Returning to College & Feeling Quite 'Dumb'

[Cognition]

Hi all,

I graduated high school from a little town in northern Texas in 2003. Following graduation, I went to the local community college in my town and experienced meager success. I received bad grades in a couple of classes, and just frankly wasn't a committed student. I went to this community college for two semesters and quit.

What initiated my return back to college was a conversation I had this summer with a former acquaintance of mine. Over AIM, we began chatting about our lives in general and the issue of our education came up. Mind you, I had not been in school for about two years prior to our conversation, and I was struggling as a online 'entrepreneur' living with my divorced father. As we were talking, I casually asked Rob what school he attended and he replied "Notre Dame." I suddenly felt as though the energy in my body had been zapped away. I felt intimidated and ashamed. I felt inferior. I felt sick to my stomach. I ultimately felt lower than dirt.

After ending that conversation, I went into deep thought and examined my life (compared to his). I felt as though my life was meaningless and I decided after speaking with my parents to enroll back in school. Meanwhile, I killed my friendship with Rob and started to develop a very competitive attitude against his accomplishments. I now wanted to accomplish more than Rob and be smarter than I thought him to be.

When I enrolled in core courses this past summer, I felt as though I was putting myself back on track to success. However, being out of school for a substantial amount of time
was not an aiding factor for success for fast track summer courses. I made a "C" in Biology I and a "B" in English II. I felt miserable again.

Before I moved to Dallas, Texas, I began to examine myself academically and intellectually and question why I wasn't "smart" and couldn't make an "A" in otherwise easy courses. I could not find an answer. I then enrolled for the fall at El Centro College in Dallas, Texas. I found the environment and instructors to be more conducive for success. In fact I made a 4.0 this last semester, but I still feel quite 'dumb' because the classes were relatively easy.

For the last few weeks, I have been purchasing and examining publications on how to increase my mental acuity and raise my cognitive performance. I just don't think my brain is functioning at a capacity to be academically competitive. And, I'm still obsessed with 'outsmarting' Rob.

I'm working to earn my Associates in Arts Degree while simultaneously earning credits to transfer to Southern Methodist University and major in Computer Science/minor in Business Administration. No, it's not highly ranked like Notre Dame, but I do want to work hard to get into a top graduate school to acquire a joint degree in law and computer science from Stanford, Duke, or University of Chicago. I still want my chance to graduate from a well-respected school and be 'respected'.

Does anyone have any advice for me regarding completing my undergraduate studies?

[Jay Brass]

Hey man, you have to do what you have to do. Whether you like it or not, you must complete this so you might as well just force yourself to work hard at it. It'll go by fast and the knowledge you'll receive should last you forever if you always refresh.

[jasaunders]

I'm glad you decided to go back to school and pursue your education. I think the fact that you took this first step and realize how important education is a major mind shift and step in the right direction.

With that being said, the best advice I could give you is to go into school with the mindset that you will do anything to achieve good grades and learn (anything moral). If you really want to take school seriously and learn, do whatever you have to do to maintain good grades. That might mean studying an extra 10 hours for a test, or seeing your professors during office hours every single week, or going for extra tutoring. If you have the maturity to realize how important it is to do well in school (and it sounds like you are coming around that way) then you will do great.

One last thing... although it is very important to get good grades if you plan on going to graduate school, you should worry more about the educational experience. Enjoy your time in school, take the time to learn the subjects, network with professors and classmates. Grades are important, but the rest of the experience is equally or more important.

Don't worry about getting good grades in easy classes and not getting good grades in more difficult classes. That's not what matters. I know from personal experience, I went from doing poorly in undergrad in a very difficult major, to doing excellent more recently in a less difficult major. Looking back, I feel much better and more satisfied getting fair grades in computer engineering than doing very well in business. I feel like I accomplished more, even though my grades were much worse. After you're all done with school, you'll be able to look back and appreciate all the work you did.

[Cognition]

I'm glad you decided to go back to school and pursue your education. I think the fact that you took this first step and realize how important education is a major mind shift and step in the right direction.

I'm glad as well. Y'know, I entered the work force after quitting community college back in '05 and I got a real taste of how difficult it is to make it without a college education. Yeah, I do feel I'm 'behind' at age 23, but I think I'm better off having not taken any action and struggling my whole life, always envious of those who are more successful than me. I certainly don't want that.

[Cognition]

And maybe I should put entrepreneurship on hold for a while at least until I finish my undergraduate studies. Perhaps my education will open up an opportunity.

[DebtFreeMe]

Good for you,

Good to see at 23 you see that a college degree will help you get further in life. I'm 35 and just finished my first semester back in college, I'm working on getting my degree in Entrepreneurship.

One piece of advice for you, is be sure to go into an area you enjoy, not just an area that will look good to compete with your friend. It is much better to be the very best in a field you enjoy, rather than mediocre in something that sounds impressive to everyone else.

Good Luck

[byzantium]

And maybe I should put entrepreneurship on hold for a while at least until I finish my undergraduate studies. Perhaps my education will open up an opportunity.

My about to launch business has come from an opportunity I saw during my vocational training to be a computer technician in 2005-06. I think you will see an opportunity and go for it.

Also, I have to agree with DebtFreeMe. Do what you want to do, not just because you want to compete with this other guy. If you love computers, great. But the opportunities in IT are quite limited, and will be for a while. So if you are doing IT just to appear smart or something, forget it. But if you really love it, go for it.

