Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Hi Wazuans,
I need your advice. I was accepted in one of the top 10 Business schools in the US, a school that is extremely hard to get into and I was very excited. But, the school tuition is literally a house mortgage, and in this economy banks are not willing to dish out money. I am thus at a crossroads, I have 3 choices.
1. Keep looking for a cosignor to get the student loan. This option is extremely tiring because most Kenyans are small minded, and when they hear the amount needed, they instantly come up with other "solutions". If one more person tells me to just do nursing, I will scream. The average person on Wall Street makes 10 times more than a nurse!!!Plus, if I graduate from said school, I will be privy to a very exclusive Alumni network, not to mention my graduation from said school will open doors to the likes of Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia etc etc
2. Gather the information I have acquired in the US and head back to Kenya and start a business venture. The only con to this argument is in Kenya, if you dont have a diploma people dont trust you to do business with them. Plus I dont want to be one of those people who say " I was accepted into so and so school but...."
3. Just enroll in a State University, get the damn diploma and bail. I feel like this option would not do me any good because at the end of the day I am not interested in being someone's employee, so a State dilpoma would just serve as a decoration on the wall.
Please Wazuans, kindly advice me on what to do, which option would you pick?? Are there any other options? Any info, both positive and negative will be highly appreciated.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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By the way Hisah, I just read that you dropped out?? Do you mind sharing more on this?
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Rank: Member Joined: 4/1/2008 Posts: 104 Location: Nairobi
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Have you already considered scholarship opportunities provided by... - the school - professional business networks in the area - the US government - education-oriented NGO's? Généralement, les gens qui savant peu parlent becoup, et les gens qui savant beaucoup parlent peu.
- Rousseau.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Yes I have, applied for numerous scholarships, very competitive and priority is given to American citizens. I havent tried NGO's though, do you have any pointers? What do you mean by business networks?? Do you mean say go to Verizon and pitch them my resume?
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Rank: Member Joined: 4/1/2008 Posts: 104 Location: Nairobi
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- Focus on applying for the non-US citizen scholarships http://www.peointernatio...ojectsphilanthropiestry If you can find those that assist Africans the odds are even better for you. What amount are we looking at here? If you can't get a full scholarship, consider applying for one to caters for one level of study e.g. http://www.dekarman.org/Qualifications.aspx - There are professional associations that students can join. In addition to helping you network with individuals in the same career, in this case business/entrepreneurship, they also undertake training and sometimes grant scholarships as well. Look up the ones in your area. - When considering NGO's, look specifically for those with educational trusts. Don't forget that churches also grant scholarships too. Généralement, les gens qui savant peu parlent becoup, et les gens qui savant beaucoup parlent peu.
- Rousseau.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Hey Savant thanks for the info, though I was not able to open up the first link. I had previously tried applying for scholarships to the Gates, Soros and Carnegie foundations. Gates was only open to inner city kids in high school. Soros and I think Carnegie too required that the immigrant have been in the US for less than a year. There is alot of time and effort you have to put in, only to be told NO. I will look into it though.
The amount is $80k to finish the last 2 years of my Undergrad, then possibly another $80-120k to do an MBA. Though, I only plan on pursuing an MBA if I get into an Ivy League, otherwise I would rather just go back home with a Bachelors. Thank you for your input, much appreciated.
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Rank: New-farer Joined: 1/4/2010 Posts: 93
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Boss, why go to a very expensive college that you cannot afford. Humble yourself, join a college in Kenya whose fees are affordable and move on. You sound desperate yet you do not seem to let go. Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak, sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Wamutonyi thank you for your reply, I am actually female. Anyways the main reason I want to go that route is the Alumni networking, not to put Kenyan colleges down but I feel like they prepare one to become an employee. I have already learnt alot just by being in the US, so if all else fails, I would rather just go into business, only time will tell if this is a sound decision.
Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak, sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go.
I like this quote, thanks for your input.
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Rank: New-farer Joined: 7/18/2011 Posts: 19
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Nabwire don't give up, Keep on punching and like Wamutonyi think infers positively and when you have a chance read or get an audio version of the book "who moved my cheese" - The only thing that is constant is Change and sometimes we would rather anticipate it rather than change getting us unprepared. The U.S is a 'changer' and don't I know it! The Top schools might give you the network but it comes at a premium. The the second-tier schools will also give a good education but minus the highend network but what about "living within your means" as they say. Again I have been there in your shoes and in that/this land. Make good choices, all the luck!
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Rank: Member Joined: 12/3/2008 Posts: 113
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"...not to put Kenyan colleges down but I feel like they prepare one to become an employee...." you will be amazed by the number of successful entrepreneurs who went through the same Kenyan colleges.its all in your mind.
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Rank: Member Joined: 7/9/2011 Posts: 730 Location: Nairobi
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a state university may not be such a bad idea, its quite demeaning to call it just a decoration, if all fails still try to get a college education as you set up your business, it is important our goals are best achieved indirectly
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Rank: Member Joined: 6/17/2008 Posts: 36
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'The only con to this argument is in Kenya, if you dont have a diploma people dont trust you to do business with them'- said who? I've never asked for one's qualifications(they can be forged) just the track record.Alot of this stuff is just in your mind!
