In need of advice. Dilemma.

[The Godfather]

In a huge dilemma, and I figured this would be a good place to seek advice, considering a lot of the audience here is fairly mature and professional.

I just went to college (Graphic Design degree) for my first semester ever. It was me and a buddy of mine, 2 days a week, all day long, crappy weather, an hour and a half away from home. The only good part was that it was me and him, same classes, and that sort of lightened the situation we were in. I, however, have been doing graphic design/web/3d for over 6 years, and can tell you I am probably more experienced than any of the professors (not that i got to meet them, still on the core class curriculum). I just feel that school is slowing me down, getting in my way. I have my own business doing all kinds of design and development, and for the last 3 months since it started it has flourished. I love design, it is my passion, but there is literally nothing school can teach me (mainly because you can not simply teach someone how to be a good designer, it comes with experience and having an "eye" for that type of stuff). My portfolio is enough for me to get a job at a design firm, worst case scenario, my company ends up not being able to support my needs. Now days a college degree isn't enough. We had guys 6 years older than us apply for jobs at my company that graduated from Art Institute of Atlanta with amazingly crappy portfolios.

I simply do not want to go back. I feel like I'm wasting my life when I'm there, knowing that in the blink of an eye I'm going to be 50 years old with a piece of paper in my hand saying I "did" something. My friend has already decided he is dropping out mainly due to the same reasons, but with some personal/family problems in the picture as well. He is the co-founder of the company and a very good friend of mine - we started interacting with design around the same early age and have stuck together since then.

I feel like its in all my best interest to "take a break" - saying I will definitely go back to school one day. But what's stopping me is the following: I'm still at my parents house, and I really don't want to betray them (starting with the "We came to America so you can get your education") regardless of how much I explain it won't do much for me, they're still parents. I don't want to see them disappointed and thinking I am making the wrong choice.

After this semester I will lose my HOPE scholarship - because I have been flooded with work (and trust me, I love working) I ended up scoring two 90's, 1 85ish and 1 D.. However the 90's apparently counted as B+'s in those classes giving me only a 3 instead of a 4 on the GPA scale. My parents don't know, and if I lived alone I wouldn't bother them with my college dilemmas. But the second I imagine going back there on January 11th, driving back and forth constantly, wasting my time.. it makes me sick.

What do I do?

Cliffs:

1) Went to college for 1 semester so far for graphic design
2) Been doing graphic design for a long time
3) Own a company in graphic design that has been pretty successful up to date (and by successful I mean that it is a 3 month old firm and has gone a long way for the time period, more projects than expected, but I still won't take the risk to rely fully on it just yet, it is way too early for me to leap on to it, but hopefully it is headed in a good direction)
4) School is far, terrible setting, and the friend I bared the pain with is dropping out (had same classes and everything - also co-owner and business partner)
5) Feel like school is slowing me down, and just adding stress in my life
6) Had guys 5-6 years older than us apply at the company that graduated with a graphic design diploma - however lacking portfolio-wise and creative taste
7) Don't want to get the "We came to America so you can get your education talk"
8) Still living with the parents and do not want in any case to make them feel bad or add stress in their lives
9) I know 100% a diploma won't do anything for me - great backup plan, but I'm sure my portfolio will do more
10) HOPE scholarship will expire after this semester - work got in the way, and my 90's were only counted as B+'s (3) on my GPA.
11) Will 10000% go back to school in the future but feel like I'm too young and ambitious to have it put me down, add stress and extra work to my life.

Helpful advice/moments from your life would help me.

Thank you.

 

[Savarak]

move out and be independent from your parents with your income from your "successful" business, go to classes part time

how you could do it is, go find an affordable more permanent apartment or house, figure your new rent/mortgage budget + cost of part time classes + insurance + all other expenses like food and transportation and such, and show them to your parents

as long as you can demonstrate your income is sufficient and you still strive for your degree on your own terms, they should know you've already grown your wings for this real world

 

[eits]

even the cliffs need cliffs

 

[Colt45]

I figured this would be a good place to seek advice, considering a lot of the audience here is fairly mature and professional.

bbzzzzzzzzzt.


Sounds like you already decided you want to quit.

 

[gorcorps]

even the cliffs need cliffs

My thoughts as well... Jesus

 

[mugs]

I think you probably have more to learn than you realize, especially if you think you have more experience than your professors.

But that doesn't really matter. You've been doing this for 6 years. If you can support yourself, move out of your parents' house. If you continue to rely on your parents for support stay in school.

 

[The Godfather]

I think you probably have more to learn than you realize, especially if you think you have more experience than your professors.

