flunkin outta college. fcked up in the game

[Mindstarter]

I used to work a full-time job too...I did customer service for 3yrs...the WOAT job. It's really what motivated me to get real serious about my education...I quit my job and went back to school full-time, but im not just into taking classes and getting an A, Im kissing professors asses for future references, trying to be involved in club activities, conducting research projects..anything that I can get my hands on that will enrich my mind but also look good on my resume is what I've been about this past 1yr. Im taking advantage of what my school offers, Im going to the computer labs and learning different programs on my own, Im not waiting for a teacher to tell me to learn this or that. I attend free events/talks/seminars and network with others....

At last my customer service job there were plenty of ppl in there with degrees...one of my supervisors had a degree in Electrical Engineering another had two IT degrees, I even worked with ppl who have degrees from Cornell, NYU & Columbia......having a degree and a good gpa is not the only thing u need to get where u want to be..you have to be very hungry and motivated for it. So w/e u decide to do just make sure ur gonna do it right.

What I advise u to do is, act like ur applying for ur dream position. Go online and look for companies that are hiring for ur dream job...look @ the qualifications they are asking for...this should be apart of ur motivation and help guide u in the direction u want to take.

 

[Mindstarter]

I'll let yall in on a tip. Don't you know how when the semester starts, the workload is light for the first 2 to 4 weeks.

Use that time to get ahead. Say you got the class book on the first day. While everyone is going to the back to the school parties, not doing shit, study one chapter a day. Like one chapter of Calculus on Monday, one chapter of Biology on Tuesday, one chapter of Macroeconomics on Wednesday.

Fast forward a month later. The class is only on chapter 7 and your ass is already on chapter 12. Professor be thinking you a genius and shit lol. Instead of cramming, crying to god that you pass the exam like most niggas, just go back to your notes from the beginning of the semester, review and finish playing Madden.

co-sign..I actually start studying b4 classes even start...I go to the library and get books about the topic in advance and try to learn on my own...I also do this b/c the bookstore and library be packed with ppl trying to get material when classes start. I also order older edition books online b4 classes start b/c sometimes u don't end up getting ur books until midterms...if the prof. assigns work out of the required textbook I just make photocopies from some dumbass who paid $100 for a book or use the book they have on reserve @ the library.

 

[ShencotheMC]

Yea, I told niggas I'm giving them the mixtape and the EP and then I'm gone for the spring and the summer while I'm in class. Ima do some shows, but as far as new music? Might catch one or two more new joints from me until the winter.

 

[Lambent]

Damn, can't got that route.

Glad I'm getting the fuck up outta here soon.

 

[blackdemo]

co-sign..I actually start studying b4 classes even start...I go to the library and get books about the topic in advance and try to learn on my own...I also do this b/c the bookstore and library be packed with ppl trying to get material when classes start. I also order older edition books online b4 classes start b/c sometimes u don't end up getting ur books until midterms...if the prof. assigns work out of the required textbook I just make photocopies from some dumbass who paid $100 for a book or use the book they have on reserve @ the library.

word up, i be hustlin on that book tip, literally more then half the books i got was strictly off networking. talk to a borad who took the same class, i got notes for a class she takin n i get that book free for the semester, people be handin me books. Ive only paid full price for 3 books out of 11 classes. and 2 i got off this local buy n sell website kijiji.com one bookthat was worth 120$ bought for 50$.

my classmate was mad as fuck, cuz the one i got was actually an edition lower (with the same author tho) but it got the same exact definitions and the test are based on those, and its religon so its not like the stories have changed much in two years, fuck payin for a book, id look in the library b4 that, niggas on a budget out here, tryna eat

 

[janesBydiction]

When u study u should use a method called: SQ3R. which stands for: Survey (skim everything get a preview) Question (what should i know?) Read (study ur fucking ass off) Review (skim thru it again) and the most important Recite (if u cant recite what u read read it again)

U wanna study everyday n im not sayin 4 hours a day or nothin im sayin 30 min each class or even a hour if u really want As because. 3 weeks prior to the exam u UNDERSTAND the material so 3 weeks prior all that stuff u studied will be like review.

what u wanna do is study everyday for each class and on a sunday u review everything from that week. and finals/ midterms will be easy, and youll automatically get AT LEAST a B. thats the least i swear to u my nigga. obv u dont have the intellect to jus pick things up, ur like me.....an idiot, so what does a idiot have to do, he gotta work harder then everybody. but u can still have fun after that, what u do after 8pm on a weekend? u go ham n party BUT u have to finish ur work first, dont get caught up my nigga, remember what u there for dont throw ur money away man, thats stupid.

