Hey Reddit,
I’m currently in college, but there’s a real chance I might have to drop out—not because I’m lazy, but due to attendance issues. The truth is, I’ve been spending most of my time building a venture instead of attending classes. I’m not doing great academically (CGPA is already in the tank), and I don’t feel engaged or inspired by the curriculum. I’ve got something I believe in, and I’d rather pour myself into it than keep pretending the system works for me.
And I’m not alone. I have my team and all of us believe in the idea and bring their unique talent to table.
I’m not aiming for a 9–5 life. I know that’s what college is usually a gateway to, but that’s not my path. If this venture fails, I’ll start another. If that fails, I’ll pivot into research, or something else that aligns with my strengths. I’m not directionless—I just don’t want to play by the traditional playbook.
But now comes the hard part: telling my parents. They’re not going to take this lightly. Their first question will be:
“What will you do if you fail?”
I want to give them a serious answer, not just a vague “I’ll figure it out.” I want them to know that I’ve thought this through. That I’m not throwing my life away. That I’m betting on myself—smartly, not blindly.
How do I frame this? What helped you navigate similar situations? What kind of backup plan would actually sound reasonable to skeptical, traditional parents?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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If you don’t have an answer, then you haven’t figured it out.
You usually need at least one or two degrees with awesome grades if you want research as a back up plan. Switch to accounting or a business management major so at least there’s something if this fails and you learn how to manage the financial side of building a business.
Change majors to something you enjoy more and/or something you can be done with quicker. You can clean up your GPA by retaking classes that you failed. It takes a little time, but 2-4 years is miniscule compared to your entire adult life. And then you’ll have your backup.
Imo, you are young enough that taking risks like this? Now is the time to do it. If it blows up in your face? You still have time to pivot, do something else. Frankly, OP? It’s okay not to have all the answers. You sound really passionate and dedicated. And college isn’t for everybody. If you hate it, and you’re not going to class anyway, the money paying for those classes is wasted. It’s pointless to continue the charade. That’s as straightforward, honest and logical an explanation as to why you’re going to quit school as anything else.
You have the rest of your adult life to drop thousands and thousands of dollars towards a degree, if you find yourself caring that much about a degree.
You can hit your parents with a “I need you guys to trust your own parenting right now”. Or “I’m young and I need to follow this dream”. Both fully legit.
Are Mom and Dad gonna be super psyched? Maybe not. But the cool thing about it is that it’s your life, and you’re legally an adult, and you’re allowed to do what you need to with that life. And if it does blow up in your face? I bet you’ll learn something from it and apply those lessons towards your future endeavors, right? That’s as much of an answer as a “real plan” is. Usually, life doesn’t go how you plan it anyways.
I personally know people who dropped out of college and succeeded in starting a company. It is possible. But you should have a backup plan. What will you do if it fails? Many of them do. Would you be able to pick up and start another one? Or would you be willing to go back to school at that point, get your degree, and try again, either with a regular job or starting another company?
People who start companies need to be good planners, and that includes preparing for when things go wrong. Your parents will think better of you if you can sit down and show them how you’ve planned it all out—how you’ll support yourself until you turn a profit, what your basis is for believing you can succeed, and what your plan is if you don’t. Blind faith is a terrible basis for starting a business, but confidence and careful planning go a long way.
I knew a smart, intelligent guy once, who had the exact same thought as you.
He did not finish his studies – which meant that when his venture failed, when his team bailed out, when his father suddenly passed away – he had zero backup and no way of getting a decent job. Sure, getting a job is hard- but imagine trying for one- without finishing your education.
He could have finished his studies, like you should.
In my opinion, you’re both not thinking this through fully. The best jobs usually need college degrees, so if your venture fails, you’re screwed. But on the other hand, there’s a possibility that this could be a good opportunity for you, and not wanting to work a dead end 9 to 5 is valid. Plus, there’s no point in going to college if you’re just going to end up failing out because you hate it so much. My recommendation is that instead of trying to quit college altogether, you either try to improve your college experience or defer it. Such as taking a gap year, becoming a part-time student, switching majors, or transferring to a different school that you’ll like more.
Sure, a lot of school is bullshit. A lot of the world is bullshit. But having a degree just helps, in so many ways. People look at you differently, treat you differently. Is it fair? Hell no. But it’s reality. Make your own decision, but having the opportunity to get a degree is one that most people don’t get