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Are you going to college because you want to or because society told you to?

College is something that isn't for everyone, but society doesn't tell us that. They want us to think that college is for everyone regardless of what they want to do as a career. Many students have no drive or passion for what they are learning because they don't know what they want to do in life, but they are reading the textbook and taking the test because that is "the normal thing to do after high school." #whatisthenorm #college #career #careers #high-school

high-school careers whatisthenorm
Thank you comment icon A lot of us go to college still not knowing what we want to do for a career but that is the point of college as well. You can finish your GEs during the first two years and hopefully have taken some classes here and there that have sparked some kind of interest for you. Even if you don't end up enjoying any of these classes, try to take on some extra curriculars to meet new people because you never know who you may meet and what they might motivate you to do. Many of my friends have gotten their jobs through networking and just putting themselves out there in the work field. College is a place where everyone is trying to figure out their passion and really excel in it :) Anntaylor
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Casey’s Answer

Hi Andrea! This is a great question and each person you speak with may give you a different answer. Personally I believe that the answer to this question depends on what are your goals in life and what kind of career do you want to pursue. For me I knew that I wanted to be an accountant and work in New York City, and in order to get to there, I need to get a college education. But not all career paths require that education. My brother was one person who did not attend college and instead works as an electrician where he is an apprentice learning the trade. I have other friends who took off from school and traveled the world. I also am a believer that you learn so much more outside the classroom than inside, but the underlying education you receive will help you along the way. Whether that is a highschool diploma or a college degree, you are going to need some form of education as a prerequisite.


In sum, pursue what makes you happy and and fulfilled. Education can be a stepping stone in helping you achieve your goals but a college education is not necessary for every career.

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Liuv’s Answer

I went to college because society and my mom always told me since I was a kid. It was hard but I graduated with no loans. Was it worth it? Yes, in the process I realized I love selling. I love every aspect about sales jobs. They key is finding one that pays you base and commission to keep you motivated. Lots of jobs out there are working from home inside sales. I would take a couple intro classes your first year in college at a community college to be exact. Intro to Business, Intro to Biology, Into to Communication, and Intro to Criminal Justice. Just get a different variety. Go on YouTube learn how to sell and make your own course and sell it 50k people at $50, pay for shout outs if you have too, the point is do something with your life if you decide not to go to college.
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Chrissy’s Answer

To go to college or not, that is the question. The answer you ask, it depends....

Here are a few things to consider:
What do you want to do for your career? Does that require a degree?
What is your timeline to get to the workforce? An associate's degree or a trades program may be shorter than a traditional 4-year college program.
How much money do you need to make to live the lifestyle you want? Is $15/hour wage going to satisfy you or are you looking to make $50+/hour?
Do you want to work Monday-Friday or are odd hours (nights/weekends) acceptable to you?
How will your lifestyle change as you get married? Have children? What costs are associated with these life changes?
Will you have elderly parents to care for? Are they financially sound, or will you need to help out?
How do you plan to save for retirement/emergencies? You should save 20% of your income for retirement and have 9 months of living expenses
saved for emergencies.

These are just a few things to consider, but things that some of us didn't know to consider when we were your age. Best of luck!

Chrissy recommends the following next steps:

Research jobs on Linked In or Indeed for job requirements and pay ranges
Think about what you are passionate about and find a job that focuses on that passion
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Seth’s Answer

Great question and it's one that resonates well with me. To answer your question directly, I went to college because of both society and myself. Sadly some career paths in society make it hard to get into them without college. I also wanted to go for myself because it felt like a personal achievement to say I went beyond what my parents were able to do and learn things that not everyone in society knows. Maybe it's an ego thing to go to college for yourself and to say that you did it, but that's part of why I did. My career is in Tech and I wanted to join this career field initially for game development but I found in college I wanted it a bit different from that.

You made an excellent point that college is not for everyone, some people don't want the life or careers that college can offer you, and some jobs are taught outside of that like trade jobs(plumbing, welding, construction, farming, etc) or tactile based jobs(crafts, pin makers, jewelry, etc). Society can be strange and existential at times, especially now adays with how things are in the world, but as an individual I think it's best to strive for what you want out of society and go for it. If you want to not go to college and make jewlery then do it, just make sure it's something you want to do for yourself and not for others because society doesn't always care for the individual, it's us the individuals who care most about our society.
Do what works best for you and makes you happy and feel fulfilled with yourself :)
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