6 answers
Kimora
Student
Newark, New Jersey
1
Question
Updated
341 views
Should I go to college and try it or is there some other jobs I should pursue?
I'm 17 and I'm practically stumped about what I want to pursue after high school. I don't want to really go to college and I really want to get a high paying job but it would be very limited without a degree.
I've considered numerous thing CNA hell even the military but I just want to find something that's high paying which doesn't require me going to college.
I have a 3.8 cumulative GPA and even though I'm doing good in high school it isn't ensured it'll be like that in college. I'm unsure of what to do, please give some recommendations on what do.
Should I go to college and try it or is there some other jobs I should pursue?
Any recommendations would be appreciated. Especially those of which that are high paying jobs and part time.
Also I'm very introverted and like my space so that is something to consider as well.
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6 answers
Karen Kitchel
Community Volunteer
355
Answers
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Updated
Karen’s Answer
Consider a Community College and learn a technical trade.
With every good wish.
With every good wish.
Shay Smith
Training Specialist
6
Answers
Shreveport, Louisiana
Updated
Shay’s Answer
Hi Kimora,
It's fantastic that you're already thinking about your career options after high school.
There are many high-paying jobs that don't require a college degree. For example, you could consider becoming an adjuster, plumber, electrician. Additionally, jobs like airline and commercial pilots, transportation managers, and elevator installers are also well-paying options.
Before choosing a path, think about what you enjoy. Do you prefer customer-focused roles? Do you like working indoors or outdoors? A great way to explore different career paths is by reaching out to people who are already working in the fields you're interested in to gain more insight.
Remember, there are plenty of career options outside of college, and you don't have to go to college right away. You can start with something now and always change your mind later.
I hope this helps!
Reflect on your interests
Research specific career options of interest(s)
Contact people in your fields of interest
Select a trade school/place of study/learning if applicable
It's fantastic that you're already thinking about your career options after high school.
There are many high-paying jobs that don't require a college degree. For example, you could consider becoming an adjuster, plumber, electrician. Additionally, jobs like airline and commercial pilots, transportation managers, and elevator installers are also well-paying options.
Before choosing a path, think about what you enjoy. Do you prefer customer-focused roles? Do you like working indoors or outdoors? A great way to explore different career paths is by reaching out to people who are already working in the fields you're interested in to gain more insight.
Remember, there are plenty of career options outside of college, and you don't have to go to college right away. You can start with something now and always change your mind later.
I hope this helps!
Shay recommends the following next steps:
Laura Johnston
Project Manager
4
Answers
Peterborough
Updated
Laura’s Answer
Hello Kimora,
Just as Cliff suggested, the most rewarding path is often to discover a pursuit that brings you joy and also provides a paycheck! Trade jobs can offer substantial income even without a degree, although they can be physically challenging. Many of these roles also require learning through schooling and apprenticeship periods. Don't be afraid to think creatively. If you're drawn to the arts, consider careers like photography, makeup artistry, or nail design. If you have a passion for helping others, why not consider becoming an esthetician?
We live in a time of unprecedented opportunities, especially in the realm of content creation across a plethora of platforms. Seek out a topic you're passionate about and share your unique perspective with the world. It might take some time to cultivate a loyal audience, but a career in content creation can be a fulfilling creative journey that also provides a comfortable income and a balanced lifestyle.
Regardless, I would still encourage you to continue expanding your knowledge and skills in some capacity. Keep in mind that it might take some time before you start earning a substantial income.
Best of luck on your journey!
Just as Cliff suggested, the most rewarding path is often to discover a pursuit that brings you joy and also provides a paycheck! Trade jobs can offer substantial income even without a degree, although they can be physically challenging. Many of these roles also require learning through schooling and apprenticeship periods. Don't be afraid to think creatively. If you're drawn to the arts, consider careers like photography, makeup artistry, or nail design. If you have a passion for helping others, why not consider becoming an esthetician?
We live in a time of unprecedented opportunities, especially in the realm of content creation across a plethora of platforms. Seek out a topic you're passionate about and share your unique perspective with the world. It might take some time to cultivate a loyal audience, but a career in content creation can be a fulfilling creative journey that also provides a comfortable income and a balanced lifestyle.
Regardless, I would still encourage you to continue expanding your knowledge and skills in some capacity. Keep in mind that it might take some time before you start earning a substantial income.
