Knowledge, Not Schooling.

The accumulation of knowledge and wisdom is more important than the accumulation of schooling.

I was a horrible student. In fact, I skated through high school and dropped out of college.

With that being said, I now read more than ever. And every time I read something, I go to bed knowing something I didn't know when I woke up. Learning excites me, empowers me, and enriches my life 10 fold.

Unless you are wanting or needing to do something that requires a degree, in which I'm ALL for, really think about why you are going to college and why you are possibly getting yourself into a whole lot of debt.

Are you going because that's how you best learn? Are you going because you want to immerse yourself in the professor's wisdom and experiences? Are you going to make friends? If so, great!
OR are you going because you think a degree will get you a job, say in music, entrepreneurship, or even business?

Look, at Soundstripe we have hired 8 or so people in the past couple of years. And these are not blue collar jobs we are talking about. Chief Technology Officer, Marketing Director, Customer Care director, Finance Manager, etc etc. And at this rate we will be hiring another 30 people in the next 5 years years.

We have not ONCE looked at their degrees. Some have degrees and some don't. But all that matters is the results. Can they produce the goods!?

Colleges need to do a better job addressing their value proposition to potential students. It should be the knowledge and wisdom they will attain, not just the degrees.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not against college! I loved my time there. 
But what I implore in young people and their parents is to not assume that if you get a degree, your ticket to success is bought!
That piece of paper doesn't mean you will be successful, or you will even be able to get a job with it!

The real opportunity starts when you shift your mentality to WANT to learn and grow. Then the world is seriously WIDE OPEN.