Good luck homie, hope this helps

I rarely post here, but I gotta login to give you major props on this post homie. Extremely insightful and helpful.

 

[nex gin]

This is just by personal experience. I have a degree in Computer Science. Although it looks good on a resume, my actual work experience & connections did more for me than the degree. I learned more about programming ( from books, entry level gigs & general research ) after I graduated than I did throughout college. One thing I noticed in my area is that a lot of IT people were getting hired solely off of having certifications. It pissed me off (given what I went through) to see people w/ no applicable experience getting hired just because they were able to pass a test. However, certs can definitely get you in the door. If you can read, understand and apply what you learn from books and the internet...that is a start. Not to sound cliche....but all it takes is hard work and dedication. I know a lot of IT professionals that are self taught. All it took was someone to give them that one chance to prove themself. You can always go back to school if that's what you want...but it is not the end all be all. The wonderful thing about programming & IT is that you can start your own business from home w/ little to no money if you want. Hell...be the next Mark Zuckerburg and build some simple game changing shit. You can get good paying consulting gigs too if you know your shit. I know cats that do consulting half of the year and make enough money that they can take off & chill the other 6 months of the year. There are a lot of options just depending on what you ultimately want to do.

 

[blakfyahking]

damn I def feel t/s situation.................especially because multiple times I almost straight quit going to college

but two things:

1st, these "for-profit" schools like Devry, ITT tech, Strayer, etc are killing a lot of niggaz. The tuition is too damn expensive for a nigga who is casual about going to school. you getting jipped like a mofo if you going to a for-profit most times because you they don't give you the basic foundation like a state school usually does..........especially considering how high the tuition is, and the ability to transfer credits. I stay seeing one of my boys getting caught the fuck up in that cycle. that type of school is for mofos who are already dead serious about school, yet for-profits stay with mofos who really looking for shortcuts.....................my advice is take yo ass to a cheap state school until you are really serious

even community colleges can be a waste of valuable time

2nd:

mofos need to be really honest with themselves. if you don't have a certain appreciation for the knowledge that you are supposed to be getting from college, you will eventually fail. the shit is about mostly motivation and endurance, so the trick is not to go to school because you fear what your work situation will be like without a degree. plenty of mofos out here making money without a degree...............plenty of mofos out here with degrees making money as well. but the funny thing is, is the person who knows how to manage their money is the one who ends up winning

no matter what anybody says you can go back to college at any point. my advice is that you find what you are really motivated to do, and throw 2 feet in it. don't listen to somebody else to have you walk the beaten path because it may not be for you. it may be part of your life's story to go thru some shit the hard way. otherwise, you need to boss the fuck up and stop playing with ya life. because if you ain't got the shit you want, you can't blame no one but yourself.

 

[blakfyahking]

and just to give t/s a lil bt of background of myself:

I worked a couple manual labor jobs growing up, my service in the military being one of them

and I almost got kicked the fuck out from that cause I wasn't motivated

but how bout once I start making close to stacking a million after tax, is when I truly got the motivation to go to college. I don't even really need a degree, but once I started going to school for the right reasons, it was hard to no finish school

all I have is a bachelors, and I'm currently doing a second one while at the same time prepping for grad school. by the time I'm done, I may end up with six or seven degrees just because of how much sense of accomplishment going to school gives me. and I've already come close to putting a mil away already

it basically comes down to your mentality and what you think is important...............never just go to school cause some other mofo is telling you that you can't do what you want without a degree. plenty of cats out here doing what they really want, so don't go to school unless that is truly what you want to do

 

[Chuchk]

I really just want to get into the IT field.....

