What is your COLLEGE DEGREE IN!?

General Real Estate Investing
9yFollow

What is your COLLEGE DEGREE IN!?

Scott Graham
Westford, MA 路 Member since 2016 路 113 posts 路 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!
22Reply
1,302 views

Most Popular Reply

Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host 路 Longmont, CO 路 Member since 2014 路 7k+ posts 路 10k+ votes
9y

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

[email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #261
BiggerPockets
60Reply
See this reply in the discussion

262 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Amber Gonion
    Real Estate Broker 路 Hugo, MN 路 Member since 2016 路 688 posts 路 596 votes
    9y
    As a commercial agent I use my business administration degree. Many of the concepts in real estate investing are also in business administration.
    1Reply
  • Dustin Spencer
    Investor 路 Auburn, AL 路 Member since 2017 路 1 post 路 1 vote
    9y

    I have a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in Computer Engineering from Auburn. I'll be pursuing an MBA soon.

    1Reply
  • Lee W.
    Investor 路 Mc Calla, AL 路 Member since 2015 路 3 posts 路 3 votes
    9y

    BS in Mech Eng from Rose-Hulman  MBA studies at Tulane  did not finish

    enjoyed both educational experiences, but did not give me the hutzpah to finally go into rental business   wish I had done it decades ago

    1Reply
  • Kathryn Daniel
    Property Manager 路 Gurnee, IL 路 Member since 2012 路 94 posts 路 43 votes
    9y

    I have a BA in International Studies with minors in French Language & Literature and Spanish Language. I don't use my degree at all, except for Spanish from time to time. I graduated in 2008 and jobs were scarce. At the time I was a single mom and had to find something to support myself and my daughter, so I started in the temporary housing industry working with insurance companies and then made my way to property management. I almost wish I hadn't gone to college at all.

    1Reply
  • Jeff CopelandBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker 路 Tampa Bay/St Petersburg, FL 路 Member since 2015 路 1k+ posts 路 2k+ votes
    9y

    I have a Bachelors in Management & International Business and a Master's in Public Administration. 

    Interesting thread - Lots of well educated people in the BP forums selflessly sharing their expertise with others!

    Copeland Morgan LLC4.770 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Jamie Parker
    Real Estate Investor 路 Memphis, TN 路 Member since 2016 路 404 posts 路 131 votes
    9y
    Business management for Grand Canyon University. I thought this degree was bogus and a quick way to finish a degree to get a piece of paper. But I'm grateful to be 3 classes away from finishing because I've learned so many different things about business theory and how to approach different situations in my business. Though my business is still in its infancy (a year and half) I feel more confident in my pursuit in business.
    1Reply
  • Account Closed
    Rental Property Investor 路 North Conway, NH 路 Member since 2016 路 69 posts 路 16 votes
    9y

    I don't have a college degree which feels unusual for someone my age. I believe in constantly furthering my education particularly with non-fiction books. Spending huge money on a degree wasn't something I was willing to do as I have an entrepreneurial drive and felt my money could be better used elsewhere. Also, I felt as though going to college would set me up for a lifetime of hard work where as the avenue I'm pursuing will set me up for a healthy passive income at nearly half the age most people retire.

    1Reply
  • Mario Brown
    Investor 路 Greenville, SC 路 Member since 2016 路 163 posts 路 108 votes
    9y

    Double Major ( English & Political Science ) 

    1Reply
  • Shelly Doris Milburn
    Property Manager 路 De Soto, KS 路 Member since 2017 路 58 posts 路 30 votes
    9y
    I got an MBA with a focus in Real Estate and Entrepreneurship after the most recent real estate crash. Wanted to better understand all the components that feed the economic beast. Met a lot of great people in different facets of real estate and learned a lot about the finance side of the business. Changed my view as a practitioner and stoked the fire to invest personally.
    1Reply
  • Isiah Ferguson
    Investor 路 Charlotte, NC 路 Member since 2017 路 321 posts 路 157 votes
    9y

    BA in Criminal Justice :((((((

    1Reply
  • George Hughes
    Prospect, CT 路 Member since 2017 路 5 posts 路 2 votes
    9y
    B.S Construction management Maters in education and technology School Leadership certification Currently taking real estate courses to sell on houses on the side. Ct is in a tough spot with the amount debt the State had incurred. I felt education was a solid career but with cut backs and budget cuts and demands placed on teachers and administration having options to increase income is important in order to gain financial security.
    2Reply
  • Tobey Porter
    Investor 路 Huntingtown, MD 路 Member since 2016 路 97 posts 路 41 votes
    9y

    B.S. Criminal Justice - University of Toledo

    M.S. Criminology - Indiana State

    2Reply
  • Andrew Chambers
    Decatur, GA 路 Member since 2017 路 3 posts 路 1 vote
    9y
    Hi Scott, I'm actually new to real estate investing as well. I wouldn't considered myself an amateur though because I haven't actually purchased any properties yet. I'm 18 and I graduated about 3 weeks ago from high school. Though I'm a high school graduate, I also received my associates degree in Business Administration. As far as how this has helped me in my self-education about real estate so far, I would say it is beneficial. There are some terms and concepts that I feel my college education has helped me understand. I'll be attending college again in the fall where I plan on studying finance and real estate.
    1Reply
  • Zander Eng
    Architect/Investor 路 San Francisco, CA 路 Member since 2016 路 8 posts 路 4 votes
    9y

    Bachelor of Architecture with a Minor in Business. Realized early on I was interested in a more comprehensive approach to projects than only depending on fee income. Learned to consider multiple points of view working on the design/build/develop side, and have spent most of my career as an owner's rep. Looking to continue to develop an owner's mindset, I've been investing in ground up development projects to generate some passive income in recent years.

