "Why are you getting into real estate? I thought you are an architect?" - little do they realize that my I am using my strong understanding of design and construction and applying it to a more exciting career!
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Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
9y

Like all successful real estate investors, I studied Fashion Design in college.

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  • Rental Property Investor · Charleston, WV · Member since 2013 · 262 posts · 109 votes
    9y

    BS in Finance and Economics, having a hard time finding a job in WV, but because of it I grew to like crunching numbers, excel spreadsheets, and analyzing real estate. Real estate numbers are awesome.

  • Howell, NJ · Member since 2016 · 87 posts · 56 votes
    9y

    BA  Journalism

    MA Political Science

    JD

  • Professional · Denver, CO · Member since 2017 · 18 posts · 5 votes
    9y

    How about BS Mechanical Engineering and MS Finance. I am very comfortable with numbers and spreadsheets!

  • Investor · RI · Member since 2014 · 45 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    BS Computer Network Engineering

  • Real Estate Investor · Murrieta, CA · Member since 2016 · 34 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    I have a BS in Business (attended 2 years at UC San Diego and 2 years at UC Riverside), have my CPA license and am looking to get my real estate license. My education and background have helped immensely in researching and analyzing deals!

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Warren, MI · Member since 2015 · 24 posts · 15 votes
    9y

    Bachelor of Arts in English from Wayne State University, Detroit. 

    I can't say exactly why I pursued that particular degree; to receive credit for all the reading I was doing? Haha ;p

    To spend my time doing something until I discovered I was actually a real estate investor? There, that's it. I know, you didn't ask why. 

    I can't say if or exactly how Academia has helped me with REI, but I can say that everything I accomplish propels me to my next venture or ambition.

    For those of you that say it hasn't helped you at all-you are wrong. Everything you do/accomplish becomes part of your persona. 

    The end.  

  • Jeremy GallowayPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Birmingham, AL · Member since 2016 · 137 posts · 53 votes
    9y

    B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and Masters in Exercise Physiology. Both from Auburn University! War Eagle!

  • Rental Property Investor · Greater Lansing Area, MI · Member since 2014 · 196 posts · 55 votes
    9y

    @Lina Sitto totally agree with you on everything one does is something that helps them, in one way or another. Every time I start to feel like I 'wasted' my time on my degrees, I am reminded in some small way how those choices have helped/influenced me today.

    For me, it was a B.F.A. in graphic design and photography, and then an M.A. in Digital Media & Art/Technology. Working as a designer has taught me to think about problems from various angles and provided the skills to do analysis in a variety of ways (just needed to learn the formulas when it comes to numbers). It's also helped in physical/visual design when rehabbing (especially because I initially started out wanting to be an architect). And the tech-end of my degree has certainly helped as well, again in a variety of ways. I consider myself a forever-student in that I am always wanting to learn new things (but not always in formal education).

  • Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 601 votes
    9y

    Elementary Education and I had a hard time teaching Elementary MATH!  

  • Investor · Aurora, CO · Member since 2017 · 34 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    Hi, I have a BA in Fine Art and an MA in eLearning Instructional Design. I currently work full time as an Instructional Design Manager at a small Art and Design school here in Denver. I joined Bigger Pockets not too long ago to learn more about investing. My husband and I are "Little Pockets" lol with 3 total properties (2 rental and our own). This has always been my side hustle while working full time but, I would love to begin the transition into full-time REI.

  • Shawn AckermanPro Member
    Real Estate Entrepreneur · Mid West, East Coast · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    Undergrad in Psychology.  I guess it helps in dealing with people but no great advantage with investing in real property.  I wish I would have started investing right out our high school.  

  • Katy, TX · Member since 2017 · 6 posts · 1 vote
    9y

    Ph.D. in Radiation Physics,  B.S. in Nuclear engineering, - I do Ok at number crunching

    I think a little formal education on the finance side of business would be nice - but I also think with enough reading it is something i can pick up on my own.

  • Contractor · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 113 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    I majored in beer drinking.  but officially the piece of paper that i got said BS in Business Management.  If I was 18 again,  I would not go to university.  taking Canadian Literature didn't help at all. and it cost about 2k for the class. and even more importantly it cost me time.  Running a business is common sense.  It doesn't take enrolling in a class to figure it out.   the only two classes that were helpful were accounting (2 semesters worth) and law (2 semesters worth also).  

