Or do what I did - go to a college where you can challenge and get work credit out of classes. I only took about 2 years equivalent because I was able to prove I already knew the content of the courses I was taking. The rest I was able to take the final, prove I knew the content, or provide concrete proof I could pretty much educate the professors on what they were talking about because I was doing what they were teaching in real life.
- Jesse Stay
And I graduated Suma Cum Laude, straight A's because of it :-)
- Jesse Stay
Nice. I took a similar approach by only showing up to half of my classes to take the mid-terms and finals. But your way is better - you didn't have to do the rest of the assignments.
- Mike Hartman
Yeah - I think it's stupid if you can already pass the finals to have to fake your way through the rest of the class. I'm a no BS type of guy. Why waste my time? The degree's extremely important, as are the grades, but it's all about strategy on how you get that degree and the grades. :-)
- Jesse Stay
I actually ended up getting more prepared for the business world from my activity at the student newspaper at Cal Berkeley than I did in many of the courses, but I think trying to jump from high school into "real life" is a big jump. Daniel specifically is a smart guy who is getting some great projects started, but I wouldn't want to see him get derailed.
- Louis Gray
Dave, I disagree with the grad degree, but I think the Bachelors is essential. I went through jobs with and without a degree, and I was always much more secure with the degree than without. In addition, I learned things in college that have helped me in starting my own business that would have taken much longer to learn on my own.
- Jesse Stay
Having a degree from a good college can make all the difference to some potential employers. They may not ever ask for your GPA (don't tell Google), but it holds significant weight. I would assume from what I know about Daniel, and his tweets, that he wants to be CEO, wheeling and dealing from day one, and that's hard to do.
- Louis Gray
I appreciate all the comments here. For me, I want to learn what I want to learn. My current school doesn't offer any classes even close to tech - the closest is my school newspaper which I'm the technology and business editor. Because of this, the last three years of high school I feel have been a waste of my time. I was talking to Michael Arrington and he said one of the biggest...
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- Daniel Brusilovsky
College is more than just earning a degree. College is learning about your limits and your loves. College is a place for exploring and expanding your interests. My biggest regret was not going outside of my comfort zone.
- LPH™ and his dog P™
Daniel - I agree with Louis. You SHOULD go to college. Granted you have much more real-world experience than most people beginning their college degree, but you'll be able to make more lifelong friends, take classes that you may find interesting, aside from just simply that within your major, and yes, you will learn something AS LONG as you find it challenging. I think that at least...
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- Kenneth
I think a bit of the concern of whether to go to college or not for teens like Daniel and myself is based on the economy. They see college as an expense but don't see the benefits of having that degree when you do decide to go into the workplace. They end up working at McDonald's working for years until they decide to go back to college (community or otherwise). Daniel - I'll echo what...
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- Zach Flauaus
College was the best four years of my life. I thoroughly advocate it. Get an education and have a ball. Don't live with your parents, though. That was part of the reason I went to college, and I wouldn't listen to any suggestions that I attend one of the schools in my hometown. Living life FTW!
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
x2 what Louis Gray initially said. Seriously, go!
- Adam Singer
I have to agree with Louis. The 4 years I spent in college getting a BS in Biology provided the social, mental, and learning environment for me to explore new horizons. For me, getting my Master's degree was where I really enjoyed the benefits of having a higher education. Undergrad degrees give you more well rounded skills and a lifetime of memories, friends, and experiences, whereas...
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- Brian Daniel Eisenberg
I did the same thing Jesse did. Paying my own way, I couldn't afford to spend too much time in school.
- Captain Bubbles
In the end it's the degree that counts. Education can be obtained with or without the degree, and that's an entirely different topic. Businesses, whether right or wrong, still respect the degree significantly.
- Jesse Stay
You learn new things about yourself in college. When I was applying, I didn't see much I liked either. Now I love philosophy. And learning what you don't want to learn is good, too. Gets you out of your bubble. Did that to me, at least. Not even trying it out, as Jobs, Woz and others have done, just shows you're not interested in new experiences. I can suggest a school that will offer you a broad range of topics and studies. Going to college is another way to explore yourself.
- Kabren Levinson
Heck yes, go to college, any college that teaches what you want to learn.
- Dan Morrill AKA Techwag
LPH said it great. Louis too. I am fortunate to work at one of the largest employers in the country but you cannot get in without at least a bachelors degree. It's against company policy. Try and use the time to figure out what ya love, experiment with classes from many different areas. No shame in starting at a community college either.
- Steve C
I agree with Jesse, go somewhere you can challenge classes and/or get work credit, but go to college! I quit midway, thinking I could always go back and finish. Well guess what, to took me 29 years to finally get my BA. In the interim, I can't tell you how many interviews with top companies I never got because I didn't have that magic piece of paper. If you have an entrepenurial bent,...
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- Ginger Kenney
Zach: I'm not basing my decision off the economy. If I really wanted to go to college, I would pay for it, because I would think it's worth it. And because of that, I don't think it's worth it, therefore I wouldn't pay the ridiculous amount for yet another piece of paper.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
If I am looking at college, It would be San Jose St or Emerson College. Veronica Belmont went to Emerson College with a B.A. in Audio/Radio, focus in New Media studies. This is something that I would enjoy doing.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
And everyone says college is about connections. I have connections, and I don't need to go to college for that. I think real world experience is more important then a piece of paper.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Daniel: You echo the exact same words I said only a couple years back. Sigh, guess this is always a topic that will be brought up again and again... ;)
- Taylor Marek
It's not just the piece of paper, though; it's the community. It's the exposure to new ideas and new people from everywhere. I never got the paper, and could only stay a year, but life went in a direction I never even knew about before I spent a year at college. Just something else to think about.
- LJF Wolffe
Daniel - I'm not saying *you* are basing it off the economy, I'm saying the whole teen population in general is. There are differences between the connections you get through your work and college. You don't just meet everybody willy-nilly in real life. College is a giant think tank. Your next big project could be there. Could you meet up with local people and think of new ideas? Sure. But that is definitely not the best way to go about it.
