Should I go to College?

[JobsforFun]

Right now I am considered an 11th grader because I am making up a credit in Algebra 2 and then getting one more math credit afterwards (I have completed the other senior classes such as English 4). Thing is I am so close to being free from High School I have no idea what to do afterwards. I was thinking about going to College and trying to become an MRI Tech and then having a minor in Film and see if I like one more since I enjoy video editing or being some sort of camera man. Only thing about college is that I really don't want to be in debt, I know I don't qualify for any scholarships (although I might because I haven't looked into anything really concerning colleges) because all my grades are meh they aren't all A's, I am not in any clubs. There is a college near by and if you have a 3.0 or above GPA you get a free 2 years but I am not sure if my GPA is that high.

I thought I'd ask for some friendly advice and see if anyone can help guide me (I am 18 btw). I have seen a lot of people talk about when they were teens leaving high school they had no idea what they wanted to do with their life and I guess I am in the same boat as them. I know I should get finical aid because my mom and dad divorced and my mom's only source of income is that she cleans people's houses and helps older people do things like go to the grocery store and such since she use to be a nursing assistant. Main problem is my mom is somewhat forcing me to go to college.

[Mith]

How near by is that near by college to you, and do they offer anything that you find interesting? If you can live at home with minimal expenses, that does help in reducing the debt load.

Other idea include looking around for work that you may be interested in doing that give experience in the field. it doesn't have to pay, and it doesn't have to be full time, but it can give you a better understanding of what you are considering, and some good experience for the future.

Even if you can work for a few years and save before going to college that is always an option. I would check with any colleges you are considering and see if their entry requirements for those not entering college directly from High School are more restrictive. I have acquaintances from High School that ended up not being able to enter Engineering because of that, even though he had a High School Grade average in the low 90% range.

I cannot give you a whole lot of advice from personal experience, simply because I never really had to personally deal with these kinds of issues.

[JobsforFun]

How near by is that near by college to you, and do they offer anything that you find interesting? If you can live at home with minimal expenses, that does help in reducing the debt load.

Other idea include looking around for work that you may be interested in doing that give experience in the field. it doesn't have to pay, and it doesn't have to be full time, but it can give you a better understanding of what you are considering, and some good experience for the future.

Even if you can work for a few years and save before going to college that is always an option. I would check with any colleges you are considering and see if their entry requirements for those not entering college directly from High School are more restrictive. I have acquaintances from High School that ended up not being able to enter Engineering because of that, even though he had a High School Grade average in the low 90% range.

I cannot give you a whole lot of advice from personal experience, simply because I never really had to personally deal with these kinds of issues.

I'll be honest I really haven't looked into anything college wise, there are colleges near me that I can go to and I would live at home that is the main plan as of now really.

[JeenLeen]

Of course, it's hard to tell for sure what's the best path, but I've heard of many people who go to college and then feel like they've wasted 4 years and a lot of money. Others haven't gone and find their job options woefully limited.

On the debt issue: I've heard there are several small scholarships that generally get very few applicants. Do your research -- and this is probably several days' work, but the payoff is substantial. (Really, laziness can be a huge enemy when planning stuff like this. I know that personally.) Your local college might have a resource in the library or financial aid office where someone can help you look at scholarships and apply, and would likely be willing to help you as a prospective student.

Some other options
Have you considered the military? If you decide not to be career (i.e., going to retirement), I think you can still get out in either 4 or 7 years, and that might qualify you for the GI Bill, which entails free tuition to universities. And some programs in the military include getting a degree as you serve. (Of course, see your local recruiting office for more information... thought since they likely have an incentive to get recruits, try to also talk to folk who have already exited the military.)
I am assuming USA for the above. Other countries vary, I'm sure.

If there is a 2-year associate degree program, you could try out college there. At least where I live, you can go for an associate's degree at a lesser-respected and cheaper college, mainly getting what would be the required classes (english, math, electives, etc.) out of the way. If you decide not to get your associate's, you can then transfer to a 'better' school to do your degree work. If you decide by then college is not for you, you have an associate's degree in general studies or whatever, which puts you a step above those with just a high school diploma.
Many also have trades in them, so maybe you can get your MRI Tech training there more cheaply than at a traditional college.

And, if you can get a decent job and family pressure isn't too strong, I don't think there's anything wrong with spending a year working to save up some funds and define your interests. But look into if that makes it harder to get accepted to college.

Lastly... I forget the name, but there's some program where college graduates can work on service projects around the nation (again, USA here). You get a small stipend, but there's no real living expenses so you can save it up. Go to disaster areas and rebuild homes and such. You'd learn a ton of very useful skills, probably able to do decent construction work afterwards. (And even if you'd hate doing it for a living, knowing how to repair your own home is incredibly useful and can save a ton of money.) I'll try to find out the name and edit it into this post.
Also, seems like a fun social thing as well.

[Mith]

I'll be honest I really haven't looked into anything college wise, there are colleges near me that I can go to and I would live at home that is the main plan as of now really.

That should help. If you take time to work and save, that will also reduce personal cost of college, although it does move any completion date for it further into the future.

For me at least, it is hard to give general advice at this stage in your inquiry. Post Secondary Education is not for everyone. I would look around, see if there are open houses at the various colleges for you to stop by and ask questions.

[JobsforFun]

Of course, it's hard to tell for sure what's the best path, but I've heard of many people who go to college and then feel like they've wasted 4 years and a lot of money. Others haven't gone and find their job options woefully limited.

