Thinking about whether to go to college? It’s one of the biggest decisions you’ll make, and there’s a lot to think about. Let’s talk about some important things to consider when making your choice.
The Money Question
College is expensive – that’s no secret!
Public colleges cost about $47,000 for four years, and private colleges are even more at around $100,000. That’s a lot of money that you might need to borrow.
According to Forbes magazine, it takes until about age 33 for most college graduates to earn back what they spent on college compared to people who didn’t go.
Different Paths to Success
Here’s something interesting: there are many ways to become successful without a college degree. Some people choose to:
- Learn a skilled trade like plumbing or electrical work
- Take computer programming courses at technical schools
- Start their own business
- Get real-world experience through apprenticeships and internships
What Are You Really Getting?
Some say college classes don’t always teach the most useful skills for today’s jobs. Others point out that with the internet, you can learn almost anything online for free or much cheaper than college. But college can also give you chances to:
- Meet new people and make connections
- Learn how to study and think deeply about complex topics
- Get a degree that some employers look for
- Discover new interests and ideas
The Changing Times
The world is different than it used to be. A recent study from the St. Louis Federal Reserve found that having a college degree doesn’t guarantee higher earnings like it once did.
And according to a PayScale survey, about two-thirds of workers have some regrets about their college education, mostly about how much it cost.
What About Alternative Education?
Some people are choosing different paths. They might:
- Take a gap year to travel and learn about the world
- Do internships to get hands-on job experience
- Learn specific skills through short certificate programs
- Take online courses in exactly what they want to learn
Making Your Choice
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best choice depends on:
- What kind of career you want
- How much money you can spend on education
- Whether you learn better in a classroom or through hands-on experience
- What opportunities are available in your area
- Your personal goals and interests
The most important thing is to think carefully about what YOU want to do with your life.
Talk to people who went to college and people who didn’t. Ask them what they liked and didn’t like about their choices.
Consider starting with a community college if you’re unsure – it’s less expensive and gives you time to figure things out.
Whatever you choose, remember that your education doesn’t stop after high school or college. The most successful people keep learning throughout their whole lives, whether they’re in school or not!
This is a big decision, but don’t feel pressured to do what everyone else is doing. Focus on finding the path that makes the most sense for you and your future.
Be Your Own Boss: The Entrepreneurship Path
Have you ever thought about starting your own business? More young people are becoming entrepreneurs instead of taking the traditional college route, and it’s pretty exciting!
Starting your own business can be an amazing adventure that teaches you real-world skills you might never learn in a classroom.
Why Consider Being an Entrepreneur?
- You’re in charge of your schedule and can work when you’re most productive
- There’s no limit to how much money you can make – your success depends on your efforts
- You can start small while you’re young and grow your business over time
- You’ll learn practical skills like managing money, talking to customers, and solving problems
- You can turn something you love doing into a way to make money
- No student loan debt – many businesses can be started with very little money
- You get to create something that’s all yours
Real Success Stories
Many successful business owners started young and skipped college. They began with simple ideas like:
- Creating social media content
- Selling handmade items online
- Offering services like lawn care or pet sitting
- Building websites for local businesses
- Starting a food truck or catering service
- Teaching others skills they already have
Examples of entrepreneurs who went on to be wildly successful and wealthy withour formal “college knowledge” includes…
Steve Jobs: Co-founded Apple Inc. in his garage with Steve Wozniak. Jobs dropped out of Reed College after one semester. He revolutionized personal computing, mobile phones, and digital entertainment through products like the Macintosh, iPhone, and iPad. His innovative thinking and design philosophy transformed multiple industries.
Richard Branson: Started his first business at age 16 and built the Virgin Group empire. Branson struggled with dyslexia and left school at 16. Today, Virgin includes more than 400 companies in industries like music, airlines, space travel, and hospitality. His net worth grew to billions from an initial magazine publication he started as a teenager.
Mark Zuckerberg: Created Facebook (now Meta) in his Harvard dorm room and dropped out in his sophomore year. He launched the social network in 2004, which grew to become one of the world’s most influential companies, with billions of users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Bill Gates: Dropped out of Harvard to co-found Microsoft with Paul Allen. Gates started programming at age 13 and turned Microsoft into the world’s largest personal computer software company. His work helped make computers accessible to everyday people, and he’s now known as much for his philanthropy as his business success.
Michael Dell: Started Dell Computers in his University of Texas dorm room, selling upgraded PCs. He dropped out at age 19 when his business took off. Dell revolutionized the personal computer industry by selling customized computers directly to customers, cutting out the middleman and reducing costs.
Walt Disney: Left school at 16 and briefly attended art classes at night. After several failed businesses, he created Mickey Mouse and built the Disney empire. His creativity and persistence led to groundbreaking animations, theme parks, and what would become the world’s largest entertainment company.
Larry Ellison: Dropped out of two different universities before co-founding Oracle Corporation. Starting with a small database management company, he built Oracle into one of the world’s largest software companies, revolutionizing how businesses store and access information.
These entrepreneurs show that success comes in many forms and often depends more on passion, innovation, and persistence than formal education. They all shared common traits: spotting opportunities, taking risks, learning from failures, and working incredibly hard to turn their visions into reality.
Getting Started
The best part about starting a business today is that you can begin small and learn as you go. You might:
- Use free online resources to learn business basics
- Find a mentor who’s already running a successful business
- Start your business as a side project while still in high school
- Join young entrepreneur groups in your area
- Take free online courses about running a business
- Use social media to market your products or services
Smart First Steps
If being an entrepreneur interests you, try these things:
- Notice what problems people have that you could solve
- Think about what you’re good at and enjoy doing
- Talk to small business owners about their experiences
- Save some money to start your business
- Research what successful people in your area of interest are doing
- Start small and test your ideas before making them bigger
Remember, being an entrepreneur isn’t just about making money – it’s about creating something valuable that helps other people while giving you freedom to work the way you want.
Many successful business owners say that real-world experience taught them more than they ever could have learned in college classrooms.
This path takes courage and hard work, but it can be incredibly rewarding. Plus, if you decide later that you want to go to college, you can always do that too – and you’ll have valuable business experience to bring with you!
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
