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should i go to college or go straight into the work force?

I am an easy going person, i'm very determined, i catch on fast, sometimes i procastinate, i'm nice, i i think to much, i will eaisly get distracted #money

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Gloria’s Answer

Hi daneke,

If you have not worked ever, I would say getting started working as soon as you can is a good idea. Working is always different than what you think it is. I experienced that myself and I have seen others struggle at entering the workforce for the first time. It is one thing to think about the job that you are doing - maybe working in a restaurant - and it is another thing to have a lot of new people in your life. Most businesses have a culture that you may not understand right away. For example, you may start a job where your coworkers are not very helpful. You may have a job where they do not give you as much training as you need or expect you to work late a lot. It can be challenging to be under the direction of other people. Since they are paying you, your employer is going to tell you to do things that may be hard for you to understand in the beginning. When I first started working, I got in trouble a lot for the way that I dressed. It was not something that I learned about from my parents even though I watched them wear business clothes every day.

Also, I worked when I was in college which was challenging and yet good. I had to learn quickly about time management. Plus, some of the subjects that I took in school benefited from me having job knowledge. For example, one of my classes was business management. When I had questions, I could actually go to my boss for a real-world answer.

Gloria
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Michael’s Answer

The answer depends on many things, including: your goals, interests, where you live, your financial situation, any various other aspects of your personal life. I recommend doing a personal cost benefit analysis (outlined below). Weight the benefits and the costs of going to college against each other in the context of your personal situation, and see if the decision makes sense.

Obviously, there are many benefits to going to college. You learn a lot about your field of study, you get to network with like minded individuals, you're given access to the resources of the school (which vary depend on school, program, etc), and your degree will open up many doors to jobs that require a degree. I'm sure this isn't new information, as the benefits of college are often talked about. Things to consider when outlining the benefits of college as they pertain to your personal situation include:

-Do the jobs you are interested in require a degree? Do you have the skills/attributes to succeed in college (self-motivated, studious, organized, do well in a classroom setting, focused, etc). Would I enjoy the college life style (living at school or close to campus, around a bunch of young people)?

In terms of the costs- college is very expensive. Generally, you take on debt in the form of student loans, and you are working part time or not at all during school in order to focus on your studies. This delays your entry to the workforce, and also takes away from time that could be spent learning a different skill which will help you obtain a job without a degree. When considering the costs, things to consider include:

-How much do the programs cost that I'm interested in? How much debt would I need to take on to obtain this degree? Do I think this is worth it based on my projected earnings when I'm out of college? Am I better suited for a field that doesn't require college?

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Simeon’s Answer

I would advise against doing college just for the sake of doing college. That being said, some of the business degrees, such as marketing, finance, and accounting, give you a lot of flexibility when it comes to what type of industry or setting you end up in. If you don't want to go to college, you might want to consider one of the trade jobs such as welding, plumbing, or electrician. If you're still unsure, I would recommend going to the department of labor's website and seeing if any of the fastest growing career fields call out to you.
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Terrell’s Answer

Hi Daneke,

Scroll up to Michael Stempel's reply. He was head-on with his answer. College is not for everyone and you don't need to waste too much money trying to figure out if it is right for you. Too much student loan debt can set you back and stifle your lifestyle. Find out what you love doing. Take on a few summer jobs and get your hands dirty. My son worked during the summers at an aquatic center as a lifeguard. He also worked fast food during the summer months. After seeing what his options were without a college degree, he realized that college would be a better fit for him. He is now excelling in college and finding his niche.

Best of luck to you!
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Dan’s Answer

My best advice seems to always be: go get a job in a field or industry that you think you want to be in. You'll start at the bottom and the pay may not be great. But you'll learn something extremely valuable and that is, do I really like doing this? If the answer is yes, a lot of times your employer will pay you to go school and will also promote you once having done so. If the answer is no, run like hell. Life is to short to work in a position/industry that you hate.

Imagine spending 3-4 years of your life getting a degree for a job that you think will be your lifetime career only to find out that your incredibly miserable in that position. It's not worth it on any level, especially if student loans are involved.

Obviously if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer or any profession that requires advanced education, then you'll need to go to college. But what if you got a job as an intern first while getting your AA? You may love it and you may hate it. Either way you didn't waste any time.
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Yasemin’s Answer

Hi Daneke! I agree with the previous answer; it does depend on your situation. First of all some questions to ask yourself, do you know what you'd like to do if you go to college, what major you will be and what career choices you have in mind? Also will you be able to obtain a good amount of financial aid? I think getting an education is valuable but it is also important to have a goal in mind as to the education you will obtain. Some individuals do go into the workforce or even take off gap years as well; I had a classmate who was a Freshmen and 26, he was aspiring to be a doctor but took a few gap years to travel and work and be sure of what he wanted to do. If you do go into the workforce you can save up money for college, and possibly you may find a good position after high school as well. However, if you would like to move up in your position in the future or do something that does require a college degree then you will have to go to college. A previous answer also mentioned working in college as well; I also did this, it allowed me to make some income for myself and also receive an education at the same time, so I wasn't picking one over the other! I really loved going to college and am glad I did after high school, the only thing was to make sure I had good balance between my work life and my school life so I can be successful in both!

I hope this helps!
Best of luck!
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Blake’s Answer

Hey Daneke,

I think it depends on your situation. If you don't have the financial means to start college first, then I would recommend going into the workforce for a while. I would then save money to go to a community college. From there you could begin to not only decide what you want to do, but it wouldn't be near the financial cost of a 4 year institution.

Thanks,
Blake
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