Why the rush to go to college?

[Duck Sandwich]

I figured college would be my best bet at getting a good job - something I was competent at, and something I could support myself off of, so I could move out of my parents' house and stop being a burden on them.

In school, I was known for being really good at reading and spelling. I also liked reading stories/project outlines/assignments out loud to the class whenever the teacher gave the class something to read and then have one student read a paragraph or two before having another student read the next paragraph. I also liked acting in plays. So I figured voice acting would be my best career choice.

After finding out that voice actors often have to support themselves with second jobs to make ends meet, and talking to a guidance councellor, I decided to go into Radio Broadcasting to get a career as an announcer.

Long story short, I graduated college 3 months ago after two years, couldn't find a job, and felt like shit because I was unemployed and living with my parents at the age of 21. And then I got a job in construction a few weeks ago. So my college education hasn't helped me out as far as getting a job goes.... yet.

Still, I don't regret going to college, because it was a chance to live on my own and get a taste of the freedoms and responsibilities of being an adult. To use cooking as an example, sure, I had to spend a good chunk of my time cooking for myself and washing my own dishes, but being able to cook whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, however I wanted, was well worth it.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

In my experience?

Several reasons

Parents push kids because they want them to succeed in an increasingly competitive world, and also hate having a room mate who pays no rent. If your parents keep your shit in your room after you go to college, they're God-Tier parents. I know kids who came home from their High School graduation to their clothes on the doorstep.

Schools push kids by segregating them into shop kids and college prep. College prep kids are way too arrogant about their own abilities. They assume their going to storm college and get out in three years with a degree on a pre-professional track. High School in the US doesn't prepare you for college at all. It's one of the major reasons, OP, that the difficulty of high school and college flip. High School gets harder each year. College gets easier. The academics are more challenging, but nothing a person can't overcome. It's the sudden rush of responsibility that kills people. You'll find that going to college is akin to being asked to pay ungodly sums of money for your a negligent babysitter as you squirm in your chair wondering when the professor is going to start teaching. I used to think High School teachers were glorified scantron machines. Then I went to college and realized I had it wrong. It's the professors who are the scantron machines. I never saw just how much the teachers back in high school bent over backwards for people and busted their ass day in and day out to hammer basic chemistry into a bunch of ingrates' skulls.

Kids rushing off to college are often the people who fail out or do poorly in life regardless of their academic success. That 3.9 GPS comes at the price of either physical or social health. The kids who just fail are the ones with no real responsibility. I know, I was one of them. I flunked out of my first college because I had no study skills or good habits. I thought I was the shit because I made it through high school with perfect grades.

Don't be one of those kids. It's work. I didn't realize that until my second chance. But it was worth it because I'm working towards something I would rather do because I love rather than money. Fuck money, OP.

As for the shop class kids? They never know what the fuck to do because Trade Schools are baaaaad. Don't tell those kids they can lead a successful life as a welder, or a plumber, or an A/C guy.

Then kids are fueled by their favorite shows on TV. Look up and down a pre-med hall in college and everyone is tuned into House when it comes on. Possibly in the lounge. They see beautiful, young people doing exciting work. They convince themselves that if they're not a brain surgeon by 30, that their life was a let down. Those shows never show the soul crushing stuff which causes half the pre-med hall to either change paths or drop out depending on how badly they crash. Their world view is further warped by this bullshit idea that you have to be some sort of millionaire to be happy.

As for what you could do after graduation

If I had to suggest something to do, OP, I would suggest the Coast Guard or Air National Guard or Naval Reserves. You'll get mental and physical discipline, network with some powerful people, and gain a nice set of skills. They pay you, and you can go to school. The Army National Guard and Reserves are iffy because they don't have tour limits like Active duty, which means you can be put in Afghanistan over and over and over again with no time to study. The regular Navy basically also has no time for study while you're at sea.

 

[Worgen]

its better to take a year or 2 off after high school, I made the mistake of going straight into college and I fucked it up rather badly, I mean I finished the program I was in but I had no intention of going into the field I studied

 

[Biosophilogical]

\Isn't 15-17 a little young to be making those decisions?

I'm 17 and in my first year of university. I have no idea what I want to do, so I'm doing psychology (because f*** engineering). But I agree, you go from "I wonder what subjects I want to do ... screw it, I'm going to go hang out with my mates" to "This choice will determine your social and financial future ... no pressure." It is a lot to dump on someone all at once, and yet because it is still 'school' it manages to carry the responsibility of your entire future, while only appearing to have the responsibility of what you've been doing for the past twelve years.

 

[The Lawn]

I'm 23 and I only just started working on my Bachelors degree, because I spent 4 years pretty much finding out what I never ever would want to do again, let alone as a job.

I wanted to do web design in high school, got good at it, took a freelance job. Hated it because my client changed his fucking mind every 2 seconds. And I had to make about 30 different, almost totally finished end products.

Then I wanted to learn programming, which was fun, but far too tedious for my ADHD addled mind.

Then it was art, but then I realized I sucked at art, so I stopped.

Then architecture, which I was ok at and I liked making buildings. But too many regulations and details for my tastes which led to what I'm doing now.

Which is 3D Design, all the fun of architecture with none of the bother! Which means I can also work in architecture doing previzualiazation, or do CG for movies and level design for games.

 

[Chasing-The-Light]

Maybe I'm the odd one out, here, from what I read it seems like it. I went into college straight out of high school. But at the same time, I've known what I want to do with my life since I was in the 11th grade, too. I'm one of those rarities, i guess, that actually really likes school and can't imagine having done anything less.