On the debt issue: I've heard there are several small scholarships that generally get very few applicants. Do your research -- and this is probably several days' work, but the payoff is substantial. (Really, laziness can be a huge enemy when planning stuff like this. I know that personally.) Your local college might have a resource in the library or financial aid office where someone can help you look at scholarships and apply, and would likely be willing to help you as a prospective student.

Some other options
Have you considered the military? If you decide not to be career (i.e., going to retirement), I think you can still get out in either 4 or 7 years, and that might qualify you for the GI Bill, which entails free tuition to universities. And some programs in the military include getting a degree as you serve. (Of course, see your local recruiting office for more information... thought since they likely have an incentive to get recruits, try to also talk to folk who have already exited the military.)
I am assuming USA for the above. Other countries vary, I'm sure.

If there is a 2-year associate degree program, you could try out college there. At least where I live, you can go for an associate's degree at a lesser-respected and cheaper college, mainly getting what would be the required classes (english, math, electives, etc.) out of the way. If you decide not to get your associate's, you can then transfer to a 'better' school to do your degree work. If you decide by then college is not for you, you have an associate's degree in general studies or whatever, which puts you a step above those with just a high school diploma.
Many also have trades in them, so maybe you can get your MRI Tech training there more cheaply than at a traditional college.

And, if you can get a decent job and family pressure isn't too strong, I don't think there's anything wrong with spending a year working to save up some funds and define your interests. But look into if that makes it harder to get accepted to college.

Lastly... I forget the name, but there's some program where college graduates can work on service projects around the nation (again, USA here). You get a small stipend, but there's no real living expenses so you can save it up. Go to disaster areas and rebuild homes and such. You'd learn a ton of very useful skills, probably able to do decent construction work afterwards. (And even if you'd hate doing it for a living, knowing how to repair your own home is incredibly useful and can save a ton of money.) I'll try to find out the name and edit it into this post.
Also, seems like a fun social thing as well.

I would prefer to not join the military, a lot of my friends are going that route and I don't think that is for me. I think once high school is truly finished I might take a short break and just relax and figure things out for a few months or so wanna make sure I can do a lot of research when it comes to this big of a decision. Didn't Bill Gates have something that involved college?

[tensai_oni]

Here's my opinion:

If you can't get any scholarships or grants and going to college means you'll end up with a sizeable debt - don't go.

If you can get scholarships - maybe go.

There is nothing wrong in going to a vocational school and learning a profession instead of going to college. It's not for everyone because it's physical work, often hard physical work, but it means good job security, you won't have a huge student debt, and you can start working and building up experience quickly.

A lot of people have this stance where college is something to aspire to, if you don't go to a college or university it means you were "too dumb" and a failure. But that's a really stupid stance, especially if you're in a pretty bad financial situation as seem to be the case here. A degree is what you earn to either have good job opportunities or get into academia, but far too many degrees nowadays offer only very slim chance of former, while your debt will be the same regardless.

[Anonymouswizard]

On a strict cost/benefit analysis the answer is 'maybe'.

By which I mean if you do something like Engineering, Maths, or Physics and are good enough at it then you'll make your money back. Other degrees are less beneficial from a monetary viewpoint, my friend who did History still hasn't got a job even vaguely related to his field.

Now, money isn't the only reward. Currently being in my final year of my undergrad (boy I was so bad as this stuff when I started, it's taken the better part of 5 years to get here) I can say that university is an amazing environment and whether you're a 'clubs and sex' student, a 'good book and bunnies*' student, or anywhere in between you can probably find a group or society you feel fine in even if you're not particularly close to your classmates.

It's also in some ways easier than transitioning straight to work. A good university will have facilities to help students settle in and get adjusted, as well as keeping u with budgeting or an increasing workload, and whatever your problem is there's probably a staff member who's seen it before and knows how to deal with it. Now this varies depending on the university, mine's got great support from staff but to 90% of students the SU (do you guys have Student Unions in the US?) might as well not exist, and my college has had poor representation for the last 2 years due to the ideal candidates not being friends with the biggest society. In fact my entire experience with my university's SU has been making my life more difficult, but that's probably rare and even then a decent university will generally have the support you need, if you're willing to look for it.

* One of my university's Chaplains brings in her rabbits every Friday, it's created a really relaxing space.

[JobsforFun]

Here's my opinion:

If you can't get any scholarships or grants and going to college means you'll end up with a sizeable debt - don't go.

If you can get scholarships - maybe go.

There is nothing wrong in going to a vocational school and learning a profession instead of going to college. It's not for everyone because it's physical work, often hard physical work, but it means good job security, you won't have a huge student debt, and you can start working and building up experience quickly.

A lot of people have this stance where college is something to aspire to, if you don't go to a college or university it means you were "too dumb" and a failure. But that's a really stupid stance, especially if you're in a pretty bad financial situation as seem to be the case here. A degree is what you earn to either have good job opportunities or get into academia, but far too many degrees nowadays offer only very slim chance of former, while your debt will be the same regardless.

My mother sees it has if I don't go to college it would make my life incredibly hard. I mean the things I am interested in can be self taught and I have heard of companies hiring people who are self taught before. I sort of want to try self teaching myself coding but I took a class in high school a year or 2 ago with a horrible teacher and that killed my spark. My interests are really all over the place. I would love to become a professional gamer because I have always wanted to become a pro at something and I think if I try gaming could be that thing, I also like the medical field somewhat because you can help people etc, and photography seems interesting.

