Hey guys, I am pretty new here and this seems like a great place to share information and right now I could really use your advice

I've found that most Acura owners are a pretty refined person and have achieved much sucess through life so here it is

I had a chat with my father earlier today and he wants me to go back to school. The only problem is that I really dont know what I want to do. I mean i'd like to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but the deal with Acura is going so well. Another month and i'll have my brand spankin new Acura TL A-Spec and I havent decided if I want to buy a house. And I will also have a hefty payment which will require me working full time+ and would make going to school not possible. I'm getting to the age where it is becoming more and more difficult to break away from the working class- and my dad is afraid that I will miss the opportunity to really do what I want to.. Even though he doesnt know what that is either.

I love Acura. Everything about the dealership. The money is great the people I work with are pretty cool and there is huge incentives for staying with the dealership. I've been guranteed to move into Finance within 6 months and with a store like this, I make around 50k now and I would be making no less than 65-90 thousand a year in finance. Thats a shit load of money for a kid my age with nothing to tie me down.

Pros to staying with Acura:

TL Aspec
Making lots of cash
Being Independent
Securing my Future
Every Health Benefit
Connections with many rich people

Pros to going to school:

No Acura TL- ASpec
Not making much money
Meeting more people my own age
Being Dependent
Securing a future that frankly I am a little hesitant toward visiting.

I'm learning the car buisness and I am afraid of change honestly. My father said he would pay for school too. Whatever I wanted. I agree with him that the hours I work are excessive and very tiresom. I like it though. I love being with customers and showing Acuras. I dont like the down-time however, which at a high-line store as this, it is significant. I've already achieved Silver Level within Acura in regard to national sales and COSE (Council of Sales Excellence). Meaning I've sold a significant amount of cars and have had excellent customer surveys returned that are at or above the District average. Which is a pretty awesome feat considering I have never sold cars before, and there is only 1 other guy in teh dealership who has only recently achieved Silver level and that was with 5 years selling... SO there is quite a large promise for me to become wealthy in a short peroid of time.

But is this what I want to do for the next 10 years? 20? I've also considered getting my Real Estate License. Many of my customers have told me that I have a very good talent for what I do and could make more money than I dreamed as an Agent. Which I know is also possible because I have friends in the buisness who have profitted greatly.

So what do I do? Appease my parents wish and go to school that I know will benefit me in the future although it will hinder my goals that I want to achieve right now- ( TL- Home of my own- independance) Or stay with the car buisness and rise up as far as I am able?

There's a lot I need to consider and re-consider. And if anyone who has been in a situation like this, i'd really appreciate your advice

Oh yeah I am 22

 

All your pros and cons are backwards.

 

Would you care to elaborate on that?

 

Let's put it this way. Make an investment in your education (a wise long-term investment: knowledge is power) not in a cars (depreciating investment). You might as well go to school while you have someone willing to support you, not many people have that opportunity

 

Lots of post-secondary institutes offer degree programs through part-time studies or even through online/distance learning.

Why not have the best of both worlds?

 

Go for the school. If it doesn't pan out, you can always go back to the cars or real estate, but reversing this process would be difficult at best. At your age, think long term, and don't forget about investments (SEPs, IRAs, etc).

 

Exactly! It is better to say you tried it and it didn't work rather than looking back and saying I should have tried it and now I no longer have the opportunity to do it. You only live life once....

 

Well, here I am in school and working ass off to drive TL.

I think car sales and realty are higher risk game.
Whereas you will probably secure stable career if you choose to go to school for something.

It comes down to personal preference. some people sell lot of houses and sink to bottom then bounce back one day. Some people prefer to do 9-5 work and get paid and pay bills monthly. I am personally into more of building block by block so that's why I am in school.

So are you an adventurer or are you a square person? that's the question you have to answer.

 

A formal education (school) will help you progress further and faster in most instances whatever you decide to do in the future. If the dealership likes you so much they may be able to work out something part time.

You don't have to decide what you want to be when you grow up right this minute. The first two years of college are for general education classes that everyone must take. After that, you can choose a major. I think it is still true that most people work in industries unrelated to what they studied in school so don't stress on it right now.

At this point you are the young smart, talented golden boy with lots of energy. At some point you will not be so young or have as much energy. At that point, and it will come, formal education will pull you through. The material things will be there and you will be even better prepared to take advantage of them.

I mostly worked my way through college while married with children. Now in my fifties I can say it was well worth it. I am in much better position than friends and relatives that decided to just make money and buy things while they were young.

Sorry for the sermon but you did ask for opinions. One more thing, you may want to rethink buying a $30,000+ car when you don't have your own home and haven't finished your education. Why not leave something like that for a graduation present right after you buy your own home? Everybody needs something to look forward to, good luck.

 

Thanks for your help everyone. I need to meditate on this

 

I would agree with the above posts as well. I would not put your future below your desire for a ride.

However, I can understand your hesitation to jump into an education commitment being somewhat unsure what it is you want to study.

Another consideration might be somewhere in the middle? Perhaps take a few classes to sample some topics you may have interest in? Maybe one year of community college to test the waters? That may allow you to still work part time while exploring what may interest you. You might even find a field to pursue that compliments your current interests (Finance & Economics apply to any business). If that works you can invest into some more formal arrangement and institution knowing that is what works for you. I have seen many invest in an education, go through the motions, and never utilize what they studied. Once you have made some determination where you want to go in life, it is easier to commit to it, and succeed.

There are plenty of successful people out there who are not college educated. But generally speaking, you have more options made available to you if you do. If you have the option of doing so, I would take that opportunity. My point is just how you go about investing that time and channel your focus.

When we are young, we are easily distracted by shiny metal things. Come to think of it, I still am!

