Is Higher Education Worth The Money? The College Edition.

The topic I am writing about today is very personal right now. I've seen online arguments about whether you need a college education to succeed in the field. I've always been on the fence because I want that degree but a lot of the knowledge can come first hand. I have been in college. As I worked toward an associates degree, I noticed I was taught a lot of the same stuff I learned firsthand by being self-employed in the field of small business (it was the topic I wrote about most, researched the most, and realized the type of connections we learned about in class long before I was told they were connections).

I regretted not finishing my college education, and my associate degree, so I decided to rectify that.

I have submitted my application and I am waiting on admissions to get my paperwork sorted, figure out what credits can roll over, and finish the heck out of my degree. It is something that has been bothering me for 10 years and it is time I do something about it.

That brings me to a whole different, but related, topic. I've seen debates around the internet about whether a degree is necessary to be a successful business owner. Want to know my opinion? Sure you do...

No, it doesn't matter if you are willing to do the work. It just depends on you and what you want your approach to look like.

I began my self-employment journey prior to going to college. What I discovered when going for my associates was that I knew a lot of the base education from experience. I learned by doing! I also learned that I could have avoided many mistakes by going to school first.

My advice to you is to learn what you need to succeed. You can do so by using your experiences when you get started in business or by going to college before starting a business. I also recommend finding an existing entrepreneur who is willing to advise you on the ways of running a business. That can generate a lot of knowledge and help you decide on what would help you most.

Just because I chose both in my life does not mean you have to follow my path. I really would hope you would consider your own skills and mindset before making that kind of decision. Student loans are a real pain if you don't feel you need the education they pay for.