    Great to see people with a wide range of backgrounds bringing unique perspectives to the real estate world!

    1Reply
  • Karoline KaonPro Member
    Investor 路 Queens, NY 路 Member since 2016 路 63 posts 路 22 votes
    9y

    Hi Scott,

    I have a BA in linguistics and I am going back to grad school for a MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). I am planning to house hack while I am in grad school. I actually wanted to be an architect as a kid. But when I went to college, I studied Chinese and Korean and realized I wanted to study abroad. As a linguistics major, I could study languages and meet my requirements. So no formal real estate education in college but BP and reading about real estate has helped me a lot.

    1Reply
  • Rumbi Chakabva
    Realtor 路 Fort Wayne, IN 路 Member since 2016 路 14 posts 路 8 votes
    9y

    Medical Laboratory sciences degree from the university of Zimbabwe ....how I got into this ...who knows 馃榾

    1Reply
  • Manuel Angeles
    Lender 路 Los Angeles, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 278 posts 路 78 votes
    9y

    @Scott Graham

    This is a great post.

    I currently hold a B.A. in Anthropology from University of California, Santa Barbara.

    And I have a 9th Degree Black Belt in Serving my Clients with the Utmost Level of Integrity, while Underpromising and Overdelivering.

    I'm working on getting my Masters Degree in Law... The Universal Laws of Prosperity, Success, and Achievement.

    2Reply
  • Jerry W.Pro Member
    Moderator
    Investor 路 Thermopolis, WY 路 Member since 2012 路 4k+ posts 路 4k+ votes
    9y

    My undergraduate is in History, and I have a JD in law.  I actually think college, especially at a university helped open my mind up to possibilities.  There are hundreds of things I learned that I considered useless, but in hindsight have benefited me greatly.  The ability to read clearly and write effectively is a huge asset.  The classes I took in accounting and math have obviously been helpful.  Geology helped me look at and understand the formations and soils around houses to look for problems and how to address them.  Business classes and especially economics have been extremely valuable.  One of the things that my area faces is boom and bust cycles.  Gaining an understanding of what drives these cycles and how they may affect the local business climate is critical to sustained success.  Even the history classes where you look at the changes from the industrial revolution and other great changes like the depression, help you understand how great outside forces can impact the daily lives of everyone despite their occupation.  I think college provided a huge base to understand about our country and how it works and how its working affects our ability to live and prosper.  The law degree gave me an opportunity to learn the legal side of real estate and of course the W2 to help the investing along.

    1Reply
  • Daria B.
    Rental Property Investor 路 Gainesville, FL 路 Member since 2015 路 1k+ posts 路 432 votes
    9y

    I have a BS in Computer Science from Florida A&M University. I've spent the last 34 years utilizing what started my foundation - and I was good at it. As I am no longer pursuing anything in that field, real estate has now become my replacement passion.

    Now did it help with my real estate investing - in a round about way I would say yes. It wasn't necessarily a direct correlation given the fact that neither have anything to do with one another. I wasn't always stuck in the computer and although I did learn a lot of the technical, I also had opportunities that I believe help me as an investor.

    1Reply
  • Phil Morgan
    Investor 路 Amherst, OH 路 Member since 2017 路 79 posts 路 43 votes
    9y

    I got my law degree from Harvard. Just kidding, I never want to college :)  College is great for some people but not everyone.  Some people learn better from trial by fire.

    2Reply
  • Danelson Rosa
    Bronx, NY 路 Member since 2017 路 32 posts 路 14 votes
    9y

    Hey folks, my degree is in Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon out in Pittsburgh, PA. Information Systems is basically a mix of computer science in business, so for me it's the best of both worlds of being into tech and having the skills to be a developer while also knowing and developing my business skills. 

    1Reply
  • Jesse Higgis
    Investor 路 Machesney Park, IL 路 Member since 2017 路 9 posts 路 3 votes
    9y

    I hold a bachelor degree in Business Management in 2010.  It help me fine toon my operational and booking keeping skill sets.  Other than that I had to learn from real life experience and mentors along the way.

    Thanks,

    Jesse

    1Reply
  • Maria Mondino
    Investor 路 Louisville, KY 路 Member since 2015 路 4 posts 路 2 votes
    9y
    BS in Accounting, MBA, CPA, and getting my RE license. Knowing numbers, taxes and some laws helped a lot when investing. Formal education gave me confidence.
    1Reply
  • Ted L.
    Investor 路 Schenectady, NY 路 Member since 2015 路 107 posts 路 111 votes
    9y
    Masters degree in architecture. It was a fantastic education: both challenging and fun!
    1Reply
  • Ian WalshBusiness Member
    Lender 路 Philadelphia, PA 路 Member since 2016 路 2k+ posts 路 1k+ votes
    9y

    It was supposed to be economics.  Never completed.

    1Reply
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.
Log InJoin for Free