- Zach Flauaus
LJF is right. College is a time when you get to spend a few years just learning new things and doing R&D for your life. Do it right and it's magical. Note: Google, Yahoo, HP, Cisco, Sun, and many other companies were born at a University. Also, you get access to technology you'd never be able to build on your own. Go to Carnegie Melon and look through their robotics department, for...
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- Robert Scoble
Robert: I think all of this is really cool, but I don't want to spend 4 years of my life doing something that in the back of my head, I will be questioning. Why 4 years? Why not 2? 3?
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Perhaps better than college is creating a self education where you gain the knowledge, skills and abilities to become self sufficient. Self sufficient means the ability to create income from serving others. People pay for results. Become known as a "results" creator. #HumanCapital
- David Damore
Robert(love the new blog design btw): True, there are things in college that you cannot learn elsewhere, such as becoming a doctor. But for someone who is already becoming vastly popular in a realm of their own, does it really entail having to spend 10k+ extra for a piece of paper/connections/experiences that you already experience (for no charge) in real life? Not to mention if you...
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- Taylor Marek
David: I'm a person who loves to learn what I want to learn. I don't want to go somewhere where I have to take math, science, etc. I want to go somewhere where I can learn about video, audio, new media, Web 2.0, etc.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Taylor: I made $150,000 so far by giving a one-hour speech at a user group meeting back in the early 1990s, so I don't worry too much about paying off college loans. If you invest that money in the right places it'll pay off in spades over the length of your career. Daniel's popularity would go a lot further if he learned how to manage people better, learned how to run a business, and...
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- Robert Scoble
I disagree. It's optional, some of the top minds in our industry never completed college
- Jeremiah Owyang
Louis is right in the respect that a college degree is a pass key to employment in many places, but I've met myriad degree holders who don't seem too 'educated' unfortunately. What does Bill Gates have his degree in again? Steve Jobs? I'm just saying you shouldn't be afraid of pursuing your dreams just because they happen to lead you away from academia.
- Jesse Newhart
Jesse: like all things in life college is what you make of it. When I got to SJSU? I setup 100 Macs over the summer, taught myself Quark XPress, redesigned the school newspaper, and started building relationships with industry experts, including Adobe. All those skills still are paying dividends today. None were inside a classroom.
- Robert Scoble
Jeremiah and Jesse - Like I mentioned above, that doesn't mean that you are guaranteed success. Wouldn't you rather have that degree to fall back on in case your idea is an absolute failure?
- Zach Flauaus
Daniel, to be clear, I absolutely get your perspective. It's similar to why I tell people I never went to grad school. But I was nowhere near ready to do what I'm doing now when I left high school. In college, I helped better define my focus. I became a better writer and thinker, learned how to publish on deadline, and got a better understanding for what was important and what was not....
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- Louis Gray
I can't back it up with hard data, but I think only a tiny percentage of people can get to be the top minds anywhere without a degree; most of us seem to need the extra four years of development. I suppose it is up to Daniel to figure out what percentile he falls under. I really don't think college hurts most people, though.
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
Zach - Sometimes an opportunity will not stick around long enough for you to finish your degree. On the flip side my mother received her second degree at the age of 49.
- Jesse Newhart
MiniMage: Daniel is awesome at networking. He doesn't have trouble doing that. He needs more skills in building product and learning the drudge work of running a company. He could be a blogger right now, or even run a media company, but he has so much more potential than that. I see him running Tesla someday. For that he needs other skills that he doesn't yet have.
- Robert Scoble
Jeremiah: I never completed college. It's not about the paper.
- Robert Scoble
Daniel: I heard Fareed Zakaria speak the other day. He learned organic chemistry. To me it's about throwing yourself at something hard and working through it. I survived two years of calculus. Do I use that in my career? No. But the learning skills of being able to thrive at doing something I really didn't like serve me well every day.
- Robert Scoble
If you only go to college to learn what you want to learn, in my opinion, college is pointless. Part of what college does is it forces and encourages one to look beyond what they want and what they feel comfortable with. And none of those "great" minds you cite (jobs, gates, etc) didn't avoid college all together. As Robert says, College is not about the paper, it's about the experience...
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- Kabren Levinson
Competition is fierce. If you can afford to do college do it. I went to college and went to graduate school (law school). I finished everything by the time I was 26. However, my legal training to me has not made since until now - 9 years later. My college network is so vast I cannot keep up but I am thankful for that. I'm also thankful for the friendships I made. I learned tremendous...
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- Jennifer
My brother and I took two very different routes; he chose not to go to college, I went. For years he earned more than I did, not any more. It's all about the soft skills you develop in that community - networking, interacting, learning how to find information, where/how to get it. 20 years on he frequently wishes he went. The most useful classes I did were the ones I hated most, finance and tax, especially now I'm running my own company.
- Sally Church
In my opinion...if you're already questioning college then you shouldn't go to college. That's not to say you should rule out getting a college degree your entire life, but if you already have doubts about whether college is right for you, or maybe down the road, then go with your gut. Hell, get an online degree or something...the paper degree costs less and you can still do plenty with it. Honestly I feel that the higher education system sucks and really it's not for everyone.
- Harry Wolff
Not to mention, if you want the most interesting tech jobs, like these at IBM's New Almaden Research Center you MUST have a college degree. They don't hire people without one: http://scobleizer.com/2008... Daniel has the potential to do great work in the tech industry. He already has proven he has the sales and networking skills. Imagine what he could do if he had some technical chops too!
- Robert Scoble
@scobleizer You are probably right on that point. Getting college paid off in a really short time is a wise move to make, as well as saving up the money and not even going into loans, of which I'm doing the latter choice. :)
- Taylor Marek
Harry: I disagree. If you're already questioning it, isn't that a better reason to go? Part of what progressive liberal arts education should be about asking questions and saying, "Why?". College has been great for me. I began applying with intentions of only staying in the tech world. I started studying philosophy, classics, and religion. You have no idea how relevant this stuff is to the future of technology, and particularly, the Internet.
