What would be a good school for me?

dieselfuelonly

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Hey ya'll, looking for some opinions on schools that might be worth me looking into in the future.

I'm currently at ECU right now, but hate it. There isn't a major that I'm remotely interested in, the classes are so-so, and my life doesn't revolve around partying.

So I'll finish off this year... but then what?

I am planning to start up a business with my skid steer, and as I grow buy some more equipment like a mini excavator, a single axle dump truck, etc. I don't really know what you would call it... its not excavation, I don't think landscaping would be the correct term either.

I've looked a little at community colleges around here, but what I really need is to hear from people that have gone to these schools, or know someone who has gone to them who can say a little more then "MAN THAT SHIT SUCKED BALLS".

I don't want to go through another year like this where I sit there and think "what a waste of time".

Based on what I want to do, any advice? I'd like to stay in-state for the time being, and being able to run my equipment part time and still take classes a few days a week would be a big plus.

Thanks for any advice!=
 
if you want to start a business and do well then you need to be taking business classes, tax classes, and maybe construction management classes.. these will help you understand how to use your money wisely when you start your business and how to not loss your ass when you start your business..

I am surprised ECU does not offer any of these classes?
 
They do offer a business major. While I'm not listed as a business major, I am taking a couple of those financial management classes right now.

I looked into the construction management program some, I'm just not sure if its very relevant to what I want to do - I'll talk with my advisor and see what he says.

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
I think Bruiser was right on. Maybe also you could take some civil or enviromental engineering classes that deal with soil studies.

Unless your gonna be an eternal student (PhD), I wouldnt expect a lot of your college classes to seem relevant, especially since you dont exaclty know what you'd call what you wan tto do.
 
The construction management program at ECU is rated one of the best in the country. They are actually starting to modify it a little so you can concentrate in commercial/industrial, residential, heavy highway, etc. etc. The program teaches you management of people, business, and money, but related to construction. Stay with the business minor, and if you pick your classes right, will require only 2 additional classes than what is required of the CMGT major.

However, first things first, you need to decide what you want to study in school. Going to school without a direction is like driving cross country without any maps or road signs, no direction and it'll take you forever to finishe and you'll spend way too much time and $$$ on useless classes, etc. This is coming from someone that, between working full time and going to college, took 9 years to graduate. The first 3 were spent without any real direction and were wasted $$$ and time. The next 4 were spent working and finally figured out what I wanted to do, and the last 2 were spent working hard and finishing up my degree really fast (CMGT). Figure out what you really want to do and go with it, but by no means just go to school to just go to school, without any idea of what to do.

sounds like what you do is a skilled trade type of area. my bet is that a community college would be best to hone your skills, but they are terrible for preparing you to be the business owner and dealing with finances, etc.

I'd stick out with the CMGT program at ECU. They will teach you more about the use of your equipment, estimating costs and depreciation/expenses/etc., management, and you can get the financial and business experience. And, if things don't work out with your business, you'll be much more marketable in the future for any potential employers



BTW, you mispelled "rescues" in you sig :)
 
the one that can hold a small business back is the lack of business skills. The way you run an excavator or a skid steer won't matter much once your not the one running them any more. Get a business degree or the cmgt degree. Those two are probably going to be your best bet.
 
^ Bingo.
You can be the best equipment operator in the world, then you sign onto a large projeect that terms include pay when paid.
Next thing you know you are 5 years in and havent been paid a dim, but if you stop work today you never get paid for the back work.....just 1 real simle example, but Id look into CMGT or maybe business
 
SkyHiK5 said:
^ Bingo.
You can be the best equipment operator in the world, then you sign onto a large projeect that terms include pay when paid.
Next thing you know you are 5 years in and havent been paid a dim, but if you stop work today you never get paid for the back work.....just 1 real simle example, but Id look into CMGT or maybe business
Click to expand...

actually, in NC, this is illegal. owners/GC's are responsible to pay subs regardless if they get paid or not. :flipoff2:

But yeah, the thinking is right there. Learn business, not equipment operation because most businesses that fail have a poor business plan and are poorly managed.
 
rockcity said:
actually, in NC, this is illegal. owners/GC's are responsible to pay subs regardless if they get paid or not. :flipoff2:
But yeah, the thinking is right there. Learn business, not equipment operation because most businesses that fail have a poor business plan and are poorly managed.
Click to expand...

As I often have to explain to my customers, whether or not I am going to get paid is not a question, if it was we would not be doing business.

More important to me is WHEN am I going to get paid.
Last year our hard CGS was 85.9MM
Interest and carrying? 19.8MM
 
I would get a degree in Business MGT and maybe minor in CMGT. You obviously are skilled on the bobcats and other equipment if you are going to try to start your own business in that field.
 
I'd be willing to bet that they money that you save and the growth that any business that you start would far out weigh the cost of getting a business degree. If you want to run equipment the rest of your life, go work for the state. With all the "economic" stimulus that is going to be flowing. A good job running equipment for them will have you working all the time. But if you want to work for yourself get a business degree.
 
I have several clients that are good at getting contracts (even gov't contracts) but TERRIBLE at running a biz!

The biggest pitfalls you can run into is employment law/taxes and then self-employment taxes. If you have employees, you better do the tax returns right / pay everything owed, because the fines are 100-200%!!

Self-employment tax is the one that kills the small biz owner that does not budget/plan. If you get a $1,000 job, you had better be sitting aside $350 of that someplace you won't touch it until tax time.

The ones that are doing it right... are taking out the smallest amount they can live on and leave the rest in the biz to grow with. They pay their debt off early and are flush with cash. Finally a good CPA firm is worth their weight in gold, they are not an expense, they are an investment.

...so... I would say biz admin/mgmt, it applies to running your own company or just about anything else you want to do in life. Having that 4 year degree will open doors / be an excellent "insurance" policy if running your own biz doesn't work out.

[Having no degree, or just a few courses here and there/local comm college and then biz doesn't succeed VS...same place but you have a BS in Biz.. much more likely to land a job]
 
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