I can't believe this thread is still going on. Here's my reaction to the last 30 pages of posts ... To the guys who succeeded without a degree, what are the chances that some stranger on a messageboard you are giving advice to is as motivated/talented/smart and lucky as you are? I really think your advice only applies to a very small part of the population. If you have found a path that does not require college or really know it is not for you, don't go, but I don't think that is the OPs situation. For MOST people who can go to college and have not figured out what they want to do at an unusually young age college is the best choice. My take on college is that it is both a consumption good and an option. Most of us don't know if the option will ever come into the money for many years. The payoff might come from what you learned, who you met, or a just a line on your resume but you usually have no clue which until much later. The option premium is the time and effort you put in (the actual tuition should not matter for most). If you don't have anything great in the works then the cost of your time is low. The option vol is how uncertain you are about your future - high uncertainty makes college worth more. Price this option for your average 18 year old and it looks pretty good. I definitely struggled with the corporate drone thing too, but college followed by a corporate job when you are young does not sentence you to that for life. You can learn a lot from the right corporate job that you can use for yourself later. And the corporate bs is a lot less painful when you are just providing a service in exchange for money and experience instead of trying to make it to the top. And finally I would argue that college is a place you can pick up tools that will help your trading. Not the only place but if you are there anyway look around and you might be surprised.
Proving my initial point exactly. This is clearly about the ignorant insecuritries about those arguing against a degree. ''Whewhooo, I don't kiss ass to no one, I'm the big man''. lol, come on children. And another great point exactly, is The Ultimate ASS Kissing your going to have to do is to your customers, lol. This is getting really old, the same people are the only one's coming on here anyways. Please stop corrupting our youth.
I had a chance to pick the brains of some Hedge Fund & Pvt Equity guys in my Advanced Financial Analysis, Econometrics Modeling and etc classes.. Let me tell you that that has made all the difference. But, actually, I think having a trading background even before going to school and taking those classes made me absorb relevant information like a sponge. If I ever become the greatest trading master of the universe (which I am on track to become) & I WILL, I attribute it all to my teachers... (even the BAD ones, the unbelievably horrible ones)
Ahh, another low-post troll who completely misses the point. You sound remarkably like this guy from Trading Zoo I know...(vastox...geox..? hmmm) I'll tell you what's getting old is that people like you who act is if they are more intelligent than those of us who are stating a degree isn't necessary - people like you that keep comparing trading to running a customer service business. In spite of the obvious differences, AND the fact that we have already covered them in previous posts. Seriously, you are doing all the insulting of yourself for me, leave me something fun to do.You keep proving my points with each post, it's actually funny to me. There are some fuckin-A geniuses that went to college, I do not dispute that AT ALL....but damn man, it's people like YOU that seem to be the average college grad, and that's my point....lots of college paper, not enough brain. You are making yourself look so ignorant there's really not much more for me to say other than..gee didn't they teach you to read in college?
If you present them a reasonable business proposition, I don't see a need to kiss ass.... Or if you are using a broker with a fixed commission schedule....
LOL WOW some of you people are fucking morons!!! We are still debating this? There is no black and white answer. IMO college is worthless and is for the rats who want to run the rats race. Enough said.
A college degree may be good, but it isn't doing too much for this guy. Still Finding My Way Good luck if you really think you need it ... just gives you more stuff to unlearn. I