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how do i know if college is going to be beneficial to me?

i've heard college is beneficial from some, and a complete waste of time from others. how do i know if it's right for me?

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Subject: Career question for you

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Mara’s Answer

Determining whether college is the right choice for you hinges on elements like your objectives, chosen career, financial situation, and learning preferences. Here's a guide to help you navigate this decision:

1. Identify your objectives: Understand what you aim to achieve from college and check if it aligns with your career ambitions.
2. Investigate career paths: Find out if your dream job usually necessitates a college degree or if there are other routes you can take.
3. Explore other options: Consider vocational training, apprenticeships, or online courses as potential substitutes for a college education.
4. Analyze your financial situation: Weigh the cost of college against potential earnings and think about the return on investment.
5. Contemplate your learning style: Reflect on whether a conventional college education aligns with your learning style.
6. Review personal factors: Ponder how enrolling in college will affect your life situation and objectives.
7. Seek guidance: Consult with mentors or professionals in your field for advice.

Remember, the choice is yours to make, so take your time and consider all your options before making a decision. It's your future, and every step you take should bring you closer to your dreams.
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Angela’s Answer

Hi Jade!

Good question. Well, college is a great experience. You can work with people your age and even older people who come back to school to get their degree. You learn to work with others and learn different topics. There are social events like parties too. If you're ever wondering if college is the right choice for you, do some research on some colleges near you. Take a tour of some colleges and ask the current students what they think of the programs and professors there. Some colleges let people visit their class for free, you just have to make an appointment with the college first to make sure that its okay for you do to so. And you can always take classes at community college if you want to try out the college experience without spending a lot of money compared to other schools.

In my opinion, college was a good experience. A lot of it is studying and working on your own. You need to self discipline yourself to get things done. And it's cool that you can meet a lot of different people. You can even meet students from other countries who come to study there.

In the end, its up to you. I hope that helps. Good luck!
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Rafael’s Answer

Deciding if college is right for you can be a personal choice. Here are a few things to consider:

- Career goals: Check if your desired career requires a college degree.

- Field of study: Some fields need specialized knowledge that college can provide.

- Personal growth: College offers networking and extracurricular opportunities.

- Alternative paths: College isn't the only way to success. Explore other options like vocational training or entrepreneurship.

- Finances: College can be expensive, so consider scholarships and financial aid.

Talk to teachers, professionals, mentors, family members, and gather information to help you make the best decision for you.
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Job’s Answer

Jade,
You can either go to college, a trade school to become something like an electrician, plumber, welder, Machinist, mechanic, etc, join the military, or work low-paid jobs for the rest of your life.
Trade schools train you in professions that only require selective knowledge. You can make a very good living and even become independently wealthy from going to trade school. Imagine opening your own electrical company doing electrical work or your own heating and air conditioning company. I've owned many companies they can be highly profitable. The professions the trade schools offer require intelligence and hard work. But if you work for a company for a period of time practicing your trade you can then open your own business and try to seek financial reward that way. Only businesses can be very volatile time consuming inexpensive if not conducted properly. If you ever decide to own your own business go to community college and take some accounting classes. Accounting is the most useful business skill you can have.
College is expensive and only really necessary for certain types of professions. Unless you have the money in the time college is not for some people. If you're fairly intelligent motivated and do not get a degree in English History psychology art or other unemployable areas college can be very financially rewarding. You can study accounting become a CPA and get a good paying job right out of college, you can go to nursing school and become a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner or a doctor and be financially rewarded with a rewarding career. There are many professions that require a college degree. It really depends on your ability at school and what your desires are. My wife and I have adopted our granddaughter when she came to us she's entering high school and head straight F's. I made it very clear I said you have one of two choices. Either you work really hard when you're young you establish your financially and emotionally rewarding career you own a house you take vacations you can retire, or you can screw off when you're young and have the time of your life unfortunately you'll work a very long time to try to catch up with the people who started when they were young most people never do.
I was lucky I was a straight a student in high school college my MBA and almost Law school. School is easy for me. My goal when I was very young was to be financially successful. By the time I was 20 I was working on the floor of the New York stock exchange on Wall Street. By 21 I was the youngest broker on the floor of the New York stock exchange. I was very well rewarded financially with hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. I absolutely hated where I worked and what I did and quit after 2 years we went to law school. My whole reason to go to law school was to learn how to document and meticulously make money and be a very high grade attorney. I was very successful trial attorney and I was extremely successful, unfortunately I work myself sick and by 45 I was almost dying literally. I sold my companies got divorced, and changed my whole way of life.
I now have a very rewarding career in the solar industry. I make well over $250,000 a year and I work from home. My wife and I are financially secure but live a middle class lifestyle 2500 square foot house drive used cars, do not have a high maintenance lifestyle and no debt.
Prior to going to college I was accepted to the number one art school in America. Had my father not refused to give me any backing to go there I would have done so. What you do with your life is up to you, but remember there's reality financial reality, find something you really love and do it if you really love it you'll do well at it and you'll enjoy it.
Good luck
Thank you comment icon Hi Job, you provide some valuable information. I wanted to comment on your statement regarding unemployable areas. All of those areas you mentioned English, history, art, psychology are viable degrees and can lead to very good careers. I'm familiar with people who have studied each of those areas and live a very comfortable life. I don't believe anyone should be discouraged from pursuing those areas if they are passionate about them, but I do think the key is doing research and having a plan. I think that aligns with your comment about financial reality. The type of lifestyle you want to live factors into those plans. College may not be the right path for everyone and to figure that out, some research is needed and reflection on what one values. Your last line resonated, and I agree! Sharyn Grose, Admin
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Naje’s Answer