Shout out from Tampa Bay!

 

p/t studies? correspondence? these can be options...

 

I never met a smart high-school grad who didn't regret going to college. Listen to the others in this thread, school is MOST important.

I started college in my 20's too. It doesn't matter. Getting the degree will open more doors and more horizons than any Acura.

good luck

 

If you're not sure, why don't you try part-time like someone had mentioned. Some companies have programs that help with educational costs. You may be making 60 to 90k now, but what would happen if the dealership closed or a more educated applicant for the position were hired. Do you think it would be easy to find another job that easily without a college education?

 

go to school bro. good luck with the decision you end up making.

 

I have to say, I'm a little surprised by all of the pro college responses. Don't you people know folks who don't have/don't need a degree to be successful? I know/have known plenty. There's more to being successful than a piece of paper.

It sounds like you have some serious salesmanship skills...these can carry you very far. But in sales, there are lean times...you have to be disciplined enough to save in the good times to be able ride out the bad. Also, it sounds like you work a lot at the dealership...if you want to pursue real estate, chances are you won't have the time working as much as you do.

Now, like most people here, I have the privilege of sitting here with hind sight. If it were me, I'd go to school 9-12 hours (the 5-6 year plan) and work part time at the dealership...let dad pay for school, save up the money you make...2-3 years from now, buy the new car...3 years later, graduate and decide if you want to keep working at the dealership or pursue something related to your degree. The best part of this plan (hind sight kicking in here) is being in college for 5-6 years...5-6 years of partying hard and having fun (and yes, you still can even if you work...I did - had a high GPA and honors, too...you sound like a smart guy, you should have no problem).

There's no doubt you've got some serious thinking to do...60k+ a year, a few years of partying, a car, a future other than selling cars...good luck with it!

 

a fisherman once told me, "don't leave fish to catch fish"

interpretation - if you feel you have a good thing why give it up for the hopes of something better... go with what works... while i understand that education can lead to bigger and better things, nothing is guaranteed- that's for sure.

i am by no means anti education, but i've seen people who didn't go to college hustle and work hard, make very good livings... it seems like you're making some good inroads where you are... when it comes down to it, despite your education etc, the guy with the best relationships/connections wins... i've seen it time and time again...

it really comes down to what you want to do career wise... some companies won't even consider a candidate without any undergraduate or even a post graduate degree... if you want to work your way up the ladder with acura/honda or in the auto industry, you're headed in the right path...

good luck to you.

 

Chill's got some good points here. There are a ton of options, it doesn't need to be an either/or scenario.

I agree, I know a lot of successful people who haven't gone to college, but most of them do regret not going to college. It opens a ton more doors. It sounds like you're bright and have a good future whatever you decide.

I would talk to the dealership and see what kind of part time arrangements they'd be willing to make. As far as keeping the job, let's be real, most people shop for cars at night or on the weekend anyway, so if you have morning classes you can still come back and work part time selling almost as much as you are now.

 

Well put Chill, I could not have said it better!!
Well maybe a little better.. ha,ha,ha.....JK....

I myself do not hold a College Degree..
I hold a Masters from the "School of Hard Knocks'

I married real young and my wife had a bun in the oven already...
"can you say Shotgun wedding?"

Nevertheless, through hard work and dedication, sacrifice and patience i was able to secure a great future.

I Live in a BIG Brand New Home in a Desirable Neighborhood where everyone (including my Wife) has a degree.
Everyone has New cars, boats, Bikes and all the desired toys you can imagine.
However I am a General Manager and though I am making decent $, I bet if I had a degree, I could probably command more.

So be smart, be patient and my advice Go to School..
You will always have your natural ability to fall back on, but with that piece of paper it is always gonna be easier.

Tell your dad if he'll support me then I'll go to school in your place.

 

Well not to knock on college, (I do have two degrees), but if I was making 50k a year @ 22, I wouldn't quit that completely and go to school. Compromise, find something you can do in the down time from the dealership. You don't work 10 hrs a day at the dealership do you?

Take your clients up on their suggestion. Go get get your real estate license or something that you can do part-time. Sell houses in the morning and cars in the evening. Find something sales oriented. Business degree part-time might work out great.

Cars will always be there, 50k at 22 is great, but a solid future is great too. Maybe you can work towards owning your own dealership one day.

 

You just wish you could lecture like me!

I would have to agree with this...seen it more times than not.

 

I know how you feel, I've been there.

I went to a traditional university and during my second semester I had a terrible car accident and I had to withdraw for the time being. I recovered pretty quick, but I was enjoying life to much that I didn't want to go back. I worked full time and I was in the process of purchasing a home for myself. This meant that I couldn't go back to school since I had to work full time. A year and a half went by, and every day I told myself I need to go to school. Whether it was night classes or just part time. This meant no more social life for me.

I couldn't take it any longer and I didn't want to tell my parents that I was not back in school, so one day it hit me and I contacted University of Phoenix Online. This was the best decision I have made. It's not as easy as some people think, since it's up to you on how well you do, but it has worked out for me 100%. I now go to school FULL TIME and have already gone through 16 classes and my GPA is at 3.94. At the same time I can still work full time and earn a degree. If I ever need help I can just drive 10 minutes to the remote campus they have near my house or call my instructors or academic counselor. However my major is business, which with the online enviroment it works out pretty well. I know you want to do mechanic engineering which is awesome, but do you have any back up choices? Try calling UOP and see if it may be the right thing for you.

 

This is a great discussion, but it's time to take this to Ramblings. I almost hate to lock it.

https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/

By the way, you should consider going to college as even car dealerships are looking at that degree nowadays. Even going to school part-time will help and you may get to have the best of both worlds.