Should I go to collage? What are some advantages? What are some disadvantages

It depends what kind of career you want to pursue. What are your goals? What would you be doing if you "just get started on [your] life?" College can give you a ton of marketable skills, and it is a prerequisite for lots of careers. However, it is often expensive, and it is still hard to find employment after graduation, so it's good that you're trying to make an informed decision. Ultimately, whether or not it's worth it depends on what you want to do, and whether or not college can be an affordable option for you (lots of options with different schools, scholarships, loans, etc). If you write back with more details, I'd be happy to comment further.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say YES - go to college. Yes, it's expensive and getting loans and seeking grants & scholarships can be tedious and difficult, but in the long run having a college degree will give you a lot more potential opportunities, flexibility and earning potential in your career. Citing an article published by US News & World Report in 2011, those holding bachelor's degrees earn about $2.27 million over their lifetime, vastly more than counterparts with just some college ($1.55 million lifetime earnings) or a high school diploma ($1.30 million lifetime), indicating that no matter the level of attainment or the field of study, simply earning a four-year degree is often integral to financial success later in life.

It's also worth noting that college is a really formative experience and you're likely to meet many smart and interesting people who will become lifelong friends and help you grow and expand your horizons both academically and personally.

Hi Matt,

It's truly a personal decision. It would help to start with exploring areas of interest, and what the requirements may be in order to start a career there. My parents encouraged me to go to college, and I'm glad they did. They said it's something that nobody could ever take away from me, and it could never be a disadvantage to have a degree - even if I didn't need it for a particular role. Many positions today, even entry level positions, require a degree. There are also many professions that have trade schools instead, so you can be certificated and a college degree is not a requirement. I know several people who have had great careers, massage therapists, cosmetologists, chefs, etc. who do not have a university degree. I also know people who have gone to trade schools and later go back for additional schooling and earn a degree.

Wishing you all the best!
Julie

Hello Matt. Yes! Even if you don't know what you want to do right now, you will have some basic courses to take that you'll need with any degree, and that will give you time to decide. The college life is also an experience that many look back on fondly in terms of the experience and relationships they build- there's a lot more to it than the classroom aspect. It allows you to spend time around other like-minded individuals that are interested in improving their lives and continuing the learning process, whereas if you don't go to college, in some cases,-not all-, but in some cases- you can end up in in, for lack of a better term, a dead-end career with few options, along with other people in the same situation, which doesn't make for a great work environment or a happy life. When it comes to your career, options are good! A college degree gives you more options/freedom with your life. That degree opens up so many more doors. And, the faster you can get that degree under your belt, the better, because it's more challenging later in life to get classes in. I would also add this, choose your program of study carefully in terms of what the market is for potential jobs. There are many people with degrees they cannot utilize because there isn't a well enough paying job in the particular field of study for them to make it work. So that would be important too. College doesn't have to be that expensive either. There is a cost for sure, but many employers that require a degree are just looking for the degree as a pre-requisite and don't even pay attention to where it's from. Of course you'd still want as quality of an institution as you can afford, but in many cases an inexpensive degree will get you in the door in your career of choice and you can shine from there. Best of luck!