Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother dropped out of college. He works in IT and has done well.

FWIW, I have a relative with multiple graduate degrees who has done absolutely nothing with his life.

I have met several billionaires who either dropped out of college or never went, one of which is Bill Gates. The others are in the real estate, coal, and oil businesses. That doesn't count Ted Turner, who was thrown out of Brown (and who I have never met). Smart, hardworking risk-takers, all. In a way, I think it's probably easier to build a huge business like that when you don't have a college degree. College makes it easier to settle into a cushy, medium to high-wage job that will make you comfortable enough to be afraid to gamble everything on a dream.

These billionaires are outliers. Bill Gates is a genius from an UMC background.

From what I heard Bill Gates essentially stole ideas and marketed as his. There’s a documentary in YouTube about this. So, you might say he’s a genius in marketing. I dunno if his kids could strike rich on their own without marrying into one.

Last I heard, Bill Gates the philanthropist met Jeffrey Epstein to talk Nobel prize he wanted. I am guessing the Nobel is now down the toilet for Bill the philanderer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother dropped out of college. He works in IT and has done well.

FWIW, I have a relative with multiple graduate degrees who has done absolutely nothing with his life.

I have met several billionaires who either dropped out of college or never went, one of which is Bill Gates. The others are in the real estate, coal, and oil businesses. That doesn't count Ted Turner, who was thrown out of Brown (and who I have never met). Smart, hardworking risk-takers, all. In a way, I think it's probably easier to build a huge business like that when you don't have a college degree. College makes it easier to settle into a cushy, medium to high-wage job that will make you comfortable enough to be afraid to gamble everything on a dream.

These billionaires are outliers. Bill Gates is a genius from an UMC background.

From what I heard Bill Gates essentially stole ideas and marketed as his. There’s a documentary in YouTube about this. So, you might say he’s a genius in marketing. I dunno if his kids could strike rich on their own without marrying into one.

Yeah .. my wingnut SIL has stories about Bill Gates too. Something about using vaccines to chip everyone.

(Maybe don't base your knowledge on what you see in a youtube video...)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother dropped out of college. He works in IT and has done well.

FWIW, I have a relative with multiple graduate degrees who has done absolutely nothing with his life.

I have met several billionaires who either dropped out of college or never went, one of which is Bill Gates. The others are in the real estate, coal, and oil businesses. That doesn't count Ted Turner, who was thrown out of Brown (and who I have never met). Smart, hardworking risk-takers, all. In a way, I think it's probably easier to build a huge business like that when you don't have a college degree. College makes it easier to settle into a cushy, medium to high-wage job that will make you comfortable enough to be afraid to gamble everything on a dream.

These billionaires are outliers. Bill Gates is a genius from an UMC background.

From what I heard Bill Gates essentially stole ideas and marketed as his. There’s a documentary in YouTube about this. So, you might say he’s a genius in marketing. I dunno if his kids could strike rich on their own without marrying into one.

Bill Gates got a 1590 on the sat and went to a super selective private day school.

DH - Has an LD that resulted in being treated as a genius half the time and treated as stupid the other half the time through school. Did some college. Dropped out and joined the marines. Now easily earning 6 figures in IT security.

Brother - Has ADHD and ASD. Super, super smart but couldn't get organized enough to get through our local community college. Ended up finding a job doing financial data modeling. Completed a degree in accounting in his 40s.

Friend's child - ADHD. Dropped out of computer science at a top college and is now an auto mechanic (late
-20s).

Friend's child - ADHD. Dropped out of a local area college. Eventually started doing well in retail jobs. Has a lot of help with daily life organization from a close friend. Started back at NOVA doing 1-2 classes at a time I think gearing towards a job in IT (mid-20s).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother dropped out of college. He works in IT and has done well.

FWIW, I have a relative with multiple graduate degrees who has done absolutely nothing with his life.

I have met several billionaires who either dropped out of college or never went, one of which is Bill Gates. The others are in the real estate, coal, and oil businesses. That doesn't count Ted Turner, who was thrown out of Brown (and who I have never met). Smart, hardworking risk-takers, all. In a way, I think it's probably easier to build a huge business like that when you don't have a college degree. College makes it easier to settle into a cushy, medium to high-wage job that will make you comfortable enough to be afraid to gamble everything on a dream.

These billionaires are outliers. Bill Gates is a genius from an UMC background.

From what I heard Bill Gates essentially stole ideas and marketed as his. There’s a documentary in YouTube about this. So, you might say he’s a genius in marketing. I dunno if his kids could strike rich on their own without marrying into one.

Didn't fail but dropped out due to depression and anxiety. Went to one school freshman year, another sophomore year, then went to a local school for a completely different major. Finished up and eventually earned two graduate degrees, both from excellent schools. Had a good, not great career - feel I should have done better but don't have the personality for large corporations. Admittedly, still bothers me to think about undergraduate days.

Anonymous wrote:My brother dropped out of college. He works in IT and has done well.

FWIW, I have a relative with multiple graduate degrees who has done absolutely nothing with his life.