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Rank: Elder Joined: 9/25/2009 Posts: 4,534 Location: Windhoek/Nairobbery
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Success is found in the most unlikely places...i remember passing an opportunity to study @ the University of Cape Town...up to now everybody thinks i'm crazy...but if I look back I think I made a wise decision if I look at how much I have grown...
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Rank: Chief Joined: 1/13/2011 Posts: 5,964
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the deal wrote:Success is found in the most unlikely places...i remember passing an opportunity to study @ the University of Cape Town...up to now everybody thinks i'm crazy...but if I look back I think I made a wise decision if I look at how much I have grown... Hahaha... I feel u man. I was on my way to Pretoria Wits...men..don't think i'd achieve/learn what I have if I went down South to read & not invest 
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Wow thank you all for your kind words, I really do appreciate it.
Mach G I totally hear you, the only thing constant in the world is change. I have read Who moved my Cheese, its a great book and had I known 10 years ago what I know now, I would be way ahead, but that book definitely reminds you to go back to the basics. About 2nd tier schools, I feel like I worked so hard to get into this particular school, and if you look at most of the Greats, they all went to first tier, whether they dropped out or not. The Us judges you based on what education you have. Plus, there is a little thing called Legacy admissions that I would love to give to my children, their chances of getting in would be amplified by roughly 50% just due to the fact that I am an Alumni. Plus networking, anyone in Business knows the importance of networking. Even for US citizens, they cant afford to just pay for Harvard out of pocket, at some point they have to live outside their means, coz they know the investment return that a Harvard degree will bring is priceless, what say you? So what choices did you make? Did you opt out of the Ivy league?
Mwanafunzi, Kiterunner and Wavidani, thanks for the insight. I am just being strategic, Kiterunner I am looking at the opportunity costs of getting a State degree, thats $30k that I could invest and quadruple. I already know most of the material that they would teach me, once again my thinking is a State will not provide me with any meaningful networking.
The Deal and Cde, do you guys mind sharing what you did instead of going to University in South Africa?? Did you opt to get your education in Kenya instead, opt to not get one, lets use this as a learning opportunity.
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Rank: New-farer Joined: 8/28/2011 Posts: 14
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Nabwire, Here is my free advise- I work on wall street and I hope that this helps. But firsst some observations of your post:- 1. Kenyans are small minded - No coment 2. Average guy on w/street makes 10 times than a nurse - Not true Here is my advise:- Dont take a student loan- it is not worth it. Instead get into a good state campus get your first degree and look for a job on wall street- wall street is overated. Most employers on w/street or anywhere else offer help with school fees if you study and work-part of the benefits. If you are your GMAT is very good you could get admitted to columbia if in NY and get a scholarship - plus help from your employer- especially if you play your minority/gender card well enough. Save your mbesha for investments in Kitengela. I hope this helps. Read the links below, they could also help http://chronicle.com/art...lowship-Pays-24/127622/
http://www.jamesaltucher...-their-kids-to-college/
RP
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Rank: Elder Joined: 2/7/2007 Posts: 11,935 Location: Nairobi
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This kid just got to me.....Straight from a Kenyan poly and armed with a dip in mech engineering and i advised.Go get yourself a coded welder Lloyds registered certification.....Cheap.It wouldn't cost an average Kenyan peasant his/her nguno cow.....and what would you want?.money or fame?....eff anybody.The kid makes 6K per joint and he can do 20 of them in a day in Kenya and around.How many are there in Sub-Saharan Africa?....don't even ask.Life is unfair to those who only see in one direction.I am an idiot for heaven's sake.....somehow though,i hate learned idiots!....Love me or hate me,this country is awash with guys who didn't do what the Jones were doing...You do not need a brain. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Hey Rwathpuro, great insights there. Looked at the links, I had actually seen a documentary about college students being given money not to attend college, BUT you had to be in a very competitive school already. Nobody is giving those deals to people in mediocre schools. I hate to sound elitist but its the truth. I should apologize for generalizing Kenyans, actually Kenyans fare far better than my friends from a West African country that I will not name, who consider that someone with a CNA license has it made. So my apologies, I was just trying to make a point. About average salary on Wallstreet, note that I said average, meaning the mean of the highest paid and the lowest paid. Plus it doesnt hurt that the mean salary of my dream company to work for is $622,000. http://www.boston.com/bu..._employee_makes_622000/ Suddenly shelling out $80k doesnt sound that foolish right? Ofcourse not everyone who goes to an Ivy league will make it to Goldman, but I love to dream, and dreams become reality, sometimes! Thanks for your advice, I have a few months to ponder this through.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/22/2011 Posts: 1,325
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Hahaha Njunge I'm not a learned idiot, I am an opportunist and a Capitalist at heart.
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Rank: New-farer Joined: 8/28/2011 Posts: 14
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About Goldman Sachs - you are so wrong and in for surprises. The average starting is 155k -200- depending on performance you are entitled to a bonus. No one earns an average salary. The average salaries reported in the press are skewed by bonuses paid to top traders. So if you have 100 traders earning 5 million each- that will definitely skew the salary of 1000 people paid mediocre salary. You will not starve with such a salary- but they work you so hard, by second year you are either out coz if you stay longer you will run nuts or you are kicked out if you are not promoted (it is basically a conveyor belt) Either way, if you have the money and the grit Imy advise is go for it- it is a great training ground.
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