The short answer is, YES, absolutely!
But, college might not be for everyone.
As an adult, one of the greatest regrets from my younger days is not going to college. Although I am doing okay financially, I’ve had a harder time and its taken me longer then it otherwise would have if I had only knew now what I should have known then. Looking back, I probably wouldn’t be any better off then the many millennials who currently regret going to college, but that was mostly due to the fact that I, along with many others from my generation had been misinformed about college.
There was two basic ways to look at it – you graduate high school and want to continue your education for a degree that will make you lots of money and you’ll be able to pay back your education costs in no time and do whatever you want – or, you were done with school, didn’t want to or have the money for such, and would rather start working and making money right away.
I personally couldn’t afford to go, and was honestly done with school anyway.
So, instead of putting in the time, money, and work for school, I started working right away, mostly because I needed money. And although I have done alright for myself, many times it has been a struggle, doing jobs or work I really preferred not to do just to get by. Basically, the effort I didn’t put into school was made up in the real world because of my lack of higher education.
What they don’t teach you in school, is the actual reason why you need to go to college. They promise you things like high paying jobs and career security, but do not explain how to attain these things. But the key word here is hidden in plain sight, and the word is career.
Nothing is a guarantee. You still have to work hard and be professional. And what a degree actually is – is nothing more than a certificate saying you are a qualified professional to do the job of a certain career.
Even if you plan on owning or running your own business, if you are not certified or have some formal training in your field (even if you have attended and not finished college, you still have obtained some training), you will find yourself having a harder time getting stared. People might not take you seriously, or might think you don’t know what you’re talking about or how to do the work that is required.
In the professional world, image still matters, and even though hands on training might be better for you for ‘actually’ learning how to do a job, many companies would not even let in in the door to start, unless you have some sort of education saying you can do that job.
Putting it into perspective, let’s say you needed an accountant. You have two options; someone who is a licensed accountant, or someone who is not. They might claim to know what they are doing, but they have no credentials to back it up. Who are you more likely to choose? This isn’t even much of a choice, you are going to go with the licensed accountant.
The keyword here is credentials.
Degree or Certificate?
College is not for everyone. As much as I can look back and wish I would have went to college when I was younger (and still had time to do so), I was never a classroom person. And not everyone is. So a good alternative to that is getting a certificate.
Certificate options can be anything from trade schools, to licenses or other qualifications. It is something that sets you apart from others saying you have some formal training in a field. Although just like a college degree doesn’t guarantee you a high paying job, it gets you in the door. Once you are in, you can then gain real work experience, and you can now qualify for a better paying job. You have to work your way up.
One of the best lessons I have learned in life came from an old employer of mine. I was a laborer for construction company, and one day I noticed he had a welder in the back of the equipment shed. I wanted him to teach me how to use it, and he had refused. He had explained to me that, although he could teach me how to weld, it would never get me a job. If I wanted to learn to weld, I need to attend welding school because I would get a certificate. That certificate would get me a job, and make me qualified to weld. And the more certificates I had, the more money I’d make, because the more qualified I’d be.
Although I never did go to welding school (and ironically never learned how to weld), his advise has always stuck with me, and has honestly got me where I am today.
If you are debating wether or not you should go to college, getting certified in a trade or similar might be a good option for you. But if you are debating if college is worth it or not, it most certainly is – just be smart about it and realize it does not guarantee a high paying, luxury job where you don’t have to do anything. All a college degree is – is the same thing a certificate is, a credential that gets you in the door. What you do with it from there is up to you.
Just Remember-
If college is something you want to pursue, you don’t have to attend a big name or expensive university. Depending on the career path you choose, you might have to eventually attend a university, but many corses and even degrees can be obtained at community college or other accredited schools (just be careful which one you choose, and make sure to do your research before committing to anything).
You should also do plenty of research on the career path you choose before you commit to paying for schooling. Many jobs end up being totally different from what we thought they’d be, so its best to do plenty of research beforehand – talk to people in that particular field and even get a hands on taste of what its like first if you can. This way, it saves you a lot of time and money if you decide it’s not for you. Many students end up switching halfway through college when they realize their career choice isn’t going to be like they thought it was.