College can be a valuable stepping stone if you have a clear vision of your career or if you're still exploring your options. It offers the chance to meet people from diverse fields, experiment with various subjects, and connect with peers pursuing the same major. While college isn't a mandatory path to success, it can be a powerful tool to discover the perfect career if utilized effectively. Once you find an answer to the question, "What career seems interesting to me?", you'll be able to determine if college is the right choice for you.
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Michelle’s Answer

Hello, Jade !

You would like to know if you will like or dislike college and that is most likely stemming from hearing a lot of people give their opinions and talk about their own experiences. Just remember, you have to make a personal informed decision and it cannot be based upon other peoples' thoughts, experiences, or points of view although they are interesting to hear. But do not allow it to influence you because there is no way that your experience will be the same as the others. You are unique and special and bring a different charm and motivation to your choices for your own life.

If you want to figure out if you will like college or not, there are a few ways to test it. One way is to think about how you like high school. Figure out if you like reading, writing, (a lot of writing), taking tests, being involved in activities and meeting new people. Although college is different than high school, you can first assess your basic outlook on school where you are now. College will be an advanced continuation of learning and additional expectations, but with all new people. It's a next step towards your future.

The second way to test whether or not you will like college would be to ask someone you know who is a college student if you could spend the day with them during one of their on campus days if the professors allow auditing a class. There is no better way to tell if you'd like to go to college than getting that taste of campus life. It would sort of be like shadowing for a day. If the persons' professors do not allow auditing, you can make arrangements to audit a few classes on your own with professors that do allow auditing. Go to various parts of the campus, too. Take it all in.

Pick any college of your choice and arrange to attend an orientation. This will be a tour and an opportunity to ask questions and again, take in the environment so you know how it feels to be among college students and if you can see yourself in that role.

You can also pick a college to look up for a video tour. Once you see the things that a college offers it may inspire you. I know that California State University, Sacramento has many videos on You Tube that show what college is like. Video tours of various schools may be a way to decide if you want to go to college or not. But most of all, it has to be your decision based on being fully informed and going to the colleges to become familiar with it for yourself.

Next, ask where your doubt is coming from. Is it the academic aspect of college or the social aspect of college ? Knowing this can be important in what you end up deciding. But base it on your own perceptions and plans.

When we start something like a job or school, there's no way we really can tell how it will be because college is not a thought, it is a full experience. It must be lived on a day to day basis and not foretold. This is true for relationships, having a new family member and just about every aspect of life. You will always be starting new things. Worrying about it just causes confusion and holds a person back.

Try not to let others sway you one way or the other because you may end up going to something else that really doesn't work out - and that's okay, too. But let this be your choice. I am one of those that had an extraordinarily outstanding experience being a college student and I loved every minute of it. But that's just me. Lean on what you want for yourself and you will be fine.

No matter what you choose, I wish you all the best in your decision !
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Mohammed’s Answer

Everyone has given some great answers, One thing I found helpful is to check out some job sites like "Indeed" and have a look at different roles in your city. Take a look at the prerequisites for jobs you like to see if they need degrees or not.

I also recommend you take time to search for "entry" level jobs, you may find some that you qualify for right now while others may require some prerequisites which you can work on achieving.

Goodluck !
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Janet’s Answer

Hey Jade, you've already received some fantastic advice! I just want to chime in and say that it's common for high school students to feel pressured into attending college because it's seen as the "next step", or because their parents expect them to. If your family is in a position to support your education after high school, it can make the decision to give college a shot a bit easier, even if you're not entirely sure what you want to study yet.

Consider enrolling in some general education classes and take advantage of the resources available at the university's career center. If you're unsure about what you want to achieve with a four-year degree, it's a good idea to spend some time researching various career paths before making the commitment to college.

If you know someone - a sibling, parent, or family friend - who has a job that piques your interest, why not ask if you could shadow them for a day to get a feel for what it's like?

