how long do you have to go to college

Hey, good question! I'd say it really depends on your goals and expectations out of college. It is a tough question to answer, but perhaps worth digging into: "why do you want to go to college?"

If you come to the conclusion that you should go to school in order to get to some next step for your career...ask exactly what that next step should look like?

From there, it is a very tangible and actionable process.

The standard undergraduate degree, in the United States, takes about 4 years. If, however, you are able to get more credits or complete it early, you could graduate in as little as 2-3.

Hey J,
I wish there was a simple answer to your question but there isn't. You first need to figure out what you want to do and if you need to go to college or trade school, or even jump into the career. If your aspiration is something like culinary arts, then a two year degree (an associates) is fine. If astronomy (your tagged topic) is your goal, you can start with a BA (four year degree), but will likely require an additional masters (2-3 years) and a PHd is usually another 2-3 years as well. During your schooling, you will likely do some hands on work as well.
If you are interested in a trade, like carpentry for example, consider a trade school first. You can go to school later and you'll have something to work with as you put yourself through.

You don't "have" to go to college. College is not for everybody. If it is not something you are interested in, don't feel bad! You can go to a trade school, or simply work. I know lots of people in construction who make really good money, without ever having gone to college. But, it is physically demanding work, and once you get to be about 45 or so, your body starts to feel all the aches and pains!

Anyway, if you do go to college, you "have" to go until you finish! An Associate's degree is 2 years, and a Bachelor's is 4 years, IF you go fulltime and IF you pass all your classes. If your heart is not into it, it will not be easy to pass the classes. This is because (1) they are hard, and (2) there are too many distractions - things you can do instead of studying!

College is not free. It is expensive. If you are not too sure, I'd recommend you go to a community or Junior college first. They don't cost as much, and it will help you to decide whether or not this is for you!

And if you are not going to go, I strongly encourage you to explore other career options, either on this site, on-line, or with a counselor. It's important to have a general idea of what it is you want to do with your life!

Associates degrees are typically completed in 18-24 months of full time study. Bachelors degrees can take an additional 2-3 years after transferring with an AA/AS or 4-5 years if you go directly to a university. Masters degrees take about 2 years full time. JD law degrees take around 3 years. DVM and MD degrees take about 4 years. PhD programs can vary considerably by subject and be quite individualized.