Should I finish college? (long) - Page 5

okayplayer · #41 12-08-2005, 06:12 PM

I haven't read through all the responses, but here's my 2 cents:

Finish school. I mean, you're so damned close, and you will always have your degree. It is hard once people drop out to go back and finish. If you ever want to do something outside of poker, your degree will help substantially. Plus, your parents are paying for your sht? You lucky SOB.

pokerdirty · #42 12-08-2005, 06:48 PM

have you discussed not going back with the parental units? what have they said?

whitelime · #43 12-08-2005, 06:59 PM

They would obviously like me to finish, but they would support either decision.

freekobe · #44 12-08-2005, 07:14 PM

It is comical that someone who probably thinks he's really smart is asking this incredibly dumb question. Anyone who says you should quit school with two semesters left is either retarded or lying.

Sure, you'll be able to find a few people who dropped out of school who "made it" later in life. But 99% of the people who are successful, whatever "successful" means to you, went to college and graduated. Plain and simple. Suck it up. College just isn't that hard or demanding.

whitelime · #45 12-08-2005, 07:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
As far as intangibles. There may come a time when you are running with a bunch of college educated people, either through work, because you start your own business or some other context entirely. Believe you me, its not fun in those situations to be the guy who couldn't hack college.

Ever plan on having kids? What are you gonna say when your offspring comes to you with some really ridiculous plan (not something cool like playing poker for a living) that involves them dropping out of college and throwing away their future (not to mention the money you've paid for their first few years) and you object, what's you're come back when they say, "Ah, c'mon dad...you dropped out of college to play poker!!!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the reply. This part expecially.

mittman84 · #46 12-08-2005, 08:35 PM

I know how you feel, before I thought this would be a great career, but now the thought of working 9-5 makes me sick. I am a junior, an actuarial science, and economics major (finance minor). This is my junior year, and only 9 credit hours short of being done with the required courses for the actuarial science major. Recently I decided to go to grad school to get a Ph.D. in economics and become a college professor. I am still going to finish my degree in actuarial science even though I have no plans of entering the field. I am also going to take the first two exams. I am so close and have been working on it this long that it would be idiotic not to finish. That is the same boat you are in. Have you ever seen rounders? Remember the part where Mike goes bust and is driving the druck delivering stuff, and says that job is for rounders who forget the cardinal f'ing rule, leave yourself outs. Meaning some other way to make a living if it doesnt work out. You have been going to school for 15 years or so, and you want to quit 1.5 years before you get a degree is actuarial science? I know the classes suck and are all graduate level, but seriously man, you would be retarded to quit now. Even if you never use it and have a sucessful poker career it would be worth it to have "outs" or something to fall back on if things dont go according to plan. Your parents are paying for school too, you are such an ungreatful P.O.S. and I am only giving you advise because you shouldnt have to pay for mistakes you made as an ignorant college kid later in life.

I am fish · #47 12-08-2005, 09:20 PM

Hi Whitelime,

There comes a time in life, when you have to let go of the influence your parents have over you and make your own decisions. It's hard to do, because a lot of times it's a conflict between what you want to do and what your loved ones want. But in the end, you should make the decision for yourself.

I have no opinion as to whether you should continue school or not. That depends on the person. I have always been self employed and went back and completed my masters but do not plan to work for anyone else. For me, I happen to enjoy school and it was nice to mix things up a bit.

I have a friend coming into town tonight that actually dropped out of college in his LAST semester. That was two years ago. He went to pursue a career in film and has been quite successful thus far, however he plans on finishing up the classes he needs to graduate this Spring. For him, he just really needed a breather and needed to step back and assess his life.

So I mean, it depends on you. What you want to do. You have to weigh your options and make the best decision. You could finish now, you could finish later, maybe you won't even care to finish. But in the end, do what is best for you after considering everything.

I wish you the best.

MelchyBeau · #48 12-08-2005, 09:36 PM

I'm not sure why noone mentioned this yet but...

You said you wanted to start your own biz. I imagine it would be easier for you to get a small biz loan if you had a degree. It would look like you actually can finish something. It would also look good for other people who would like to become partners with you.

Also you don't have to work a 9 to 5 job. You could become a consultant. This would give you the social interaction you recognized that you would be missing by being a pro poker player, while also not having to work a 9 to 5 job, and having complete flexibility.

What exactly are the cons to staying in school for one more year? You haven't listed any?

What are the pros of dropping out? you haven't listed any of those either

Ok so the only cons I see are: having to cram for a few tests and turn in some homework.

pros for dropping out: a few extra bucks this year. Thats it. You aren't hurting for money obviously.

Melch

mittman84 · #49 12-08-2005, 11:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
clearly you want an excuse/justification to quit. just do it mang. [censored], if poker dries up there's always sucking dick for coke.

[/ QUOTE ] lmfao literaly. I think it is funny a spoiled rich kid is going to fvck up his life because he cannot wait one more year to have more free time to travel to poker tournys

bicyclekick · #50 12-08-2005, 11:30 PM

I had almost exactly the same situation as you and I finished up and I'm super glad I did. It's the right play by far.

When you tell people what you're doing they give you a lot more credit/respect if you mention you finished your degree. Maybe you don't care about that kind of thing, but I do.