Oh God, spare me from college.

[GeneralHankerchief]

This is mostly a rant and me getting thoughts out, but some advice would be appreciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I'm a high school senior, in the midst of college application season. I'm a little bit behind but not that much really, and I think the reason I'm behind is an effect of my general apathy, not a cause of it.

Basically, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all the little pamphlets they send me displaying smiling, ethnically diverse people and the beautiful campus shots with the "fun factoids" that are all the same - ranked high by some college rating institution, professors at the tops of their fields/professors who are easily accessable by the student, and small class sizes. I'm tired of the "personalized" emails I get from admissions people using my first name as if we've met before and say "I have not yet received your ________ yet, [my first name]!" None of the places I've received crap from or visited have really appealed to me, and frankly they all seem pretty much alike.

Basically, the general strategy of "find the school you really like and you'll be fine! Huh-huh! " has failed. Miserably. None of them appeal to me, and I find the overall concept of four more years of education disgusting. Just let me go out into the world and work already!

Problem is, society (and my town specifically) demands that I continue going to school. We had an assembly in school two or three years ago for the sole purpose of watching our principal rattle off some figures of what people with different levels of education made in their lives. When I told my friends, half-jokingly, that I wasn't going to go to college they stared at me like I was some kind of freak. And that was last year. Now that it's senior year and I'm seriously considering it, they think I'm nuts and are laughing at me. My guidance counselor, while very nice and well-meaning, completely has me misread and thinks I'm the perfect college type. Most other people, parents included, go the "If you want to be somebody in this world, you have to go to college" route, which I hate but realize deep down that it's somewhat true.

The media doesn't help. All I hear about is the rising cost of tuition, which makes me think it isn't worth it, and the fact that the application process is getting more and more competitive. Thanks, guys. The daisying New York Times Magazine did an issue a few weeks back called "The College Issue" which was about, well, you know. They had a lot of articles that looked interesting, such as an essay by a student about the value of college, a look at current students and how they were coping with clothes and stuff, and, most intriguing, a look at current seniors and how they were coping with the application process.

The essay was written by an Ivy League grad who was full of himself.
The second article was basically rich, pretty students modelling ridiculously expensive clothes that no normal person would be able to afford while they're in school.
The third article dealt with two super-rich, super-smart kids deciding what Ivy they want to go to. One student was something like a three-generation legacy at Princeton and his name was something like Winthrop Horace Stanton III.

ARRRRRRRGH!!!!

Society says I need to be more educated in order to do anything.

I say I want to enjoy senior year, graduate, drive off somewhere and start working.

Am I being a wuss here? Should I just suck it up and go or do I have a legit point?

[Csargo]

I'm basically the same. I've just spent 12 years going through school, and I'm burnt out on it. So take a break travel, work, or anything else you want once you graduate. Give yourself time to decide what you want to do, going to college isn't your only option.

[Ice]

As a sophomore at Penn State University, i can adress most of these issues. My first main piece of advice is calm down. Don't let this overwhelm you. BREATHE. You are going through a very difficult/important part of your life. Ending high school, going off to college/work changes a lot of people. I'll try to help you the best I can.

So I'm a high school senior, in the midst of college application season. I'm a little bit behind but not that much really, and I think the reason I'm behind is an effect of my general apathy, not a cause of it.

I feel you. I was the same way, only applied to a few colleges because my parents wanted me to. Best decision I made though.

Basically, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all the little pamphlets they send me displaying smiling, ethnically diverse people and the beautiful campus shots with the "fun factoids" that are all the same - ranked high by some college rating institution, professors at the tops of their fields/professors who are easily accessable by the student, and small class sizes. I'm tired of the "personalized" emails I get from admissions people using my first name as if we've met before and say "I have not yet received your ________ yet, [my first name]!" None of the places I've received crap from or visited have really appealed to me, and frankly they all seem pretty much alike.

Not true. Don't worry about it. The key for undergraduate education is trying to find the best "bang for your buck". Go to a school that you like, has the best academic program, the best sports, whatever.

Basically, the general strategy of "find the school you really like and you'll be fine! Huh-huh! " has failed. Miserably. None of them appeal to me, and I find the overall concept of four more years of education disgusting. Just let me go out into the world and work already!

Again, same feeling. Trust me though, if you go to a half decent school, you'll be glad you went to college.

