Do you have any friends of college-age/older who didn't attend college?

[theprodigalrebel]

I know a few people who have well-established businesses who didn't go to college. They started working their ass off after graduating HS and trust me, you can strike a conversation with them and not for a second will you think that you are talking to someone who is very educated.

My friend's Dad never went to college - he worked as a Showroom Manager for Toyota, became a Realtor and now stays home, enjoying the money his investments make him. He has this amazing knack of buying/selling property in the right places at the right times, and makes a killing every year. He invests in upcoming restaurants, hotels and things like that - and is successful. Strike a conversation with him and you'd think he is a Vice-President in a Fortune 100 company.

I find it strange that after 4 years of college, you choose to judge people (and friends) based on their academic history. Generalizations & Stereotyping FTL.

 

[Flyback]

I have a cumulative 4.0 GPA (major and overall) in CS, nearing graduation and considering a masters in business and also toying with the thought of going for a math & physics specialist degree programme. Since I'm quite into the education I think I can chime in with my opinion:

I don't think any different of people who didn't go on to college. Some of the smartest people I know did not go to college. Often times family obligations, unexpected situations or just general financial difficulties can keep people from getting there.

It doesn't mean they are dumb. In fact, I often take a "so what" attitude to people with a degree. You have a degree? So what. Show me what you can do with that knowledge. Don't give me this "expanded horizons" bull either. If you go through the system without asking questions just to get a degree, well then I have no respect for that. And that just so happens to be what many people do. Most kids I know just "stumbled" into college because it was expected of them. You think half the kids barely through wiping snot off their nose knows what they want to do at age 17? The big secret is this: no one REALLY knows what they want to do. They just somehow get to college because they are ingrained with the fact that "college==good".

I know plenty of people who are cultured and can manage time on their own without having to have school "teach" them that.

Think you're so great because you toyed with some politics in undergrad? Hell I bet you read a little Mills, Locke and Rand? Perhaps you deviated and went for Chomsky, now thinking you're enlightened about current societal woes? Did the little backpack thing around Europe mid-way through your degree? Loved and lost a girl in college? Cried for the poor people suffering in a 3rd world country? Wore some hand-knitted mittens and a scarf with emo glasses and "digressed" about the environment at your local starbucks? Listened to a contemporary writer give a reading of their latest canned piece of guff? Hung around some research students and felt all warm and fuzzy inside? Perhaps you even wrote an editorial for the school paper.

Guess what? All of that means nothing. Those students are a dime a dozen and not unique in the slightest way. There are many ways to "maturing" and it doesn't have much to do with school.

One only has to turn to someone with the greatest math potential the 20th century saw--Ramanujan. Think his "knowledge" suffered because he didn't get an education? Hah !

Yeah, I know plenty of people who didn't go to college. And to clarify, I was on the other side of the fence once -- I was a high school dropout. Most of my maturing came outside of school, before I got to college.

 

[mattocs]

All my close friends from High School went to college. I dropped out of college, but everyone else is still in and about to graduate.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

I know lots of people who didn't go to college, including one who earned about $40 million last year. I think college can help in some situations; and be completely useless in others. I forget the exact words, but Matt Damon said something in "Good Will Hunting" along the lines of being able to aquire a $100,000 education for a few bucks in overdue book fees at the library. College doesn't make you smart. Doing the work makes you smart. And you don't need to be in college to do the work. You just need to be motivated.

 

[j00fek]

im the only one that went to college in my group

 

[theknight571]

I know lots of people that didn't attend college.

Some make a heck of a lot more than I do.

 

[Lola]

I did not finish college, most of my friends did...
however, i feel i am more successful then about 90% of those that did go to school... not only financially, but professionally and personally.
I sometimes think i wish i would have finished, and maybe i will one day, but college is not for everyone. I consider myself smart and knowledgable and successful.

 

[EngenZerO]

yeah, a few of my old buddies never attended college... dunno what they are up too though...

 

[Gooberlx2]

Most of my HS and close friends went to and graduated college. My fiance never graduated (though she'd like to go back), as well as a few other friends.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: Dissipate

Originally posted by: n7

Originally posted by: Dissipate

Originally posted by: adairusmc
A college degree is a worthless piece of paper that motivated people do not need to be sucessful.

If you aren't willing to go to college then you are probably not motivated to begin with.

That's absolute f*cking BS, & you know it.

Just because you like to feel better about yourself because z0mg, i am teh smartz0rs cause i went to uni/college doesn't mean those who choose a trade or a job or whatever that doesn't require 4 extra years of school isn't motivated.

Open your mind a little :roll:

If you are motivated though, a college degree is a no brainer. Four years for something that helps you for the rest of your life, not just for the job market but also other people's perception of you.

College is not for everybody. Attending a university is not sort of measure you can use to determine a person's motivation. In fact, I think the climate in the US over encourages college attendence.

 

[misle]

I know quite a few who did not go to college. A few are doing well and a few are working crappy jobs. It's what you make of it.