- Kabren Levinson
Kabren: Mark Zuckerberg studied Psychology in college and he uses that in Facebook everywhere. Good point. Who knows what else Daniel would learn if he threw himself into an interesting University?
- Robert Scoble
Robert: Right. Plus, there are all sorts of AMAZING leadership opportunities in colleges; clubs, student government, etc. That's experience you can't get elsewhere. Right now, in one of my projects, I'm pulling together Socrates, the philosopher, Aristophones, the comic poet, Clouds, and the Internet. Studying philosophy has greatly enriched my experiences on the Internet.
- Kabren Levinson
Kabren: I believe I didn't explain myself clearly. What I meant to make explicit is my feeling that if there is enough doubt to put into question whether college is a worthwhile investment (and it is, of course, an investment), and the motivation to go to college and fulfill all requirements of the university then one should not go. Basically...if you doubt that you'll be able to or want to finish college then I feel that is an investment that should not have been made. Honestly, college isn't for all.
- Harry Wolff
If you get connected with the right kind of educator while in college, you get informed about all sorts of internships, co-op and research opportunities. Those companies are looking for STUDENTS. Some of those opportunities are available while still in high school, but I'm guessing the chances for such explode at the college level. Maybe in this economy, things aren't like they were when I was in grad school, but there's one way to find out.
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
Harry: that's true. But one of Daniel's problems is arrogance. It's arrogant to think you don't need college. He's probably right that he'll do just fine (my brother Ben is doing just fine without college) but what he isn't seeing is that college throws you into situations that you can't experience anywhere else. If he gave himself over to it he'd come out a better person and I bet he'd be even MORE successful as a result. And, hell, the longer I live life the more I realize it's not about the money anyway.
- Robert Scoble
Harry: Still, it's an experience that's hard to know where it leads. It's an experience. Sure, if he goes in only wanting to come out with a piece of paper, then he shouldn't go to college, but if he wants a new, different, exciting, and challenging experience, he should go.
- Kabren Levinson
Here's another way to look at it: if Daniel met Fareed Zakaria and Daniel didn't go to college and didn't study organic chemistry or economics they wouldn't have nearly the same conversation as if Daniel DID go to college and studied both of those topics. There are TONS of intangibles like that in life. I've hit hundreds of those situations and when I do I always wish I had studied more in college, not less.
- Robert Scoble
Daniel, Robert. one great thing about college is that I met my wife there, think about the ladies dude!
- Jeremiah Owyang
A few blocks away from me is Steve Jurvetson. He funded Hotmail and a bunch of other stuff. I can't talk about rocketry with him in any depth, because I don't know much about that topic. I also can't talk about semiconductor design (I watched him talk with a researcher at HP and they were having a very in depth conversation I wish I understood more of). Daniel loves having those kinds of conversations. He needs more knowledge to really get satisfaction from them.
- Robert Scoble
Jeremiah: I don't think Daniel will have problems meeting the ladies. I met Maryam in the office where TechCrunch is located now, by the way. :-)
- Robert Scoble
College doesn't give you an education. You create it from the situation you are in. [College is a great place to do so, but not always] Daniel will likely be a lifelong learner whatever decision he makes regarding college.
- David Damore
If you can afford it I would recommend going to college outside your home town. College is a great way to develop your own identity and explore interest that you may not been aware you even had. You can build a new reputation and not have to worry about anyone knowing about your childhood foibles or mishaps. Besides employers look for that degree on a resume whether you are starting out or looking for a promotion
- Kim Landwehr
When I interviewed for my first job in the Valley, the boss/CEO was a recent immigrant from Russia. What made him call me wasn't my major or my summer jobs I'd held before, but the simple word "Berkeley" at the bottom. In broken English, he pointed to that on my resume, and said "Berkeley - Is great." I've only been in two jobs since in the last ten years.
- Louis Gray
Jesse - Who's to say that you can't work on your project and college at the same time?
- Zach Flauaus
Pretty much everyone has their different paths and each choice will cause a different result. Ultimately Daniel needs/should make the decision himself for it is only his life that he is living.
- Harry Wolff
Harry - I agree. That's what needs to be decided. He needs to weigh out the pros and cons.
- Zach Flauaus
I usually don't talk about my family, and keep them out of my picture, but I have an older sister. She graduated top of her class in high school (same school I'm going to), and is very very smart. She went to UCSD on a molecular biology major, and now is a scientist. Then there is Daniel. Doesn't get great grades, and doesn't think school is necessary. It's hard to compare when your older sister is extremely smart. Book smart vs. street smart.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Robert: I appreciate the comments. It's because of you where I am now. I owe most of my career to you. I don't think I'm "arrogant" when it comes to college. High school has put me in a position where I don't want to learn the mandatory anymore. I want to learn what I want, not what's required. Do I really need to take PE? Is that necessary for my career?
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Daniel: You sound like you know what you want but making that decision is scary. I don't mean to sound holier-than-thou or condescending but well, deciding about college is a big and scary thing (IMO). Only thing I want to bring to your attention is the point that you shouldn't rule out college entirely. Maybe later in your career; now it sounds as though you don't/want college. Just stay true to yourself Daniel...
- Harry Wolff
Louis: But that one word, "Berkeley" won't determine my future. I didn't send an application to work at Qik, they wanted me to work for them. I know that's not going to happen from now on, but it just shows that I don't need a fancy word like Berkeley to get hired.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Harry: I'm not completely ruling out college. I'm just saying that for what it's worth (a piece of paper), I don't think it's worth the thousands of dollars and 4 years. I'm actually planning on visiting some schools next year, like Scoble's alma mater, San Jose State.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Dave: and I have my sister who went to college, and is going for her Masters soon :)
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Daniel: Some claim that the networking, collaboration and the alumni network are what really matters about college/university.
- David Damore
Daniel, there's a whole discussion on book smart vs. street smart in here. My grades weren't great in high school either. I think I had a 3.17. And in Berkeley, a 2.71 final GPA. But, as I guess you do, I tested well.
