Colin
3 answers
Courtney Petersen
Courtney’s Answer
This is a great question and a question that I often asked myself when I was in high school and college. The answer to the question is complicated because it depends on the path you think you might want to take in life. College is something that is definitely not for everyone so I would like to answer this a little differently. Higher education matters. It does not necessarily have to be a traditional 4 year university but you should pursue some sort of higher education after high school. While some jobs won't even consider you if you don't have a bachelor's degree, those aren't the only jobs out there. As someone who often hires tradesmen, an associates degree in conjunction with trade school is an excellent option. Often times, skilled trades can provide you with a salary that is just as lucrative, if not more, than a career that you would obtain with a bachelor's degree. I think a great option is to explore the different options for higher education after high school and what types of education are required for a career that interests you. If you aren't entirely sure what you want to do after high school, I suggest choosing a community college rather than a 4 year university to help you save some money while you explore your options. If you decide that a 4 year university is for you, you already have some of the work under your belt. If you decide you want to choose a trade, the time that you spent in community college will still set you apart from others in your field. I hope this information helped you out. Remember, not everyone's path is the same and you have to decide what is right for you.
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Jo Terryn
Jo’s Answer
I can only echo the above. It will give you a broader range of jobs you can choose from if you don't really know what you want to do yet and give you more opportunities to find out what your real strengths are.
I'm in graduate recruitment and at my company we have two different programs for people with/without a degree. There are significant differences between those and it does matter where your interests lie. If you have particular issues with going to college for different reasons, you might want to opt for a career in which there is a general shortage of (like software engineers, nurses etc.). This way you might be able to follow a shorter track than the normal college education but still be equally successful after this short degree + decent work experience than someone who then freshly graduates.
Hope this helps!
Jo
Carmen LaTorre
Carmen’s Answer
Hi Colin,
This is a very good question. I will say that it does matter. Not only will it provide you more opportunities but it it creates discipline and shows that you are committed. You will also have the opportunity to land an internship in your desired major and or externship which allows you to explore other interests. The difference between these two, the internships are usually paid and externships are unpaid. They are both beneficial for students in any major. I will say that from a personal experience, having completed an externship, even though it was unpaid at that time, the overall experience was worth more than a monetary compensation. Unfortunately, college can be expensive and depending on what you want to study, the cost can be higher for some graduate programs. You definitely want to do research on different colleges and schools. Keep in mind that once you do accomplish in getting your degree, this doesn't mean you are an expert in your major or field but will definitely get you going in the right direction and get you noticed. Ironically, there will be graduates that will end up working in a job irrelevant to their degree major and that's okay. Again, this will depend on the type of work, type of company and or industry you choose to pursue. It is really up to you and the dedication you have. I hope this answered your question! Keep us updated.
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