I must admit, I have thought about traveling around the US or somehow Europe and just taking photographs with a nice DSLR camera and sell them, I have always had a interest in photography but never really looked into it since most nice cameras are incredibly expensive...

I have always been the type who just goes "with the flow" and might see where my future takes me. I might have to stay home regardless because my mother has bad RA and without her medicine she is in pain, I feel as if when she gets into her older years she'll be in a wheel chair and I will have to stay home and help her etc.

[Peelee]

Absolutely look into scholarships. You'll be surprised how many you qualify for, but they do take work to find. If price is a big concern, it's well worth looking around and finding ways to mitigate that, because if you have the funds secured without straining you too much or putting you in too much debt, your next reservations become more clear and you understand their weight better.

[tensai_oni]

How does your mother think this (not going to college) will make your life hard? Does she think you won't make the cut working physically? Or does she believe you won't have opportunities to find a job after vocational school?

The former is a question you have to answer yourself, but the latter couldn't be more untrue. Nowadays, a lot of people go to various colleges after high school. And for many of them, that is a bad move. Once again this isn't because they are "too dumb" for college. Rather, the courses they are attending do not offer a job opportunity in the area they studied, because the studies were either too specific or the number of jobs available is much smaller than the number of students with a relevant degree.

If you want to study something, you need to ask yourself two questions:
1. Is this something I want to do for a living? This isn't just a question of whether you like something and think it'd be nice to get paid for it. Doing something for a living means it will be hard work - for some things it's physical, for others mental, but either way it is something that will tire you out and challenge you much more than a hobby, so you need to be prepared for it.

2. Is this something that will give me job opportunities? You need to do research, even if it's something as simple as checking how many people are hiring in the area you want to study. There is always a possibility to get into academia of course, but this is limited to students with best grades. Once again, the number of people who want to do it is probably much larger than the number of people who can do it.

And yes, studies are also enriching and broaden your knowledge and view of the world. But you have to ask yourself, if this enrichment is all you get from a degree, was it worth all the debt?

[JobsforFun]

How does your mother think this (not going to college) will make your life hard? Does she think you won't make the cut working physically? Or does she believe you won't have opportunities to find a job after vocational school?

The former is a question you have to answer yourself, but the latter couldn't be more untrue. Nowadays, a lot of people go to various colleges after high school. And for many of them, that is a bad move. Once again this isn't because they are "too dumb" for college. Rather, the courses they are attending do not offer a job opportunity in the area they studied, because the studies were either too specific or the number of jobs available is much smaller than the number of students with a relevant degree.

If you want to study something, you need to ask yourself two questions:
1. Is this something I want to do for a living? This isn't just a question of whether you like something and think it'd be nice to get paid for it. Doing something for a living means it will be hard work - for some things it's physical, for others mental, but either way it is something that will tire you out and challenge you much more than a hobby, so you need to be prepared for it.

2. Is this something that will give me job opportunities? You need to do research, even if it's something as simple as checking how many people are hiring in the area you want to study. There is always a possibility to get into academia of course, but this is limited to students with best grades. Once again, the number of people who want to do it is probably much larger than the number of people who can do it.

And yes, studies are also enriching and broaden your knowledge and view of the world. But you have to ask yourself, if this enrichment is all you get from a degree, was it worth all the debt?

I will admit, my mom isn't the sharpest tool in the shed I have Logitech Z623 speak system and she referred to the subwoofer on the floor as a 'router' thinking I was somehow getting internet connection from it. I think she just wants me to do what she thinks is best and she has it drilled into her head that you have to go to college to get a good job etc.

[happyturtle]

1. Talk to a financial aid counsellor from any school you are considering, to see what help you can get that isn't loans. Scholarships based on grades aren't the only options.
2. Remember that college isn't a option that's only open to you now. You can go to college at any point in your life - it doesn't have to be right after high school. So if it doesn't feel right for you now, then don't feel like you are shutting the door on college forever.
3. Consider doing college part time, and working part time. Consider taking one class at a time until you are decided one way or another.

Don't spend a lot of money on something you aren't sure about, just because other people think it's a good idea. College isn't going anywhere.

[Telonius]

Not all jobs require a college degree. It is true that people, on average, tend to make more money when they have a degree than when they don't, but you're not necessarily doomed to burger-flipping or store greeting if you don't have one. Especially in some technical positions. People can and do make perfectly good livings being electricians, plumbers, computer techs, and hundreds of other jobs without ever setting foot inside a 4-year college. If the jobs you want to do don't require a degree, you don't need to get one. But do realize that some companies (even for positions that don't actually require what a degree is supposed to signify) put people who got a degree in front of people who don't. If you don't get a degree, that's going to make networking a lot more important for you when you're looking for a job. Get to know some people in the field personally. That will give you more of an "in" during the hiring process.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Disclaimer: I know nothing about your situation or how things are in America/South Carolina. However...


"A union apprenticeship is an excellent career choice if you like to work with your hands; are willing to serve an apprenticeship for up to five years, depending on the trade you select; have dexterity, mechanical ability, problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a team; want to earn a living wage and good benefits; and want the opportunity to advance in your career"

If you were an 18-year-old kid from my neck of the woods, I'd be saying something like the above. If you can find an apprenticeship and get a trade, that could be a great option.

Skilled tradesmen are hugely in demand where I live - a good welder, plumber or electrician can earn more than many degree-holding professionals - and the only way to get skilled is to do an apprenticeship (preferably a 5-year one). Sure the work can be difficult or even dangerous, but it's also creative and rewarding, and it's a career where not having a degree won't hold you back at all. And apprentices get paid! Unlike students, who get into debt.