- Louis Gray
David: Colleges also get a lot of money from alumni's :)
- Daniel Brusilovsky
If I didn't go to college, then I probably would have ended up as a reporter for the local paper. I thought I wanted to be a reporter when I came out of high school, and was interning there. Good thing I didn't limit my options!
- Louis Gray
Louis: If I wanted to try, I would get better grades, but it comes back to the fact that high school doesn't teach me what I want to learn. We have no computer/tech related classes and we are in the heart of the Silicon Valley!
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Leo: Then I would always have the thought in the back of my head on why I went in the first place.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
There is always more than one way to find where you're supposed to be. College is a good route but by no means the only one. I'd love my eldest to go but if he chooses not too then that's okay, too. Leo: you've not done that badly for a drop-out :)
- WorldofHiglet
Dave: Thanks, Dave. Really appreciate it. Hopefully this discussion can continue on my blog, or I can embed this into my blog!
- Daniel Brusilovsky
School is only one part of the equation. Many people get highly regarded degrees and do nothing with them. The converse is true of no or irrelevant degrees where the person goes on to do great things. With the internet being a wealth of knowledge today, if you have the drive to learn you will. If you have the drive to get ahead you will REGARDLESS of background or economic situation. An inner drive trumps and external degree always.
- Damien Basile
The discussion is interesting, especially when you get other viewpoints and their own personal experiences. I see you as a smart guy with some potential that needs not to be capped - for any reason. What you have now is a start, and it could be much more when put in the right environment.
- Louis Gray
Louis: The decision to go or not go to college will also me a major decision. My cousin's 18th birthday was on Friday and she's going to UCSB. I don't want to be the first in the family to not go to college.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Yes, Jesse: i did mine at night, 4 years, very hard, but you had to want it, had to love it. my eldest is at BoCo, end of freshman year. Loves it, is thriving. My next one, is 17, junior, i don't think he wants to go right out of HS and it's hard for me to make the convincing case as I waited a year+... each life holds its own choices. even parents - esp parents - can't help make up their minds.
- Thom Kennon
Daniel: Find a college where you can structure your own major like Cooper Union in NYC does. You sit down with a counselor, pick out your classes and figure out what your direction and self-made major will be. It's your future. Craft it according to your interests in a hyperlocalized way.
- Damien Basile
One thing about college is it shows an ability to set a goal and meet that goal, even if it is only getting a degree. While you can show this finishing trait in other ways, there are some who will always hold in the back of their mind, almost subconsciously 'this person didn't finish something they started' or 'this person ducked out when they saw the grass was greener somewhere else or things got too tough'. You'll be up against this bias the rest of your life without a degree.
- Andrew Leyden
One candidate I interviewed had everything going for them, until we realized they hadn't put a degree next to the college they listed. Sure enough, no degree. This, with pressure from my boss (the VP) had us asking them more questions to confirm, yes, no degree, and why that was? A definite red flag in terms of completing tasks.
- Louis Gray
Louis: No degree MAY be a red flag but I counter with this: Rei Kawakubo, fashion designer of the fashion empire Comme des Garçons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... Although Rei does hold a degree in literature, I'm not too sure how this particular degree helped establish a fashion empire per se. A degree is only part of the equation- a major part right now, but as advances in areas happen faster so must degrees be modified quicker. After 2/4 years, that degree could be outmoded.
- Damien Basile
It took me 15 years to get my BS degree in Psychology. I didn't always give my education the priority it needed and life very often got in the way. Because of my lack of diploma, I always felt I had to work harder and smarter to prove to employers that the lack of a degree wasn't holding me back. That strategy worked for a long time and then I hit the ceiling and I realized I needed to...
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- ♥patricia♥
I feel old. But listen to Louis. If he told me to jump off of the golden gate bridge i'd strongly consider it.
- drew olanoff
Daniel, Talk to Jessica Mah, I bet you'd have some great convos.
- drew olanoff
Drew: I talk to Jessica a lot, and we've talked about this before, but she also took a mini gap year.
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Just to throw in about jobs and all... I came fresh out of HS looking for a job. A well-known bank snapped me up relatively shortly afterwards. Literally, given the situation and the training that bank provides, I could find myself sitting in a very comfy office making a pretty good salary without even touching college. AND I would beat out any college grad looking for a job, as I would have first dibs on the position. 2 things played a factor in this, my podcast and the connections I had at the bank. ;)
- Taylor Marek
Interesting discussion. I would caution anyone, however, on dispensing advice to someone that is essentially tantamount to racking up $80K+ in debt on something that is superfluous in the space for which Daniel is working/seeking a career. A college degree is no longer a key differentiator or a pre-requisite in many fields (tech being one of them) especially when you have access to vast...
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- Gennefer Snowfield
Excellent points Gennefer. But, since I'm working at a decided disadvantage in my professional field online research) because I don't have a degree in a related field, I have to add a caveat: most of the time the lack of a college degree can be overcome, but it's that it is seen as a lack of training/experience with either future employers and/or clients that makes me pause before...
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- Molly
Nothing like going deep into debt to learn from the fucktards at uni that never DID anything. The internet has completely destroyed the need to learn from the learned. The new learned are younger, smarter, and more motivated to succeed than the absolute losers who teach from an obsolete textbook POV whatever. As an internet marketer I laugh at myself for wasting five years in school when I could have retired by now had I gone with my gut.
- Ryan Underdown
from fftogo
Thanks for sharing, Molly. My point is that it is definitely not necessary in areas such as tech/start up entrepreneurship. Just take a look at @tatango and his success as a "college dropout CEO." It's his own company so he does not need to abide by antiquated requirements in Corporate America. And having spent a majority of my career in that world before starting my own company, I can...
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- Gennefer Snowfield
I still have over a year to decide what I want to do. We'll see...
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Gennifer, I'm actually a real world example of your point. I don't believe for a minute it will take me 4 or more years to establish the trust necessary for clients to look to me for online research assistance. I just wish I had that degree so I wouldn't have to do the hard work of building the trust from the beginning. A degree would add gravitas to my new website and customers would...
