quitting college help?

Question

Need some advice! I am currently in college and have 3 years left. I am getting a business degree but I have no desire to even work in that field and lack motivation to even continue on with something I don't even enjoy.  When I graduate I want to become an RE agent and also invest in properties so I see my degree as being a waste of time, when I could be working for three years and saving up money for investment properties. Would it be a bad idea to quit college to work on getting my RE license and work full-time and maybe make 20k a year in the mean time. I figure I can save up 50k in three years and move onto  being a real-estate agent when I'm 22 because I'm 19 right now and believe that I'm too young to be taken seriously if I was a realtor.

Account Closed · Answer

Hi Dylan B.,

I think that I can definitely be of service to you on this topic as I am practically finished with my MBA and do just need to take an exam to exit out. I can certainly say that it has been a long hard road and at times I felt like quitting but didn’t so that I could have something to fall back on and I wanted to learn more about business.

I think it’s interesting that you state that you want to be a real estate agent and would like to become a real estate investor and don’t like learning about business. Being a real estate agent encompasses running your own business and real estate investing involves economics which you should be learning in your business program. If you are in a good business program that is accredited, the material you would be learning would be applicable to your future goals of running a business and being a real estate investor.

It also sounds as if you are currently in your major courses right now and really should be in your general education classes which may be why you might be struggling a bit. Being that you said you are 19 and still have 3 years left, I am simply drawing that conclusion. Although it may be exciting to go straight into your core work, there is a reason why they set up the classes the way they do and suggest the students follow a specific timeline. Believe me, I have made that mistake twice before once in my undergrad and again in my grad work.

I will say that I do favor getting an education in terms of the  increased income over time, the effect on your communication skills, and the ability to get a higher paying job if you need to. There is definitely value in education and there is a reason that even the Sharks on Shark Tank that don’t have degrees, place value in what an education can provide. If you can go to school without going into debt and can pay your way through without taking out a loan, getting your education would be an excellent thing to do. There is no harm done in expanding your mind. Also, to be able to have a backup and be able to get a decent job if something arises only makes good sense. I can personally say that I once found myself in a situation where things in my business did not go as planned, (not the business itself, but the partnership) I was needing to get a job and was unable to get one making a decent income because I had no education.

I would also suggest taking a  DISC test or a Myers-Briggs test, viewing your results, and then search for jobs based on what your score tells you. This could give you a bit of a better idea about what fields you may be interested in exploring.

I hope this helps and if there is anything else I can do to help, just let me know.

Account Closed · Answer

Thanks for the advice.my college is of no cost to me, so financially I'm good. If I switched my degree to something I really enjoy, i would study poly sci, but i see it as a waste because no jobs come from a poly sci degree unless I want to work for the govt which i don't. I am struggling with my business classes right now and they are very challenging for me, so thats why I consider changing my major to a degree that really has no job opportunities(poly sci) or drop out because business is to hard for me and I have no interest in it anyways. I see college as a way to improve my chances of receiving a higher w2 income  in order to qualify for a loan to fund my investing in the future.

Alex Brookbank · Answer

Dylan B. be honest with yourself. If you quit college, are you going to be a real hustler and go full-throttle? If not, stay in school, control your debt level and get a practical degree. If you quit, I'd become a real estate agent now.

The best blend may be what others have suggested, do both at the same time. Go to school part-time and work full time.

Dawn Brenengen · Answer

Dylan B. Can you do both?  You can get your license while you are in school and then work part time while finishing your degree.  By then, you should have a pretty good idea if RE is right for you.  Are you having to take out loans to finish school?  If so, my answer might be a little different.  If you are not really college material, and you are going into debt to do something you don't want to do, I would probably switch gears.

Christos Philippou · Answer

To be frank, dropping out of school to try to dive into something you've never been fully into before sounds like a terrible idea.

What happens when you drop out to get into real estate, and you get absolutely burned on your first deal or two, you're miserable, and you never want to do it again? Just playing devil's advocate here, but truly what happens if you're miserable?

You won't have a degree, and you'll have to consider going back and possibly not having that free tuition.

Ron J. · Answer

I would just take a semester worth of easy electives and put all my focus on getting the re licence and gradually start from there.  I wouldn't quit college thou, you never know when what you learn might come in handy.

Bhekizwe M. · Answer

no to quitting.merely adjust and change approach by selecting relevant subjects to study

Karen O. · Answer

Investing in RE will ultimately involve running a business.  And while you may farm out some of the work, youll want to know what ppl are doing for you is correct.

Before quitting, consider speaking with a guidance counselor. Explain your interests, and see if a curriculum that would advance your RE knowledge can be created. You might find classes in business law, accounting, investing, architecture, sociology, psychology, construction or construction mgmt worth including. You might find that you need to be at a different school.