I mean, don't get me wrong, college is a great experience. I have two engineering degrees and that was right for me. Just don't be thinking that's the only option available to you.

Edit: wait, where did 2D8HP's post go? Did I get delete-ninja'd?

[2D8HP]

.....wait, where did 2D8HP's post go? Did I get delete-ninja'd?


Oh sorry Ninja_Prawn, I thought that my post actually wasn't that helpful to the OP, so I deleted it, but I back-arrowed after seeing your post until I found it again so here it is:

My preference would be that we all get a college education in the humanities and the sciences as a right of citizenship and it start at age 14 or 15 as so much of Elementary, Middle, and even High school is wasted time, and then we start vocational training sometime between 17 and 25 via apprenticeships which we are paid for!

For whatever it's worth, when I read my wife's old textbooks, watch a televised lecture, or indeed go to library's and bookstores I feel a deep regret that I never got to go to college (never more acutely then after they closed their library's to non-students in the '90's). If you don't I suspect you'll also regret all the learning denied you (but then again college sounds like heaven to me because I love reading and sitting down, plus presumably they're other students with whom you can discuss the subject matter with, and maybe you can even learn something from the professors!).

If you don't get further education your life will likely be poorer for you long after your parents are buried (though my co-workers keep calling me "The Professor" despite my never having set foot in a college classroom since I left High School).

Be warned though my brother went to college and he came out quoting Edmund Burke, so they are dangers!

Since winning the lottery (or marrying someone with generous parents, which is how my brother could go to college) is unlikely, so you'll need to find a way to support yourself, and since the days of summer jobs that you can pay your way with are mostly gone (unless you live in a van and shower at the gym).

Don't delude yourself with the notion that you can get a job and "save up" for college, you likely can't, if it was easy to do than it wouldn't just be a minority that were privileged with University educations, living expenses are too high, and loans too onerous for most.

I really wish I had some better ideas but
the only likely option I can think of is one open to U.S. citizens with a High School diploma:
The Military.

I understsnd your reluctance as when I went to enlist, back in the '80's, to join they required you to sign a document stating that you were indeed willing to kill, I couldn't bring myself to sign it, but within ten years my working in private industry cured me of those qualms, but by then I was too old!

A big advantage of doing military service before college is if the economy is lousy when you graduate they are more likely to take you back despite your age. A disadvantage is of course you'll be older, and therefore it's harder to learn new things, but if my classmates during my apprenticeship are indicative, when you're older it's easier to keep your mind on your studies, you just need to put more time in than the youngsters.

Another benefit to being a veteran is that your given a preference towards government employment, which I've found to be much less soul destroying than private employment.

To get away from cheating people for a commission as a way to make a living I went blue collar, which while physically crippling seems to have more opportunities for making a living without doing evil.
I strongly recommend the book: “Shop Class as Soulcraft” (http://mobile.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/books/review/Fukuyama-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&referer=), if that's an option for you.

To find employment, what (years ago) worked for me was the:
California Apprenticeship Coordinators Association (http://www.calapprenticeship.org/)
To quote their site:
"A union apprenticeship is an excellent career choice if you like to work with your hands; are willing to serve an apprenticeship for up to five years, depending on the trade you select; have dexterity, mechanical ability, problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a team; want to earn a living wage and good benefits; and want the opportunity to advance in your career"

-Good luck

[Mith]

Don't delude yourself with the notion that you can get a job and "save up" for college, you likely can't, if it was easy to do than it wouldn't just be a minority that were privileged with University educations, living expenses are too high, and loans too onerous for most.



That is a good point. The only reason I suggested it is in the case where you had minimal expenses except University, and you are likely able to work enough to pay off your tuition during off season. That worked for me, but I have a lot of family support, which puts me as part of the mentioned privileged minority.

[2D8HP]

....That worked for me, but I have a lot of family support, which puts me as part of the mentioned privileged minority.


I actually just looked it up, and a much higher percentage of twenty-somethings in the U.S. are going or have gone to college then when I was young, so more common than I thought initially, which may mean that going to college is more important than it used to be.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I actually just looked it up, and a much higher percentage of twenty-somethings in the U.S. are going or have gone to college then when I was young, so more common than I thought initially, which may mean that going to college is more important than it used to be.

As a college-educated 20-something, I think what the above posters said about "college is maybe worth it" is on the money. Get a good science degree from a good school and, yeah, you've opened a lot of doors. But at the same time, huge numbers of people are doing low-value degrees that they'll never use. I remember back in Tony Blair's day, their aim was to get 50% of all school-leavers into university. I believe they did it, too, but at the end of the day, there weren't jobs for all of those super-educated kids. It was a waste of everyone's time and money.

We're kind of lucky over here, because we only have to pay student loans if we have a decent job; it works more like a tax than a loan. I understand it's different in America, though.

[tensai_oni]

I actually just looked it up, and a much higher percentage of twenty-somethings in the U.S. are going or have gone to college then when I was young, so more common than I thought initially, which may mean that going to college is more important than it used to be.

It's the exact opposite.

In your youth, fewer people went to college than nowadays. It means degrees were relatively rare and meant a lot in terms of job opportunities, status, etc.

But the problem is, people who were young back then have internalized that "college degree = status/jobs/overall good", now they have college- or soon to be college-aged kids and are pushing on the kids expectation of going to college, because in their eyes it means better job opportunities or whatever.