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- Molly
@Ryan wrote: "Nothing like going deep into debt to learn from the fucktards at uni that never DID anything" Depends on your perspective. I got a scholarship in high school (good thing because my Dad died when I was 12), saved the money and used it to pay tuition at state university, where I learned from scientists and engineers who had built companies or contributed to the intellectual...
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- Victor Panlilio
For the last eleven and three quarter years of my education, none of my in-school instruction has taught me how to do what I love to do, want to do, or need to do in order to earn a living. It has, however (despite my stellar academic record and work habits) set a foundation for learning abilities, the structure of education, which will ultimately allow me to learn for my intended profession once I begin to attend college.
- Michael Perlman
Molly, I have never had one client ask me about my education, or my GPA, or to produce school transcripts. The trust of which you speak is built by the results that I am able to generate in advancing their business objectives, and I can tell you that not one of the hundreds upon hundreds of successful initiatives I have employed over the years ever manifested from some college textbook....
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- Gennefer Snowfield
There are plenty of people who have done much with their lives and choose to accept positions at colleges and universities to teach what they have learned. Apparently they see the value in education. Go figure.
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
The fact that a large group of people here are saying you need a degree to get past a specific glass ceiling in many places means it's something worth getting. Necessary to succeed, no, but will it put you ahead of those people willing to work just as hard as you with just as much experience and knowledge? Yes. From an entrepreneur perspective think about potential VCs and the thick...
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- Jesse Stay
College is very important in today's world. Even though it may just be a piece of paper, it is an important piece of paper, and like Luis said, you wouldn't want to believe it, but it is the name that will sometimes open up certain opportunities for you that you wouldn't normally think of. I am not trying to change your mind, but you shouldn't rule college completely out, plus you have another year to think it over like you said.
- Richard
University is important, but it depends on what you want to do. If you want to go into something tech related, teaching, etc, get a degree. If you want to be a plumber or carpenter, then don't. Go through the apprenticeship program through the local community college and union. Do what you want.
- Amy H.
I tell clients that your spouse can divorce you, your kids will move away and your house can burn down, but your COLLEGE DEGREE is non-revocable and forever yours. Go get it - even if it is in underwater basket weaving. It is visible proof that you can set and achieve a socially approved goal. AND yes, challenge all the classes you can, they still make you $$$$pay$$$$ for the units you are credited with but it is fun to show what you know.
- Sonya
Jesse - Are there still companies who put weight on a degree, yes. I don't think anyone refutes that. But it depends entirely upon if you want a career within the hierarchy of Corporate America or an entrepreneurial direction, in which case I continue to contend that it is not necessary. And I don't know one VC who wouldn't invest in a sound concept with clearly defined revenue model...
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- Gennefer Snowfield
The great thing I've found, as an entrepreneur, is that if I want to bootstrap my business, because of my degree I always have an option of something I can do on the side to pay for the business. Without the degree I wouldn't have as many options, especially in this economy. For instance, I can always go teach at a community college, or work in something completely unrelated to my...
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- Jesse Stay
In a tight job market you can be sure someone with a degree is going to have more weight when a potential employer is going through a stack of resumes. Face it, a college degree is what high school used to be. Yes you can go into a trade but then when you want to do something else you will be less inclined to go back to school for four years. I was very lucky and was in a situation where I could go back at age 38, most people can't.
- Mick (Michael) Neal
Gennefer, again, my point is if you're going up against someone with equivalent experience and knowledge, the person with the degree always gets the job, funding, or whatever else you're going for. The degree is just one more thing that can set you apart from the others.
- Jesse Stay
BTW, I've had that happen before, and I was the one without the degree - guess who didn't get the job?
- Jesse Stay
Daniel, go to college. Just because it didn't work for Arrington, doesn't mean it won't work for you. Follow your passion. You'll do wonders.
- Michael Forian
The former president of Reed College, Paul Bragdon, described it as a place where you "learn how to learn." Frankly, this is more important than the credential that you receive, and it's hard to duplicate this experience outside of the college environment.
- John E. Bredehoft
from fftogo
Jesse - Once again, my point is to make that determination based upon if you're looking to work in a vertical where a degree is required or more heavily weighted. The fact of the matter is that Daniel is not, and he could easily build upon his experience in the tech space and the credibility of the work he's done to date in creating a successful career, and likely his own company where it won't matter whether he has a framed college diploma hanging on his wall or not.
- Gennefer Snowfield
Paraphrasing Thomas Merton: "The most useful function of a university education is to force you to deal with the question of your self-identity."
- Victor Panlilio
Gennefer, I'm a software developer. What vertical is any less dependent on a college degree? Yet I've still missed out on jobs because I didn't have a degree. You never know if you're going to have to change verticals to support the family or put food on the table. It is those times a degree is a must. If this weren't important, why do you think the Bill Gates Foundation is focusing on...
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- Jesse Stay
Ask Karl Malone what he thinks about staying in school. When I was in college, he was touring the US encouraging kids to get a degree. He said that he dropped out of college to go into the pros, but that he'd told his mother he would go back and finish. It looks like he didn't finish, but I wonder if that diminishes the message any. You decide.
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
Founder of Red Hat dropped out of College to start Red Hat. He went back to school later on because it made him look more reputable on the records of Red Hat having that degree.
- Jesse Stay
Rahsheen: "College is not for everyone." No, it's not. But for those who are intellectually curious and want to be exposed face to face to some of the best minds (and I'm not talking just about profs, your fellow students can be quite amazing people), college can be a unique and valuable part of one's formation as a human being.
- Victor Panlilio
I have a friend who's been running an ISP here in town since the mid-90's. He dropped out of college. I'm a PC tech with a MS. My friend tells me I've accomplished more, because I've got two degrees. We don't agree. However, I will still tell anyone I meet that I believe in education for most.
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
Thank you all for your kind words of advice. Over the summer my parents and I are going to discuss college plans. I'm sure Louis will update you then :)
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Victor, I have to say online social sites and blogs expose one to many more 'best minds' than attending college would. Not that I'm against attending college, but it's not a valid point. I can go to church and expose myself to the same level of intelligence I would find on any college campus. Education does not equate to intelligence.
