The lost time and increased tuition hurt both my ego and my wallet.
After realizing college physics classes were MUCH (and I mean MUCH) more difficult than high school physics classes, I spent two semesters taking vocational classes to “find out what I wanted to do with my life.”
Then, I found it. Advertising! I’d lost a year, but I was on the right path.
I took the pre-requisites and went to apply to the program when I noticed I was missing one class. I was shocked. When I’d visited with a guidance counselor the semester before, I was told that I had all the generals I needed. Turns out the counselor had made mistake.
I had to wait until winter to sign up for the missing class and, then, wait until Fall to re-apply.
Another year gone
But Fall finally came, and I successfully applied!
There was only one problem: I didn’t get accepted.
The advertising program I applied to was competitive — only 50-60% of applicants were accepted each semester. And for this semester I was literally the FIRST of those not accepted. You see, the program is based on a points system. To make a long explanation short, I needed 300 points to get in, and I scored 299.
I could apply one more time but would have to wait until Winter.
There goes another semester and more tuition. I had to pick up a second part-time job and sell my truck for a more gas-friendly vehicle.
You can imagine how nervous I was to apply when the time came. You only get two chances; you can’t apply a third time. It was now or never.
If I didn’t make the 300-point cut this time, I’d have to, AGAIN, go through the process of finding another major.
Finally, I caught a break. I’d worked hard on my portfolio all semester, and this time I was accepted.
Now, I was a 25-year-old in a program full of talented and ambitious 19-year-olds.
These were talented students, the majority of whom had gotten in after their first time applying.
But I had something they didn’t — hunger.
I was tired of failing and losing time and money.
From now on, I was going to use ALL the resources that were available to help me be successful.
I spent more time than ANY other student in the offices of the professors — getting feedback/mentorship, building rapport (relationships matter), and taking notes.
I’d pour through books professors recommended, implement exercises to improve my copywriting skills, and would ALWAYS ask questions.
I even subscribed to an ad magazine Professor McKinley (The “Godfather” of the advertising program) recommended. Even though I was a poor college student, I viewed it as an investment in my future.
So, what happened after dutifully working the program for two years?
I was “last” in graduating but “first” in getting a legitimate job.
Because I took school seriously and was hungry, I stood out from the other interns at my job. Now I get to travel for work and speak on stage about advertising. Last May, I did 5 continents, 14 countries, and 18 cities in 3 weeks! I’ve visited safaris, lagoons, exotic beaches, and tropical jungles.
Now I get to work with big enterprise clients like MGM, The Golden State Warriors, and Ashely Furniture.
So why am I telling you all this?
I’m a big believer in “paying it forward.” I know there are other students just like me who are struggling to get ahead, who have had to “eat” lost time and money, and who are discouraged.
Maybe you feel this way. Maybe you’re a “hungry” student waiting for your chance.
If you’re looking for something — ANYTHING — to give yourself the extra advantage, I have an invitation for you.
Or, as I like to call it, “Netflix for Marketers.”
What is it?
BlitzNation is an online community jam-packed with content from leaders in the marketing industry. A subscription gives you access to:
- a library of courses that include Personal Branding, Facebook For $1/day, ChatBots, Digital Plumbing, and more.
- live weekly webinars for learning more about how to advertise on Facebook, how to be a manager, how to setup email marketing or chatbot marketing, how to get a job while you’re still in school, and how to make money for other businesses.
- the Webinar Library: you get access to ALL past webinars — there are 52 per year, so a TON of content.
- support from the BlitzNation group and BlitzMetrics team. Have a question? Just ask in the Facebook group, and you’ll get a response within 24 hours.
- discounts to ad workshops. Twice a year, there are three-day workshops, and throughout the year, there will be single-day workshops in major cities across the U.S.
- weekly email updates on the latest best practices for advertising on social.
Normally, a BlitzNation subscription costs $159 per month.
However, the mission of BlitzMetrics is to provide jobs for young adults, so you can join at a discounted rate of only $29.97 per month by using the code “HUNGRY”.
So, while other students waste their nights watching Stranger Things or Black Mirror, you can get ahead in the game.