However the situation has changed. There are a lot of, let's call things as they are, bad colleges that are focused on making money from student fees over providing good education, or are just outright diploma mills. But, even if you get into an actually good college, it doesn't mean your degree will make finding a job any easier. Getting a college degree is very popular nowadays thanks to pressure of the old generation as I described above, so there's a lot more diploma holders but the number of jobs they can take remains the same (with exception of quickly developing areas like engineering, IT and so on). There's a lot of competition for those jobs, most people with a diploma will never work in an area related to their diploma.

On the other hand, vocational professions are as needed now as they were in the past, but since so many people decide to go to college instead, the pool of candidates for each job in these areas is smaller than ever.

[Anonymouswizard]

As a college-educated 20-something, I think what the above posters said about "college is maybe worth it" is on the money. Get a good science degree from a good school and, yeah, you've opened a lot of doors. But at the same time, huge numbers of people are doing low-value degrees that they'll never use. I remember back in Tony Blair's day, their aim was to get 50% of all school-leavers into university. I believe they did it, too, but at the end of the day, there weren't jobs for all of those super-educated kids. It was a waste of everyone's time and money.

We're kind of lucky over here, because we only have to pay student loans if we have a decent job; it works more like a tax than a loan. I understand it's different in America, though.

It seems to have created a weird structure where some companies will ask for a degree you don't need, just to thin the herd.

I mean I'm relatively lucky, I'm currently working towards an electronic and electrical engineering degree so if I can get decent grades I'm in a relatively well paying field (so I start repaying the loan right away), but I know people who did degrees like music or history and are struggling or in completely different fields (ones done okay for himself, but I suspect half of that is because his wife works hard), while the scientists I know are either doing their PhD or complaining that they're not sure what to do with all this money (they defaulted to saving it). We have occasional jokes about English students having a coffee making module.

Be warned that there can be fiction between those doing 'decent degrees' and those doing 'worthless degrees', games design is the big target around here (film studies would be if not for the begrudging admittance that it can help).

[Aedilred]

There was a time when I'd say I'd never advise someone not to go to university if they had the opportunity. As people have said, it's not just about the academic education you receive but the environment and life-learning experiences, as well as helping you to establish contacts and relationships (in the romantic sense as well as a personal/career sense) and thus open doors for yourself in a way that's surprisingly difficult otherwise.

I think there is also definitely a risk of looking back and thinking you missed a chance to do something great later in life if you pass it up. See 2D8HP's post on that score. If as I surmise your mum didn't go to university and is now keen for you to do so, that she didn't may be informing her judgment about what you should do - she wants you to have the chances she didn't.

However, I am also increasingly aware that there can be a tendency for people to go to university for the sake of it, get a nothing degree without meaningful academic merit or practical value and dig themselves into a heap of debt for no benefit whatsoever. If you're academically-minded, I would always recommend going so long as the degree is reputable, even if it's to study something with no real career application, like History of Art or Theology, because it is to an extent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But if not and you're only looking at going to get a head start on your career, then depending on career there may well be better options available.

I will also echo a comment from above and reiterate the implication in my previous paragraph that to a great extent it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, too, at least to go on your own terms. It's all very well starting out at the age of 18 intending to work for a few years and then go to university once you're a bit more settled, but life has a tendency of getting in the way. If your career is going well it will seem like madness to take a 3-4 year break to get a degree of what will by then probably be limited value. If it isn't going well, money will be just as much of a concern as it is now and you'll possibly be retarding your career development further by going into higher education. If you find yourself in possession of a house, or a family(!) then it may be simply impossible to take that sort of time out of your career for education. If you go when a bit older you'll find yourself surrounded largely by people substantially younger and less mature than you, which can lead to social isolation. And while part-time courses are often available, and if you are fortunate in your employer they may even support you through one, they are usually brutally hard work when combined with a paying job, and can end up being the worst of all worlds if you're not careful.

There is constant chatter about the need for lifelong learning and encouraging people to take university (or similar) courses later in their career, and every now and again someone proposes an initiative to do this, which would make it much more feasible to go straight from school into work and then return to university later, rather than effectively having to make the choice when you leave school and stick with the consequences. But while I hope that's something that happens, and it may happen at some point in the future, maybe even soon, that's not the world we currently live in, so it's best to get as much formal education as you think you want or need at the start of your career and not rely on being able to return to it later.


As a college-educated 20-something, I think what the above posters said about "college is maybe worth it" is on the money. Get a good science degree from a good school and, yeah, you've opened a lot of doors. But at the same time, huge numbers of people are doing low-value degrees that they'll never use. I remember back in Tony Blair's day, their aim was to get 50% of all school-leavers into university. I believe they did it, too, but at the end of the day, there weren't jobs for all of those super-educated kids. It was a waste of everyone's time and money.
The "50% into university" business also had a deleterious effect on the quality of degrees being offered and, thanks to the reforms to A-levels to enable it, the quality of A-levels too. It was well-intentioned, I think, but from an educational perspective a bit of a disaster.

We're kind of lucky over here, because we only have to pay student loans if we have a decent job; it works more like a tax than a loan. I understand it's different in America, though.
I believe this has now changed, with the student being burdened with more of the cost, in the form of a mandatory (and much larger) loan. I don't know if it counts towards credit rating (iirc, the classic student loan doesn't/didn't) or what the threshhold for repayment is, but in any case the days of cheap higher education seem to be over.