- Molly
Good luck, Daniel. Decide what you want to do based upon your own expectations/career decisions, not ours.
- Molly
Molly - maybe I'm just too old, but the minds I've interacted with in person have made a much deeper impression on me than any I have interacted with online. Human beings are so much more than disembodied words on a screen.
- Victor Panlilio
u gotta go to college man. its the best years of your life and ull be missing out if u dont. trust me, ull never have as much fun as u will in college; and i dont mean just the socializing part, you get to learn a lotta cool stuff, take all sorts of different classes, meet some very interesting people and make lifelong friendships in the process. u mentioned that youre more interested...
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- goutham
Dave, yet, each of those didn't quit school until they were making their millions. 9 in 10 businesses fail. You're going to be working a lot harder without a degree than with.
- Jesse Stay
Victor, I'm 51, so I doubt you're older than I am. I try to have a fresh mind, open to innovation and new ideas. I'm not that concerned with a 'face to face' interaction when it involves intellectual pursuits, which is what we were discussing. Personal interaction is a different subject and yes, I prefer that face to face if possible.
- Molly
Jesse, how many college degrees result in a successful career in the field of study, though? I think the stats would be close, making your point irrelevant to the discussion (no disrespect intended).
- Molly
btw, I'm interacting with a lot of intellectually stimulating people right now. Interesting, yes? :-)
- Molly
Molly wrote: "Education does not equate to intelligence." I didn't say that it did. But the vetting process that occurs in most good schools is an indicator that someone who gets into MIT is likely to show a great deal of intellectual promise, which may (or may not) translate into future career success.
- Victor Panlilio
We are online because we (a) have time and (b) are interested in conversation. That is all. I can have much more intense conversations in person, simply because body language, intonation, etc. all play a part in communication. Text on a screen is bereft of much emotional nuance.
- Victor Panlilio
Victor, and how many with that promise go on to success in their major? Besides, IMHO the vetting process is very flawed in that there are other criteria used in selecting who goes where and when. Raw intelligence doesn't translate well into a successful career or even a socially adept adult sometimes.
- Molly
Victor, I'm online because I'm a self-learner, educating myself in my chosen career field. I MAKE time to study. You're under a microscope right now. heh I'm not interested in emotional nuance when I'm learning from a greater mind than mine. I wouldn't care if a professor had a facial tic, hair growing out his/her ears and/or mumbled so badly they had to write everything on the...
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- Molly
Molly - I'm not saying that it does, i.e. "raw intelligence doesn't translate well into a successful career or even a socially adept adult sometimes" because that assumes a narrow definition of intelligence. As Ken Robinson's TEDTalk on creativity asserts, we need to expand our working definition of intelligence, and that includes what has commonly been labeled as "creativity" - one of...
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- Victor Panlilio
First of all that's the greatest Friendfeed conversation ever. It is amazing. I'm 16 years old too like you Daniel, and the topic "college" is getting day to day closer to me too. I'm not from the States so I assume that the "GPA" is the paper you get after finishing High School and from which, it depends if you'll be accepted from a college, right? Here in Greece, we have a similar...
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- Apostolos Papadopoulos
Friendfeed sayed: 4051 characters (part of your comment may be hidden behind a link). LOL.WUT.1st time fer me. XD
- Apostolos Papadopoulos
Good conversation! I've got 3 college degrees form 10 years of school. It was worth it for me.
- Bill Sodeman
Another advantage to college is it gives you exposure to things you may have never known you needed later in life. As an entrepreneur this is priceless - you'll need a wide breadth of knowledge in all kinds of different fields to properly come up with the creative ideas necessary to be most competitive. In college not only did I learn software dev, but I learned marketing, accounting,...
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- Jesse Stay
Victor, are you reading the comments? We're participating in "vibrant, intellectual ferment" and we're not on a campus. I LOVE the internet! I won't throw scholarly quotes at you as I'm not college educated. I'll just keep saying scissors because I AM stubborn and opinionated. :-) "Ken Robinson's talk highlights the need for people to be in a milieu that enhances their self-understanding, which is much more than listening to a prof drone on in a lecture hall." Like an online discussion on FF? :-)
- Molly
Haha amazing that this all started with Daniel congratulating me on Texas Tech and my twitter reply asking him about college. I believe Daniel should do what he feels right. That's what I am doing.
- Matt Pippen
I've been unable to make anything from what I learned in college. I went back to maritime industry and took a class to get my captain's license. I was in and out in 6 weeks. If it wasn't for the recession I would be making 6 figures right now. Would have I gone to college from what I know now? Yes, for I learned some business marketing skill that will help me down the line. But that was...
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- Captain Jack
Matt: I know, right! One tweet can start oh so much :)
- Daniel Brusilovsky
Molly - I've been on Usenet since the late 1980's. Friendfeed is a rehash of much of what I saw on Usenet, including the intellectual pretentiousness. When you're in a lab designing something that has to work AND work safely, it helps immensely to have understanding of what it means when you don't design your experiment correctly and the thing can blow up on your face. (I'm biased,...
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- Victor Panlilio
Jesse, online I've exposed myself to almost everything possible (except porn, I draw the line @ that). I have a vast repository of knowledge available. College libraries post their sites online. I have access to all of them, not just one. Victor, I believe I separated some fields from my discourse such as education and especially medicine. I'll add mechanical engineering as you make a good case for it but it's not one that comes to my mind on the fly so I left it out earlier.
- Molly
All - here's something that captures a bit of the irony in the engineering professions: mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets. The groaning can now begin. :-D
- Victor Panlilio
Molly, college gives you a different experience, a more "human" experience, if you will, one that does not involve sitting motionless in front of a screen, but one that involves browsing shelves, interacting with professors, making new friends, and learning how to live life for yourself. Even though so much information is available online and one can have so many enriching experiences...
