Poker future looks bad, thinking of going back to school. Help?

[MikeyPatriot]

So...poker looks like a less and less appealing career choice. I never wanted it to be my sole source of income for the rest of my life, but I did have plans for it to kickstart other things. Unfortunately, I'm not as confident about those plans as I was even 2 months ago.

I should start off by offering some background. I'm 22, didn't go to college after high school. This had nothing to do with poker. I was pressured to go my entire life, I got involved in radical politics/punk rock lifestyle, and I ended up burnt out on school. I was a great student in high school and scored well on the ACT (SAT was not required). I pretty much had my pick of non-elite schools, but foolishly pissed on that.

I don't regret my life choices and decisions, but I've grown up a lot the past four years. I've lived on my own since I was 18, and living life in the real world opens your eyes to a lot of things. Most notably is my desire to buy a house and have a kid (or two) before I'm 30.

Anyway, I started playing online poker seriously a little over a year and a half ago, and will have been making that my sole source of income one year next February. The horizon does not look great (I don't think it will go away, but I don't have confidence in the quality of the games) and I have been seriously reconsidering going to school.

I haven't given it a ton of thought yet, but my initial idea is to take 2 years of Gen Eds/General Studies degree at the local community college before transferring to IU (since I already live here). I currently make my living 4-tabling 200NL and my bankroll is currently hovering around $11k. My plan would be to withdraw x amount of that + financial aid, while moving down to 100NL and making between $700-$1k/month. If online poker dies, I would either a)play at Caesar's/French Lick/find home games or b) reluctantly get a crappy job. That should get me by the 2 years of CC pretty easily/comfortably. I'd probably get a loan from my parents + federal/bank loan + financial aid for university.

I've always had an interest in math, and I think I would like to do something involving statistics. However, I know next to nothing about the difficulty of getting into school with a mathematics major. Nor have I really done any research into what I'd like to study at this point.

This is where'd I'd like to hear some advice from OOT. First, is a mathematics degree something that someone in my position can get in to? Am I SOL about a lot of things in regards to school? Is there anyone who didn't go to college directly after high school? Was it tough? Was it worth it?

I really would appreciate any sort of advice or ideas I can get. I'm sorry if this is really choppy or rambly, but I'm pretty much just typing what I'm thinking.

[bluef0x]

You are thinking it's too hard to get into a university. As long as you pass all of the classes required, you can easily transfer to most state schools. It might be different for your state's community colleges, but usually they have agreements with every state school. Go talk to a counselor at both your CC and at a university you would like to attend to. You seem more intelligent than at least half of the CC population, so you should have no difficulty completing your degree in less than 2 years if you can stay dedicated.

Again, I don't know why you think it's hard to get into school... CC's accept anyone and state schools pretty much accept anyone that can survive a CC. Don't worry about what you want to major in either, you won't need to know for a while. Jump into a few classes and see what you like, then pursue that.

[Jeff W]

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First, is a mathematics degree something that someone in my position can get in to?

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Yes.

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Am I SOL about a lot of things in regards to school?

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Not really. You're only 22, dood. Community College isn't optimal, but it should be no great hindrance if you're motivated.

I went to a 4-year college straight out of high school, but I took several math courses at a local community college and my teachers were fine, though the material was slanted towards applications in contrast to my "pure math"-slanted courses at my 4-year college.

[CrayZee]

Sounds like a poker explosion freak out, but school is good for people of the advanced age of 22.

I agree with the "don't worry too much about the major thing," too. If you like math, take some math classes and crush freshman calculus. Your confidence will return in no time.

Poker is not going away. There's this whole thing with something called a "dealer" and "seats" and these card things that people use (invented for the game of bridge)...if internetz poker is dead, which is still probably unlikely in the long run. You can even c/r someone face to face! Amazing!! No fear, you can still be a degenerate.

[Jeff W]

One more thing: If you did well in high school and scored well on the ACT, apply to Indiana University and you might very well be accepted. I do not think they're particularly selective.

[MikeyPatriot]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like a poker explosion freak out, but school is good for people of the advanced age of 22.

I agree with the "don't worry too much about the major thing," too. If you like math, take some math classes and crush freshman calculus. Your confidence will return in no time.

Poker is not going away. There's this whole thing with something called a "dealer" and "seats" and these card things that people use...if internetz poker is dead. You can even c/r someone face to face! Amazing!! No fear, you can still be a degenerate.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, I know it sounds like a freak out, but it really isn't. Like I said, I'm more concerned about the quality of the games and my ability to keep up than with it going away. However, I don't want to put my faith in it being around for the next 2-3 years and then be left without a backup plan if the worst comes to pass.

Also, as I was explaining to my friend over AIM, going to school may be +++EV regardless. I've really started to regret not going the past year or so, and this gives me reason to do it.

[MikeyPatriot]

[ QUOTE ]
One more thing: If you did well in high school and scored well on the ACT, apply to Indiana University and you might very well be accepted. I do not think they're particularly selective.

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The main reason I plan on attending a CC is that I don't know if I can afford to pay for 4 years of university. At the very least I'd like to take 1 year at a CC to make sure I want to go through with 4.

[CrayZee]

[ QUOTE ]
One more thing: If you did well in high school and scored well on the ACT, apply to Indiana University and you might very well be accepted. I do not think they're particularly selective.

[/ QUOTE ]

One thing to consider is that comm. colleges are cheaper, if you don't get any good grants or scholarships. If you can transfer easily to a school of choice, then there's no reason to spend more on essentially the same thing IMO..unless comm. colleges suck arse 'round your parts; most learning is done independently anyway.

[CrayZee]

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LOL, I know it sounds like a freak out, but it really isn't. Like I said, I'm more concerned about the quality of the games and my ability to keep up than with it going away. However, I don't want to put my faith in it being around for the next 2-3 years and then be left without a backup plan if the worst comes to pass.

Also, as I was explaining to my friend over AIM, going to school may be +++EV regardless. I've really started to regret not going the past year or so, and this gives me reason to do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guarantee you that college is super +EV, even if you still want to become Doyle Brunson III...even if you never actually "use your degree."

My only advice is to pick something you're actually interested in, otherwise it will be pure pain to attend class..as opposed to purely monetary/job reasons..that's not to say monetary considerations are irrelevant. It's just a helluva lot harder to grind out something that sucks from your perspective. Intrinsic interest probably helps your school performance..

I'm sure you won't have any problems figure that out, tho. Math is a good one because employers will think you're smarter than the dude that majored in the history of underwater basket weaving.

Also, B&M play will probably always be profitable for reasonable players.

[ElSapo]

First off, great decision to go back to school. College is a great experience even aside from the education. The most important stuff I learned had nothing to do with what was on the tests.

My suggestion, as others have mentioned, would be to forgoe the community college assuming financially you could swing it, and you got accepted to a state school. I really don't think it would be that hard to get accepted, give what you've told us, though I could be wrong.

I just feel like there is a large difference between a community college and a four-year school. Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I'm currently taking classes at what amounts to two-year arts school, and the quality is -vastly- different from the university where I got my BA.

Perhaps this isn't the same for community colleges, or perhaps my school just happens to not be so good. If you can manage to get in, I'd say do it. But again, people should feel free to correct my advice because it may well be wrong.