[Blackhawk748]

Im in the maybe crowd. I went to college for 2 years and it felt like a waste for me. Basically i had to take a boatload of classes that had nothing to do with what my interest was (film directing) and so i left and got a job at a local factory. Its now been 5 years and i have a house and a bunch of stuff i've always wanted, so i guess im ok. I am kicking myself a bit as Netflix wasn't a film/series creator when i was going to get my degree and so i felt as if i was very unlikely to get to use my degree, which just increased my feelings of pointlessness.

Now, would i go back? Im honestly leaning towards no. The amount of pointless crap id have to take, when all i want to do is learn how to make movies is a rather massive turn off for me. (seriously, it was like 2 years worth of classes that have nothing to do with Film) Now, you arent me, but i can say that living at home helps immensely.

[Anonymouswizard]

The "50% into university" business also had a deleterious effect on the quality of degrees being offered and, thanks to the reforms to A-levels to enable it, the quality of A-levels too. It was well-intentioned, I think, but from an educational perspective a bit of a disaster.

Don't tell me, I had to sit through those A-levels (and the GCSEs which had to be detoothed so they could have some stuff to teach at A-level), it actually made me utterly bored with maths because it was just too easy and I didn't feel prepared for my degree when I started it despite it going back to basics.

Some degrees are still very high quality, especially the science ones, but I've noticed a lot of degrees in specialised subjects that offer no benefit in their field (I've previously argued that most creative writing degree courses should be replaced by larger English Literature courses), or are actually worse than doing a degree in a different field.


I believe this has now changed, with the student being burdened with more of the cost, in the form of a mandatory (and much larger) loan. I don't know if it counts towards credit rating (iirc, the classic student loan doesn't/didn't) or what the threshhold for repayment is, but in any case the days of cheap higher education seem to be over.

The grant's been removed, and tuition fees tripled just before I went (and may be going up even higher). Last time I checked the threshold for repayment was £21,000, and I hope it hasn't been made lower.

EDIT: I will say it can change drastically based on what you're doing and what you want to do. When I started university I wasn't sure if I would be happy as an engineer, I always wanted to be a scientist, but my course started right on the EEE from week 1 of year one, and only served to draw in my interest, but I can see why lectures not being relevant to what you want to do might turn you off.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Some degrees are still very high quality, especially the science ones, but I've noticed a lot of degrees in specialised subjects that offer no benefit in their field (I've previously argued that most creative writing degree courses should be replaced by larger English Literature courses), or are actually worse than doing a degree in a different field.

This is important information that most 18-year-olds don't have. Especially if they want to go into law or accounting - I've heard from several people that firms in those fields prefer no degree at all over law/accounting degrees. Though it seems that our OP here is not looking at those fields, so...

[Anonymouswizard]

This is important information that most 18-year-olds don't have. Especially if they want to go into law or accounting - I've heard from several people that firms in those fields prefer no degree at all over law/accounting degrees. Though it seems that our OP here is not looking at those fields, so...

The one I always suggest for employability is maths. Lots of people like a good mathematician, and it applies well to many related fields. It will, of course, depend on the area you live whether companies want certain degrees, I know my degree is useful in my field and that engineering firms want people who have degrees, I suggest looking at what the industry say they want. I knew one person at secondary school who intentionally did a rather bad degree because it gave good networking opportunities and that was more important, I also know people who have gone straight into work with decent A-levels and done okay.

I was actually rather lucky in that I not only naturally tend towards science but my dad essentially told me to look at engineering because degrees in that are useful and wanted (and EEE is useful because more people do mechanical engineering, I just hated materials science and loved electricity). While it will depend on the firm I agree, if someone's intending to go to university for job prospects then they should check that their degree will actually be useful. I didn't really care and essentially am only getting a good one because I like engineering enough that I didn't drop it and run.

(Not that you can't be successful without a degree, me and my siblings were encouraged to get one because it makes it easier, but I know that it can take either a lot of luck or a lot of work.)

[Aedilred]

This is important information that most 18-year-olds don't have. Especially if they want to go into law or accounting - I've heard from several people that firms in those fields prefer no degree at all over law/accounting degrees. Though it seems that our OP here is not looking at those fields, so...

This hasn't been my experience in law, although I suspect the quality of degree makes a big difference. It probably depends on the type of legal career you're after, but if you want to become an actual professional lawyer you will certainly need a law degree or a law conversion diploma, if only because one is a prerequisite for the professional qualifications. Paralegals may not require one, but if they want to move up the food chain to lawyering they'll need to get one somehow.

There may be something to be said for a slight preference on employers' parts for those who've done an unrelated degree and then a conversion course over those who did law at undergraduate level. But this is only really relevant, I think, if you really want to do a different degree but are intending to go into law at the end of it; there's not a lot of point doing an unrelated degree for the sake of it and then converting just because of the minor increase in favourability that might accrue. Especially since the law conversion is probably one of the most academically taxing courses you can undertake in this country, and isn't something to be approached lightly (given not only the pressure, but that the possibility to do badly or fail is rather higher than in a regular law degree).

[Scarlet Knight]

The real question is: do you like to eat? Do you like to sleep indoors? If so you must be able to earn your keep. It is nice to have a career, a wonderful place where you are happy to go to every morning and pays you well.

Don't be deluded, those are as rare as hen's teeth. The huge majority of people have jobs; things that pay the bills so you can live a decent life. So how will you earn a wage? Why should I hire / pay you over someone else?

I have 4 children, 3 went to college. Life is hard but so much harder on those without degrees.

