I think this is good advice: do both. And be careful about what money you risk and when. Don't jump right in. Sim/paper trade for a year or several months first to gain confidence and slowly ease into live trading over another year.
Josh, After thinking more of your situation, I'll say I am extremely envious. I wish to god I could be 1 year out of college, I know without a doubt what I would do. This may fly in the face of many here, but for me I would join the Navy. Many reasons here, first being that with a 4 year degree, you will become an officer. It sounds like you may be a little like me in your quest for risk, adventure, glory, etc. The cool jobs you can train for are amazing; aviation, special warfare (SEALs), medicine, maritime engineering (maybe command a ship one day), etc. Put in 20 years service and draw a retirement pension the day you leave! At say 42 years old, you are a retired Naval Officer, with many incredible job opportunities ahead, including toying with trading, and drawing a check for 75% of your highest pay.........for the rest of your life. Unfortunately I am too old to even consider this. All I will say is trading isn't a glorious existence, a life of the related stresses that accompany trading take a toll. http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/retired-pay/military-retirement-system
I agree completely. I've seen a lot of people jump from their BA/BS to an MBA and try and find a job afterwards with very little luck. An MBA with no experience in this job market == one very expensive useless degree. Job experience is absolutely necessary before and MBA. In fact, most employers have tuition reimbursement so getting the employer to pay for it is another benefit to getting a job 1st. The key is getting that job...
I had the same dilemma 30 years ago. I chose not to get my MBA and worked very hard until 50 when I retired. At 43, I took some specialized training to update my technical skills and kept a spreadsheet of forgone earnings versus higher pay on new skills and truly earned back my investment in knowledge. MBA's were needed for a bygone era in my view. They have caused a lot of damage to companies, along with some good stuff. If the SHTF in the government debt area, they may be wiped out. In tough times, you need superb corporate operations folks, not spreadsheet and presentation people. That edge is almost done. All this is just my opinion now, I may change my views in a year or two. Don't aim for where companies have been, aim for where they will be. Read the broad landscape, discover the really tough problems, and move to be the solution. If MBAs come back, then learn that. If you discover something else needed much more with less competition, become that and become the best one in that field. So, if I were as you described. I would go find work and learn marketable skills and particularly broad-based skills. Make sure you actually like what you are doing or you will not be able to keep the high internal drive up for many years that produces sterling results. After a few years, these decisions will be much clearer to you and you achieve them after hours while you are earning. Heck companies may even help you pay for them if you are perceived as the real deal. There are very few mistakes out there, simply turns in the road for those who can read the future signs today. I learned to trade in the evenings and on the weekends after my job was done. Don't forget money isn't everything. You need to at least like what you do. Good luck and I would love to be where you are today.