I dropped out of university 6 months ago 💭

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I dropped out of university 6 months ago.

From what you see on social media, it might’ve seemed like an easy decision.

In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

I knew I had skills that I could monetize. I knew I could network with people a few steps ahead of me. And I knew I could identify a goal and chase it.

I don’t think my fear was logical. In fact, I think the logical decision was to do exactly what I did… drop out, and go all in on my creative business.

But still… I was terrified.

After all, the conventional wisdom of our society is this:

• get a four-year degree in something you’re good at

• find an entry-level job when you graduate

• work your way up the ladder

• spend most of your career in the same industry (maybe even the same company)

• retire with a secure pension & savings

In a lot of ways, it makes sense. At least it used to.

You see, before the internet, the best way to learn almost any skill was to get a degree in it.

The idea behind post-secondary education was flawless.

• Hire experts to transfer knowledge and skills to students

• Build campuses that attract thoughtful, motivated individuals

• Surround them with libraries and other learning resources

• Pump out qualified graduates ready to enter the workforce

It all sounds pretty logical.

Then along came the internet.

The great equalizer, as I like to think of it.

Suddenly, from LA penthouse apartments to slums in Bangladesh, everyone with a phone and an internet connection now has access to the same information.

Everything you could possibly learn is just a few taps away.

And when I say everything, I mean everything… from the latest episode of Narcos to the most obscure history textbooks; it’s all right there.

It’s almost unthinkable. Our great-grandparents would look around at our world today and wonder what planet they’re on.

Look at the phone in your pocket. If you showed up at an office in the year 2000 with an iPhone 14, they’d think it was alien tech.

And yet, most people don’t see recognize the internet for what it is - a superpower.

”Free education is abundant, all over the Internet. It’s the desire to learn that’s scarce.”

- Naval Ravikant

The internet has given you the power to self-educate and self-monetize at a rate that humanity never seen before.

Everything you could possibly want to learn is out there (and for free, 99% of the time).

Heck, you can take almost any course at Harvard for free. You just have to pay for the completion certificates.

It’s clear what’s happening. You’re no longer paying for the education, you’re just paying for the accountability.

Don’t get me wrong, accountability can be valuable.

But if you’re truly pursuing something you love, do you really need a professor breathing down your neck to make sure you hit deadlines?

Rational, thoughtful people can’t help but ask the question… why are so many people still paying for $200,000 university degrees?

Of course there are outliers. We all want our doctors, lawyers, and engineers to get their degrees.

But the real point that I’m making is this.

Universities are businesses.

Businesses aren’t inherently good or bad… they’re just value equations. If you get what you pay for, then it works.

In other words, if your earning potential with a four-year degree is significantly higher, then go get your degree.

But you can’t assume that anymore. The fabric of our society has shifted so much in the past two decades that our world is unrecognizable now.

Check out this graph. You don’t need to be a stats whiz to see what’s happening.

Tuition is steadily growing, year on year. And yet salaries of young people entering the workforce has stayed the same (and even dropped at times).

Something tell’s me the value equation of university isn’t what it used to be.

On the other side of the aisle, trillion-dollar industries have materialized out of nowhere, built on nothing more than the internet.

Elon Musk’s companies (SpaceX and Tesla) don’t even screen for degrees anymore.

Take a second to think about that. Two of the most successful companies ever, ran by the richest man in the world, don’t even bother checking to see if you have a degree.

Experience & skills > degrees & certificates.

So my point is this.

I’m not telling you to drop out of university. I’m also not saying that four-year degrees are useless.

But what I am telling you is this. You’re living through the greatest era of opportunity that the world has ever seen.

The potential pathways you could take in life have multiplied infinitely.

Any skill you could ever learn is available to you online - for free.

So if you’re at all hesitant about the idea of university, or if you have a degree you’re not sure you want to use, hear me out.

Find what you’re good at. Find what you love. Find what you can get paid for.

If that means getting a degree and pursuing a traditional career, wonderful.

But don’t assume that’s the only option.

There’s a whole world of opportunity out there.

University will always be there if you want it. Like any business, they’ll always take your money.

Go take a risk. Leave home. Try something out for a few years.

Worst case, you get clarity on what you don’t want to do.

Best case, your entire life changes.

See you next week :)

Lukas Mann (aka @exploromann)

P.S. My group workshop in the Rockies is almost full… only two spots left.

If you’re looking to kick-start your creative business, learn more about photography in the mountains, or simply just spend a week in the most beautiful place on earth…

fill out the enquiry form here and I’ll review it within 24 hours.