This is just by personal experience. I have a degree in Computer Science. Although it looks good on a resume, my actual work experience & connections did more for me than the degree....

I was coming in thread to say pretty much exactly what nex gin is saying. The most valuable thing for me in College was the projects that I got involved with during my time here.

I am getting a Degree in IT as well, I am one of the mangers for the Comp Sci/IT labs on campus which is completely run by students and I also am the sole web master/developer/designer for the school's club and organization websites. I have also done work on other websites

I have a job lined up for when I graduate, I did an internship with the company last summer and they liked my work so they offered me a full-time position for this coming summer.

The thing that even got me the internship was the fact that had so much experience in anything IT, the job had to do with Java programming but I have never done anything groundbreaking as a programmer before working there, I described challenges and the problem solving skills I used in my jobs during the interview and got hired

Computer Science and IT is not about knowing about the technology and the tools its about training yourself to have a logical mind and coming up with elegant and clean solutions to problems. They don't give a fuck if you know every programming language because you can easily learn a new one, they need to see that you can solve a problem

The one thing I disagree with nex gin about is the certification thing, everyone I talk to in the industry says those don't mean shit unless your trying to do System Support/Analysis. I'm from up north, I'm not sure where you're from but that might be the difference

I think your next step is to try and build a resume of experience. In your free time try doing your own projects(Design Websites for People, Write a Video game or Utility, set up a Server, etc..). Get a job anywhere that has to do with IT, despite the fact that you failed Staples will hire your ass to fix computers in a second and pay you a decent wage and plus it'll give you a chance to refine your problem solving skills. If you can't get a job see if you can do Free work like an internship or something.

If you can, take a few classes at your old school at the same time, even though you failed out they might take you back as a non-traditional student that way you can still work on your degree that you spent so much time on and not have the stress of a full-time schedule.

Good luck to you though, you can definitely do it if your genuinely interested, its not time to give up now

 

[goat334]

damn I def feel t/s situation.................especially because multiple times I almost straight quit going to college

but two things:

1st, these "for-profit" schools like Devry, ITT tech, Strayer, etc are killing a lot of niggaz. The tuition is too damn expensive for a nigga who is casual about going to school. you getting jipped like a mofo if you going to a for-profit most times because you they don't give you the basic foundation like a state school usually does..........especially considering how high the tuition is, and the ability to transfer credits. I stay seeing one of my boys getting caught the fuck up in that cycle. that type of school is for mofos who are already dead serious about school, yet for-profits stay with mofos who really looking for shortcuts.....................my advice is take yo ass to a cheap state school until you are really serious

even community colleges can be a waste of valuable time

2nd:

mofos need to be really honest with themselves. if you don't have a certain appreciation for the knowledge that you are supposed to be getting from college, you will eventually fail. the shit is about mostly motivation and endurance, so the trick is not to go to school because you fear what your work situation will be like without a degree. plenty of mofos out here making money without a degree...............plenty of mofos out here with degrees making money as well. but the funny thing is, is the person who knows how to manage their money is the one who ends up winning

no matter what anybody says you can go back to college at any point. my advice is that you find what you are really motivated to do, and throw 2 feet in it. don't listen to somebody else to have you walk the beaten path because it may not be for you. it may be part of your life's story to go thru some shit the hard way. otherwise, you need to boss the fuck up and stop playing with ya life. because if you ain't got the shit you want, you can't blame no one but yourself.

I kinda of wish I would've have went to ITT instead of the 4yr university I did go to. The IT shit I did at the 4yr university didn't have shit to do with real world IT.

