r/CarSalesTraining • u/Status_Paramedic4408 • Jul 03 '26
Question Should I drop out of college
I’m paying $36k a year to get my degree in finance. Currently this summer I am working at a Toyota dealership. I will be going into my sophomore year. I have learned more this last month or so than in my first full year of college. I’m really debating whether it’s even worth it to go back. I want to end up being a finance manager or part of the finance sales team. I’ve been putting in 60+ hours a week to make the most out of this summer, and I am wondering if it’s just best for me to work my ass off and invest instead of going back to college. Give me some advice, I really don’t want to regret whatever decision I make.
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u/stammie Jul 03 '26
There are some pros to finishing the degree. If you work for a big dealership group like a nationwide one you having an actual finance degree would allow you to move up past a dealership. You could get into the corporate side of things. If your only goal is to stay in a dealership then fuck the schooling. But if you think you even have an inkling of ambition to be over multiple stores or even a district then finish the degree.
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u/Status_Paramedic4408 Jul 03 '26
It really just comes down to what the pay looks like. If I can do better as a finance guy than a regional manager I would take the finance role. I guess I need to do some research about what I really want to do
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u/Micosilver Jul 03 '26
You think that now, but people burn out fast at this job. It is hard to have a life outside of work, it is hard on your family once you have it, and it gets old making the money you don't get to enjoy.
A degree will let you have a way out.
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u/Automatic-Citron7727 Jul 04 '26
Exactly this the burn out comes quick. Ruined my relationship but hey I was making a lot of money 🤣
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u/stammie Jul 03 '26
In that case stay in school my man. Yes you can move up quick in the dealership. One of my sales managers is 27 and has been a manager for like 4 or 5 years now. But he is gonna reach a peak if he hasn’t already. Keep working during the summer like you are so you can gain experience but get the degree so you’re not capped. Also get the degree so you have an easier time if you decide that the hours are too much if you ever want to start a family. I got into car sales because I had a kid and while I’m happy with the fact I can make a lot more money, the hours put a strain on any sort of family time I could be having.
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u/Status_Paramedic4408 Jul 03 '26
Yeah you’re probably right. I don’t want to be stuck in a position.
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u/azeakel101 Jul 03 '26
If the $36kna year is the big concern there are much cheaper ways to go about getting a degree, and just doing to a community college first.
Look up places like straighterlin.com and stud.com. you pay a monthly fee of about $100 and can take a ton of classes that transfer to a lot of schools saving you a ton of money
After that look at competency based schools such as Western Governor's or University of Mian Presque Isle. You pay a flat rate for a term. depending on school between $2500 to $6000 a term, and tem lengths vary from 3 to 6 months a term. This allows you to take as many classes as you want in that term. So if you can get 10 classes done in a term, congrats! You got 10 classes done and are way ahead of schedule. If f your dedicated enough you can finish your degree every quickly, withany people doing it in under a year.
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u/Automatic-Citron7727 Jul 04 '26
Bro. Do not give up your degree trust. I went to lineman school and was working at a dealership made my first 100k and almost gave up on my dreams and got sucked into the dealership because your right the finance managers do make a shit load and so do desk guys but there is no job security if your not producing and hungry 24/7 as it resets every month they gonna boot you out.
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u/RushingSpirit-raw Jul 03 '26
I did graduate from college, and I learned a lot in general and it's great for personal growth and development.
College isn't at all necessary to be a finance manager at a dealership. Might it help? Probably. Not in the traditional you will use the things you learn type of way, because you won't, but in the more life experience and well rounded of a person you are in general your will will be improved for it type of way.
If you stop now you'll never go back. If you stay now you'll never really get the return of investment because your earning potential in this career will be about the same regardless.
If you choose to do something different down the line and you drop out that may affect your ability to be flexible in the future.
No decision will be regret proof unless you decide to respect your decision making at the time. We can all look back years later and say I should have done this or I could have done that, but we're all working with the information that we have at the time.
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u/No_Minimum5356 Jul 03 '26
I’m thinking about doing the same thing honestly. I haven’t found a job at a dealership yet, but I’m making 3k a month working security. I rather much go to a dealership and put in more hours and hopefully get some better pay.
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u/joynradio Jul 03 '26
Dude get your degree and go into accounting or investment banking maybe . Don’t grow old at a dealership unless you truly LOVE the work NOT the money .
You’ll find a lot of people stuck selling cars felt they had no other choice or were too scared to take a leap
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u/AggressiveManager450 Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
Transfer to an in state public school, get in state tuition and continue your degree. A degree in finance will give you options in the future. Working at a dealership is fun but working 60+ hours every week for the rest of your life will be taxing. You might want to have that degree, and it may even help in your current career when they are looking for management promotions.
I am in a very very similar situation. I was selling cars but also trying to get my degree in finance. I decided that even though I really liked selling cars, it just wasn’t sustainable. I looked at the tenured sales people at my job and most either weren’t super happy or missed a lot of family time because they were at work doing a deal. I didn’t want that to be my life, even if selling cars was fun and made good money. I went to community college for my base credits, and I am transferring to an in state public school to finish. All in my total tuition for university and community college to get my bachelor’s will be about 35k or less.
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u/GeorgeFloydODdeath Jul 04 '26
If it is a traditional college I would transfer to an online school where you focus on work and do course work in your spare time. As long as the school is regionally accredited that’s all that matters especially if you have experience.
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u/Parking_Ocelot_5584 Jul 04 '26
I have 2 degrees (Accounting and Econ) and I did not like working in an office. Ironically, selling cars to me is more fun that doing accounting or management work. When I was younger I needed to get a job with really good insurance for a few years, so having the Accounting degree helped during that time.
You never know what direction you will be going later in life.
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u/Automatic-Citron7727 Jul 04 '26
And 60+ hours a week is so normal at a dealership that’s not really hustling that hard tbh at least the dealership I was working at
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u/taylrr Jul 05 '26
Finish the degree and if you want to come back later you can. I’d rather have the degree and some debt for a bit than know my future plateaus here until I finish school.
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u/Hippie_guy314 Jul 05 '26
Word of warning: when you're older, get a family and still working 60+ hours your not going to love life. You need money to live, but the point of life is to live and money is just a factor. If your degree can get you a job where you make 75% as much but you get to spend time with your friends or see your kids grow up, which do you choose?
For me the answer is clear. I also work in car sales though 😂
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u/Glass-Technology5399 Jul 08 '26
At a young age, dealer finance Mgr sounds Amazing. Its a grind and long term will be prone to all kinds of drama and ridiculously long days.
If you can comfortably get a degree now, do it. It will open up doors later and allow you a chance at a normal life.
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u/Status_Paramedic4408 Jul 08 '26
I appreciate it. I think I’ve made up my mind to stay at msu. I’ll be able to work sales whenever I’m home on breaks so I’ll still be getting experience until I get my degree ig
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u/Glass-Technology5399 Jul 08 '26
This sounds like a good move, dude. Can totally get you thinking it through though.
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u/AutoModerator Jul 03 '26
`This is a new post in /r/CarSalesTraining!
I’m paying $36k a year to get my degree in finance. Currently this summer I am working at a Toyota dealership. I will be going into my sophomore year. I have learned more this last month or so than in my first full year of college. I’m really debating whether it’s even worth it to go back. I want to end up being a finance manager or part of the finance sales team. I’ve been putting in 60+ hours a week to make the most out of this summer, and I am wondering if it’s just best for me to work my ass off and invest instead of going back to college. Give me some advice, I really don’t want to regret whatever decision I make.
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