If you hit the lottery, would you still finish your degree?

Just for fun, imagine that you hit the lottery and were now worth $54 million. You now have no need to advance in your career and no need to even work. Would you continue your education plans?

I think it is easy to say "Oh yes, I'd finish my degree" but I wonder if any of us would actually do it. You would already have all the status you need, you would have all of the money you need, you would have the ability to pursue any other avocation you desire, so what would be the motivation to actually get that master's or doctorate or even that bachelor's? Personal achievement? Would you really need that if you were filthy rich?

After you vote on the poll, give us any details you might think of.

 

Is that 8 million before or after taxes?

 

No way baby! That's after taxes.

 

If it's after taxes and if you suppose the winner is 40 years of age and has a life expectancy of 100 (not unusual these days, especially if you've got money) then that comes to 133K per year. If you're smart you could live in comfort without doing anything else. But here's the problem

BORING!

I say finish the degree at your leisure and pursue your goals. After all, are you really going to spend the rest of your life just sitting by the pool?

 

You could travel the world, you could climb Everest, you could help people, you do a million different things. Do you really think you could keep your nose in a book, or even want to?

 

I would finish my degree and do what I intended to do before....open a private practice eventually...only winning the lottery would make that goal much easier! And winning the lottery would make the current family issues of location and job non existent!

 

I changed it to $54 million, satisfied? :smile:

 

I bought 20 quick picks to the Massachusetts Mega Millions game, with the jackpot being over $200 million (cash payout $150 million before taxes). I'd quit my job and become a full-time and career student, doing all the programs I find interesting but couldn't afford before.

 

I would go back to school for something I would really enjoy and give back to the community. Who does not need a full time volunteer with a degree in humanities?

 

Other things I will do if I win the $200 million jackpot;

1) Set-up trust accounts so my kids, their kids, and their kid's kids won't have to worry about money, but in a responsible manner (scheduled allowances with oversight by an executor).

2) Donate a large chunk to charities that benefit our armed forces members and veterans.

3) Earmark a few million to have a Boston white-shoe law firm file annoying and frivolous lawsuits against the ACLU.....see how they like it.

4) I'd keep my current house so my kids can stay in the same school with the same friends, but I'd make some impressive improvements/additions.

5) Buy an oceanfront summer vacation home on Cape Cod, and an oceanfront winter vacation home in Florida.

6) Take care of my true friends; the ones who stuck with me before I became rich......maybe pay-off their mortgages.

And last, but not least;

7) Throw one hell of a DegreeInfo.com party, with first-class airline tickets, 5-star accommodations, and open bar/obnoxious buffet meal for everyone who is willing to come.

 

Count me in on that one! I would also set up a scholarship for deserving and impoverished adults who want to attend school (they can be from GED to Phd in their objectives).

 

If I win that much money. I would quit my job and continue to complete my Doctorate. Then I'll move to where I want to settle down, at the current situation is Denver, Colorado. I possible open my own business and hire people to run my business.

 

I can honestly say that I would continue with my education, it just would likely be through more prestigious school haha. Getting the degrees I am working on now are a personal goal more than anything else. I wanted to break the mold from my family's history of not going to college (I am the first and so far only one to go to college).

However, if I won the lottery I can promise I would not stay in the military. I would find some job that I truly enjoyed doing, paycheck being unimportant, and just enjoy my job, learning, and my life with my wife. I would buy a house but nothing obscene like those idiots you see who go bankrupt after winning the lottery cause they buy a 15000 sqft house and a fleet of mclarens lol.

 

I would quit my job and begin the process of going to medical school. I almost went that direction in college, and I would enjoy it if I had the resources.

 

Count me in on that. I am just south of Boston, in Waltham.

 

Well, since I don't play lotteries, I'll never have this worry

 

And of course all of us mods on Degree Info are your true friends, right?

 

Same here, but I was tempted last night when I stopped at our local convenience store for something else and saw that the jackpot was something like $150M. Still didn't buy one. Instead, I went home and started this thread.

 

I would pursue a B.S. in Martial Arts from that RA schools whose name alludes me at the moment. I would then spend more time with my parents and other family members. Not having to worry about trying to squeeze things in between work and other obligations, I would expand my martial arts classes to low income kids that could not otherwise afford it. I do that now, but on a small basis. Then I would probably do some volunteer work at some kind of animal rescue. Then I would finish a Doctorate in something.

I could probably go on and on so I will conclude my comments.

Happy upcoming New Year!

Abner :smile: