Top 10 reasons NOT to go to college
69Top 10 reasons NOT to go to college
Ok, I'm self employed, self thought in what I do. I'm enjoying my freedom, my good income and being able to take any opportunity this magic of life offers me. I'm planning to write a couple of articles on this subject and here is my first one. I'm not saying that college isn't the choice for some careers, but here's what's great about not going to college. So the top 10 reasons not to go to college are:
- You can self learn these days better then you ever could, internet is amazing, books are available online (for order or for reading), sites like Wikipedia are true jewels
- You can learn from others - amazingly, but I've seen so much sharing online in terms of knowledge, nobody will give you "paint by numbers" scheme for anything, but all the puzzle pieces are out there to get
- You can cover amazing combinations of knowledge areas that you possibly couldn't during your formal education
- You can choose a career, and I really mean choose it, your own career. How many career openings can you create for yourself? Countless, exactly.
- You can learn when you want, you can instantly apply what you learn in your projects and learn on real, live examples of your own work - this way you can make money to support your self learning and development. You can also take other jobs while self educating which will support you.
- You can stay at home or go to another city or go to another planet, when it's possible, no more having to go to exactly x or y location because that particular college is there
- How much was the cost of that college again? Self education and self learning is free. Maybe you'll have to buy a book or two here or there, but what's that in comparison to the cost of college?
- You learn to be independent, to be responsible
- I've decided to make last two points about fun things, because that's a good part of what self education is. So, self education is party all the time. Why? Because you're doing and learning what you want and you'll probably continue to do so because you'll start to work from home. You can have a party any time, you can practice your passions. Your passions are your subjects when you're self thought.
- You can always be in your underwear. I mean, if you want to. If you don't... you don't have to. Get me? :)
CommentsLoading...
I think not going to college can help a lot to many people.
I agree with a lot of your points. I think though that college is the first time young people live on their own, think intensively on their own, and have to manage their workload and independence without a lot of guidance. It's not the only way you can do these things of course.
In some countries students stay with their parents through college in most cases because they go to their city's university. This is so in many parts of Europe. Just wanted to reply to the part of your comment concerning this :)
yes..theres everything online...
Self education, travel, and taking risks all help to make you different. Being different helps you to enjoy life more and ultimately achieve a more fulfilling life. College study can be ok for some, but not necessarily for those who believe in themselves and want to follow the journey of life.
Exactly.
I like number 4. I'm a journalism student but I was accepted for my first job... which is what I really want to do, but not journalism-related. I didn't want to let my major get in my way.
you have to work for the rest of you life anyways so why not go to college? you earn nearly twice as much a year than just high school graduates. with a high school diploma, you earn a little over 1 million dollars over a lifetime. but with a masters or higher diploma you earn about 4 million during a life time. a lot of people aren't aware of the long term benefits of a college degree. when it comes time to look for a job or a career, employers will take advantage of the higher educated person. a college education offers so many befenfits rather than self learning.
I don't think Bill Gates, having only a high school education, would agree with you.
Bill Gates? honestly i could care less if some billionaire would agree with me spacebull. yes there are several people who are successful with just a high school diploma. But for most citizens, i'd say that having a college education makes them a lot better off. There is nothing wrong with self learning, especially with the internet, but you have a better experience all around with college. i'm going through college. college is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and i wouldnt be the person i am or ever will be without it. if you have just a high school diploma. . . why aren't you like Bill Gates?
I've displayed my arguments above.
This is the craziest article I have ever read and the most misleading. How you define "good income" is something a high school student might read and think they can make six figures plus with. Granted that can happen, but is very far and few between. I am all for finding oneself, but do that after you have an education, anything from a two year degree, tech certificate, or anything so there is a fall back plan.
this article is so wrong!
1.) i dont even want to do my college work now when im being graded for it, i would for sure not do it if i had to teach myself
2.)sure you can research on the computer but keep in mind anyone can put anyting on the computer and it is not always true.
3.)appartently the author of this article has never been to college, they require you to take so many different classes you are almost forced to learn aboutalot of different things.
4.)you cannot create your own career openings without an education, if it was this easy the unemployment rate would not be as high as it is now.
5.)in college you get to pick your schedule and when your in class. you can also schedule your classes around a job you have so your making money.
6.) GET OUT OF YOUR PARENTS HOUSE THEIR TIRED OF YOU BY NOW!
7.)hello, there is a nice little thing called scholarships that will pay for your entire education, get your lazy but off the couch and submit one!
8.)pssshh, moving away from home and living on your own does not even come close to teaching you how to be independent as having your parents help you learn algebra! yeah right :)
9.) HAHA now i can tell you really havent been to college. there is a party everynight somewhere you can go to. oh yeah and you do get to pick your major so you are studying what you want to learn about (and your being taught by professionals!!)
10.) i have seen people come to class in pj's, underwere, you name it iv seen it. thats not my cup of tea but hey if it floats your boat go for it
just cause you are to poor to go to collage dosen't mean you should incourage others not to. I mean if you want to end up working up at mcdonalds or burger king then go ahead and skip collage but if you want a good job that one day your kids can be proud of then you need to go to collage.
Actually, look at the richest 1000 people in the world. Take away the lawyers and oil-rich Arabians. One in ten of those left will have degrees. It's all about drive and ambition, look at Sir Alan Sugar, a poor kid from London, started selling things, now one of the richest men in England (for Americans who haven't heard of him, he's often on the British version of the Apprentice)
My father is self-taught, no high school diploma, certainly no college, and is worth seven figures. He is far from "working at McDonald's",and he has started, built and sold, 3 business in the last 40 years, all with an eighth grade education. There was a newspaper article written about him comparing him to Horatio Alger (the "rags to riches" man...)in the local paper back then. He is now 74, has a pacemaker, diabetes, and had a knee replacement and still works four days a week, because he loves to work. But-his greatest regret in life was that he never got his diploma. He always felt that he would not have had to work so hard if he had gone on to finish school.
He only had two rules for me-"Don't get thrown in jail" and "Please graduate from school". I lived up to both. My youngest son was the first in our family to graduate college in our family, but we are all successful. self-educated, but successful. It can be done, but it is far from easy...
Interesting hub!
Laura Thykeson
Thanks for the interesting story, Laura.
if college is the answer why are there so many college grads unemployed and even more working in an inviroment that requires no college. I have 6 to 8 friends that went to college,,have a degree and all make less then me and I only make in the mid 40s ????????????????
I can not believe how many so called " educated " idiots are posting on here. At least learn proper grammar and spelling before spouting off your foolishness! I did not graduate from college and am self employed in a trade, I make 6 figures and control my own schedule. Colleges have alot of you fools hooked on their B.S. You are like drug addicts willing to pay for worthless degrees just to say you have one! Colleges keep raising tuition and you fools keep begging to get in even when the piece of paper is worth less. Businesses have to lower prices and reduce labor in a down market. When is the last time you saw tuition on "sale". If you have an entrepreneur spirit like me. Then stop wasting your time with Profs who couldn't make it in the real world and drive broken down volvos and "deserve life long security in the form of tenure" give me a break. Stop falling for the lie you can't make it with out college. These places are the dregs of moral society. The teaching completely discludes God and for the Christian student, that is completely un biblical. Yes , there actually is a standard we are to live our lives by , and learning from false teachers for the promise of making "more money is not it" Accelerate your education if you must go to college , but only do it if you must! Doctor, Lawyer , engineer, the rest is B.S.
I have 1 friend from high-school who knew he didn't want to go to college...he pursued his own entrepreneurial dreams and became very successful
I have another friend who always wanted to be an engineer...he went to college to study engineering and he's just as successful
Of course I have lots of friends that are all over the map and in-between too
College is a part of the world, not all of it
Your are so wrong, College opens the doors for so many young students, and MANY MANY MANY employers will pay for their employees to go to college.
The author is correct. College is a Commerial Business and it sells classes prolonging your success. Not to mention loans are for retards. If you are gonna go, go for a trade because anything else would be idiotic. Seriously anything can be learn online, or library. why would you pay for air, when you can breathe it for free. get me? Not to mention college is for socilization skills not for entrepreneur skills. College teaches you how to be a employee and a business owner and investor.