I have met several billionaires who either dropped out of college or never went, one of which is Bill Gates. The others are in the real estate, coal, and oil businesses. That doesn't count Ted Turner, who was thrown out of Brown (and who I have never met). Smart, hardworking risk-takers, all. In a way, I think it's probably easier to build a huge business like that when you don't have a college degree. College makes it easier to settle into a cushy, medium to high-wage job that will make you comfortable enough to be afraid to gamble everything on a dream.

These billionaires are outliers. Bill Gates is a genius from an UMC background.

My cousin's wife's brother, Larlo, is one of the smartest and talented people I know.

They had family money through their grandparents, and the grandfather had a family business in land and oil. The grandkids were pretty removed from all that.

There were a lot of grandkids, and they got trust fund money, but not enough to live high on, just enough to get by.

This proved to be a problem because every time Larlo would get mad at a boss he'd quit because he had this thin cushion to fall back on. And he dropped out of college; similar reason. He was also in a band that probably could have gone somewhere but he got in a fight with them and that fizzled out.

I've known him since we were 15, and we did go on one date. When we were about 27, we lived on opposite coasts and used to talk for hours on the phone. The guy is brilliant and cute. I traveled a lot for work so I thought next time I was in his area, I'd go visit him and consider if our long friendship could possibly be more.

He was living solely off the trust and he was really on a shoestring. He had one chair, one bowl, and offered me a can of soup. One spoon. It was crazy. I was such a hard worker and by that time had an advanced degree. I decided, no way was I wasting any more time with this guy, because I perceived no work ethic and I didn't want to become a sugar mama.

Anyhow LSS he ends up being in charge of his family's business and is worth multi-millions, now. And he seems to be doing a great job with it. He's ALL work ethic now; that's actually a problem for him as he's too busy to meet anyone.

I'm glad he got a chance to succeed by "building the X Family Empire" as he likes to say, but I have to say that was through it being handed to him. But what happened after that was all him, and good for him!

However, it's still hard for me to reconcile that the guy who had no work ethic is the same guy with the work ethic.

MY BIL dropped out because college interfered with his work schedule. He did well in his IT job until he hit a promotion ceiling and wasn't being promoted because he didn't have a BS. He went back to college while working and finally graduated. I know many others with such circuitous graduation paths. Looking through my social media lists, most people I know definitely graduated from college. There are a few people who went but didn't finish, and they mostly have service type jobs like UPS delivery or waiting tables. Some have vague "sales" positions. They mostly live in a LCOL area, tend to be middle class, and seem to be able to support their families.

My parents are multimillionaires. Like many on here, they owned a contracting business for 40+ years, building offices, schools, government buildings, shopping centers during the early 90s recession, etc. They also have lots of rental properties. They retired in their late 50s, mostly because it was post-economic crisis and they just felt like they were done and didn't need the work, so they closed up shop.

It baffles my mind how many people around here think that being a lawyer or an MBA is the only way to become wealthy.

A TJHSST. Moved back home, worked locally, then moved away and is taking college classes p/t while working.

Anonymous wrote:Nephew dropped out.Works at a pet shop. His cousin(not my nephew) never went, he definitely could have great grades, and bags groceries. He did not want a promotion that was offered since it was too much pressure.

Again, he likely has mental issues (and just because his mom said he doesn't does not mean its true). Or he couldn't afford to go yet.

Nephew dropped out.Works at a pet shop. His cousin(not my nephew) never went, he definitely could have great grades, and bags groceries. He did not want a promotion that was offered since it was too much pressure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spare me all the exaggerated excuses. It's painfully easy to earn a bachelor's and I know some total dumbbells who have recently graduated from both private and state colleges. Unless a kid quits to pursue a real passion with a real plan, it is a major character red flag and likely signals lifelong challenges.

24-Year-Old Student Who Collected Garbage to Pay for College Is Admitted to Harvard Law School
"It was the people that were on the bottom of the hierarchy who really lifted me up," Rehan Staton said
https://people.com/human-interest/24-year-old-student-collected-garbage-admitted-to-harvard-law-school/

Single mom of 5 overcomes tragedy, graduates from law school at 33 after earning GED and bachelor's degree
https://www.today.com/parents/single-texas-mom-5-graduates-law-school-age-33-t127331

You act like it’s a moral accomplishment to finish college though.

Harvard and Yale ain’t all that. From Harvard, Yale to homeless encampments:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/the-homeless-man-who-graduated-from-harvard-law-school-with-chief-justice-john-roberts/2015/07/13/63257b5c-20ca-11e5-bf41-c23f5d3face1_story.html

https://youtu.be/05We-FC3QfE

It seems unkind to these individuals to use them as examples. They experienced mental health issues.

“ According to the Harvard Crimson in 2012 Harvard University students reported suicide rates twice the national average, at 12.12 percent per 100,000 students. In 2012, 35 percent of Princeton University students revealed they developed a mental illness shortly after arriving on campus.”

https://nchschant.com/17890/opinions/the-ivy-league-isnt-for-everyone/

Anonymous wrote:Made $375k last year, no degree. Heavily recruited female athlete. 1480 SAT. I’m sure you’d “know” instantly but I’m proud of myself and my entire trajectory so I don’t care if you “know”

Are you a pro athlete?