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Steve Jobs In Praise of Dropping Out
atlacatl writes "Wired reports on Steve Jobs giving a graduation speech: 'Jobs, 50, said he attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon but dropped out after only eight months because it was too expensive for his working-class family. He said his real education started when he "dropped in" on whatever classes interested him -- including calligraphy.' The irony: that most students were graduating. I wouldn't invite him for a high school graduation. Imagine all the 'hard' work teachers, parents and guidance counselors put into brainwashing every kid that he/she must go to University." (Jobs was speaking to the graduates at Stanford University.)
I did it. It's not easy. The single biggest factor in my success so far is that my wife totally supports the decision.
After five years of working in industry, I decided I'd had enough and needed more options than 1) code monkey; 2) leader of code monkeys; or 3) getting lucky and being made the CTO by a friend - which is basically all you get with a BS in CS.
We had to sell the house, move to on-campus housing, and take a drastic pay cut. I did get to work as a contractor for my former employer, which was very nice. The hardest part was figuring out how to live on a third of what I was making before. We're still digging a bit into our savings, but that's what it's for, and I should be able to finish my PhD with some money left over.
My advice: save, save, save, and win your spouse over to the idea. Don't be afraid to pack up and leave, because you leave a lot of responsibilities behind you.
I got my Linux laptop at System76.
Why is college as expensive as it is? i.e. too expensive.
Is the widespread belief that a prestigious university = better education = $$$$ valid? If not then...
Why is it that so many people think that going to an Ivy League, or other prestigious university is the only route to success?
Are there less expensive alternitives to prestige universities that offer a good to great education?
STB
A.A. (Mathematics)
McLennan Community College
Waco, Texas
Class of 1986
A.A. (Engineering)
Tyler Junior College
Tyler, Texas
Class of 1987
B.Sc. (Physics/Mathematics)
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas
Class of 1990
M.Sc. in Physics, Thesis Observational Astronomy
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas
1997
"Oh drat these computers, they're so naughty and so complex, I could pinch them." --Marvin the Martian
I look at it the opposite way.
I really enjoyed college. I'd do it again in a second. I definitely don't look at it like some suffering I did to "get ahead" in the "real world."
As a result of my having a university education, I was basically handed a well-paying job upon graduating (I'm a chemical engineer). Right out of the gate, I was making more than my dad and most of his blue-collar friends.
I consider my education to have made it much easier for me to get into a job where (I'll be honest) I don't work half as hard as my dad, I rarely get dirty, and I get treated with respect.
When I see people with no education who are very financially successful or are in positions of authority, I am not resentful of them. On the contrary, I am usually impressed. It takes a lot of hard work to become successful without some university's stamp of approval on you.