The Real Value of an Education
I had to transfer. I had spent two years at RPI, where I was gradually becoming more and more unhappy. My debts were rapidly growing and I didn’t see the value in what I was spending, I didn’t feel like I had any idea what I was going to do with my life and career, I could see to the end of my time in Troy, but not beyond it. I left the “prestigious engineering school” in the Northeast, and returned home to the Lone Star State.
This is what happened when I got home:
I had managed to get a co-op position at AMD where I worked on a project that opened my eyes to what sorts of work I could do upon graduation, stuff that I wouldn’t have ever seen in a classroom. After working for six or seven months, I started my first semester at the University of Texas.
My pockets were jingling with the spoils of that half year of work making twice as much money at nearly twice as many hours per week than I had ever made before in my life. Working let me decompress and get my head back on straight (work as a stress reliever, who knew?) as well as get money back in my pocket, because I was determined to avoid getting into debt as long as possible, after accruing $25000+ in student loans in two years, I didn’t want any more. I think that there is something more pure and honest about spending the money that you have on hand rather than betting on its future value and borrowing the money, I value my education at UT more than I think I did at RPI.
I am into my second year since I returned home now, and my second semester at UT, and I am happier than ever.
- I am nearing my second anniversary with my girlfriend
- We have a dog (a fantastic companion and learning experience)
- The only debt I have picked up is a car loan recently - at a very affordable rate and payment
- I have a clear idea of what I want to do with my life (for the moment anyways) - I want to study management and entrepreneurship, perhaps with an MBA and maybe go into business for myself.
Waking up every morning with a sense of purpose, of what each day means for me and my career, is fantastic. I think that moving to the (relatively) inexpensive state school proved that no matter what you spend on school, the thing that matters most about your education isn’t how much you spend on it, it’s about value - how much you truly value it and how much you put into it will determine how much you get out of an education.
Full Disclosure: I submitted this article to Get Rich Slowly’s 18-month anniversary group writing project .
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