I certainly didn't tell everyone to create startups. But reading here, that's what it seems like it trends towards.
If you're over the age of 27, your example just doesn't count. It's not nearly as easy today to do what you did, than it was a decade ago. The economy has changed dramatically and ancedotal experiences aside, it's hardly a blueprint for mass success.
There is no inverse relationship between "hard work" and "success" in a startup. But that's a fallacy that a lot of folks here seem to believe. If it worked for you, that's great. But it's not some sort of reality for everyone.
It's not nearly as easy today to do what you did, than it was a decade ago
It's even easier. Enlightened hiring managers just want to see output: github, websites, blogs, downloadable software, etc. At the startups I've worked for recently we only looked thoroughly at a resume if the person had no online presence (which was already a red flag).
Maybe you won't get hired at Google or an investment bank, though.
I know from personal experience that a journalism degree will get you nowhere fast in the writing world. Some of the top editors screen out candidates by if their degree is anything but a passing mention on their resume, if it's the top thing in your experiences you're rejected.
I got a job at 17 writing reviews, when I left the job (due to the politics of the job) I had more than enough experience to apply for a job for one of the big magazines. What editors are looking for in writers is a great personal voice, which is something journalism classes teach out of you. I have never seen 'journalism degree' listed on any job in journalism, it's simply not wanted.
My point specifically is that hard work = success is ONLY for for the very small sub-set of the population that has the right aptitude/skills to create a successful startup/tech career beyond your standard cube-rat (no offense to cube-rats). It's absolutely NOT for everyone.
If your point is: for the average person, college is important to success, then sure. My point is that for the tech startup founding type people here, college is probably not very important to success.
You called out startups in your OP "The only people who can afford to drop out of college to pursue a startup" so that's what I'm focusing on here.
Completely agree with you modoc, I worked for JUST over minimum wage in a family owned business when I was 17-23 before interviewing for an entry level support position with my current company. I was a run of the mill PC tech who got paid hardly anything at the time (had two kids & wife to support as well) and I never felt I was having a hard time "making it", dare I say, I was happy.
I worked hard, picked up programming, and spent nights/spare time working on a program for our branch office, with the intention that I wanted to move up to corporate and be a full time programmer.
I busted my tail working, stayed motivated, gained experience, and when the app I wrote for our branch made it into the right hands (this was also planned, just had to wait for the timing to be right) they 'apprenticed me' into a .NET position, on the notion that I showed the right character to be a good employee and worked hard. That was several raises ago, and I'm still moving and improving, and getting serious real world experience in the field I want to make a career out of.
I grew up watching my Dad work 10-12 hour days at a company we owned, I was fortunate enough to have parents who always pushed us to achieve anything we wanted (and modest enough to never make us feel like we were anything more than middle class, there was money there, but instead of taking it for our pleasure, my father would reward employees and let it stay as profits for the business).
When I left the nest, I severed all financial ties with them to make it on my own, with my own independence. So I wasn't driving a car paid by them, or using a cell phone paid by them, or any of that.
The reason I got the first PC tech job even though I had a recreational tech history of computers and 5+ years of graphic/web design experience? Because I interviewed well and my former boss saw potential.
The world is full of opportunities for everyone, just look at the examples here. Such a wide range of people with different stories and experiences.
College is great, but I don't regret not going. I learned growing up how to teach myself through reading, research and practice, and I learn things faster that way.
If you're over the age of 27, your example just doesn't count. It's not nearly as easy today to do what you did, than it was a decade ago. The economy has changed dramatically and ancedotal experiences aside, it's hardly a blueprint for mass success.
There is no inverse relationship between "hard work" and "success" in a startup. But that's a fallacy that a lot of folks here seem to believe. If it worked for you, that's great. But it's not some sort of reality for everyone.