What is the best path to take after college ie, take a break, continue to go to school, get a job? I am wondering because I don't want to go to college if I don't use all of my skills I learned in college.

Hi Iman,

Some of the points you raise may be perfect for you - perhaps in a different order. As noted in the other responses, college is not only about exposing yourself to a variety of potential career paths, it is also about immersing yourself in an environment where you will meet people from all backgrounds and interests. One of the critical skills you will learn in college is how to relate to a variety of people and take on new responsibilities.

If you are unsure about attending college, consider going part time to a community college where you can take a few classes and also work at a part time job. This way you can experience both the opportunity to meet new people and learn new areas of interest at local college, while at the same time working with the attendant responsibilities of being in the workforce. Your experiences in juggling working life with classes and studying may assist you in finding an area to study in college that is of most interest. Then you can determine which colleges to attend (full or part time) that specialize in your career path.

One suggestion is that if you take a break from learning, consider postponing the break until after you have either tried college full time or combined a job with part time studies. If you take a break right out of high school, it becomes more difficult to decide to go back to school and to make time for studying. Best of luck to you!

Iman, I don't see a major in your question. Maybe it is a good thing to take a year to think about your future and career. Take a long look at your abilities and passions. There you are going to find the answer. When you find the career that would that you would enjoy ask yourself a question. Do I need college degree to be successful doing so and so?

Nearly every other country in the world has a gap year for students (or so I am told)...so taking a year to work on an organic farm or run a business or volunteer is a good thing. In regards to using your college skills - it is true - you very likely won't use all of the skills you learn in college - because one of the purposes of college is to expose you to a number of skills and hence a number of career choices... I found that college also helps you to think and have confidence in yourself - and give you a good basis for creating what it is you want in your life. You also get to meet a bunch of people from different backgrounds than yourself - especially if you get involved in extra curriculars.