This rocks
This is a really old post, I know, but I want to comment. I think the most important point is that this is completely subjective, how could you not understand that? Anyone saying WRONG WRONG WRONG, or that the author is right, you are wrong. It is a different scenario with every person. Yes, one case involving a billionaire genius is not a good argument, and no, misspelling a word or placing a comma in the wrong spot does not take away from someones point. You are the foolish one for even commenting on that.
I am someone struggling with this case right now. I have money for college, inherited money. What do I do? Do I spend it on college, on things that, so far, I really HAVE taught myself? I am a student at UCLA, and I really like it here. I know I can be a "successful" person by societies standards, but should I follow my dream and seek out a different life instead? Do I travel and attempt to start my own company based on the things I hope I will learn, and teach myself?
That is not a question I am asking you to answer because you cannot. You would be "foolish" to try. But if you step back, and take an intellectual, unbiased stance on the issue, then you can possibly attempt to have a conversation about it.
But too bad this post is probably dead, and I am wasting my time.
-Me.
Hey, it's not dead ;-) And thanks for your input.
Who needs college when you can be a UPS driver & make $1100 a week,which is $30,000 a year with benifits. Plus 15 hours of OT is $97,000 & 20 hours of OT is $109,000.
Oh,wait.......they changed it.....it's $75,000 a year
I am 19 years old kinda wished i had gone to college have no money and am wondering what I should do but this post has given me some inspiration and hope that its not just about college and that alternatives exist so thats cool and I can still be successful if I work hard and set my mind on becoming a better me.
spelling is a refined art, and just cause i dont know how to say "play saxaphone" doesnt mean im dumb
Sheeple who have all the independant thought, creativity, and desire to change the world bread out of them (through school and institutionalization) NEED college to succeed and continue their material existences. (If it works for them?)
others of us want purpose in life, we may want to know we can do it on our own, we may realize most of the world lives with passed down knowledge and trade wisdom from their elders, and yes college may be free FOR YOU but someone is paying and its perpetuating segregation of people. Ie. Rich poor Dumb smart.. right, wrong!
oh yea cramming, coffee, pizza, technology gree, and lust that is accompanied with american education is not what i want in my life
self taught in what you do*
it seems to me that this entire forum is about money. I don't care if you have a reasonable income with only a high school diploma as chances are you have offered this world extremely little. An education teaches us how to interpret the world around us: the greatest thinkers (even those without a college degree) have invested incredible amounts of time in study. This is what college is, an opportunity to gain knowledge before scrambling to secure a reasonable income. I cannot take you seriously when you quote einstein to support your advocation of lesser education. Einstein's comment about formal education does not mean college, he himself pursued many times the equivalent of a college degree in research and I highly doubt high school any high school grad in the damn country will educate themselves to that degree. I also challenge you or any high school grad to give an example of the ingenuity that propelled them to greatness in lieu of a college degree: what is this creativity that has made you so successful. The take away is: are you just making money or are you making money while contributing something to the world other than a task that could be learned by any one without any education in a day or two?
mak, what is your job? what do you do in life? what creativity to you have? The students of ivy league schools are critical thinkers, international mathematics olympiad participants, young businessmen, innovators and the most driven people in the entire educational system. Why do impoverished people from around the globe seek higher education at the risk of their own life? My guess is you lack the discipline and capacity to think required of higher education and will be employed in an insignificant job that yields enough income for you to feel successful. You will watch your life slip away from bill to bill and will have contributed nothing to the world because in order to contribute you must be able to surpass those before you and without an education you will fall short. Please send your children to college
@UPS4life Yep, no wonder the FED bailed out UPS....
Just FYI, to those who think mentioning Bill Gates or Einstein when they say education is overrated: the only reason those people are famous, successful and renowned is by their own talent and innate abilities. They are anomalies. Most people need the education and self-betterment is always a wise choice.
cgull8m 4 years ago
Thanks to online there are plenty of learning opportunities, but I still think School is good headstart after which we can go in thousands of directions. I had a great time in school and learnt a lot.