Here's a helpful website that provides loads of information about different careers, including potential earnings and the education needed: https://www.bls.gov/k12/students/careers/how-can-bls-help-me-explore-careers.htm.

Remember, if college doesn't seem like the right fit for you at the moment, it's okay to take a break and work for a while. College can be quite costly, and it's important to avoid rushing into student loans without a clear vision of what you want to achieve. After all, you wouldn't want to squander your hard-earned money - or your parents' for that matter. Best of luck to you!
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Mary’s Answer

Take the time to think about where you want your career to go. Look into what your chosen field requires and check out the networking opportunities. Think about how you can grow personally and professionally. Don't forget to explore other paths and decide based on what fits your goals and situation the best.
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Charly’s Answer

Hi good morning! In my personal opinion i think that college is very very important because it give you a structure and a correct understanding of what you love and want to dedicate your self to, and a estructure in life in generalas as well.
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. Many students have similar question. Different colleges have strength in different subjects. You may need to identify the careers you have interest. And then, identify the colleges that are good at the relevant subjects.
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about what you have interest, e.g. your hobbies, favourite subjects, etc. and identify the related subjects
E.g. If you like music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc.
If you have interest in maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, financial analyst, banker, maths teacher, etc.
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you have interest. The relevant subjects you can target.
5. Explore the school review on these subjects and find out the entry criteria
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Jerome’s Answer

You are correct that two people can have vastly different experiences with l College. My advice would be this, if you have a plan that you can move forward with that does not need to college, then do not attend just to say you did. If you find yourself unsure of what you are going to do, you can get an associates degree fairly inexpensively. That can get you exposure to the process and help you determine if it is right for you.
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Annjanette’s Answer

Here is a good article to help you in your pursuit of determining if college is going to be beneficial to you: https://jedfoundation.org/resource/is-college-for-me/. It is important to know that college is not the only path. There are various paths to future success and what is important is choosing the path that's best for you.
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Aaron’s Answer

What a great question. This is something I have discussed many times over and you are correct, while learning is our birthright college is an acquired taste. Learning is always beneficial however there are many ways to accumulate knowledge and structured learning just is not for everyone. Your answer may be as simple as this, think of what you want to do with your life, what are your goals. Is that goal(s) aided by a college education? Is a college degree required? If the answer is yes then you have your answer.
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James Constantine’s Answer

Hello Jade,

Determining the Benefits of College

Making the decision to attend college is a significant step in one’s life, and it’s important to carefully consider the potential benefits. There are several factors to take into account when determining if college will be beneficial for you.

Career Opportunities

One of the primary reasons individuals pursue higher education is to enhance their career prospects. Research consistently shows that individuals with a college degree tend to have higher earning potential and greater job opportunities compared to those without a degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with a bachelor’s degree have lower unemployment rates and higher median weekly earnings than those with only a high school diploma. Additionally, certain professions require specific degrees or advanced education, making college essential for entry into those fields.

Personal Development

College provides an environment for personal growth and development. It offers opportunities to expand one’s knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ability to communicate effectively. The college experience often includes exposure to diverse perspectives and ideas, which can broaden one’s understanding of the world and contribute to personal growth.

Networking and Connections

Attending college allows individuals to build a network of peers, professors, and professionals in their field of interest. These connections can be invaluable when seeking employment opportunities or pursuing further education. Many colleges also offer internship programs and career services that can help students establish connections within their chosen industry.

Access to Resources

Colleges provide access to resources such as libraries, research facilities, laboratories, and expert faculty members. These resources can greatly enhance the learning experience and provide opportunities for hands-on learning and research.

Self-Reflection and Goal Setting

Before deciding whether college is right for you, it’s important to engage in self-reflection and goal setting. Consider your long-term career aspirations and whether a college education aligns with those goals. Evaluate your strengths, interests, and values to determine if pursuing higher education is in line with your personal ambitions.

Financial Considerations

It’s crucial to assess the financial implications of attending college. While higher education can lead to increased earning potential in the long run, it often comes with a significant financial investment. Researching financial aid options, scholarships, and potential career earnings in your chosen field can help you make an informed decision about the financial aspects of attending college.

In conclusion, determining if college will be beneficial for you involves considering various factors such as career opportunities, personal development, networking, access to resources, self-reflection, goal setting, and financial considerations. It’s important to weigh these factors carefully before making a decision about pursuing higher education.

Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: This source provides comprehensive data on employment trends, wages, and educational requirements for various occupations.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): The NCES offers valuable information on educational trends and statistics in the United States.
The College Board: This organization provides insights into college planning, financial aid options, and career pathways for students considering higher education.

These sources were utilized to ensure that the information provided is based on reliable data and authoritative research within the field of education and employment trends.

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GOD BLESS YOU RICHLY, AMEN,
James Constantine Frangos.
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