Problem is, society (and my town specifically) demands that I continue going to school. We had an assembly in school two or three years ago for the sole purpose of watching our principal rattle off some figures of what people with different levels of education made in their lives. When I told my friends, half-jokingly, that I wasn't going to go to college they stared at me like I was some kind of freak. And that was last year. Now that it's senior year and I'm seriously considering it, they think I'm nuts and are laughing at me. My guidance counselor, while very nice and well-meaning, completely has me misread and thinks I'm the perfect college type.

Unfortunately, most white collar jobs that pay decent money require a college education. You are kind of stuck there.

Most other people, parents included, go the "If you want to be somebody in this world, you have to go to college" route, which I hate but realize deep down that it's somewhat true.

Total and utter lies. My father didn't finish college and makes more than 95% of Americans do, the vast majority who have college degrees. Granted, he had to work very hard, but it is possible.

His boss didn't even graduate high school. He received his GED and today is pulling in millions per year.

Getting a college degree opens some doors, but it isn't impossible to succeed without one.

The media doesn't help. All I hear about is the rising cost of tuition, which makes me think it isn't worth it, and the fact that the application process is getting more and more competitive. Thanks, guys. The daisying New York Times Magazine did an issue a few weeks back called "The College Issue" which was about, well, you know. They had a lot of articles that looked interesting, such as an essay by a student about the value of college, a look at current students and how they were coping with clothes and stuff, and, most intriguing, a look at current seniors and how they were coping with the application process.

Again, don't worry about it. The hype is overrated. Do your best.

... basically rich, pretty students modelling ridiculously expensive clothes that no normal person would be able to afford while they're in school.
The third article dealt with two super-rich, super-smart kids deciding what Ivy they want to go to. One student was something like a three-generation legacy at Princeton and his name was something like Winthrop Horace Stanton III.

Haha, who cares?

ARRRRRRRGH!!!!

Society says I need to be more educated in order to do anything.

I say I want to enjoy senior year, graduate, drive off somewhere and start working.

Am I being a wuss here? Should I just suck it up and go or do I have a legit point?

You can still have a great senior year and get ready for college.

You aren't being a wuss, but you have to realize that the road ahead is much harder and bumper if you ever try to compete with people that have college degrees. Ultimately, it is your decision, but I would recommend a university.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Wussy? Heck no.

The thing is though, you need a college degree to make good money. And not some degree like english or philosophy. You can make good money at a non-college degree job, but it will take a much longer time to reach that level.

That in no way means you need to go to college to have a good life. But your options are limited if you don't, and unless you have some skill like computer programming or networking, you're going to need to work your way up the ladder for years.

That's from my perspective, though. If you know of a trade you like, it might be great for you. I don't know if you've tried summer jobs in construction or something like that.

One point though; you seem to have a beef (rightfully so, IMO) with rich snobs deciding on which Ivy League school they want to go to. Wasn't such a big problem for me on the west coast. Unless you're some sort of genius, I say just ignore the Ivy League and find a good state school, because that's where the best value in education is.

CR

[Ice]

One point though; you seem to have a beef (rightfully so, IMO) with rich snobs deciding on which Ivy League school they want to go to. Wasn't such a big problem for me on the west coast. Unless you're some sort of genius, I say just ignore the Ivy League and find a good state school, because that's where the best value in education is.

CR

Couldn't agree more.

[seireikhaan]

Ah, I can empathize with your situation, GH. At my high school, EVERYONE goes to college. I mean, EVERYONE. Literally. Last year, 98% of students went on to college. I hear that and I'm just thinking to myself, "gee, no pressure, huh?". Although we don't have nearly the ivy league presence like out east, and most of the 'geniuses' aren't quite as snobby. Not that they're exactly humble either. What I've done is A) try figuring out what you might want to do in terms of an occupation, if possible, B) Figure out what schools are good at training said occupations, C) figuring out where I wanted to be location wise, and D) weighing the benefits and costs of the few different colleges I'd narrowed it down to. Maybe this is a stressful process for you, but for me, it kept me from losing my mind, as I was able to figure on what I wanted to do fairly quickly.

[Husar]

Well, if you go to a college, make sure you put a lot of effort in from the start, unlike me....

[Geoffrey S]

The key thing is to work out, clearly and preferably on paper, what you want. Otherwise, it's impossible to start looking properly and easy to become overwhelmed. Work out what you want to study or what your interests are, and then look into which places offer the best prospects. I wouldn't worry about where as such, since most places have something to offer for everyone; but be sure to visit first.