That being said, a lot of the guys I work with did not go to college. They are union linemen and they usually pull down $100k+ with overtime. All they have is the equivalent to a few Community College classes.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Flyback
I have a cumulative 4.0 GPA (major and overall) in CS, nearing graduation and considering a masters in business and also toying with the thought of going for a math & physics specialist degree programme. Since I'm quite into the education I think I can chime in with my opinion:

I don't think any different of people who didn't go on to college. Some of the smartest people I know did not go to college. Often times family obligations, unexpected situations or just general financial difficulties can keep people from getting there.

It doesn't mean they are dumb. In fact, I often take a "so what" attitude to people with a degree. You have a degree? So what. Show me what you can do with that knowledge. Don't give me this "expanded horizons" bull either. If you go through the system without asking questions just to get a degree, well then I have no respect for that. And that just so happens to be what many people do. Most kids I know just "stumbled" into college because it was expected of them. You think half the kids barely through wiping snot off their nose knows what they want to do at age 17? The big secret is this: no one REALLY knows what they want to do. They just somehow get to college because they are ingrained with the fact that "college==good".

I know plenty of people who are cultured and can manage time on their own without having to have school "teach" them that.

Think you're so great because you toyed with some politics in undergrad? Hell I bet you read a little Mills, Locke and Rand? Perhaps you deviated and went for Chomsky, now thinking you're enlightened about current societal woes? Did the little backpack thing around Europe mid-way through your degree? Loved and lost a girl in college? Cried for the poor people suffering in a 3rd world country? Wore some hand-knitted mittens and a scarf with emo glasses and "digressed" about the environment at your local starbucks? Listened to a contemporary writer give a reading of their latest canned piece of guff? Hung around some research students and felt all warm and fuzzy inside? Perhaps you even wrote an editorial for the school paper.

Guess what? All of that means nothing. Those students are a dime a dozen and not unique in the slightest way. There are many ways to "maturing" and it doesn't have much to do with school.

One only has to turn to someone with the greatest math potential the 20th century saw--Ramanujan. Think his "knowledge" suffered because he didn't get an education? Hah !

Yeah, I know plenty of people who didn't go to college. And to clarify, I was on the other side of the fence once -- I was a high school dropout. Most of my maturing came outside of school, before I got to college.

LOL QFT

 

[letdown427]

Originally posted by: Flyback...

Gooooood post

 

[CollectiveUnconscious]

My wife didn't get past freshman year. She's still more knowledgeable than 50% of the professors she meets when we go to conferences.

 

[Greenman]

None of my friends went to collage, not one. Many are self employed and doing very well (by very well I mean over a million in assets). A few are in prision and a few are dead.

btw, Elitists are every bit as stupid as those they look down on.

 

[pontifex]

i'm 26. i didn't go to college. (well, i did for a semester and pretty much blew it). sometimes i regret that i didn't go or didn't stick with it but when i look back at HS or that semester at the community college, i don't think i could do it.

I hated school. I hated learning stuff that I had no interest in. If I have no interest in something, I can't focus on it. I don't know if I have some kind of learning disability or what. The other thing is that if I don't grasp something easily, I get really frustrated with it and give up.

 

[Spacehead]

Originally posted by: erub
I can't really see myself associating with someone who didn't go to college, and definitely wouldn't a girl without a college degree for dating -- just different priorities in life I guess.

I'm not sure if that's funny or just sad.



Umm, didn't vote 'cause i can't put a number on it. I know alot that didn't go to collage, I didn't either.
I also know alot that did go to collage & they ended up doing something completely different in life.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: erub
I can't really see myself associating with someone who didn't go to college, and definitely wouldn't a girl without a college degree for dating -- just different priorities in life I guess.

That's definately your loss.

 

[Manuwell]

I don't have friends

 

[jhayx7]

Originally posted by: Flyback
I have a cumulative 4.0 GPA (major and overall) in CS, nearing graduation and considering a masters in business and also toying with the thought of going for a math & physics specialist degree programme. Since I'm quite into the education I think I can chime in with my opinion:

I don't think any different of people who didn't go on to college. Some of the smartest people I know did not go to college. Often times family obligations, unexpected situations or just general financial difficulties can keep people from getting there.

It doesn't mean they are dumb. In fact, I often take a "so what" attitude to people with a degree. You have a degree? So what. Show me what you can do with that knowledge. Don't give me this "expanded horizons" bull either. If you go through the system without asking questions just to get a degree, well then I have no respect for that. And that just so happens to be what many people do. Most kids I know just "stumbled" into college because it was expected of them. You think half the kids barely through wiping snot off their nose knows what they want to do at age 17? The big secret is this: no one REALLY knows what they want to do. They just somehow get to college because they are ingrained with the fact that "college==good".

I know plenty of people who are cultured and can manage time on their own without having to have school "teach" them that.

Think you're so great because you toyed with some politics in undergrad? Hell I bet you read a little Mills, Locke and Rand? Perhaps you deviated and went for Chomsky, now thinking you're enlightened about current societal woes? Did the little backpack thing around Europe mid-way through your degree? Loved and lost a girl in college? Cried for the poor people suffering in a 3rd world country? Wore some hand-knitted mittens and a scarf with emo glasses and "digressed" about the environment at your local starbucks? Listened to a contemporary writer give a reading of their latest canned piece of guff? Hung around some research students and felt all warm and fuzzy inside? Perhaps you even wrote an editorial for the school paper.

