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Should I go straight to college after I graduate or wait a little bit?
I am senior in high school.
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14 answers
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Karri’s Answer
Do not wait! You do not need to know what your going to do professionally. Especially in the first few years that you are taking courses you are building the foundation used for many different degree programs. You can always switch your major, lot's of people do, and of all the people I have met in my career many have a degree in one field but work in something completely unrelated. Waiting only makes achieving your degree more difficult as you get older and have a job and family. In today's job market having a degree is more pressing than ever, the sooner you achieve yours the better off you will be. Good luck, you can do it!
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Cindy’s Answer
If you are financially able to go to college right after high school, I would go that route. It can seem tempting to take some time off to figure things out, but you don't need to have your five-year plan right after high school graduation. The first few years of college can help you navigate what you're interested in. The sooner you complete your college degree the closer you will be to landing your career job.
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Andrew’s Answer
If you are unsure about your readiness to jump right into college, consider attending a 2-year community college part-time for the first year. This will give you opportunities to explore jobs in many professions today (some of which might pay for courses) as well as travel, start a band, do community theater or make new friends. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in a "gap year" and see if you would be better off doing those things while going to school part-time.
If you want to earn a degree and purse a career in that field, you have options - including attending the 2-year school then transferring to the school you graduate from and get a job in the field you want. If you are not sure what degree you want or profession you are interested in, use that gap to come up with some ideas. You need a destination for your career journey. Do what make sense for you. You can do it.
If you want to earn a degree and purse a career in that field, you have options - including attending the 2-year school then transferring to the school you graduate from and get a job in the field you want. If you are not sure what degree you want or profession you are interested in, use that gap to come up with some ideas. You need a destination for your career journey. Do what make sense for you. You can do it.
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Krystal’s Answer
It depends on what you are looking to do for your career path but I think it would be beneficial to go to college if you are able to, right after high school. You can start with a general major in a associates degree and from there you can at least get a general idea into what career path you would like to go into. It never hurts to go to college right after high school, if anything in my opinion, it can only benefit, and if you decide that college may not be for you in the long term, then at least you tried but over all it really depends on what you are comfortable with and if what you are passionate about requires a college degree.
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Melanie’s Answer
Hi there! It really depends on what you are looking for and what you are passionate about. I'd say, if you know what you want to do and that requires a college degree, go for it! There's not much of a benefit to waiting if you know what you want to do and have a passion for that field. If you are not totally sure, wait and talk to people in different fields to see what interests you. A community college might be a good fit for you if you are not totally sure what you want to do. Keep in mind, if you do plan on waiting, it might be a little harder to adjust to the college life as opposed to jumping right into it after high school. Overall, it really depends on what makes you feel most comfortable.
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Siddharth’s Answer
Do not waste time post your high school graduation. I would recommend for you to go straight to college so that as you are young and eager to study you can knock it out and be ready for the work market.
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Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question.
It really depends on what is your plan / preference. Some people may take a gap year to do working holiday, voluntary work, etc. before starting the college. Do you have any plan in mind?
If you do not have any particular plan, I would recommend you to start the college first. You can then consider to have a gap year in the college for internship, exchange students, placement year, etc. if you prefer. Having said that, suggest you can seek guidance from your mentor, professors and your parents. Most of people would go straight to complete their college first.
You better to have a more thorough consider before making the decision.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
It really depends on what is your plan / preference. Some people may take a gap year to do working holiday, voluntary work, etc. before starting the college. Do you have any plan in mind?
If you do not have any particular plan, I would recommend you to start the college first. You can then consider to have a gap year in the college for internship, exchange students, placement year, etc. if you prefer. Having said that, suggest you can seek guidance from your mentor, professors and your parents. Most of people would go straight to complete their college first.
You better to have a more thorough consider before making the decision.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Jessica’s Answer
I do agree a bit with Andrew's answer that, if you're unsure about what you want to major in, you may want to consider going to Community College right after high school first to get your Associate's Degree. Just do not wait to go to college. It is much harder to go back to school than to go to college right after high school. At a community college, you can get some of your core classes out of the way while taking a few courses for topics you're interested in to figure out what you want to major in while saving money. Even for folks who know they want a Bachelor's Degree, it is financially advantageous to go to a Community College to complete your Associate's Degree first, then transfer the credits from the Associate's Degree to a University where you'll complete your Bachelor's. Just make sure that both the Community College and University you plan to transfer to are regionally accredited. It may also be important to call both schools' counseling offices to ensure both schools are on semesters and/or if they have any programs for students who plan to complete their Associate's at one school and transfer to the other school to complete their Bachelor's. It's a common occurrence, so the counseling offices tend to have lots of knowledge and experience working with the other local colleges. They may even give you more detailed criteria regarding what does and does not transfer, so take good notes and continue to check in with them to make sure you're on the right track.
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Dana’s Answer
Hello,
On one hand, going immediately to college will help you keep academic momentum (if you already have good work ethic).