As an example, what did I do? At high school I followed science subjects and originally planned to head in that direction since I was good at it. But when it came to thinking about what I liked and enjoyed, I found that history was far more appealing. Once the decision had been taken to head in that direction instead it was time to look at which uni offered what with regards to that specific study; a visit to my current uni was enough to convince me that it'd be fine.

So, narrow down what you want first, then work out where that's possible, and do visit to make sure that's correct.

Edit: oh, and follow Husar's advise. Makes things a lot more fun and less stressful later on.

[lars573]

Well if your really that wrried about it, don't go. Not right away. Wait until your ready. And if that takes until your 20 or 21 so be it.

[Ramses II CP]

Well, my first advice is not to let pursuit of money determine the course of your life. Statistically speaking everyone outside of the very top and very bottom of the economic brackets in the US has nearly equal access to the essentials of life. The fact that you're considering more than one college means you aren't starting from the bottom, and the fact that you haven't already been to see Daddy's building at the school you're locked onto means you aren't at the top. In the middle, IMHO, it's far more important to do what you love and live within the means that job provides than to scramble madly for the highest paying job no matter how much you hate it.

Furthermore, maybe it's just me but the freshman year of college very nearly was a year off. I skipped some 101s and it was still cruise control for most of my classes while saving what cash I'd held onto from my construction work for the weekends. Obviously I didn't pick a demanding school (UGA if you're curious) and I wouldn't recommend that for you either. Don't sweat year one, pick the school you want and make a place for yourself there. If it doesn't work out it's not hard to transfer as a freshman, and with any luck you'll score a few road trips during the year to see some other nearby schools.

Now let me warn you about the one thing that is absolutely going to derail your freshman year. Women. You'll meet one (or more) and your hormones will destroy your ability to do, well, anything else. Especially classes. So be prepared, be smart, and be aware of it. Most schools will let you dial things back for a semester if you run into trouble and need to get your head straight.

If you do decide you'd rather have a non-college job make sure it's one you can tolerate and advance in. You can make as much money as the effort you're willing to put into it.

Good luck!

[Boyar Son]

exactly how i feel Generalhandkerchief

[GeneralHankerchief]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It is much appreciated.

Just a couple of clarifications/points:

- Yes, I do live on the East Coast, in case it wasn't evident by my anti-Ivy ranting. I go to a public school in a town that can best be described as "upper middle-class."

- My grades and test scores are good enough for me to get into a decent school.

I don't know if you've tried summer jobs in construction or something like that.

Camp counselor for two years. Not the best, but it was kinda fun, the hours were good, and I got paid.

I'm not sure what I want to do in life yet, which is partly why nothing's stood out in my searches. I figured I'd work that out while doing a temporary job and stocking up on the cash.

[Sigurd]

Here is some good advice from an oldie... Get as much education as possible .. now.
If you have the head for it, do at least a Masters.
You might have the same job as another person with less education but you will get better paid.

I spent 17 and a half years in school and I don't regret a single year. I had however a break between the 13th and the 14th year doing military service. If you are tired of school take a year off and do something else. But for heavens sake go back and get an education.

[Kekvit Irae]

Go to the local Books-A-Million or Barnes & Nobles and pick up a book on college listings and find one with a large student body and small tuition. It doesn't matter if it's Bumlover U., a college is the same as any other college on a resume when going for an entry-level position.
I am enrolled in AUM (aum.edu) which is extremely cheap (170 dollars per semister hour for residents, 450 for non) and has very low admission requirements. The classes are great and I actually feel like I'm getting what I'm paying for.

[Myrddraal]

It sounds like a gap year is for you. Take a year working, then think again.

[Ronin]

I find the overall concept of four more years of education disgusting. Just let me go out into the world and work already!

Man....take it from somebody who finished College and started working 2 years ago now....

College will be the best time you´ll ever have in your life.....yes there will be classes...and college projects are are hard...but I know I never had as much fun in my life.....and work sucks btw...and I got to work in the top company in my field here in Portugal.....I have like the dream job for a software engineer here in Portugal and I´ll tell you right now that I´d be in heaven if I could just go through college again....

think about what you´re gonna do carefully.....you might end up seriously regretting not going to college.

