In need of advice. Dilemma.

[Ns1]

if you've got a business that you could make a living off full time, AND you enjoy it far more than college I'd go that route

Experience > Education

 

[El Guaraguao]

tl;dr

 

[chusteczka]

You obviously did not read the thread considering your statement is completely false and irrelevant and has nothing to do with anything I have explained so far.

You need to open your mind to the possibility that oldsmoboat is correct. Your reply is defensive, like a chihuahua nervously barking its relevancy in an educated professional community. Without a college education, you will never become anything more than a skilled tradesman with limited options.

 

[MercenaryYoureFired]

Hilarious that the people degrading degrees don't have one and are unemployed looking for entry level IT jobs, lol. The fact is degrees are now more important than ever because they're becoming the minimum standard for jobs these days, as more and more people are getting them. Not having a degree puts you way behind in nearly every aspect of job prospects unless you're an incredible interviewee or have other tangible accomplishments.

OP you should probably do what you think will have the greatest potential for success at this time in your life. If that is putting time into your business in hopes that it will prosper, than do that. Like you said you're going to get your degree eventually so if the business falls through you can easily go to plan B.

 

[lxskllr]

Hilarious that the people degrading degrees don't have one and are unemployed looking for entry level IT jobs, lol. The fact is degrees are now more important than ever because they're becoming the minimum standard for jobs these days, as more and more people are getting them.

:^D

You keep telling yourself that. When the degree bubble bursts, there's gonna be hell to pay. I suggest you get yourself a reality check pretty quickly, or you're going have some heavy disappointment in your future.

A couple of years ago, my skills were highly in demand, and it was a rare year I didn't have someone come TO ME trying to get me to work for them. Civil engineering's tied tightly to the economy, and there's nothing happening around here atm. Your little parroted specialty will be just as threatened when the right conditions come together. As a matter of fact, it's already started ;^)

Edit:
grammar

 

[chusteczka]

:^D

You keep telling yourself that. When the degree bubble bursts, there's gonna be hell to pay. I suggest you get yourself a reality check pretty quickly, or you're going have some heavy disappointment in your future.

A couple of years ago, my skills were highly in demand, and it was a rare year I didn't have someone come TO ME trying to get me to work for them. Civil engineering's tied tightly to the economy, and there's nothing happening around here atm. Your little parroted specialty will be just as threatened when the right conditions come together. As a matter of fact, it's already started ;^)

Edit:
grammar

lxskllr, I like you. You seem to be skilled and highly qualified at what you do. Please do not push a successful outcome without a college education. Those without a college education are limited to their trade, no matter how successful that trade may be.

I have a friend who owns his own successful business in networking that he started instead of achieving a college education. He originally planned to retire by the age of 30 with several million dollars. He has now changed his mind to expand his networking business to cover IT needs for small business that includes data storage and web development. He is far more successful than I am, at least at this point. For example, he purchased his parent's home for them, bought them new cars, and purchased a Bentley automobile purely for racing purposes. However, he did attend numerous certification courses instead of college. It is possible to be successful without a college education. That point is understood.

The fact is, those in the position to skip school do not need to ask if it is a good idea. They already know it is the best option for them. If the question needs to be asked, then the right answer is to go with the conservative option.

Besides, for someone with a college education there are always other options if opportunities within a specific trade dries up. For someone only experienced within a certain trade, their options disappear with the loss of jobs in that particular field.

 

[lxskllr]

I have a friend who owns his own successful business...

That what bothers me about the whole degree thing. You haven't proven anything until you get out there and do it. I've seen brilliant people from both sides(and idiots of course), but the degree didn't have much to do with it. Degree inflation's getting bad, and everybody is worse off for it.

In the OP's particular case, he's an artist. He can carry his proof of capability on a thumb drive. A degree isn't going to do much for him. You've either got it, or you don't, and a degree won't get it for you. I suggested some business courses would be helpful for running his own business, but even that isn't essential if he has a good grasp of what he needs to do.

 

[chusteczka]

All right, let's take artistic design for a moment. Great artists are considered great because they advanced the state of the art. This means they studied the current state of the art, then used their innate ability to do something new and advance the state of the art. Basically, they invented a new procedure or method for doing something.

An uneducated artist will be stuck doing the same techniques that others are doing. The uneducated artist will not realize his "new" designs are merely derivatives of the work others are doing. At the best, an uneducated artist will believe something new is being created but will merely be following the same steps others have already explored.

Artistic design investigates many areas of design such as tapestries, paintings, architecture, interior design, clothing design, and more. An uneducated computer driven graphic artist will be stuck with computer designs. Any new design may have already been explored in tapestries, for example. He will be a Caravaggio stuck in dark oil paintings when his educated peers are moving on to Impressionism.

 

[lxskllr]

An uneducated artist will be stuck doing the same techniques that others are doing. The uneducated artist will not realize his "new" designs are merely derivatives of the work others are doing. At the best, an uneducated artist will believe something new is being created but will merely be following the same steps others have already explored.