 

[OhPee]

this thread is hitting home for me. I'm kinda lost right now too. I feel like shit because i'm 3 years out of high school and really haven't done much with school. I've been bullshitting alot, smoke weed, eat out, coppin' kicks and clothes, really for no reason. I'm seriously considering quitting my 8-5 Mon-Fri job and taking on school full time. I'm only taking two classes a semester because I work full time. 7-9pm are my classes Mon-Thu.........i just feel like I'm not going anywhere at that pace. Plus I have no idea what I'd like to become.........i'm kinda forcing myself to go just to either find that spark/motivation that I need.....and a little has to do with folks giving me that weird look because i'm NOT in school. I'm a receptionist at a real estate office, and i love the environment and people i work with, and i get some studying done here when it's dead, so i'm using that to my advantage.......sort of killin two birds with one stone. But idk........i just don't feel like studying....i sometimes at work be online all day when I could of easily studied all those hours.

2012 I need to stop chiefin, i truly believe thats what keeps me behind, and i feel slower overall in general about shit.....

 

[texas409]

*graduating with a 3.0 in my field of study post*

but keep ya head up homie believe me im a living example it can be done

 

[SloGGy]

i feel what t/s is on about. i'm halfway through a major i'm not feeling, & it looks like shit is going south from here on end. i signed up for a job shadowing program in feb just to check out some careers and see what fits me the most. i'm looking into the IT field as well, but I'm not sure if i have the talent for it, or whether the actual job is for me. we'll see how it goes.

word to the dude who said that your motivation has to be intrinsic. a degree won't guarantee you money, so don't let that be the primary motivator. when your up all night, finishing a project ,close to tears cuz you been hittin the books 24/7 just to barely pass, money isn't what's going to keep you going. you better damn well love the shit your doing.

 

[laroc]

Y'all some dumb azz niggas! LMAO! Nah 4 reel get a job with that will pay for you 2 continue ya educamaction(couldn't spell tution reembersmet or whatever)

 

[nex gin]

I was coming in thread to say pretty much exactly what nex gin is saying. The most valuable thing for me in College was the projects that I got involved with during my time here.

I am getting a Degree in IT as well, I am one of the mangers for the Comp Sci/IT labs on campus which is completely run by students and I also am the sole web master/developer/designer for the school's club and organization websites. I have also done work on other websites

I have a job lined up for when I graduate, I did an internship with the company last summer and they liked my work so they offered me a full-time position for this coming summer.

The thing that even got me the internship was the fact that had so much experience in anything IT, the job had to do with Java programming but I have never done anything groundbreaking as a programmer before working there, I described challenges and the problem solving skills I used in my jobs during the interview and got hired

Computer Science and IT is not about knowing about the technology and the tools its about training yourself to have a logical mind and coming up with elegant and clean solutions to problems. They don't give a fuck if you know every programming language because you can easily learn a new one, they need to see that you can solve a problem

The one thing I disagree with nex gin about is the certification thing, everyone I talk to in the industry says those don't mean shit unless your trying to do System Support/Analysis. I'm from up north, I'm not sure where you're from but that might be the difference

I think your next step is to try and build a resume of experience. In your free time try doing your own projects(Design Websites for People, Write a Video game or Utility, set up a Server, etc..). Get a job anywhere that has to do with IT, despite the fact that you failed Staples will hire your ass to fix computers in a second and pay you a decent wage and plus it'll give you a chance to refine your problem solving skills. If you can't get a job see if you can do Free work like an internship or something.

If you can, take a few classes at your old school at the same time, even though you failed out they might take you back as a non-traditional student that way you can still work on your degree that you spent so much time on and not have the stress of a full-time schedule.

Good luck to you though, you can definitely do it if your genuinely interested, its not time to give up now

I apologize I should have been more specific about the certs...but you are right. I was referring more to the systems side of things. I was a programmer at this one company and I mostly saw this type of hiring practice w/ the systems and network guys. I also saw it alot during my job searches when I would come across systems/network jobs. The job ads read like a Microsoft cert listing. smh

 

[Meet The Sniper]

Bumping this real thread. Just cause.

 

[haute]

you can always finish at a community school

but before you enroll be honest with yourself. Do not wast money, take out loans, and more importantly waste time going to school when you know you're not going to commit yourself to finishing

a 9 to 5 may not be ideal buts its better than these broke ass career students, hopping from school to school for years with no goals and even worse no degree

take this as a wake up call, to start planning your life out and creating realistic goals for yourself