[Vuk]

This is mostly a rant and me getting thoughts out, but some advice would be appreciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I'm a high school senior, in the midst of college application season. I'm a little bit behind but not that much really, and I think the reason I'm behind is an effect of my general apathy, not a cause of it.

Basically, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all the little pamphlets they send me displaying smiling, ethnically diverse people and the beautiful campus shots with the "fun factoids" that are all the same - ranked high by some college rating institution, professors at the tops of their fields/professors who are easily accessable by the student, and small class sizes. I'm tired of the "personalized" emails I get from admissions people using my first name as if we've met before and say "I have not yet received your ________ yet, [my first name]!" None of the places I've received crap from or visited have really appealed to me, and frankly they all seem pretty much alike.

Basically, the general strategy of "find the school you really like and you'll be fine! Huh-huh! " has failed. Miserably. None of them appeal to me, and I find the overall concept of four more years of education disgusting. Just let me go out into the world and work already!

Problem is, society (and my town specifically) demands that I continue going to school. We had an assembly in school two or three years ago for the sole purpose of watching our principal rattle off some figures of what people with different levels of education made in their lives. When I told my friends, half-jokingly, that I wasn't going to go to college they stared at me like I was some kind of freak. And that was last year. Now that it's senior year and I'm seriously considering it, they think I'm nuts and are laughing at me. My guidance counselor, while very nice and well-meaning, completely has me misread and thinks I'm the perfect college type. Most other people, parents included, go the "If you want to be somebody in this world, you have to go to college" route, which I hate but realize deep down that it's somewhat true.

The media doesn't help. All I hear about is the rising cost of tuition, which makes me think it isn't worth it, and the fact that the application process is getting more and more competitive. Thanks, guys. The daisying New York Times Magazine did an issue a few weeks back called "The College Issue" which was about, well, you know. They had a lot of articles that looked interesting, such as an essay by a student about the value of college, a look at current students and how they were coping with clothes and stuff, and, most intriguing, a look at current seniors and how they were coping with the application process.

The essay was written by an Ivy League grad who was full of himself.
The second article was basically rich, pretty students modelling ridiculously expensive clothes that no normal person would be able to afford while they're in school.
The third article dealt with two super-rich, super-smart kids deciding what Ivy they want to go to. One student was something like a three-generation legacy at Princeton and his name was something like Winthrop Horace Stanton III.

ARRRRRRRGH!!!!

Society says I need to be more educated in order to do anything.

I say I want to enjoy senior year, graduate, drive off somewhere and start working.

Am I being a wuss here? Should I just suck it up and go or do I have a legit point?

lol, people don't reward real work now adays. Even for jobs where a certain skill set or knowledge is required, they milk you for four years of GDRs, when you could take all the courses you really need in one or two years. College is one of the largest modern scams imho, but you need to if you really want to do anything in life. I have taken 9 years of school so far, and am taking my 10th now. My first career just didn't work out. :P As long as you work hard, you will be able to keep good grades and mantain a comfortable level of living. Education is good thing, as no one will take you seriously about anything if you are not educated. (and even then they may not )

Vuk

[econ21]

Basically, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all the little pamphlets they send me displaying smiling, ethnically diverse people ...

Don't judge a book by its cover. Going to university provides three to four years of your life - an experience varies greatly by the university, but more importantly by the student. The pamphlets don't even scratch the surface of what it can be like for you.

For example, at university, I spent my first year immersing myself in my studies and found it opened up a world of ideas that I still find fascinating and important. Then, I got into student politics and worked (or against) with a fascinating bunch, some of whom have since gone on to be the UK Foreign Secretary, the BBC Political Editor etc. In the end, it clarified what I wanted to do as a career - NOT politics - and set me off on that path.

I find the overall concept of four more years of education disgusting. Just let me go out into the world and work already!

One point to make is that universities are far bigger and more liberating places than schools. There's a much wider range of personal, social and academic experiences available. I rather suspect that, after you leave university, most lines of work would see the boundaries start to constrict again and your world start to shrink back.

None of the places I've received crap from or visited have really appealed to me, and frankly they all seem pretty much alike.

Universities do differ a lot both socially and academically, although that won't usually be apparent to a visitor. Academically, the differences may often be at the Departmental level - some places are good for some subjects - and the specific Professors you get also make a big difference. Generally speaking, I would aim for the Department with the best academic reputation you can get into. Most reputations have a foundation in reality.

