I’m in My 10th Year of College — Without Spending a Penny

But I still believe education is broken… Here’s why.

Photo by Charles DeLoye on Unsplash

For most people, embarking on a college journey is a significant milestone — but stretching that journey over a decade gave me a front-row seat to societal shifts and the evolving business landscape of higher education.

First, how did I do it debt-free?

I attended my first college class while deployed to the desert while on active duty in the US military. The military provided 100% tuition assistance.

With this, I earned my bachelor’s in international relations with a concentration in Russian language.

By the way, why international relations?

When I applied to the CIA in 2006, before I had a degree, the recruiter told me “international relations” was the best program for the role I was seeking.

I quietly changed my major from ancient and classical history — which I still somewhat regret.

After leaving the military, I used a combination of my Montgomery GI Bill entitlement, plus tuition reimbursement from my employer, to earn my master’s in business administration.

Finally, I used my Post 9/11 GI Bill for my JD in law school — which I’m still attending (although nearly done).