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 · Cape Coral, FL · Member since 2015 · 206 posts · 83 votes
    8y

    I have a BS in finance. That helped my REI career in many ways, mostly in how it started.After graduating, not having student loans to pay my rent and paying back those student loans at the same time really hurt. I increased my income from $16k/yr working at Wal-Mart to $35k as an entry level accountant. I saw no increase in take home pay after rent and loans, so I decided I was going to have someone else pay my mortgage. I bought a duplex with an FHA loan and house hacked my first deal. The finance and analysis part of my degree/job has helped analyze deals but the debt of my degree is what facilitated one of the best decisions of my life.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 47 posts · 22 votes
    8y

    Graduated with a BA in Psychology from UT..Go Big Orange! Unfortunately I quickly realized this degree wouldn’t pay very well so I became an Officer and never looked back. I learned to read people very well and have used that to negotiate on deals. Overall, I’d say it was worth it.

  • Ana GarridoPro Member
    Central Florida · Member since 2016 · 40 posts · 19 votes
    8y
    Amazing thread! Thanks Scott Graham! this is a question that I was wondering since a while. In my case I got a degree in Dentistry from The University Autonomous of Santo Domingo, Dom. Republic, later a MS in Aesthetics Dentistry from São Paulo University, Brazil. But, actually I can’t get the license in US without pass several dental boards, improve my English skills and complete 2 more years of studies... so, meanwhile, as others in this forum, I am doing a “PhD in real estate at BP University”. I have listened all the podcasts and read several books, lots articles and threads in this forum, assisted the a local REIA, found a mentor and if God allow it, I will jump early in 2018. My previous studies have not help me yet. Finally, I really love to see how people from different background have cross their path, this make me think that the Real Estate career is a secure road to follow.
  • Investor · Chattanooga, TN · Member since 2017 · 63 posts · 27 votes
    8y

    Love this thread as well.  I have a MS as a Physician Assistant.  Love what I do. Its helped for sure in getting financing for deals. We started our buy and hold business and are adding a separate branch this year into WS. 

  • Logan AllecBusiness Member
    Accountant · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 980 votes
    8y

    @Scott Graham Linguistics & Anthropology.  Not relevant in the least.

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  • Real Estate Agent · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 8 votes
    8y

    B.Sci in Neuroscience.  

    Ph.D in Molecular and Medical Pharmacology.

    My formal education has had no specific bearing on my REI interests other than having an analytical/quantitative perspective as a baseline approach. I think having grown up with a parent who has been a real estate agent since the 1990s, a sister who's a CPA (with a MS in Taxation), and being a licensed realtor myself (part-time) are the main drivers of my REI interests.

  • Real Estate Broker · Columbus, OH · Member since 2016 · 86 posts · 45 votes
    8y

    I went to the International Culinary school in Pittsburgh......lol....Then I managed restaurants my whole adult life until RE. 

    It was actually great prep. The restaurant biz is not sales, it's customer service. 

    Selling real estate is a "coaching" business, not a sales business. Basically, seeing your clients needs and exceeding them-AKA....customer service!

  • Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 16 votes
    8y

    BA Mexican-American Studies from Cal State, L.A.  4-8 and 8-12 grade Texas Teacher Certificate in math and science.  AS Engineering and AAS in (Electronics) Automation and Controls Technology from Austin Community College.  I'd say the most helpful has been the electronics knowledge since I have been able to easily fix anything from a light switch to troubleshooting the ac/furnace (though you could definitely learn these things by doing).

    Mostly my BA allowed me to teach math and science for a few years and get approved for a loan to buy our first duplex (house-hacked before I knew what it was).  My electronics degrees allowed me to keep a (higher-paying than a teacher) W2 job to allow for 2 more purchases.

  • Real Estate Broker · Austin, TX · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    Economics and Government undergrad Lamar university. Masters in Library and Information Science from UT. A ton of real estate classes and appraisal classes. I am pretty good at researching from all that schooling. But the best learning was being on the job talking to contractors and picking up the hammer and sweating. I have learned a ton from contractors and many have become my friends. Now, I know how to use many tools on the jobsite from jack hammer to a saw zaw. My favorite is the bulldozer though..haha. I like to tear up things. Its really helpful knowing how things are done on the jobsite so that one can detect small issues before they become monster problems. 

  • Specialist · Bozeman, MT · Member since 2016 · 237 posts · 153 votes
    8y

    BSci in Microbiology/Immunology, Montana State University. I was in real estate before I ever went to college, but was just hedging my bets a little after the 2008 crash. I learned a lot of 'advanced' math I now use on a daily basis during my degree. I learned how to research like nobody else's business, and most importantly I learned discipline. All of this has served me very well in real estate investing.

  • Member since 2019 · 1 post · 0 votes
    7y

    Getting a college degree is a great career move. But also in college, it’s worth doing other things. For example, many students at this time are already working, despite a large amount of paperwork in college. They often use the free essay example on the Edusson website to save time. It seems to me that this is a great way to speed up education. The modern educational system no longer meets the necessary standards of the labour market.

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