"If you want to be somebody in this world, you have to go to college" route, which I hate but realize deep down that it's somewhat true. ...
All I hear about is the rising cost of tuition, which makes me think it isn't worth it,

This seems somewhat contradictory. Yes, tuition costs, but yes there are benefits that generally exceed those costs (or else no one would pay for the tuition). The typical estimate of the rate of return to university education is around 10% - a solid rate of return, better than you'd get from depositing into a bank, but caveat emptor. Nowadays, I think you'd have to do a PhD before the returns start to turn negative.

One student was something like a three-generation legacy at Princeton and his name was something like Winthrop Horace Stanton III.

Universities are big enough that you can find your own social niche. If you want to hang out with Winthrop Horace Stanton IIII, then at places like Princeton, you could and it would probably do you no harm if you wanted a lucrative investment banker job etc. But if you wanted to hang out with a foreign revolutionary Trotskyist draft dodger (as I did at university), you probably could too. The funny part is realising that the Trotskyist's name was the foreign equivalent of Winthrop Horace Stanton III.

[Strike For The South]

strikes plan for college

1. Drunken shenanigans

[Slug For A Butt]

strikes plan for college

1. Drunken shenanigans

And then drop out due to said drunken shenanigans, be unable to find any work that you find meaningful or well paid, be lumbered with a child that you mistakenly sired during said drunken shenanigans, feel like an underachiever your whole life, drink too much to compensate for feelings of underachieving, be unable to hold even a meaningless job due to dunkeness, live off the welfare state because you can't hold a job, marry a monster you can't bear to even look at just beacause it halves the gas bill and end up gassing yourself in a car you stole (because obviously you can't afford your own car).

Cunning plan SFTS.

[TevashSzat]

I would deeply urge you to go to college someday, preferably relatively early. You can take a year or two off to relax and do some thinking about what you want to do for your life, but in our society, the gaps between having a college education and just a high school diploma is simply too big for someone that can go to one to pass up.

While it is true that a college education isn't for everybody, I get the impressions that it should be for you.

I personally understand the overhyping of ivies as I am a junior atm in a high ranked high school with asian parents.....but with those articles and the media, they seem to focus mostly on the minorities and so their experiences are no where what the norm would be.

[Ice]

And then drop out due to said drunken shenanigans, be unable to find any work that you find meaningful or well paid, be lumbered with a child that you mistakenly sired during said drunken shenanigans, feel like an underachiever your whole life, drink too much to compensate for feelings of underachieving, be unable to hold even a meaningless job due to dunkeness, live off the welfare state because you can't hold a job, marry a monster you can't bear to even look at just beacause it halves the gas bill and end up gassing yourself in a car you stole (because obviously you can't afford your own car).

Cunning plan SFTS.

Slug FTW

[Slug For A Butt]

Ice GASOH (I know I just made that up... Get A Sense Of Humour, it was tongue in cheek )

[Ice]

Ice GASOH (I know I just made that up... Get A Sense Of Humour, it was tongue in cheek )

On the contrary, I thought it was hilarious.

[Strike For The South]

You severly underestimate my silver tounge.

[AntiochusIII]

GeneralHandkerchief: I'll tell you straight up: it's all just senioritis.

Tell people to shut up, tell them you don't know what you're going to do five years from now -- much less ten years, or the rest of your life. Tell them that's a very good thing, since it means you're not wasting your life on some well-worn, overused path. Tell them you want to do it your way and then just take it slow and easy. Those pamphlets are pretty, there are a lot of them, but in the end you won't really make your decision on them anyway.

You won't truly "find yourself" under the pressured environment of a college-going high school senior. Ever. Not unless you already figured it out long before this year. Don't even try.* Just find a relatively cheap good well-rounded college near you and get in.

*except those special cases involving Winthrop Horace Stanton III and his Ivy League alumni daddy

Honestly, a high school class compare to college is like a whole different level. The latter is far quicker, far more diverse, far more...useful. It can even be fun if you get lucky with a good lecturer at hand. It's a rather different experience compare to high school, so it isn't really yet another extension that you're thinking it is.

