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do we have to go to collage to be something in life?

i dont really know what i want to be anymore

career college career-choice
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Michel’s Answer

No you don’t but each situation is going to be dependent. If you are not sure what you want anymore that is fine and this happens to a lot of people. You can take multiple routes. You can go to college with an undecided degree you do run the risk of disliking it and having student loans for a degree you will dread finishing. You can go into the work force and get an idea if that is something you want to do and if you would be interested in advancing throughout that way. There is nothing wrong with going into the work force and avoiding college. A lot of people go to college and they are not prepared for how different it is going to be and they dread it and they do poorly. If you are going to do college it is important to give it your all because you are paying for advanced education. Another route you can take is look into working part time and doing part time college at something like a community college. A lot of people go to community college and do well later on there is no shame in doing this. I went to community college and it helped me get going so I am very thankful for that option. Being anxious about school is normal because a lot of people are told you have to do this in order to be anyone, but remember you are not everyone you are unique. You have to do what makes you happy at the end of the day and part of that is staying true to yourself. It can be important to step back get away from people for a day or two and really analyze what you want to do. If that changes over time that is okay you are still young and have time to make big decisions. But make sure to make decisions for yourself and not to appease everyone else. Great question and I know this time of year is hard you are doing amazing and looking into options is a big step in the right direction. Analyze a little bit and figure out what makes you happy. You are going to do amazing whichever path you take.
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Mark’s Answer

The true answer is NO.As my Grandpa said many times a college degree is a nice pretty piece of paper that means a person gave correct answers to a test.
Doesn't really mean anything to many fields. However in Some fields it's the only way to go. Medicine for an example-I'm married to a Chiropractor.
She better have the proper college training & degree.

In the Military (17+ years of Service) some of the most stupid, ignorant people I've ever encountered had college degree's.
Common Military slang term for them is 90 day wonders.
Meaning, even with all those degree's, it's wonder they didn't get someone killed/badly injured.

Real world, hands on training is the best there is.
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Deborah’s Answer

You have received several really good responses to this question. I want to emphasize that you are ALREADY something, someone of great value and importance. You just may not be very clear what your skills, gifts and next purpose is. Asking that question tells me your mind is opening to many possibilities beyond just the accepted norms or conventions. Great job!!!
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Chirayu’s Answer

No, you do not have to go to college to be successful or to have a fulfilling career. There are many paths to success and happiness in life, and college is just one of them. There are many high-paying jobs that do not require a college degree, such as electricians, plumbers, and construction workers, among others. In addition, some people choose to start their own businesses or pursue careers in the arts, which may not require a college education. That being said, college can be a valuable experience for many people. It can provide you with valuable skills and knowledge that can help you in your career, and it can also help you develop critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that are valuable in any field. College can also provide you with opportunities to meet new people, explore new ideas, and develop interests and passions that can shape the rest of your life. If you are unsure about what you want to do in life, it may be helpful to explore your interests, talk to people in different fields, and try new things. You may also want to consider taking a gap year or attending a community college to explore your options before committing to a four-year degree program. Ultimately, the most important thing is to find a path that is right for you, whether or not it involves college.
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Carol’s Answer

Do you have to go to college to be something in life? No! You ARE already something!

A good question to ask yourself - How do YOU define "be something"?
A college degree can help to open up a broader set of opportunities for you, but it's not a magic recipe to be happy.
Before you try to decide on college or a trade, here is something to consider: What you study now, and what you're doing 20 years from now might be very different.

When I was in high school, I didn't think I would ever have a reason to use trigonometry, much less calculus. And what was I ever going to do with advanced chemistry? I loved learning foreign languages, art, music and theater, cooking - they were fun and so creative. I wanted to go to college and find a career that would let me explore the world - I thought perhaps working in Foreign relations, or business, or even the United Nations. My father thought any kind of liberal arts degree was a waste of money, and that I was not worth educating, even though I made straight A's - even in the maths and sciences. I studied very hard to make good grades. Without his help and information needed to obtain financial aid, I could not pay for college - even with a partial scholarship. And so, with no hope of attending college, I took a student loan and attended a career school for the travel industry. I then started work at minimum wage for some time, all day as a travel agent, and evenings and weekends in a fast food restaurant. I learned all about the world, and vacation and business travel. And I got the chance to travel to other places - adventures! I became a respected agent, and built a clientele. Even so, the time came when I was ready for a change.

I applied for a technical role in "the telephone company". I had no idea what that would mean, but I had been advised that it would offer a interesting (and better paying) job opportunities. I passed the tests, and found myself training to be a Service Technician - that's someone who installs or repairs services to homes and businesses. Totally different! No more office clothes and airplanes - Time for Work boots, hard hat and gloves! I learned about electricity, how signals travel, and how to work outside on poles, or in crawl spaces under homes, and equipment rooms & wire chases in buildings.