Best of luck on your journey!
Cliff Schreier
35
Answers
Rochester, Minnesota
Updated
Cliff’s Answer
Kimora,
It's great that you're thinking about this now as it's never too early to start your career decision-making process.
It's a great goal to want a high-paying job without college. There are some jobs that pay very well and don't require college, but you need to answer some questions first:
What do you like to do? Work with your hands? Spend most of your time sitting at a desk inside? Work with people or mostly by yourself? Work Inside or outside? Do you like math/science or physical activities? You can talk with your guidance counselor, family, friends, etc. about people who you might like to shadow or talk to about their jobs. This will help you determine if you'd like doing this long term or not.
Once you figure this out, you can tailor your education/training to what will help you achieve your goals.
If you work with your hands, you can search out jobs that you might like which are better paying: Electrician, plumber, mechanic, and others.
If you want to work indoors and/or sit at a desk, computer science, engineering, doctor, and lawyer are options but they all require college and possibly extended degrees.
The internet is a great place to search out answers to these questions.
College can seem daunting, but if you look into AP classes while you're in high school you might find you can cut down the time/cost of going to college.
I hope this helps you. Good luck!
Take care!
It's great that you're thinking about this now as it's never too early to start your career decision-making process.
It's a great goal to want a high-paying job without college. There are some jobs that pay very well and don't require college, but you need to answer some questions first:
What do you like to do? Work with your hands? Spend most of your time sitting at a desk inside? Work with people or mostly by yourself? Work Inside or outside? Do you like math/science or physical activities? You can talk with your guidance counselor, family, friends, etc. about people who you might like to shadow or talk to about their jobs. This will help you determine if you'd like doing this long term or not.
Once you figure this out, you can tailor your education/training to what will help you achieve your goals.
If you work with your hands, you can search out jobs that you might like which are better paying: Electrician, plumber, mechanic, and others.
If you want to work indoors and/or sit at a desk, computer science, engineering, doctor, and lawyer are options but they all require college and possibly extended degrees.
The internet is a great place to search out answers to these questions.
College can seem daunting, but if you look into AP classes while you're in high school you might find you can cut down the time/cost of going to college.
I hope this helps you. Good luck!
Take care!
Elizabeth Mastromonaco
2
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Elizabeth’s Answer
Hi Kimora!
You might want to look into programs that your school has to offer in order to help you feel more confident in your decision about whether to pursue college or not. You could see if your counseling department has career tests or workshops to help you figure out where your strengths lie, and what could be beneficial for you to look into.
Community college could be a great option to get some exposure to college level courses and subjects that you may be interested in learning more about. Associates degrees are typically two-year degrees, so that would be a shorter and likely cheaper option than a four-year university.
If you find that path is not for you, you could look into trade school and pursue a trade. Those jobs are typically in high demand so it could be a place where you make lots of money without a bachelor's degree! Even if you do this, it could be beneficial to take some business courses, as this could propel your career if you ever wanted to start your own practice and open your own establishment.
There are plenty of great options, I think you are in a great spot!
You might want to look into programs that your school has to offer in order to help you feel more confident in your decision about whether to pursue college or not. You could see if your counseling department has career tests or workshops to help you figure out where your strengths lie, and what could be beneficial for you to look into.
Community college could be a great option to get some exposure to college level courses and subjects that you may be interested in learning more about. Associates degrees are typically two-year degrees, so that would be a shorter and likely cheaper option than a four-year university.
If you find that path is not for you, you could look into trade school and pursue a trade. Those jobs are typically in high demand so it could be a place where you make lots of money without a bachelor's degree! Even if you do this, it could be beneficial to take some business courses, as this could propel your career if you ever wanted to start your own practice and open your own establishment.
There are plenty of great options, I think you are in a great spot!
Austin Mao
Consultant
5
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Austin’s Answer
Hey Kimora - college is a great place to grow your network, develop your skillset and qualify yourself for a broader range of jobs / careers. Many high paying jobs require college degrees as a minimum so I would be conscious of that when making your decision. If you are unsure of what exactly you want to do, college can also be a great place to discover new areas and learn more about yourself. For me, college was instrumental in helping me plan my future. Of course, there are financial and time considerations for college and it is not right for everyone. I would encourage you to set near-term and long-term goals and see if college is important to help you achieve them.