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- Kabren Levinson
Kabren, Sorry I didn't make it clear I also visit my local library frequently. The discussion is great here online. I also have discussions w/friends, relatives, complete strangers who I strike up a conversation with. I'm sorry, college isn't the be all and end all it's portrayed as, though it's value is obvious in some fields of study.
- Molly
Look at his friends already. Are we really concerned that this kid is gonna fail if he drops out? The ones we should be trying to help don't even know this place exists, and even if they did they wouldn't know how to talk to get through to the movers and shakers here..
- Andy Connell
My point was that Karl Malone was already a multi-millionaire when he vowed to finish his education. He STILL thought it was important, even when he had clearly made it. I wish I could get him to tell me, himself, why he didn't finish.
- MiniMage TKDteacher of FF
On a more serious note....Daniel I really think you should go to Mo's. You gotta go. Gotta go to Model's.
- Harry Wolff
Good point Andy. That's why when Paul (Buchheit) asked what he should do with $20K, my suggestion was to endow scholarships for academically gifted but financially challenged youth.
- Victor Panlilio
Andy, I so agree re: Daniel. Daniel has already proven himself as a self starter. I homeschooled my children and his abilities/nature are what is fostered so well in a homeschooling environment and why colleges are so open to homeschooled children. They don't have to be taught so much as left to learn.
- Molly
Most of those I consider great minds and innovators in this industry dropped out of college and/or never obtained a degree. I think another important distinction is that those who feel stifled in the classroom are leaders who are ready to go out and do, not sit behind a desk regurgitating textbook material. The fact of the matter is that many hide in academia for various reasons -- ego...
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- Gennefer Snowfield
Molly - we HS'ed our son (now 9 yo) for the first few years to allow him to develop a fuller sense of who he is (John Holt and John Taylor Gatto influenced my thinking on this - I came across their writing in graduate school). This is not to suggest that homeschooling is for everyone, either, just as college is not for everyone.
- Victor Panlilio
Gennefer: "Most of those I consider great minds and innovators in this industry" such as Tim Berners-Lee? David Heinemeier Hansson? Les Vadasz? Bill Joy? James Gosling? Daniel Hillis? Stephen Wolfram? Vinton Cerf? John Warnock? Funny thing is, some people don't even need to go through undergrad, they're admitted directly into PhD programs, and they can be doing postdoctoral work at...
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- Victor Panlilio
At least go to a technical school. A good college teaches you more than skill, though; it teaches you to teach yourself.
- Peter Warnock
Peter: "A good college teaches you more than skill, though; it teaches you to teach yourself." Up to a point. I barely passed my quantum mechanics course, and I'm still shell-shocked from the experience. But it helped me gain some appreciation for mathematical conundrums.
- Victor Panlilio
Folks, let's get some perspective here. Everyone has their own opinion and insights, all of which are valid in their own right, but the fact of the matter is that college is not for everyone, and we live in a new age where antiquated, hierarchical-based systems are no longer the only way to operate -- nor should they be. And if you continue to impose such an overly-structured bias, you...
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- Gennefer Snowfield
Gennefer: "Everyone has their own opinion and insights, all of which are valid in their own right" This is code language for something called subjectivism, which any attentive undergrad taking a basic philosophy course would immediately identify. A university education is not simply to prepare a young person for a "career" but to instill in them the habits of mind that allow for the...
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- Victor Panlilio
Folks -- it's been recommended elsewhere, but I'll recommend it here: read Larry Page's May 2 commencement address to the Univ. of Michigan: http://tinyurl.com/c5ydg8
- Victor Panlilio
Let's consider the example of, say, MIT, the pre-eminent engineering school. They make much of their curriculum available online, so in theory any highly motivated autodidact can use it to learn, say, computational fluid dynamics or finite element analysis. But the simple reality is that, despite having free access to all the lecture notes, the person who gorges on the theory is likely...
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- Victor Panlilio
Make no mistake: college CAN suck, especially if you haven't figured out what really turns your crank intellectually. In his May 2 commencement speech, Larry Page said he was considering 3 different topics for his PhD thesis, but his adviser told him to focus on the web - best advice he got.
- Victor Panlilio
college can be like mass media since you are getting a view from one authority that you must listen to. With social media, you can compile your own reliable sources and get info without a bias. In the same way, you can get a better education with all the sources online. There are many colleges offering their courses online but you will only get grades and a diploma if you pay tuition...
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- Amir
Amir: "college can be like mass media since you are getting a view from one authority that you must listen to." If you go to a diploma mill, maybe. A good university exposes you to different viewpoints, and it's up to you to work through the proofs, although in the natural sciences you're going to be up against terrible odds if, say, you propose to disprove Godel's Incompleteness Theorem or the Lorentz transformation equations and you're not already a mathematical prodigy.
- Victor Panlilio
Amir, yes, but that's not what all colleges do. At least that's not what my experience has been so far in a small liberal arts college. What a _really_ good university or college does, is it allows you to challenge what you love with others. When you're on your own, you're on your own. You're not going to be able to sit in a seminar on Socrates and talk about how Aristophanes' "Clouds"...
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- Kabren Levinson
I agree with liberal arts and some sciences and other majors... I was just expressing an opinion based on my experience in Business school where I learned pretty much everything I know and use, on my own. There are so many resources out there to challenge yourself, to compete against others online and at other companies and institutions. The main thing is that if you go out on your own,...
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- Amir
Ah, I didn't know that - I'm a philosophy major probably concentrating in Art, Computer Science, or Psychology, at Bard, with only 1700 students. Really about what the individual wants to do. It's to bad so many people don't get to have a positive experience in education.
- Kabren Levinson
Kabren, I had and continue to have a very positive experience in education. I learn every day online, from friends, from networking, from paying attention... I hope to never end this education.
- Amir
The beauty of college (beyond the degree) is it allows people to mature intellectually and emotionally in a rich environment, filled with smart people and stimulating discussions.This is the time of self discovery. You hear the anecdotes about the Woz and Jobs types and all the railings against the "antiquated" edu system. But for 99% of the 18 year olds, college still offers the best...
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- mark ivey
mark: Woz went to college after he started Apple. For extra bonus points, what name did he use? Hint: It wasn't his real name.
