Post: #26

Unless you are in STEM (Science, tech, engineering, medicine) or high-end finance school, college is a waste of money.

Blue-collar/trade-school is the way to go in America. If you are the least bit reliable and intelligent, you will get hired and stay hired for a long time. Of my personal friends, the richest ones are parents who started in trade then opened their own companies (Plumbers, air-con, mechanics, metal-working, appliance installation/repair, etc, etc).

Funny story, we have a mutual family accquantice- top neurosurgeon in Russia. Came here about 20 years ago w/a family. Looked at the 8 years of med school/residency and said F-that. Started trade as air-con. Now does public projects w/the city and other large projects. Last i heard, he has 50 employees, lives in a nice house in Malibu, has a sick sports car, vacations 6 times a year.

Case in point, office-call to the air-con guy to divert some vents and increase airflow- max 2 hours of work (minimum service charge to come to office 65 dollars)- 215 dollars. Granted, this is LA, but still 215 dollars!!!

As for myself, I guess i am in a higher-end trade- Dentistry. For all you young bucks out there thinking of medicine, i would say recommend dentistry instead. Dentistry you finish grad school in 4 years (no mandatory 4 year residency aka indentured servitude), and receive similar salary (or maybe better).

4 extra year of schooling in your prime is ridiculous. Plus, the salaries of doctors is coming down a LOT. With insurance companies, hospitals and Obama-care, the salaries of doctors are been squeezed from all sides.