The only good reason today not to go to college is the crushing debt, as there are other benefits (as has been mentioned). So, first learn the cost. You will ALMOST ALWAYS lose a job to someone with a degree. 2/3 of high schoolers go to college, and the present economy does not lend itself to being charitable to workers.

Even my son who became a plumber got an associates degree. That enabled him to get that first job, which lead to others, where he learned his trade well enough to open his own business.

[KnightOfV]

Something people haven't mentioned, going to college gives you an opportunity to try some different fields, and learn about options you didn't even know were out there. You mentioned you weren't sure what you wanted to do- I was in the same place, but I got to try a lot of things. I ended up focusing on an English degree, but I dabbled in 2 different languages, history, and politics. Even tried computer science and learned it was really NOT for me. Meeting other people your age can give you more ideas, and start your life in a direction you never would have taken by going directly into a job after school.

In college I met new people, changed my outlook and political views, and gained confidence in myself. I think it's very easy to get stuck in a rut where you don't want to risk college because of the cost, but you don't even realize the doors you close because you never find out they were there. Just as an example, I teach English to kids in Asia- I'm just an average guy from Tennessee with a English degree... but thanks to college I learned about oppurtunities to travel AND do something I love for a living. When I'm back home, having that degree is really helpful, as employers will pick you first for office jobs, or even part time jobs over someone with no college. With a degree, I feel I always have more options. You can get jobs without college, sure. But no matter how you look at it, there are fewer choices in life without a degree. And if you don't get it now, you may never get back around to it. Some of college I loved, some of it I hated, but it changed my life. Unless you know what you want to do, and you know it won't take a degree, go to college. Debt sucks, but it will get paid... if you can make it work you should go for it!

[Rockphed]

My advice: if you aren't sure you want to go to college, go to a junior/community college. They are typically cheaper and less stressful, so you could go while also working. It would allow you to try out a few things and decide exactly what you want to do.

Another thing to do: go talk to people who hire MRI techs. Find out what they want in applicants and tailor your education to learning those things.

[Cyrion]

A quick note about my background: I'm a chemistry professor at a community college, and I've changed careers paths multiple times.

I'll encourage you to check out your local community college for all of the reasons that people have given you above: it's relatively cheap, it gives you a chance to explore different subjects through classes, salary typically goes up with the number of letters after your name, and education is about so much more than just classes.

Sure, there are going to be classes that feel like wastes of time because they're part of your general education rather than targeting the major you're interested in. That's part of the "price" of a well-rounded education; you're going to get exposed to lots of stuff that may or may not be useful later in life. Quite honestly, whether it's useful is up to you. I use stuff from my history, philosophy and English classes when I teach chemistry. That's a conscious choice on my part- I could certainly stick to "just the chemistry" but it's a lot more fun to teach using lots of different knowledge. Because I have a broad education, I have been able to change course a few times- I changed majors half-way through my PhD work, and I spent 15 years working outside of my field before settling into my original goal of teaching college chemistry.

It's been mentioned before, and I'll mention it again- Do the legwork to find financial aid! When you go to your financial aid office, they'll ask if you've filed your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and when you say yes they'll offer you loans, potentially a couple of grants, and maybe work study. They just don't have time to get creative with everybody who comes in. However, there is a lot of money out there, and it doesn't all involve high grades. You have to get online and do some dedicated digging, though. Do a generic internet search on scholarships, and do a specific search through the website of any school you are considering applying to. Then send out applications to anything that you think you even remotely qualify for. Scholarship applications are free. (If they aren't, it's typically a scam.)

I offer extra credit in my classes for scholarship applications. Two popular ones that people apply for:

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship: Yes, it's a real scholarship offered by the CDC. Write and essay on what you would do to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. Lots of people apply, and it's for ~$500 if I recall correctly. It's low yield, but it's fun.

Scholarship-a-Day: Write an essay, hope for a scholarship. Again, lots of applicants for not much money.

These are generic, but if you think about what sets you apart from the average bear in terms of interests, background and experiences, you can get money for lots of other things:

One student got a full-ride scholarship to a major university for getting clean and sober.

One student got $13,000/year through a combination of a transfer scholarship and a "bridge" scholarship (a specific program for the school he was going to.)

One student got a scholarship for Jewish women to help pay for medical school. The kicker is that Gabriel was Jewish but not a women. There weren't any other applicants that year, so the selection committee stretched the rules a little in order to help someone out.

If you're willing to do the work to find the money, there is no reason that a crushing debt has to come along with your diploma.

[Liquor Box]

On choice of career/degree

I'm going to reiterate what a few other people in this thread have said - some degrees will open doors for you, but others will give very little return on your investment. The most likely to lead to a decent paying job are those that are geared toward a particular profession - things like accountancy, law, engineering, archtecture or dentistry. IT degrees that are geared toward specific highly available jobs are another example. Other than that, sciences are generally good degrees, whereas arts and humanities and the like are not. That is not to say there are no jobs arising out of the arts and humanities (some people go on to teach those subjects) but there are very few jobs relative to the number of graduates.

I also think there is a tension between doing something you are interested in (unless you are interested in doing something most people find boring) vs a field where there are well paying jobs available. Generally, the more interesting the profession, the more competitive the job market will be. The extreme example is professional sportsman or rock star (or indeed professional gamer) - there are a lot of people competing for very few 'jobs', so generally only those who are super-talented succeed. This is also true of jobs like graphic designer, or jobs arising out of film degrees - lots of people want those jobs relative to the number of jobs that are available, so if you graduate you will be one of many in a highly competitive field (this also tends to mean that they will be low paying until you reach the upper echelons). It tends to be the case that more boring, less attractive jobs are likely to be more available and better paying.