- Robert Scoble
you're right..I forgot Woz went back and got a bachelors (electrical engineering computer sciences)...I had to research all this before I interviewed him on stage few months back..thanks for making me refresh my brain..
- mark ivey
Sorry I'm late! ;) I am 27 and going back to school to finish after getting deployed overseas in my early 20s and never getting the chance to finish. Marriage and two kids later I regret not having finished. It isn't that I must have a degree to make things work. Heck, we are doing ok right now, BUT to pursue the career I want to, I do need that piece of paper. I was home schooled...
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- Sid Burgess
Sid: we often hear of people in their 50s and 60s going back to get a college education, even if their livelihoods no longer depend on having a degree. They recognize that self-directed learning is possible even in an institutional setting. That's the point some of us have been trying to make in response to the stereotypes that have been bandied around in this discussion thread.
- Victor Panlilio
mark: yeah, he used Rocky Raccoon Clark. Your geek cred card will be renewed for another year. :-)
- Robert Scoble
Verifying that a comment directly to Louis's blog gets through to FF in real time.... wondering why the FF API doesn't yet expose the same featureset this widget does.
- Daniel J. Pritchett
How should we test iPhone 3G battery life? I was thinking of refreshing FriendFeed every 15 seconds on both an old and new iPhone and seeing how long they both last.
I also have a Samsung Blackjack II (3G), a Nokia N95 (3G), and a Nokia N82 (edge). We could do the test on all these.
- Robert Scoble
Milad: I should have been clearer. What I want to test is how long a single charge will last when you do data-intensive stuff. I find that when I'm doing FriendFeed I refresh the page every 15 seconds or so. Or, I could just leave Twitterific running.
- Robert Scoble
i think Nokia N95 8Gig is better than iphone (Battery Life)
- Mil∂d
@Robert, I can just picture you sitting there F5'ing 5 phones every 15 seconds!
- Victor Ryden
Do you have Milan and Patrick helping? How are your thumbs holding up?
- Lisa L. Seifert
I can talk on my SE W810i for 6 hours straight, while driving interstate. It will hold an idle charge for 5 days. Under normal usage (for me) I can go 3 days between charges. Hopefully the iPhone will eventually get those kinds of numbers.
- xero
robert - why not just start the music player on random and repeat? or do you want to help pump ff numbers? :)
- Allen Stern
If you've got the time, it'd be great to see how the battery compares, especially to other 3G phones.
- Robert DeBord
Allen, reportedly both old and new have about the same battery life for music and video playback. It's the data usage where allegedly the battery drains much quicker using 3G. But the battery on the old phone drains more quickly using WiFi than 2G, so I'm still not really sure how best to do the test. Maybe compare 3G data usage on new to WiFi on the old?
- Robert Seidman
yea, i figured the 3g burned the battery quicker - esp. after my post about the battery :) but robert just said battery life so thats why i suggested the music test - your point is a good one tho - i'd be ok if he loaded CN every 15 seconds :-P
- Allen Stern
Compare like to like. Old and new refreshing FF homepage until dead on 2G, Wifi, and 3G. Just report the length it took for each. Not super realistic because the phone doesn't have to jump towers like traveling, but you can get an idea of what it can be at best.
- xero
Find something that will perform the exact same action repeatedly (and automatically so you don't get carpal tunnel!). Maybe rather than friendfeed, use Google's home page so you get the exact same result every time.
- David Andrzejewski
Also, unless the 2G iPhone's battery is brand new, the tests are not really fair -- though if the year old battery is outperforming the new unit that'd be a bad sign for the battery life of the new phone. Allen, put something new upon CN every 15 seconds and Scoble just might take you up on it!
- Robert Seidman
@David, problem with the same result is it isn't like realistic web browsing. FF home page has a collection of images and text that's constantly changing. Thought it might be nice to talk on it for a while too. Maybe just play a CD through it (from one to the other even, test both at once). That way you get a decent mix. Can keep tabs on the battery meter to see how much it drops during the talk time (read: CD playback), comparatively.
- xero
Allen: I wanted to do a test that's pretty close to what I do anyway. OK, OK, I only refresh every 30 seconds. :-)
- Robert Scoble
how about watching video streamed via wifi? :D
- Rom Feria
I've been using it and the battery sucks horribly ... i've been sticking with Twitter & FriendFeed for the most part but somehow the batter life immediately gets chewed up
- Nick O'Neill
The only real question: will it last 36 hours if I use it as a replacement for my phone, GPS, and maybe two hours of net browsing?
- xero
to iphone 2.0 app users, any office apps or something close to it?
- Varun Shenoy
Am more curious about iWork file support. Can it display Keynote? :D
- Rom Feria
I'd like to see a few comparisons: browsing, playing music, playing video and talk time. A new 2G battery would be most fair.
- Jim Bergman
How about running the Pandora app over EDGE/3G until the respective batteries die.
- Jonathon
See how long of a video you can record with the camera. Try using the GPS all the time. See how many pictures you can send to flickr.
- Brian Daniel Eisenberg
Tony Fadell from Apple contends that the browser is like a salty snack. The better the experience is the more you use it. The faster the browser is the more you use it. More use drains the battery. Ironically, bad user experience saves the battery on other phones -- even if they are 3G.
- Oldengrey (Jay)
@xero Good point. I'd say that talking on it would probably be best (and kill the battery the fastes) - I am not sure if 3G goes through GSM or HSDPA though? But to keep it even with web browsing, you need to load the same page - you need to compare apples to apples. However, if you can find a good way to simulate real web browsing automatically, that's useful too - just make sure to do the same thing on each handset.
- David Andrzejewski
@milad - sorry to be so late in answering, family and dinner. Anyway on a PC the F5 key will refresh the browser. Works in IE & Firefox, haven't tried on a Mac.
- Victor Ryden
I use a windows mobile HP device HW6945. GPS is not something you leave on for extended periods of time without taking a hefty chunk out of you battery and I use a 2500maH extended unit.
- Mick (Michael) Neal