I changed jobs a few more times after that - learning all about how the network functioned to ensure that people can use their phones and send data signals such as when you want to use an ATM, or your credit card at a store. I learned computers and how to analyze problems with voice and data networks. I learned to collaborate with technical and sales engineers. By taking classes at night school, over 10 years, I became an engineer. (Office clothes are back!) All that trig, calculus and chemistry were incredibly valuable. And now, they were actually interesting! I discovered that mathematical tools are just more wonderful languages! So many different ways to describe things, and tell the story of how something (almost anything) works. It was just amazing. I got to meet and work with communications and data teams from many of our nations largest companies, and visit their sites. I would never have imagined that!

My work with large enterprises, innovative customer services, and ventures into business intelligence, analytics, and the web opened up opportunities in Technology, Software engineering and testing. It was fascinating to work with business leaders and customers, integrating what customers experience on the web (or an app) to a myriad of systems that perform all the processes that make business work. I built and led a global team, traveled to other countries, worked extremely hard, and had loads of fun learning about other cultures and places. And my journey has continued.

Your journey will be FULL of the adventures YOU choose. The jobs you hold are stepping stones on your personal journey. You ARE something now, and by challenging yourself to BE a great human being who makes the world a better, kinder place, you'll become something even more.

Carol recommends the following next steps:

Talk to people in your community that you respect. Ask them to tell you about how they came to be in their jobs. What ideas do they have for you?
Make a list of the things you want to BE. . (Perhaps.... educated, healthy, attractive, financially comfortable, having lots of family and friends in your life? Be specific where you can. )
Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals. (Try searching "smart goals acronym" on Google)
Choose to do your best every day, Work very hard at your goals.
Don't let obstacles and unexpected changes defeat you. Sometimes things go wrong. Sometimes you will make mistakes. Pick yourself up, learn from what happened, and keep going.
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Topher’s Answer

I am so glad you asked this question!!

No, going to college is not the only way to be successful in life. While college can provide valuable education and training, there are many paths to success, and higher education is not the only one, and is not for everyone.

For example, some people may choose to pursue vocational or technical training, which can lead to careers in fields such as healthcare, skilled trades, or technology. Others may start their own businesses, become entrepreneurs, or work their way up in a company through hard work and dedication.

That being said, going to college can open up a lot of opportunities and provide valuable skills and knowledge that can help you in your career. College can also help you build a professional network and connect with mentors and peers who can provide support and guidance throughout your career.

Ultimately, the path to success will depend on your individual goals and circumstances. It's important to explore your options and make informed decisions about your education and career path.

I did not go to college, and I have been able to find a way to be fairly successful financially, and I am definitely content. I am 55 years old, and sometime still question what I want to be when I grow up!!

I heard once that you should not always follow your passion, but make sure you bring your passion with you, and you can be successful and happy no matter what you do as a vocation!!
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Alaine’s Answer

You can be anything in life you want to be but it will take hard work, commitment, and determination to get there. College is not for everyone and you shouldn't feel that you don't have choices. Internships are a great way to learn about different career paths. Many mainstream companies offer student internships right out of high school. Some are paid, and some are not. If you decide to stick with a company and ultimately get hired, many large companies offer tuition assistance, so if you decided to go to college later in life you can and likely would not have any out-of-pocket expenses.

It's hard to figure out what you want to be right out of high school. What you really want to ask yourself is, "What interests me?" "What can I see myself doing?" "What do I want to learn more about?" You may have to go down several different paths to figure that out and that's okay. The important thing is that you will be learning along the way.

You've got this!
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Michael’s Answer

A degree can be extremely valuable however not every field will "require" one to give you a chance to be successfull. Depending on your dream gig and the level of understanding that you need upfront, being open minded, determined, and and providing value to an organization can be worth a whole lot more than your college degree. Be prepared to hear weaker/smaller starting salries, but speak up when time for your reviews to get what you deserve and are worth. Everyone has to start somewhere. For some, this is senior level roles, and for others entry level. Do not allow the title of what you do determine the amount of work or effort that you give each day. Speak up, be a team player, be intentional, and provide a positive impact as much as you can. If you so even some of these things you can be successful with or without a degree.
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Aisha’s Answer

The truth is that a college degree is a required step of many careers, but not all. Decide what career you want first and check if a degree is needed. Even if a degree is not needed in the beginning, it may be required in order for you to move higher up within your company or field.