The third point I want to make, is that (where I come from) very often getting a degree is not enough - unless there is a skill shortage in a field. Employers want to see good marks, and possibly good marks at a University with a good reputation. A law degree where you barely passed may be of no more value to you than an arts degree. This ties into the previous point as well - the more attractive the field the more likely that high marks are required to distinguish you from other graduates. So lawyers (often seen as more desirable) will probably require hire marks than accountants (seen as less desirable) -actually if you just want s decent paying and reliable job, I reckon accounting is your best bet.


All that is not to say that you shouldn't go for it with a job like professional gamer, director or graphic design. But you should do it with your eyes wide open that you are much less likely to get a well paying job in those professions than in more ordinary (perhaps boring) fields. As a high school leaver you may be young enough to spend a few years trying to chase a dream and then returning to study and start a more conventional profession.

[Anonymouswizard]

I also think there is a tension between doing something you are interested in (unless you are interested in doing something most people find boring) vs a field where there are well paying jobs available.

I want to jump in and say that you can find many people doing degrees in highly paid fields, especially science and engineering, because they are legitimately interested in it. This includes not only most of my family (my younger sister isn't old enough and is into different things) but also my entire gaming group, which makes a very different atmosphere to the one where most people did 'creative' subjects. In some ways it really helps getting those highly paid jobs because you have a motivation besides money to be good at it.

Because honestly, I find engineering fun, as do a good number of my engineer friends, and the scientists I know genuinely enjoy doing all the research and work that goes into science. This view that most people find some subjects boring is to me like the idea that some people aren't good at maths, a problem with this society in most cases despite being legitimate in some.


All that is not to say that you shouldn't go for it with a job like professional gamer, director or graphic design. But you should do it with your eyes wide open that you are much less likely to get a well paying job in those professions than in more ordinary (perhaps boring) fields. As a high school leaver you may be young enough to spend a few years trying to chase a dream and then returning to study and start a more conventional profession.

One of my friends came up with the observation that 'those who tell you to pursue your dreams are more likely to have made it'. Although I'll agree that there's nothing wrong with chasing a dream as long as you keep your feet on the ground, an example is a friend of mine hopes to publish a tabletop RPG he's making which actually has a really nice setting (the rules are good enough and being improved but not a real selling point), but he's fully aware that the likelihood is that he's going to sell about five books, and honestly he earns enough money with his job that he can afford to spend some time chasing the dream of being a published game author.

[Pocgels]

If you're in 11th grade and in the United States, you should be able to ask someone at your school about your GPA or transcript. Even if it's close to 3.0, you still have time to raise it, and high test scores on the ACT/SAT will help a lot with colleges wanting to have you attend.

Going to a local or community college is also your best bet for your first two years, and a good idea overall. I know people who have done this and managed a part-time job at the same time. Living at home also saves money.

[Xyril]

My mother sees it has if I don't go to college it would make my life incredibly hard. I mean the things I am interested in can be self taught and I have heard of companies hiring people who are self taught before. I sort of want to try self teaching myself coding but I took a class in high school a year or 2 ago with a horrible teacher and that killed my spark.


If you're serious about a career that involves coding, I would strongly recommend going to college. I know some guys who were largely self-taught before college, but they started much earlier than you did. Since it seems like you're unsure how serious you are, I'd say to take a year, try to get a job that gives you some exposure to the industry, and regardless of whether or not you find such a job, make an effort to self-teach or to take a course or two in order to get a better handle of whether this is something you really want to do.



My interests are really all over the place. I would love to become a professional gamer because I have always wanted to become a pro at something and I think if I try gaming could be that thing,


I don't imagine a degree for this, but if you're going to go this route, you should figure out some sort of rough plan and maybe get some backup options in place as soon as possible. What would make you stand out enough to make a living doing this? Are you particularly talented at some genre of games? Are you charismatic in such a way that your friends enjoy just hanging out, watching you play, and listening to your commentary?



I also like the medical field somewhat because you can help people etc, and photography seems interesting.


This is another one of those "try to find a low level job in the industry to get a better idea of what you want to do" situations. If you're thinking about being a doctor or a nurse, formal schooling is a must, and starting it sooner rather than later is a good idea. Photography is one of those things where you don't need formal college training, but you still might want to go to college if you can do it affordably while pursuing a back up degree. A good university will have classes or clubs that will essentially subsidize your formal training in photography, they'll generally provide access to good, professional editing software and facilities, and the exposure to other students and opportunities to publish your work as an amateur will help you to develop your own style and sensibilities as an artist. But again, I wouldn't recommend college just for photography--if you can't think of a few valuable potential degrees that would help you in some alternative career path, you're better off pursuing the photography career on your own.



I have always been the type who just goes "with the flow" and might see where my future takes me.

There's nothing wrong with this--I am very much the same way. The thing to remember though is you can't be completely passive--even if you have no clue what you want your future to be, you should take steps to put yourself in a position where the future will be bringing you a lot of options to explore. University is a great place to do this, but it's also an expensive one. Earning an associate's degree at a community college, or just taking a few classes for a semester or two, is a cheaper alternative that will let you try things out and might give you meaningful progress towards a four year degree if you end up deciding to go that route. Travel is also good for exposing yourself to options, but it can also be potentially expensive, and there can be a very real temptation to keep doing it for too long because it's fun and easy and doesn't put any pressure on you to start seriously consider your long term options.