See, now I would turn that around the other way. Why would an employer/client want someone from an art mill, where they were taught the same things, the same "accepted" technique, with the same generic university stamp. With graphic design especially, you want something that sets you apart from the competition. I'd rather have someone that does things on his own, with his own style, than a bunch of clones with only subtle differences between them.

I'm assuming the OP has done his own work, and private study. Art especially is a visceral endeavor, and is constantly being compared and contrasted to what's already been done. It's kind of part of the gig.

 

[grohl]

Well, it does sound you have already decided what to do.

Not sure if you have thought of this, but why not just get a degree in finance/accounting? It will help you run your own business. I have been to college and have a graduate degree, almost all of my friends that do not have college degrees regret not getting one.

 

[chusteczka]

See, now I would turn that around the other way. Why would an employer/client want someone from an art mill, where they were taught the same things, the same "accepted" technique, with the same generic university stamp. With graphic design especially, you want something that sets you apart from the competition. I'd rather have someone that does things on his own, with his own style, than a bunch of clones with only subtle differences between them.

I'm assuming the OP has done his own work, and private study. Art especially is a visceral endeavor, and is constantly being compared and contrasted to what's already been done. It's kind of part of the gig.

This is where the quality of the educational institution becomes important. The OP mentioned earlier that students from the art institute had nothing new to provide. It is well known that art institutes possess rigid curriculums. The professors are full of pride in the belief their method is the best and only method. The students are often restricted to the professor's methods with the professor faulting any other technique. This is similar to a great essay in a literature class that is marked down because it does not follow the professor's view.

A smaller institution that teaches the main concepts while giving the students the freedom to develop their new techniques is necessary. This will also provide the student the opportunity to learn techniques developed in other areas.

 

[xanis]

I'm currently a graphic design student in my junior year, so I'll throw my two cents in.

I have a friend who is just like you. He went to a high school whose curriculum was based around the arts. He's been doing graphic design stuff for around 6 years, probably about the same amount of time you have. He feels the same way as you do in regards to certain things, especially the "know-all" mentality. He does, however, admit that he doesn't in fact know everything. His mentality is that you should never think that you can't learn anything new.

Me, on the other hand, I feel like I'm learning quite a lot. I've always had an "eye" for design stuff, but what I'm learning in school is helping me to better my eye. One of the most important things I've learned is how to think outside the box and look at things more than one way. I've learned a lot of other stuff too... stuff that doesn't include academics. I've learned how to live with strangers that have personalities, wants, and needs much different than my own, learned street smarts, and learned how to manage my time and workload. I wouldn't have learned these things had I not gone to college.

I really don't like to put schools down, but as far as art and design schools go, the Art Institute isn't really the best. Granted, it's probably one of the cheaper options out there, but you're not going to get the level of education or challenge you would have gotten at one of the more prestigious design schools such as, say, SCAD, which is also in Georgia.

If you want to discuss anything further or you want me to try and answer some questions please feel free to PM me.

 

[The Godfather]

I'm currently a graphic design student in my junior year, so I'll throw my two cents in.

I have a friend who is just like you. He went to a high school whose curriculum was based around the arts. He's been doing graphic design stuff for around 6 years, probably about the same amount of time you have. He feels the same way as you do in regards to certain things, especially the "know-all" mentality. He does, however, admit that he doesn't in fact know everything. His mentality is that you should never think that you can't learn anything new.

First, I'd say I entirely agree with lxskllr. And don't get me wrong, I don't have the "know-all" mentality as you say. I know there is much to learn, but as far as this field - I have self taught myself and feel like I have more freedom to try new concepts and experiment than if I was stuck with a regular college diploma. College is great, and necessary for some people - people that need options, and want to try out various courses to find their path in life. But I have already found mine, and as I said I will go back one day.

As far as life lessons, art history, and general art "knowledge".. Like I said, I have been drawing/painting since I was 6 years old, and attended private sessions and lessons from various profound artists in my country as well as in the states. I have tons of books, and inspiration to look at. I'm not the type of guy who learned a program, found something that looked good, and cloned it over and over again for different clients. Its more of a passion than it is a job, which is why sometimes the money doesn't concern me as much as facing a new project or challenge.

I spoke to my father about this today. He seemed to understand, and I will probably go through this semester, finalize the year, and see where the company takes me during that time period. After that, I will take a break from school, which will give me that much more incentive to grow my business with the "this is all I've got, and i better make it work" mentality - you work that much harder.

My father graduated with a diploma still hanging in the hall of fame at the institute he studied in - being accepted to study abroad on a full scholarship during communist times (pretty hard to go abroad back then *legally) as an aircraft engineer for 6 years. He was left with no job once everything began shutting down, left to start his own business that had nothing to do with aircraft (but had everything to do with a passion he's had since a child) so he can support his family. I'm not anti-college, don't get me wrong, I just think that I should go there when I feel the time is right.

Most of my friends have been attending universities for longer than I have, not knowing what their "talent" is, or what they want to do in life that makes them happy. Because one day the 100k salary won't be enough. Looking back at life, knowing you've been going to the same office, same time, same days, you ask yourself "what am I going to leave behind?" Which is why it is important for everyone to find their way early in life, and College is a great place to do that, its just not the case for my situation.