Guess what? All of that means nothing. Those students are a dime a dozen and not unique in the slightest way. There are many ways to "maturing" and it doesn't have much to do with school.

One only has to turn to someone with the greatest math potential the 20th century saw--Ramanujan. Think his "knowledge" suffered because he didn't get an education? Hah !

Yeah, I know plenty of people who didn't go to college. And to clarify, I was on the other side of the fence once -- I was a high school dropout. Most of my maturing came outside of school, before I got to college.

BAHAHAHAHAHA Awesome post!

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: erub
I remember reading about the 'controversy' a few weeks ago when facebook open itself up to anyone with an email address. I realized that I don't have any friends who aren't college graduates/current students. There is only one guy who I know who didn't graduate college, and he's definitely not the facebook type. I can't really see myself associating with someone who didn't go to college, and definitely wouldn't a girl without a college degree for dating -- just different priorities in life I guess.

That is sad my friend. There are plenty of people who are intelligent or really nice people who never went to college or didn't have the opportunity. If you think so narrowly and judge people just by the opportunities that they have been given, I feel terribly sorry for you.

You think Mother Theresa went to college? Yet she spoke at the Harvard Graduation before she died. I also know plenty of people who went to college and didn't do anything of significance or learn anything in college.

Sure I think ambition and intelligence (actually I have found that most of the people I have been attracted to have both of these qualities) is very important in anyone who will be my significant other, but I am not going to limit myself to a specific education level or race -- that would just be totally ignorant to a lot of chances I could have with great people.

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: Spacehead

Originally posted by: erub
I can't really see myself associating with someone who didn't go to college, and definitely wouldn't a girl without a college degree for dating -- just different priorities in life I guess.

I'm not sure if that's funny or just sad.

You can call it whatever you want..I'm not even sure where I would meet such people! Am I supposed to become friends with somebody from a bar or some other randomn place? Because usually people make friends through their friends, or some sort of activity..well since I've moved to Atlanta, I've been going to different mixer-type events in the Jewish community and all I meet are college graduates/current students!

I think that the older crowd may have a different perspective on this issue, when it was easier to survive without a college degree. I mean, as an ice breaker question, people ask what I do, I say I'm in grad school, they ask where, then I ask where they were went to college at (doesn't seem too prying of a question).

 

[BoomerD]

I'm in my 50's and didn't get a degree...hell, I dropped out of high school to enlist in the USMC and go to Vietnam...Yes, I picked up my ged, (and scored in the upper 90 percentile across the board on it...much to my surprise) and I've picked up a few classes at the local community colleges over the years, some for my own personal knowledge, others to help in my career...Instead of college, I spent my 4+ years in a union apprenticeship as a heavy equipment operator. While the money wasn't fabulous when I was young and learning, it got us by, and as I learned more and more, the money got better. I've consistently made between 80K and 100K as a crane operator (for the past 15 years) with a couple of years around $125K. Not too bad for a high-school drop-out huh?
Looks like I may be starting college again...this time for some "re-training"...in an as-yet unknown field. But, voc-rehab is part of the process when you get hurt on the job. heh-heh...sux to have to go to school, so I can earn about 1/3 of what I'm used to...

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: Spacehead

Originally posted by: erub
I can't really see myself associating with someone who didn't go to college, and definitely wouldn't a girl without a college degree for dating -- just different priorities in life I guess.

I'm not sure if that's funny or just sad.

You can call it whatever you want..I'm not even sure where I would meet such people! Am I supposed to become friends with somebody from a bar or some other randomn place? Because usually people make friends through their friends, or some sort of activity..well since I've moved to Atlanta, I've been going to different mixer-type events in the Jewish community and all I meet are college graduates/current students!

I think that the older crowd may have a different perspective on this issue, when it was easier to survive without a college degree. I mean, as an ice breaker question, people ask what I do, I say I'm in grad school, they ask where, then I ask where they were went to college at (doesn't seem too prying of a question).

so what, people who didn't go to college don't do anything? don't have jobs? i don't understand wtf you're talking about. it just seems like the typical atot e-penis competition to me.

 

[BeauJangles]

Reading this thread has been really enlightening. Not only are there the educational snobs - "hey, you didn't go to college so you must be an idiot" but there are a whole group of anti-college snobs who somehow believe that people who go to college are worse or inferior to them.

I hate to break to you all, but college means what you want it to mean.
If you want to make it a place where you obtain a top-notch education, then you will.
If you want to make it into a full-time daycare center, you will.
If you don't go, but are bright and intelligent, the sky is the limit.

There are plenty of extremely bright people who never went to college, and there are plenty of extremely bright people who did. College certainly opens doors to intellectual persuits and challenges the beliefs you've formed (at least a good school should), but don't think that just by going you've become a better person... you have to work for it.

I go to college. I'm obtaining a great degree from a great university. Does that mean I'm ever going to make as much money as BoomerD? Probably not. But I would also hate working as a crane operator for my career, just like he probably wouldn't want to be a researcher. Different strokes for different folks.