3 ms·

Kid's being dumb, especially if he was at McGill and is Canadian. e.g. Have fun getting a US work visa to work with all those cool people without finishing your

Kid's being dumb, especially if he was at McGill and is Canadian. e.g. Have fun getting a US work visa to work with all those cool people without finishing your undergrad. The friction from the same degree/visa issue cuts you out of taking jobs in Europe. Any company bigger than a startup that has an actual HR department won't give you P&L responsibility because if something goes wrong they are exposed to the accusation you weren't objectively qualified, and even though it's bullshit, it will keep him out of most management roles, and reduce his bargaining position on every job he does. Even if he fails and uses his tech skills to take a government job, he's going to spend his life working for (and likely antagonizing) the long tail of people who only barely graduated, and that was their high water mark. This isn't 1995 where you can "learn computers" and become a valuable asset. Most of the skills he has, he is - or will - be competing against offshore shops, and even against them, he will be competing globally against people who have mobility between countries (facilitated by degrees) to enter and leave his market as they please, with a lot more talent and leverage. When he wants to go do a quick masters in something he finds interesting, he's also shut out, even if he could probably teach anything he becomes interested in. Maybe he does a series of startups and one hits. Maybe he's lucky, or brilliant, but the opportunity cost of 4 years in your early 20s is insignificant compared to the same time in your 30s and later. The feeling of this kid's parents isn't sadness or disappointment in foregone dreams, it's awe at how stupid he is being while still managing to dress and feed himself unassisted. Dear Kid - you're making a staggeringly poor quality decision, go back to school.

MattGaiser 5y ago
> Even if he fails and uses his tech skills to take a government job Governments are some of the most picky about credentials.
diskzero 5y ago
This is really interesting observation. Much like the author, I also dropped out partway through a degree to do startups. Boy was I surprised when I (US citizen) was stopped by Canadian immigration and asked to show my degree when I was arriving in Vancouver, BC for a meeting. This was in 1998. I later finished my degree thanks to Apple's then generous at the time support. I feel that I valued the education more as an older adult, but I also wish I had just completed my degree earlier, as it was a lot of work completing a degree and working full-time.
sberens 5y ago
I'm actually a US citizen! Like I said in the essay, I have a full time offer from Facebook in Menlo Park, so I don't think your point about large companies holds. In the case that I want to do a masters, I think I can reapply for admission to McGill and finish off my degree. "awe at how stupid he is being while still managing to dress and feed himself unassisted" I'm stealing this insult lol
- motohagiography 5y ago
  Thanks and congrats on the citizenship lottery:) However, be suspicious of anyone who hires you. It's very difficult to tell if we are smart or just easily manipulated by people who tell us we are. (hint: if you aren't already rich, seriously evaluate the likelihood of the latter) The time it takes to go back and finish your degree after you are 30 can work out to a few hundred thousand dollars in deferred wages/opportunity cost, meaning you aren't going to do it because it's not worth it, and you're going to be under that ceiling for good unless you find a way to really build wealth. There is zero cost to you spending another couple years in school right now, especially if you are FB level talent. It's all there waiting for you. Drop out to run a profitable company, never drop out for just a job, especially a fancy one. Prestige is what they offer you when it's not worth it.
dang 5y ago
You broke the site guideline against name-calling quite badly with this. Please review the rules and stick to them: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- motohagiography 5y ago
  I apologize, and sincerely. Unwelcome avuncularity line crossed. Will be more conscientious. Thank you for the yellow card.
  - dang 5y ago
    Appreciated!

MattGaiser 5y ago

> Even if he fails and uses his tech skills to take a government job Governments are some of the most picky about credentials.

diskzero 5y ago

This is really interesting observation. Much like the author, I also dropped out partway through a degree to do startups. Boy was I surprised when I (US citizen) was stopped by Canadian immigration and asked to show my degree when I was arriving in Vancouver, BC for a meeting. This was in 1998. I later finished my degree thanks to Apple's then generous at the time support. I feel that I valued the education more as an older adult, but I also wish I had just completed my degree earlier, as it was a lot of work completing a degree and working full-time.

sberens 5y ago

I'm actually a US citizen! Like I said in the essay, I have a full time offer from Facebook in Menlo Park, so I don't think your point about large companies holds. In the case that I want to do a masters, I think I can reapply for admission to McGill and finish off my degree. "awe at how stupid he is being while still managing to dress and feed himself unassisted" I'm stealing this insult lol

motohagiography 5y ago
Thanks and congrats on the citizenship lottery:) However, be suspicious of anyone who hires you. It's very difficult to tell if we are smart or just easily manipulated by people who tell us we are. (hint: if you aren't already rich, seriously evaluate the likelihood of the latter) The time it takes to go back and finish your degree after you are 30 can work out to a few hundred thousand dollars in deferred wages/opportunity cost, meaning you aren't going to do it because it's not worth it, and you're going to be under that ceiling for good unless you find a way to really build wealth. There is zero cost to you spending another couple years in school right now, especially if you are FB level talent. It's all there waiting for you. Drop out to run a profitable company, never drop out for just a job, especially a fancy one. Prestige is what they offer you when it's not worth it.

dang 5y ago

You broke the site guideline against name-calling quite badly with this. Please review the rules and stick to them: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

motohagiography 5y ago
I apologize, and sincerely. Unwelcome avuncularity line crossed. Will be more conscientious. Thank you for the yellow card.
- dang 5y ago
  Appreciated!