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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  • Matt BurrPro Member
    Real Estate Investor · Chelsea, MI · Member since 2017 · 56 posts · 13 votes
    9y
    I picked up my BS in Mechanical Engineering. Then was quickly trained on the job by the oil and gas industry to be a project manager. They are both complimentary and very helpful. The engineering side helps with the analytics and repairs. The project manager is all about sequence of events, budgets and timelines.
  • Danville, PA · Member since 2015 · 48 posts · 10 votes
    9y

    BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. My education gave a great foundation to question and explore instead of just accept. However, I want to believe my real education started when I picked my first copy of Rich Dad Poor Dad. It was then that I realized a large portion of my education about finances was severely lacking. That has lead a myriad of other paths that I believe are making me a much more rounded individual.

  • Investor · Madison, WI · Member since 2012 · 242 posts · 61 votes
    9y
    Originally IT, now going back to school part time for accounting and finance.
  • Foreclosure Specialist · Las Vegas NV Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 11 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    I have an MBA and a Masters in International Business.  I have used my education often.  It gives me a solid base of knowledge and credibility in my career as a consultant. 

  • Orlando, FL · Member since 2017 · 5 posts · 7 votes
    9y
    I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an engineering school, The University of Alabama in Huntsville. As I haven't gotten very far in REI, I can't say that my degree has or will help.
  • Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2017 · 54 posts · 30 votes
    9y
    BS Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Academy but never used the degree professionally since I went straight to flight school. Go Navy! Michael Dolan and Joseph Doyle . MS in Global Leadership from U of San Diego. This I have used professionally, especially the negotiations course.
  • Flipper/Rehabber · Birmingham, AL · Member since 2016 · 74 posts · 58 votes
    9y
    I received my bachelors in Biology with a Minor in Public Health from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. My degree helped me secure a career in medical device sales which has taught me business acumen and negotiation skills. Two skill vital to success in REI! Fun topic!
  • Bettendorf, IA · Member since 2017 · 9 posts · 2 votes
    9y

    @Ryan Phillips Haha -  I didn't realize they let former Midshipmen join the site.

  • Downey, CA · Member since 2017 · 5 posts · 1 vote
    9y

    Hey Scott! I haven't graduated yet, but i'm working towards a BS in Accounting and minor in IS. I'm also trying to add a little excitment to my career by stepping into real estate.

    Best wishes,

    Ramiro Aguirre

  • Real Estate Agent · Miami Beach, FL · Member since 2016 · 73 posts · 49 votes
    9y
    Business Administration
  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    9y

    I don't have a college degree although I went for about 2 years. Straight A student in high school. College did very well but my friends and I would play pool in between classes and look around saying (What are we doing here?). A couple of my friends already had some businesses. One was a vending machine company. My college was mostly paid for if I wanted to go all the way through from my dad dying suddenly in a car wreck when I was 16 as long as I used it by a certain age.

    I have a PH.D from the school of hard knocks called life. Most college degrees are worthless these days. Parents push the kids to schools to (do something) with their lives. The parents often try to live their life through their kids for things they wanted to do etc. The parents often hinder the kids by them having massive debt with a degree they can't even get rid of through bankruptcy. Student loan debt is in the trillions and a massive problem not many talk about.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2017/02/...

    There are some instances where college degrees make sense doctors,lawyers, scientists,etc. Pushing college on kids to (keep them busy) isn't the answer. I will be the first one to say that I am a lifelong learner. I read sometimes hundreds of pages a day. Some days can be over a thousand. I just have fun with the process and realize my whole life will be a continual learning experience. 

    One day when I have time I might go back and get a degree in real estate just as a goal but likely in retirement years. 

  • David BarnettPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Cambridge, MA · Member since 2016 · 634 posts · 415 votes
    9y

    B.S. in Accounting and Finance.

  • Lowell, MA · Member since 2014 · 260 posts · 99 votes
    9y
    Theatre Arts from the acting hotbed U of Maine. Trust me, I use my degree every day.
  • Investor · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y

    B.S. in Natural Sciences and Mathmatics, UAB

  • Rental Property Investor · Nashville, TN · Member since 2015 · 102 posts · 129 votes
    9y

    BS Electrical Engineering 

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Lincoln, NE · Member since 2016 · 144 posts · 71 votes
    9y
    B.S. in Construction Management.
  • Rental Property Investor · Minnetonka, MN · Member since 2017 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    9y
    Electrical Engineering, University of Denver
  • Investor · Brunswick, OH · Member since 2016 · 18 posts · 4 votes
    9y

    @Scott Graham

    Undergrad B.A. Degree in information System which I currently finish business courses that can enhance my ability in investing. some of the course I've learn were: 

    business communication- can communicate with clients to make them feel more welcome and increase the chance of getting deals done as well with self promotion/marketing.

    Accounting- understand assets, liabilities, profit, and expense of the business and get the full picture to make necessary changes of operation 

    Most of Real Estate knowledge is learning practical in books or from other people which everybody can learn at any given time. My parents owned real estate when I was just a child which eventually I had a early head start of learning investing skill. Now university degree has help and skill that are transferable. Knowing practical skill and people can build great investor in the future.  

  • Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2016 · 389 posts · 193 votes
    9y

    I have two: Philosophy and Psychology, with a minor in English Lit. 

    Obviously, a tremendous help getting started in real estate.

  • Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2016 · 530 posts · 398 votes
    9y

    2017 Graduate jumping into the Investing world with a bachelor's in Finance and Real Estate. Nice to meet you all!

  • Investor · Abilene, KS · Member since 2017 · 17 posts · 5 votes
    9y

    Bachelors degree in Agriculture (agronomy). Zero skills transferable to real estate, but good old common sense, research,  and biggerpockets is my REAL education!

  • High Point, NC · Member since 2017 · 37 posts · 4 votes
    9y

    Hi @Scott Graham

    Bachelors in Computer Engineering. I am still a RE newbie.

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

    @Scott Graham  Interesting topic.  I'm right there with you in the Architectural start...only a few years previous...OK  quite a few.

    When people ask we what my degrees are in, I tell them "Architecture". When they ask me what I was trained as, it tell them "I was trained as a problem solver"....and that's how my formal Architectural training carried me into a successful REI career.

  • Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 89 votes
    9y

    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. 

  • Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2015 · 42 posts · 13 votes
    9y

    BS in civil and environmental engineering. I work as a design engineer and project manager. The project management skills have been huge for estimating rehab costs, timelines, and managing contractors. The engineering background has helped with a general understanding of plats, new build designs, structural issues, etc. 

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