In Larry's case, we would need an international airport. Yale could use an international airport.

[dolphingirl]

This is random, but I was thinking about it recently. I've decided one of my major pet peeves is wealthy people who don't get a college degree. I don't mean well-to-do or upper middle class--I mean Scrooge McDuck, Daddy Warbucks kind of wealthy.

Think about it. You could probably get in anywhere, and you're sure to get in somewhere. They'll probably wave you in based on having gone to Exeter or whatever schmancy private school you were sent to, and even if you're a complete idiot your parents could grease the skids by buying them a library or something. I'm fairly sure the admission process is a little less stringent when you can pay the entire four years of tuition up front, in cash. You don't have to worry about how to pay tuition, or paying for your textbooks or lab fees, or having to do a work-study or get a part-time (or full-time) job to pay your bills while trying to maintain your GPA.

People say "Well, they don't have to go to school because they have enough money," but that's the point. You could study whatever you want without worrying about whether it will get you a job when you're finished. You can do it simply because it interests you, and if it's the history of 15th-century Flemish art, so be it. I can't imagine with the number of schools and majors there are, there isn't at least one thing that actually interests you or that you're good at. If you have a learning disability or college "isn't for you," you can afford a cadre of tutors and assistants to help you. You could afford to take one or two classes at a time and live off campus, so you don't have to deal with some cuntrag roommate making your life miserable. And you probably won't be tempted to blow off your studying to go to some pissant kegger when you went to Ibiza over the summer.

You don't have to go right away, either. You can take time to travel or "find yourself" first. Or if you want to do something that is better to start while you're younger, like athletics, acting or modeling (real modeling, not that dilettante bullshit that people who are famous for no reason do every once in a while so they can say they have a career), then by all means do that first and go to school later.

I just don't get why you wouldn't want to get a higher education at all when there's really nothing stopping you. If I had that much money, I'd have at least half a dozen degrees by now :P

Comments

[tasty.livejournal.com]

I so agree. I always say that if I win the lottery, I'm going back to school non-stop and earn as many degrees as I possibly can.

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

Me too! Languages alone would keep me busy for a good 15-20 years.

[cabari.livejournal.com]

Dude, I think about this ALL THE TIME. If I had infinite resources I would probably never stop taking classes (and giving to charity and volunteering with worthwhile causes, even the ones halfway across the world, just because I could). I would get my PhD just because it seemed like the thing to do. Honestly. Why not?

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I would volunteer like a mofo, and set up my own charities, including scholarships. And definitely get a few doctorates!

[laudre.livejournal.com]

If I were to win the lottery... well, Wednesday, since that's the next drawing, I'd not only finish my degree, I'd go for a PhD (which I'm aiming to do anyway) and then find something interesting to do with it. (Which, again, I'm aiming to do anyway.)

The main difference is that I wouldn't be looking for a part-time job to make sure ends meet.

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I feel like it would be a completely different experience if the only thing you had to worry about was getting your coursework done.

Good luck on Wednesday :P

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

I love learning, and I read about a lot of different things on my own, but it would be nice to "officially" learn everything!

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

It's really no wonder they all go nuts and commit crimes and stuff. It's a pretty weird milieu to grow up in.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-the-other-side/]

Agree! I loved being a student. I have people who tell me I will go back again, but really I don't want a PhD in social work, and can't afford it! I have 80k in debt. But if I had that kind of money... I'd get degrees in art and literature and theatre and all kinds of stupid things that are so very interesting but what would you do with it. I so would.

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

It's pretty depressing that we're expected to be tens of thousands of dollars in debt before we're even old enough to drink, because a bachelor's is the bare minimum for most jobs now. But yeah, I would go back and study the most arcane shit and take theater and other creative courses, being able to just enjoy what I'm doing instead of worrying about it leading somewhere.

[conscience.livejournal.com]

That's high on my list when I get rich n' famous! :p

Naw, seriously...my family was barely making grocery money, let alone had money for my brother's and my educations. I'd love, love, love to do studies in marine biology, sharks in particular, theology studies, travel to countries to learn cultures and histories. Not for money, but to KNOW.

What good is money without a sound, intelligent and active mind to go with it?

[dolphingirl.livejournal.com]

People tend to miss the point when they say "Oh, well, if you're poor you can get scholarships and loans." It's not going to be enough to cover every little thing, and it's not going to help when you can't afford the bus fare to even get to school, or when you have to stay home and work full time to help your parents keep their house.

I would seriously take every science course they had. UW has some awesome ones, stuff like freshwater biology and wetlands ecology. It would be great to take them just so you know everything, and not worry that you won't be able to get a job with that degree.