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Is it gonna be worth going to college in the long run?

I am the only one going to college in my family and unfortunately it is very hard to pay for college. Taking loans to pay for college seems like a big risk and is gonna keep me with empty pockets living check by check. #college

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Nicole’s Answer

Hi Corey H. I see that you posted this question a little while ago so I hope my answer to you (or others who may read this response) is still helpful.

In reading your question, I can understand your dilemma. What I hope to convey in my answer is that, in general, having a degree is a good catalyst for making sure that you not only start off with a good job (that could fill those empty pockets that many students have :)) but it is also good for helping to build a career.

A job, a task can sometimes become something that you don't want to do but have to do. A career on the other hand, is generally what individuals get to build for themselves...a sustainable career has the added benefit of incorporating skill sets that allow individuals to grow and to then have options...to pick where they want to work and to work on projects that they find fulfilling.

So my short answer to your question is I absolutely think going to college is worth it and the good news is the areas in which one chooses to study is limitless.

Best of luck to you!
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Ken’s Answer

This is a question that is very important to ask; however, the answer is really different for everyone. Many people are very successful in careers with specialized training received during the last two years of high school, others are successful with training received during two years of specialized training after high school, others are successful with training received through two years at a community college, and others were successful with a four year or advance college degree. The most important thing for you to determine is how you can use your personality traits and interests to be successful in a career area which is most suitable for you and then to explore with others who are successful in that area the best way to gain a place in that career area. Also, as you conduct your search regarding suitable career areas, you will also discover the path towards internships, coop programs, scholarships, and other sources of financial assistance available particular to that area that you are exploring. Through my years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I have developed the following steps that have been helpful to many.

Ken recommends the following next steps:

Here are some very important sites for you to visit: Should You Go To College ## https://medium.com/the-mission/high-school-is-over-should-you-go-to-college-b5b6db6f6712 ## Value of College ## https://medium.com/the-mission/the-value-of-the-college-degree-is-crashing-heres-how-to-fix-it-cd7a1e116396 ## My Biggest Regret: Going to College ## https://medium.com/the-mission/my-biggest-regret-in-life-going-to-college-ef2068f179cf ##
The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 ##
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
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