But that doesn't really matter. You've been doing this for 6 years. If you can support yourself, move out of your parents' house. If you continue to rely on your parents for support stay in school.

Ok, don't get me wrong - The professors are probably super talented/experienced and probably amazing at what they do. What I meant by my statement is in comparison to the way they are stuck teaching the class. They have a certain way the have to approach the students. Some may have never had any previous design experience, while some may be way ahead. Some are there just for the "diploma" so they can get a job - knowing what they already know, others are simply interested in design and decided they want to pursue it or switch their majors. The professors have to compromise, go slow, and provide equivalent explanation to both parties. In that aspect, I see it as nothing more than a waste of my time ( especially after I saw what graduate students from the Art Institute hold as their "personal portfolio" )

And yes, you are right I have already decided to quit, but I came to seek advice as far as the timing goes. Should I waste another 5 months, feel like crap every day, or should I just stop now and try to explain as best as I can and hopefully move out in that time period?

Trust me, I see the positive side, and I always try to find the good in every aspect, but at this stage I find that there are better things I can do with my time instead of adding more stress to my life. At the same time though, I don't want to bring that stress over to my parents.

 

[lxskllr]

School's overrated. If you legitimately have a nice portfolio, you're wasting everybody's time, including your own. You'd be better off taking some business and management courses to help you out with your business. That would also look good on a resume if going on your own doesn't work out.

 

[Muadib]

bbzzzzzzzzzt.


Sounds like you already decided you want to quit.

Yep, and it would be a huge mistake, IMO. Just how much have you've been making on these jobs that you would give up your degree, OP?

 

[lxskllr]

Yep, and it would be a huge mistake, IMO. Just how much have you've been making on these jobs that you would give up your degree, OP?

I don't know anything about the graphic design field, but I'd be willing to bet a degree is worth about as much as a dollar store sketch pad. What matters is whether or not you can produce. A degree proves nothing, and the real talking is done by your work. If /I/ were doing the hiring your degree wouldn't mean much to me. I've met too many papered idiots to put any value in a degree. A degree means you're a competent trained parrot. What matters more is how you present yourself, and the confidence to work on your own, without somebody micromanaging your every move.

 

[Muadib]

I don't know anything about the graphic design field, but I'd be willing to bet a degree is worth about as much as a dollar store sketch pad. What matters is whether or not you can produce. A degree proves nothing, and the real talking is done by your work. If /I/ were doing the hiring your degree wouldn't mean much to me. I've met too many papered idiots to put any value in a degree. A degree means you're a competent trained parrot. What matters more is how you present yourself, and the confidence to work on your own, without somebody micromanaging your every move.

You admit yourself that you know nothing about the field, so this post is full of FAIL. I don't know much about the field, but I know how competitive it is, because a brother of one of my friends got his degree, and I know what he went through to get a decent gig. The funny thing is, he moved to the OP's area to get a good job.

I do agree with you comment about a degree means that you're somewhat competent. Having said that, who do you think will get hired with all else being equal?

 

[lxskllr]

I do agree with you comment about a degree means that you're somewhat competent. Having said that, who do you think will get hired with all else being equal?

Nothing is equal. The best personal presentation will get the gig, assuming the quality of the work's the same. WTH does a degree get you in design? That proves what exactly? The ONLY thing that matters is the portfolio, and your presentation. You need to go into a place owning it; with confidence in yourself, and confidence in your work. No employer wants to add babysitting to his schedule. He needs someone that'll take charge, and work on his own. If you can do the work, and you KNOW you can do the work, that's all that matters.

 

[Muadib]

Did you go to college, lxskllr?

 

[lxskllr]

Did you go to college, lxskllr?

Nope. I never quite knew what I wanted to get into. I fell into surveying, and liked it well enough at first. I want to get out of the engineering field though. I'm burnt out on it. Too much responsibility, not enough money :^D

 

[Muadib]

Nope. I never quite knew what I wanted to get into. I fell into surveying, and liked it well enough at first. I want to get out of the engineering field though. I'm burnt out on it. Too much responsibility, not enough money :^D

So you want to leave the field that you have experience? What's your plan? The odds are against you falling into something paying what you make now.

 

[lxskllr]

So you want to leave the field that you have experience? What's your plan? The odds are against you falling into something paying what you make now.