As far as my personal experience, I went to school for two years before deciding to join the US military. I had a hard time maintaining focus and financing my degree. The Army College Fund gave me my answer to funding my college education, which ensured that I graduated with low debt. The army also gave me skills and perspective to persevere in college and work well with a team, which is very important for both college classes and actual team-work at an eventual employer.
So it really depends on you:
* If you are already ready for college, just do it. But pick a career that will let you pay back your college loans.
* If you are not yet mentally ready for college, or financially, I strongly recommend a low-risk military job that will prepare you well for college. In fact, many military jobs provide you training that may directly help you find a job or give you background for further college study once you are ready.
Good luck!
On one hand, going immediately to college will help you keep academic momentum (if you already have good work ethic).
As far as my personal experience, I went to school for two years before deciding to join the US military. I had a hard time maintaining focus and financing my degree. The Army College Fund gave me my answer to funding my college education, which ensured that I graduated with low debt. The army also gave me skills and perspective to persevere in college and work well with a team, which is very important for both college classes and actual team-work at an eventual employer.
So it really depends on you:
* If you are already ready for college, just do it. But pick a career that will let you pay back your college loans.
* If you are not yet mentally ready for college, or financially, I strongly recommend a low-risk military job that will prepare you well for college. In fact, many military jobs provide you training that may directly help you find a job or give you background for further college study once you are ready.
Good luck!
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Grant’s Answer
If you know what you want to study, then yes, straight into college is a good option, assuming you can afford it.
If you are insure about what you want to study, then as others have suggested, attending a Community College where you can "experiment" at a much lower cost is probably a better choice.
Another option to consider is a trade school. You can learn something directly useful (and often get paid for it) while also learning how to learn (something not often taught in high school these days). That knowledge can always be put to use later if you decide to go to university.
My own story: Barely graduated from HS (2.2 GPA). Got into a local uni, and went there not knowing what I wanted to study. Got kicked out for grades (1.05 GPA). Parents were not amused. Moved back home, went to a local Community College, got my GPA up, and then went to a different Uni, graduating with a 3.0 GPA. Went and worked for a while, but nothing of importance. Decided to get my act together, and followed a former prof to a Big Midwest Uni, where I got a (mostly) useless MA degree in language theory (GPA 3.25). Got some good advice, went to another school in NY, and got a MS degree with a 4.0 GPA. Parents were very happy. I've been working in that field now for 33 years.
Looking back, I would have been better off going to a Trade school and getting my Welding tickets, and doing that until l found what I wanted to do. But that's hindsight. <wry smile>
If you are insure about what you want to study, then as others have suggested, attending a Community College where you can "experiment" at a much lower cost is probably a better choice.
Another option to consider is a trade school. You can learn something directly useful (and often get paid for it) while also learning how to learn (something not often taught in high school these days). That knowledge can always be put to use later if you decide to go to university.
My own story: Barely graduated from HS (2.2 GPA). Got into a local uni, and went there not knowing what I wanted to study. Got kicked out for grades (1.05 GPA). Parents were not amused. Moved back home, went to a local Community College, got my GPA up, and then went to a different Uni, graduating with a 3.0 GPA. Went and worked for a while, but nothing of importance. Decided to get my act together, and followed a former prof to a Big Midwest Uni, where I got a (mostly) useless MA degree in language theory (GPA 3.25). Got some good advice, went to another school in NY, and got a MS degree with a 4.0 GPA. Parents were very happy. I've been working in that field now for 33 years.
Looking back, I would have been better off going to a Trade school and getting my Welding tickets, and doing that until l found what I wanted to do. But that's hindsight. <wry smile>
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Roel’s Answer
I believe it's a fantastic idea to head to college right after high school. This way, you can maintain your routine and rhythm of attending school. Taking a break might make it challenging to regain your motivation and desire to return to school. If college education is a priority for you, I strongly suggest that you place it at the top of your list. Treat it as a valuable goal that you're eager to achieve.
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Chirayu’s Answer
The decision of whether to go straight to college after graduating high school or to wait a little bit ultimately depends on your individual circumstances and goals. Are you academically prepared to begin college immediately? If you feel like you need more time to improve your grades or prepare for college entrance exams, you may want to wait a little bit. Can you afford to go to college right away? If you don't have the financial means to pay for college or don't qualify for enough financial aid, you may want to wait and save up some money or work for a year or two before starting college. Do you have a clear idea of what you want to study and why you want to go to college? If you're not sure what you want to study or what your career goals are, you may want to take some time to explore your interests and career options before committing to college. Do you feel like you would benefit from some life experience before starting college? Some students choose to take a gap year or work for a year or two before starting college in order to gain some life experience and maturity.
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Sharon’s Answer
Go right away, you will take a variety of classes and see what interests you as you go on, then pick a major later on. Keep the momentum going with school.
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Elliot’s Answer
If at all possible I would recommend going straight to college right after high school. You should still have your study habits and it will make the transition easier. If you wait you run the risk of losing the good habits and making the transition harder. Also, when you wait bills tending to pile in making college harder to deal with due to the added financial stress.