College is a great experience although at times it may feel stressed due to the workload, and pacing of certain courses. In my personal experience, I moved away into a different town and was on my own for the first time. The new environment was great and I loved exploring the new town I was in. I met many new people, moved in with roommates, and made some friends whom I still keep in touch with. In my opinion, I feel like college is a great way to find out who you are and find out what you connect to! Whether it's your interests, hobbies, or the people you connect with. There is a lot of self-discovery and growth as you are navigating the world as an independent adult. Depending on your major, you can be overwhelmed with coursework but I think if you can master time management then you can pull through! Prioritize your studies but make sure to have fun and socialize with others. You can meet a lot of amazing people.

Good Luck
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lakeesha’s Answer

The short answer is No! There are so many careers that you can get into that do not require a degree. The first thing you should do when deciding on a career is find what gives you passion, what can you do all day and not get tired of? Once you identify that, then you can research what it takes to get to that career goal. Often times, there are certifications or specialized training for a lot of them that don't require the traditional college route.
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Nate’s Answer

I would recommend working before you go to college if you're not sure what you want to do. You'll get an idea of what's out there in the world and more importantly what kind of work you like. That way you're not wasting time, money in energy on a degree that you may not need or be able to use.

Nate recommends the following next steps:

Seek out entry level positions with local businesses
A career recruiter service or temp agency may be a good first step
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Anna Lyn’s Answer

Not really. A college degree holder for a specific professional is a must because of the skills and competencies required to perform that specific job such as careers in medical field, engineering, financial/business management, academics, music, and so on. Same with certificate holders because it’s a skilled requirement to work in specific job or profession.

Finding a path to a career you’ll both enjoy and have a passion for is sometimes overwhelming. I agree with the suggestions above. Give yourself time to think. Change your strategy. Start volunteering in your community, go to your local library and ask help from the librarian about upcoming events in your community especially for job fairs, community college fair, and other activities and events you’ll be able to attend and talk to people. Even if you’d think you’re not interested in something sometimes learning about that something will broaden your perspective on things and you’ll probably surprise yourself that you’ll be interested in learning more about it.

If you’re in school seek help from your counselor. If not in college and out of high school for awhile, you can still set up an appointment to talk to college career office. They’re a great resource.

Unfortunately, to survive in this world, money is a must. When it comes to money and financial stability, it depends on how you spend your money. Whether you’re a degree holder or not and no matter how much money you make if you don’t know how to handle your money, you’re going to struggle in life. Just thought to include this here because it’s part of life and money is one of the reasons why some people think there’s no way out.

Good luck!
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Jeff’s Answer

Hi Damieneisha,

I asked myself the same question growing up. Here is what I came up with...

College isn't a predictor of success or happiness. However, college is great for exploration. College exposes you to new information, new experiences and new relationships and connections which may ultimately change the course of your life. If you have the ability to enroll in classes (college, trade school, certification programs), it will undoubtedly unlock future potential.

No need to go to overwhelm yourself with college debt. Take small steps forward. One class and then the next, until you see the value in what you are doing.

Jeff
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Bob’s Answer

Not an easy answer - as only you know what success is for you - reputation, money, careers, being the bread winner, exceeding what your family and friends thing you should be, helping your community, etc - and the chances are you have not defined this

I encourage you to do further education and college and post grad - you are not alone, most high schoolers really do not know what they want to do - and how they pivot from basic studies (math, science, biology etc ) to skills and careers.

College gives you more options to help you hit your goals.

My advise is get the best high school grades you can, get to the best and most affordable college you can and then while their the path forward will be clearer.
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Raul’s Answer

The answer is definitely no. In my personal experience half of my friends went to college and the other half did not. We all got our opportunities out there and have had nice careers. Going to college is just one of the available options.
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Joe’s Answer

No, you do not have to go to college to be successful or to have a fulfilling career.
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James Constantine’s Answer

Hey there!

Just to let you know, you absolutely don't need a college degree to make it big in life. Success comes in many forms and college is just one route you can take. It's all about discovering what you're good at, what you love, and then finding the right path that suits you. You might decide to learn a trade, kickstart your own business, or get your foot in the door with internships and entry-level roles. There are countless ways to reach your goals without a traditional college education. The key is to focus on self-improvement, never stop learning, and grab opportunities that match your dreams and ambitions.

Top 3 Go-To Reference Publications:

Harvard Business Review
Forbes
The New York Times

May good fortune always be with you!
James.
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Adam’s Answer

not necessarily. but keep in minds many six figure jobs requires at least a bachelor degree .
also keep in mind some careers such as doctors , engineers requires certifications and school.
some companies may even includes in their development for employee a tuition assistance programs you may use to get to pay for your education while you are working.
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