College was a good decision for me, personally, because I know that if I'd taken a year off I wouldn't have had the drive to go back. Or it would've been harder to work up that will.

I suppose it's really all up to you -what kind of person you are. You can go to college straight out undeclared and search for something you're good at. Or you can wait a year and try to find something you want to do, and then go for that. Or go to trade school. Or... well... you get the idea. The possibilities are endless, really. ^^;

Best of luck

 

[Polarity27]

Well, the longer you wait, the more your study skills and essay skills will decay. Also, depending on the industry, a lot of employers won't look at you without a 4-year degree and you also make less without it.

Believe me, my husband is kicking himself for not getting a 4-yr degree instead of a 2-yr degree. He'd have more job offers, and he'd be making $20k more than he is right now. It matters.

But idk, it could be better to take a year off to work and figure out what you want than wasting your student loan money in college & not knowing what you want to do.

 

[spartan231490]

I've never understood it. The last couple years (I'm going into my senior year of high school) pretty much everyone I meet asks "Where are you going to college?" or "What careers are you looking at?" And really, here is the answer I really want to give:

I HAVEN'T FUCKING DECIDED YET SO STOP ASKING ME!!! I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I MAKE A DECISION!!

There, that's out of my system. But I really just want to know why everyone's in such a rush, and why there's so much pressure to get started with your life right out of high school. I understand wanting to get on with your life, really, I do, and I do plan to go to college. I just don't know where, or what I want to do yet. And it seems like everyone expects me to have it all figured out. Isn't 15-17 a little young to be making those decisions? What if I spend the rest of my life miserable because I made a hasty decision at 17 while under pressure from a guidance counselor? That's mainly what I'm worried about.

Basically, I've worked like a dog since I was like 12 and now that it looks like my senior year is going to be my toughest yet, I'm seriously thinking I might just take a break (like a year off school) after I graduate. What are the (good) reasons to go to college right out of high school?

Part of the rush is that it's generally easier to get scholarships right out of college. It's also a bit of a social stigma to go straight to the work force, even if you intend to go to college later. The other major pressure, is that it's really fucking hard to get a job as a high-school grad who's not going to college in the current economy.

Also, don't worry about not knowing where you're going, I didn't and I figured it out without too big of an issue. Just don't make the same mistake I did and pick something specific just because you think you might like it. go for undeclared major, and knock out your universal requirements while taking a class or two in various subjects every semester. You'll figure it out pretty quick.

Taking a year off makes it harder to get accepted, and harder to get scholarships, I really don't suggest it. If you really need a break, and god I understand if you do, i strongly suggest just going for undeclared major and taking easy classes for a year. Trust me, most classes that fulfill universal requirements could be passed by an untrained monkey.(In the US anyway.)

 

[Mr. 47]

Preservation of knowledge? Can you honestly say that you can remember facts, and do math at the same level as you can during the school year, mid-summer? It's easier to just keep going, you may forget some things otherwise.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

No good reasons that I know of. But people act like if you don't go the moment you get out of high school, your life will be ruined and you'll be forced to be a beggar for the rest of your life.

 

[Mandalore_15]

Some people (like me) already know what they want to do with their life so why not just go right into college that and I don't know if this is true but I overheard someone in my class talking about it is that they wanted to take a year off between high school and college but she couldn't because she'd be taken off her parents insurance because she wasn't in school.

So what do you want to do with your life?

My future goal is to be an Intel Officer in the air force and I am currently in college working on an intelligence degree.

You can do a degree in that? Wow, I had no idea. Is it good/reputable?

 

[Cazza]

They put pressure on students so you don't neglect it and end up that 25 still with no plans for the future.

 

[parky85]

You should go into uni knowing what your working towards.

Otherwise, you'll end up like my brother who spent 4 years working at business related studies and do something completely different.

He now has a 5-15k bill hanging over his head.

personally the last thing i want to do after being at school for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for 13 years is go and do MORE school.

These are your golden years, im taking time off work to try new things and just have FUN.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Why the rush? Well for one thing when you leave school and go out to work it becomes much harder to transition back into school since you will have other concerns. For another thing after a few years paying for college becomes less what your parents can do and more what what you can do. Aside from that, you really should have some idea where you're going to college if you plan to go to college right away by your senior years since you need to apply mid-way thorough senior year and thus should be looking at stuff by the begging of the year.

Aside from that, Haha, worked like a dog since 12, yeah good one. College will demand that much from you during your first year, and gets harder every subsequent year. Good luck with learning that lesson!

 

[Littlee300]

Why the rush? Well for one thing when you leave school and go out to work it becomes much harder to transition back into school since you will have other concerns. For another thing after a few years paying for college becomes less what your parents can do and more what what you can do. Aside from that, you really should have some idea where you're going to college if you plan to go to college right away by your senior years since you need to apply mid-way thorough senior year and thus should be looking at stuff by the begging of the year.

Aside from that, Haha, worked like a dog since 12, yeah good one. College will demand that much from you during your first year, and gets harder every subsequent year. Good luck with learning that lesson!

Also, move out from parents with a sense of career security

Extending on this.

 

[Jedoro]

Don't worry about the rush, just find what you want to do in life. If you have to go to college to do it, then do so. Me, I'm an unarmed security officer, and I honestly believe I've found the field I'd like to stay in. Come December, I'll go armed and get about a 50% raise. Once I've done that two years, I can go into force protection and make even more. I'm honestly tempted to just stop going to college and make this my career.

If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.

 

[Nouw]

Isn't it easier to transfer from school life to school life instead of lazy life to school life? Also, time is scarce. You'll probably end up spending the year in College much more effectively and productively than a year doing something else.

I really don't know jack but that's just my thoughts.