    I was excited to start college.  I thought it was going to be something new and more interesting then high school. it was the same old thing. go to class. read some boring books about topics that didn't interest me, etc.

    since it has been discussed here about getting degrees related to REI, from what i've heard, there are universitites that offer, Real Estate degrees. I think its better to go out there and do it, rather then sit in some class and read a book. i look at income and expenses and projected cap rates when i'm offered properties. It looks nice on paper, but then you get in the real world... and well you know how that is.

    reading the posts here got me thinking, how many investors didn't go to college?

  • Joe VilleneuvePro Member
    Plymouth, MI · Member since 2013 · 13k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    9y

    My Major is in Architecture, but I tell people I got a B.S. in "BS".  What I really got was training as a Problem Solver.

  • Marietta, GA · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
    9y

    I graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry and I am a licensed Esthetician.  Far cry from real estate and I absolutely love the work that I do.  However, I am looking for true "financial freedom" for my life.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Montgomery, NY · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    Bachelors in Architectural Engineering... that's what they called it. It had architecture and some basic Engineering courses involved. Have a decent background and allowed me to jump through a couple of jobs that really helps with flipping houses (millwork design, construction admin and design, and general contractor on the management end).

  • Developer · San Diego, CA · Member since 2012 · 133 posts · 114 votes
    9y

    I think I have the coolest, lengthiest-worded degree in the world. It reads: Master of Real Estate Development for Architects from Woodbury University in San Diego. 

    They changed the name since I graduated to add more words: Master of Science in Architecture in Real Estate Development 

  • Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y

    College degree?   What's that?

    <--- Drop out

  • Real Estate Salesperson/Realtor · New York City, NY · Member since 2016 · 12 posts · 1 vote
    9y

    Hello BP, I get a MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management/ Business Continuity, i am new to Real Estate. I am a registered licensed agent in Brooklyn, NY.

  • Oakland, CA · Member since 2017 · 133 posts · 58 votes
    9y

    BS and MS in Mathematics.  I found myself fall in love with numbers since I was 10 years old.  

  • Investor · Flower Mound, TX · Member since 2017 · 182 posts · 198 votes
    9y

    BS in Physics,  MBA Accounting/Finance

  • Escondido, CA · Member since 2017 · 12 posts · 6 votes
    8y
    Hi Trudy,

    That's great! I have a bachelors in Bio from UCSD, and a minor in music. I actually researched drosophila mojavensis a little bit on a research trip to the sonoran desert. So, I'm not a full fledged entomologist, but I definitely love insects!

    Originally posted by @Trudy Pachon:

    BS in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior from University of CA San Diego, MS in Entomology University of CA Riverside, was working on my PhD in entomology but dropped out and then got a second Master's in Educational Technology after becoming a high school bio teacher. 

    I was curious if there were any other entomologists here? So random, right? I studied and wrote on the ecology of flies! Wish I had more time to just be in and observe nature more. I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of years trying to understand a single species of flies in one ecosystem in one place. Life is amazing. 

    The neat thing about "doing" science is that it's a very creative endeavor and is all about solving problems. You start with nothing but maybe an observation or even an idea you got from a conversation or a reading and build up your own idea to test. It seems like it helped me with some skills around investing too. Gathering the data, testing an idea in the literature, then actually testing the idea in an experiment. My investments. And you learn to love spreadsheets...

    So all you boys and girls out there, keep studying science! The skills are transferable in my opinion. 

  • Yonah WeissPro Member
    Cost Segregation Expert and Investor · Lakewood, NJ · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Scott Graham:

    Is there a certain degree that you wish you earned? Or a life experience that may have catapulted your career in the beginning?

    Personally, I wish I knew more about accounting, taxes and finances!

    I learn so much more hands-on, and apprenticing those with much more experience. To me, it's time much more well spent than any class i ever took. I don't think my BA in History helped much in my REI either.

  • Rental Property Investor · Springfield, MO · Member since 2017 · 266 posts · 312 votes
    8y

    B.S. in Communications (Univ. of Oklahoma) and M.S. in Counseling and Administration (Northwestern).

  • Investor / Real Estate Agent · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2015 · 324 posts · 157 votes
    8y

    Masters in Business Administration.  I do believe it has helped me significantly with the business side of things however its not necessary to have a degree in anything to be successful in Real Estate. 

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