Should I join CS major at college or start building my own startup?
As I have already joined college, I am having bad grades. I am in 3rd year now, one year left for finishing the college. May be I should feel shame asking this question, but I am sad that I am about to quit. Any suggestions?
12 comments
I'm in a very similar position myself. I'm about to enter my 3rd year at UT Austin, with a double major in Business (MIS) and Computer Science. I have gotten offers to co-found 1 or 2 startup ideas with adult founders that have had very successful companies in the past (that they started!). I was originally only MIS, but my interest has always been in tech tinkering so CS was a must.
I've talked to tons of people and asked this same question and I've learned that a CS degree is VERY useful. Besides engineering, it's one of the most valuable degrees you can get. Many companies don't care about you grades if you're in CS / Engineering, they care about your experience, intelligence, etc. I would strongly recommend working on a startup idea on the side and/or getting an internship in the semester (if no startup) or a full-time internship next summer. Grades are important, but honestly if you have around a 3.0 - 3.2 and you're doing a technical field and you got good startup / internship experience, you're much better than a 4.0 CS guy with very little experience, hands down.
I've talked to tons of people and asked this same question and I've learned that a CS degree is VERY useful. Besides engineering, it's one of the most valuable degrees you can get. Many companies don't care about you grades if you're in CS / Engineering, they care about your experience, intelligence, etc. I would strongly recommend working on a startup idea on the side and/or getting an internship in the semester (if no startup) or a full-time internship next summer. Grades are important, but honestly if you have around a 3.0 - 3.2 and you're doing a technical field and you got good startup / internship experience, you're much better than a 4.0 CS guy with very little experience, hands down.
Let me tell you a story....
In 1997, I was precisely where you are right now. I had just started the third year of an accounting degree, I hated every moment of every single class, and my grades had started to slip from all 90s into the mid 70s. Being a good Gen-X'er, rather than outright quit, I decided to be a slacker for four months while I slowly started doing market research.
By early 1998, I was ready to drop out and start my own company. That company was reasonably successful and I sold it later that year (for a price I would laugh at today, but I was 21). Most importantly, I learned more in nine months than I had in my entire University career. About a decade later, I went back to school and finished my degree.
Basically my friend, if you're not motivated and if your marks stink, why waste money? You likely aren't learning much of anything, so either go out and start something or get a job. Higher education is hard enough when you are motivated; it is a waste of time when you are not.
Just my two cents - best of luck!
In 1997, I was precisely where you are right now. I had just started the third year of an accounting degree, I hated every moment of every single class, and my grades had started to slip from all 90s into the mid 70s. Being a good Gen-X'er, rather than outright quit, I decided to be a slacker for four months while I slowly started doing market research.
By early 1998, I was ready to drop out and start my own company. That company was reasonably successful and I sold it later that year (for a price I would laugh at today, but I was 21). Most importantly, I learned more in nine months than I had in my entire University career. About a decade later, I went back to school and finished my degree.
Basically my friend, if you're not motivated and if your marks stink, why waste money? You likely aren't learning much of anything, so either go out and start something or get a job. Higher education is hard enough when you are motivated; it is a waste of time when you are not.
Just my two cents - best of luck!
It depends on how skilled you are. If I were young, had little debt, and no responsibility, I would go to college, have a blast, and build something on nights and weekends. You have plenty of time, enjoy it.
Finish! You can start working on your startup on the side, but with only 1-2 years left, you'll have a degree that can be used in case of emergencies to get you a job.
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One year left: finish the damn thing. The ROI is pretty good there. You can also do other things at the same time like trying to sort out your career plans.
People who dropped out of college and founded some giant tech company didn't do it because they had bad grades. They did it because they had already started developing the company and no longer had time for anything else.
People who dropped out of college and founded some giant tech company didn't do it because they had bad grades. They did it because they had already started developing the company and no longer had time for anything else.
Stay in school and utilize the school's resources to build your startup-- people, office space, tools, a huge market, etc. When you have milked the school for what it's worth and your startup is ready to expand outside of your college, quit.
Try your startup for a time. If it looks like things are not working out, go back to college. I hope you have some form of a team assembled, one person starts are really hard. Have fun.
Finish college and work on your startup on the side for a year. Also, if you need to do a major research project or dissertation, choose something that will be of use for your startup.
That piece of paper makes all the difference. Hang in there for the last year and you will be happy you did. It is tough to land a good job without a degree.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Good luck with whatever you choose.