Right now I'm not getting paid anything :^D I got laid off last February, and engineering's dead around here. In any case, my body's shot, and I need to find something less physical. Honestly, I'd like a low end IT job. The pay might not be terrific, but I like solving problems. If I could setup my own perfect job, I'd be doing computations for a small engineering firm, and handling the IT work for the company. It's varied enough to keep my interest, and something new always pops up :^)

 

[Fear No Evil]

I have a BA degree from a major university.. my career is in IT.. My degree has nothing to do with my current career - However I think it was useful in a couple ways. First of all, it matured me in many ways. I learned how to interact with people better, live on my own, pay bills, etc. Academically I think I expanded my world view, became much more proficient at writing and communicating, and learned how to think critically and work through problems better.

The main thing that I think a degree helps you with these days is getting in the door. Most HR people will just toss your resume aside if you don't have any degree. I think that's the hardest part about finding a job right now is getting through the door to even talk with anyone - At that point your experience and portfolio can speak for yourself. But if you never get to talk with them, all of that is useless. If you have a strong network of professional associates you work around that problem however.

So you might want to look at a degree as something other than just helping your current career skills... look at it as expanding your abilities in other areas that you may not be as talented in. It will make you a more rounded person. I can certainly tell which people I work with have gone to college and those who have not. Those who have generally communicate better, have better problem solving skills, and just seem more mature overall. I would avoid going significantly into debt to do it though, its just not worth it. If you look at it purely as expanding your skills in design, I agree that experience is WAY more important.

 

[Pegun]

If /I/ were doing the hiring your degree wouldn't mean much to me. I've met too many papered idiots to put any value in a degree. A degree means you're a competent trained parrot. What matters more is how you present yourself, and the confidence to work on your own, without somebody micromanaging your every move.

And thus why you aren't doing the hiring. The purpose of your bachelor's degree is to teach you how to research and learn and how to build a foundation to what you plan on doing. The reason why companies love kids right out of school is they have the knowledge and foundations to be molded into what the company needs, based on their own desires and experiences. The problem with the OP is that he believes he can't learn anything new which is a typical high school attitude.

OP: Do what you want. After going through 6 years of school and earning two degrees I learned a lot even after working in IT and troubleshooting for a number of years before hand. Add that to working in industry for two years and then going to get my masters; I learned even more. If you honestly believe that your work is superior to everyone else's, put your money where your mouth is and show these "super talented" professors that you are as good as you say, ask for more work or extend the assignment yourself. Professors are there to challenge you and help you. If you feel art isn't what you want to get educated in, get a business degree. The psychology and business practices taught in college can help you turn a little local business into something international.

 

[lxskllr]

The purpose of your bachelor's degree is to teach you how to research and learn and how to build a foundation to what you plan on doing.

Great intent. It would be nice if that's actually what happened in the real world ;^)

 

[chusteczka]

It seems you are a skilled apprentice thumbing your nose at the masters of your trade. It seems you prefer to make your own mistakes and reinvent the wheel since you possess only your own experience and skills. You have an opportunity to raise yourself from an apprentice to a master by learning the theories within your profession. Skipping school will guarantee that you never become a master of your trade since you will make the same mistakes others have already made and this will betray the natural skills you currently rely on.

The Art Institute may attempt to instill its own theories and pride into its students. Professors at an Art Institute may feel their way is the only right way. You need to learn ideas, concepts, and theories at a higher level than mere experience. My advice is to consider finding a more theoretically challenging program at a different school. If this is not feasible, then open your mind and learn from those who precede you. Do not lose the opportunity to learn from others, trade information is closely guarded outside of school.

Take your friend with you, pull him along if you have to. Do not allow your pride to be your downfall.

Also, set your work aside long enough to learn the theories involved with your profession. You may later regret not doing so now.


I also agree with Pegun above.

 

[olds]

Your grades don't support the premise that you know more than all the professors. At least you don't know how to do college level work. That's one of the things you learn at school.

 

[The Godfather]

Your grades don't support the premise that you know more than all the professors. At least you don't know how to do college level work. That's one of the things you learn at school.

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.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Every field is different. but I'd been programming for several years before starting college, including a fair amount of paid work.

For the first 2-3 Comp Sci classes I did already know the material so I might have called it a waste of time too. But after that the classes switched from the basics to some of the theory that I -didn't- already know and the classes became worthwhile.

Would it be the same for you? I have no idea.

 

[lxskllr]

Every field is different. but I'd been programming for several years before starting college, including a fair amount of paid work.

For the first 2-3 Comp Sci classes I did already know the material so I might have called it a waste of time too. But after that the classes switched from the basics to some of the theory that I -didn't- already know and the classes became worthwhile.

Would it be the same for you? I have no idea.

The way I see it, is he's an artist. If you're looking for a guitar player for your band, you don't give a shit if someone has a Phd in music, and teaches at Peabody. You want someone with chops, and who'll fit in with the band....

 

[Sea Moose]

even the cliffs need cliffs

this