New grads - poker or job, and why?

[Dazarath]

I'm not a new grad yet, but I'll be one soon. After college, I will likely get a job.

One reason, which was mentioned by another poster, is that I probably just wouldn't cut it as a professional poker player. Sure, my hourly looks good in PT (not as good as many people's here, but definitely more than what I expect to make coming out of UCLA), but it's a lot different playing an hour of two a day recreationally, and having to try to grind out that same hourly for 8 hours a day.

My second reason would be that I don't want to disappoint my parents. They spent a lot of money to send me to college; I think as a son, I should put in some effort to become something they could be proud of.

Lastly, I think even if I did want to play professionally, it'd only be a temporary thing, and I'd have a problem with my resume in the future. I'd be a lot of better off just getting a career and playing on the side when I feel like it.

[PokerAmateur4]

[ QUOTE ]
i dont think that you can blame the mere inability you have to challenge yourself to become better at poker on the fact that it is just a game and will merely stay one. i play many many hours and i find that i am always constantly learning new things and how people work. i think you can learn more about life and people in poker if you teach yourself to THINK THE RIGHT WAY, instead of looking upon it as simply "i have the best hand, i raise".

[/ QUOTE ]Good thinking.

[Parlay Slow]

I graduated in May 2005. I had a pretty cool job as a consultant for 1.25 years. I just recently quit my job to play poker because I can make 4x the money in 1/4 the time.

[lennytheduck]

I'll be graduating this coming April and am currently in the middle of applying to medical school. I haven't had a real job in three years and never really considered it after starting to make real money in poker.

Unlike many others, I have only viewed poker as a way to get me through financially. I have been lucky to make enough that I can buy some nice extras that the standard student who waiters at the half price bar cannot but I've never skipped class on a regular basis or sacrificed studying in order to play cards. Perhaps if I did I would make up enough to qualify as a "real job."

The amount of work I've done thus far in undergrad and the exponentially larger amount of work I'll be doing in years to come is too great to risk on the development of bad habits and suspect lifestyle that comes with playing poker for a living. So for me there really isn't much of a decision.

[chisness]

I haven't graduated yet but main factors for me are:

1) higher eventual pay potential in real job
2) online poker possibly dying or fading
3) can probably play 15-20 hours a week without getting tired of it -- this amount is very realistic with a real job, and imo wouldn't be much lower than the full time poker hours that would realistically only be around 30

[Reef]

I have 1 more semester left and I'll leave with a Math BA. I want to teach, but that would require 2 more years of school, and obviously the pay is crappy. I've been playing poker full time last summer and this summer. I realize I can only put in 30 hours MAX a week, but at low 3 figs/hour, it is a good living. Poker is definetaly a grind, but I REALLY want financial stability in my life, being 21. I very much want to buy a house - prices in Hawaii are crazy right now unfortunately.
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My 2 main options after I "graduate"

1) 2 more years of school + play poker part time during school and full time during the summer. *make mom happy and make okay $$*

2) Play full time for 1-2 years, then go back to school for 2 years + play poker part time then. *more financially stable afterwards, be able to buy house + invest*
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Also have a long-term gf right now whose finishing up school. I don't want to get stuck in a far away school and have to do long distance (which we've done in the summers and its hard).

Was also considering playing poker part time + private tutoring part time (not for the $$, but because I like to).


Thoughts?

[aujoz]

i'm lucky to have a decent job immediately after graduating.

i don't want to be pot committed to poker - it's a good option to have, but i don't want to have that be my only option in life.

[waxie]

Poker has given me some great opportunities. I wouldn't be able to live in DC without the extra money from playing online and I enjoy the game. However, I am not interested in becoming a professional poker player because I'd like to do something more meaningful with my life.

I'm sure lot's of people who play professionally are nice guys and care about other people. It's just that, at the end of the day, there is nothing socially productive about playing poker. You're not creating jobs in a meaningful way, you aren't try to make the world a better place-- ultimately, you are just trying to make money.

I guess that's why I'll never be heavily involved in the private sector either (which is a shame, I could have been a kill businessman!).

[mason55]

graduated in computer science in 2004. took 3 months living in my college town, just partying like crazy with my friends (i graduated in november). got a job in march doing programming. got a new boss in november. hated him and left my job in april. have been living off my bankroll (though not playing enough) since then, which included a move from dc to vegas.

I actually have a phone interview tomorrow, and am sure ill get the job. don't know if ill take it thoughas I'm sooooooo tired of programming. thinking about getting into the finance sector.

[wpr101]

I'm balancing poker part with work full time.