My college degree is in something I really didn't love, but just picked to get out of college the quickest and because at the time it was in demand. Bad move. By the time I got out, the demand for it had evaporated, and when I tried it I hated it. So I thought for a while, then went back to school to train in something I loved doing. And I saw an opportunity.

By the way, the truly rich and successful respect RESULTS more than education. If you have a fancy degree, you work for them. If you can prove that you can run a business, you are a peer. Education impresses them very little. Street smarts are far more important than book smarts. My college education taught me intangibles like being on time and working hard and setting goals that have helped more than the junk I took in the classes that I can't remember. Focus on what you love, and acquiring soft skills.

[rcavezza]

Speaking of school and entrepreneurship. I just graduated Rutgers University and want to go to Babson College. I have heard they are far and above rated as the number 1 school for an MBA concentration in entrepreneurship. Has anyone heard anything else about Babson? Does anyone have any recommendations for grad school? I'm studying for the GMATs now.

Best,

Robert M. Cavezza

[armenh]

Speaking of school and entrepreneurship. I just graduated Rutgers University and want to go to Babson College. I have heard they are far and above rated as the number 1 school for an MBA concentration in entrepreneurship. Has anyone heard anything else about Babson? Does anyone have any recommendations for grad school? I'm studying for the GMATs now.

Best,

Robert M. Cavezza

Babson was rated number 1 for an entrepreneurship graduate program by Entrepreneur Magazine last year followed by USC. Marshall has a much more diverse program than Babson college I believe, offering Entrepreneurship as a Minor with your MBA. Babson College also has a great undergrad program, only a few others also offer that kind of rigorous course. UC Berkeley also has a 2 year undergrad program focusing on business, I believe. Correct me if I am wrong.

[usakos]

I like what you have to write on here; I wish you could put all that down and turn it into a book. Because, little what you know, you can help make a difference in some other people who may feel the same as you do. You have really poured all of yourself in that short writing, especially on here on these forums, which is very commendable, and if you could put that into a short, 40-60 pages little book, you'll be amazed how much difference and may be some few pennies, you can make in so many people's lives who may feel exactly how you feel.

Except, I will not accept you saying that you are dumb or not as perfect as Rob. You write very articulately, and from what I have known you now on here, going on two years may be now, you are as smart as most of us on here, and some of us have BS or MBA, and LLM, etc. You are no less than anyone, anywhere. The fact is this, and this applies to me as well. When I am in a class, it may be the easiest class at my university, but I just don't put in enough study time and concentration and focus as I may need to, and I may get a lower grade than most of my classmates. But it doesn't necessarily mean that I am not as smart as everybody else, it may due to other personal factors or just that you may lack greater interest in the class or may be in school for that matter. Many factors may keep your interest out of school, and for me, they may be my family or my business or my wish to be doing something else instead of studying.

If you only put all of your concentration in your classes, while at school, than you'll get better grades just like everybody else. In fact, I have learned to separate my family, my time; my class time and my work time. Doing that has helped me bring up my grades while still focus on my business on family life.

Meeting Rob was actually the best thing for you and in fact; don't break up your friendship with him. He should be your inspiration. Talk to him, open up to him, and he can actually help push you to do better.

In 1994, I met a guy who came to be a very good friend of mine; he's from India, and a computer programmer. I felt stupid because I didn't know anything about computer programming, but he inspired me to learn how to do tons of stuff with computers, from hardware installation to software development and web coding and programming. If I had done what you did with Rob, then I wouldn't have been able to learn how to do any of that.

So, we all have our own heroes and Rob might be your personal hero and motivator. So, keep it up, push yourself to the limit and don't ever think that you are less than Rob or anyone else in any of your classrooms.

Excuse my typos and errors. I'm busy right now, but I just wanted to reply to your post quickly.

[Aletheides]

I like your posts. You're really honest with yourself, especially on the forums which is rare.

[LiquidFox]

This type of thread should have its own category!

Congrats on making the decision to head back to college, Cognition. I recently made the same leap last summer - after 10 years of working.

A few of my reasons are similar in nature to yours. Everyone around me was doing amazing [my sister won the SBA Young Entrep award for 2008, without a degree], my best buddy started building his own engineering company while working as an engineer, making $60K+ [without a degree], my better half has a BA and MFA from the 'harvard' of design schools and she started to build her own brand. That was a huge turning point in my life. It forced me to look within to find out that I had neglected myself, and I seriously needed to work upon my intellectual assets if I wanted to advance to the next stage in life.

That being said, as the courses in college are becoming more challenging, I see myself gaining a better grasp of my true purpose in life. I find that I'm not tempted by the plethora of opportunities that distract me from accomplishing my mission. Overall, I'm more focused, inspired, and I'm constantly relating the material towards my professional goals.

I've found that the best motivator is making connections in class and around campus. By doing so, I've turned boring classes into challenging missions. For some reason your peers start to 'feed off of each other,' and most times it turns into positive, healthy competition - sort of what it would've been like if you actually went to college with your buddy, Rob. What seemed like grueling work, starts to actually be 'fun.' Before you know it, the semester ends and you look back knowing that you did your best - and made great connections along the way. As the new semester starts, I end up becoming nostalgic of past semesters, besides the A's and 4.0 - that's how I end up gauging my college success!

Keep up the great work and keep us updated!

[john rlenn]

After getting my degree in bioinformatics I applied for a job, when I was offered 35-45k tops in positions at major biotech companies my love for entrepreneurship was reborn. Unfortunately, entrepreneurship can't be taught, you just plug away at it until it pays off. Having a positive attitude and an optimistic view of the world are among the most important aspects of being an entrepreneur.