Me, I'm a Freshman proudly taking Husar's path. I take it easy. I got admitted to much better universities than where I am now (MSU, UW, etc. Quite amusingly, just about every one of them I submitted my applications -- and wrote my essays -- near the very last minute. They were avant-garde. ), but since I couldn't pay for those I just stay where I am for the time being. May be next year I'll move, may be the year after. Who knows? I screwed up my senior year (a grand total of 0 scholarships attempted Not to boast, but I think I could've gotten a whole bunch of them if I tried. That's what pressure does to your motivation, see? :P) and even then I still don't regret it, because what I do is most definitely my choice.

On the whole statistics thing. Well, to put it simply, on average they're absolutely correct. A college graduate is in a much better position compare to a high school graduate. The latter path is, in my opinion, best taken if you already know what you love with all the earnestness in your heart; not a very common thing I believe.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Unfortunately, most white collar jobs that pay decent money require a college education. You are kind of stuck there.

My Dad used to make into the 80,000+ a year before he lostt his job. Thing is, he has 3 colleges degrees, and been working over 30-35 years and can't find a good paying job. Today's It's Age over Education half of the time.

[QUOTE]
Quote:
Most other people, parents included, go the "If you want to be somebody in this world, you have to go to college" route, which I hate but realize deep down that it's somewhat true.


Total and utter lies. My father didn't finish college and makes more than 95% of Americans do, the vast majority who have college degrees. Granted, he had to work very hard, but it is possible.

His boss didn't even graduate high school. He received his GED and today is pulling in millions per year.

Getting a college degree opens some doors, but it isn't impossible to succeed without one.[/QUOTE

Your Boss is one of the Lucky Ones. Yea, you can make alot with only comnig out of High School, but it would take you a hell of awhile, like it been already said.

[TinCow]

I believe that college is very important, simply because there's far more to learn about life than you can accumulate by the end of High School/Secondary School. Sure, college can provide a good deal of concrete information, but what I truly learned in my 4 years was simply how to learn. I went to a good high school and considered myself very educated for my age when I graduated, but I didn't truly understand how to absorb information, weigh it, and assimilate it into my life. College taught me that, as much through continued exposure to a broad social spectrum as through actual class time.

When I entered college, I was still little more than an educated child. When I graduated college, I was a full-fledged adult. Some of that was certainly just life experiences that I would have accumulated anyway, but it is far easier to do that in a protected environment geared specifically to your age group and challenges.

On top of that, it truly DOES make a major difference on your resume. Yes, you can still succeed and be prosperous without a college degree, but, at least in the United States, it is much, much harder. On average, college graduates earn significantly more than high school graduates. Google will validate this easily, many, many times over if you spend a few minutes looking. I suppose that if your dream job is not something that requires a college education, then that decreases its necessity, but I suspect there are few people gunning for those spots.

All in all, I think there is little to debate about the value of a college education. Do it, it's worth it. Period. Plus, you'll probably have a ton of fun, I know I did.

The real balancing act comes when deciding whether or not to pursue a graduate degree. I know plenty of people (including other lawyers) who have spent many years and racked up obscene levels of debt to get a degree that gave them little to no advantage in the world. I see it like this:

1) Go to college.
2) Go to graduate school if you KNOW what you want to do with your life and a graduate degree is NECESSARY for you to be able to do it.

[Vuk]

[QUOTE={BHC}KingWarman888]My Dad used to make into the 80,000+ a year before he lostt his job. Thing is, he has 3 colleges degrees, and been working over 30-35 years and can't find a good paying job. Today's It's Age over Education half of the time.

Quote:
Most other people, parents included, go the "If you want to be somebody in this world, you have to go to college" route, which I hate but realize deep down that it's somewhat true.


Total and utter lies. My father didn't finish college and makes more than 95% of Americans do, the vast majority who have college degrees. Granted, he had to work very hard, but it is possible.

His boss didn't even graduate high school. He received his GED and today is pulling in millions per year.

Getting a college degree opens some doors, but it isn't impossible to succeed without one.[/QUOTE

Your Boss is one of the Lucky Ones. Yea, you can make alot with only comnig out of High School, but it would take you a hell of awhile, like it been already said.

That was then, not now. Nowadays, getting to a position like that is nearly impossible unless you know the right people. The few good jobs that don't require a college education are given to the employer's friends and their children.
You would regret not going to college. I would recomend it.

[edyzmedieval]

A bit early for me to think on, but I always think ahead (actually, I'm a big moaner). So, I plan on going to a very good college (Harvard or Oxford), but I still have time to think. My advice? Breathe and consider what you want to do most.

By the way, what's an Ivy League?