I wouldn't advise anyone to go to college, especially right now, especially right after high school. College in the the US, and I suspect elsewhere has grown to be a complete scam, too expensive, too useless unless you're working towards a doctorate or at least a Masters degree. In the US, and I suspect elsewhere there are SO MANY degree holders that have job experience that have been let go from their jobs, and they will be competing with you for that position. Business needs workers now that are willing to get their hands dirty...everyone thinks they're going to get a BS degree and end up sitting in an office noodling on the computer all day. Many companies look for people with BA degrees because they have a well rounded education, without focusing on any one discipline too narrowly. I'm not knocking college, but you have to weigh the investment of thousands of dollars that have to paid back (if you take a student loan) against what type of job you will actually be able to get once you graduate (if you graduate). Kris, I don't know anything about you, but from what I've read from you here; you just don't seem the college type...right now. You could head to the oil fields in the Dakotas and bring in a good chunk of money, work hard and get the experience of the job, and of life, before you decide on your future. I've been working in my field for 30 years, and those young guys living in the "man camps" are making twenty grand more a year than I am now! Certain fields are looking to replace old retiring workers right now, and they are in dire straits because no one wants to get their hands dirty anymore. Machinists, tool and die workers are only two of such fields. They will pay you to work and to go to trade school to learn the craft. You don't think you would have a good chance with a railroad with those qualifications? Read the first post I put on this thread, you aren't signing on to anything for the rest of your life...stuff happens, you'll be surprised where life takes you. I've been through schools and changed my goals many times, and many times it just comes down to dumb luck. I always thought I would end up being a pharmacist, but I cycled through Law Enforcement and then ended up in construction, and I'm very happy. I'm not loaded, but I make a good salary, and my job is not that strenuous.
I've had so many opportunities, I took some and deferred others. The same will happen to you.
I hope you will consider what I've said. If I was just out of high school and I was offered a janitor's job with a railroad, I would take it. I would work hard and keep moving up until I was CEO, but if you're going to turn your nose up at an entry level job because you "don't like this or don't like that", you're going to find out that no one will want to hire you. You would be surprised how many recent college grads would kill to get a janitor's job...anywhere. In addition to that, there's plenty of older workers who haven't had a job for two years and their unemployment is running out and their house is in foreclosure and they can't put food on the table for the kids and their wife is contemplating divorce, and THEY would slit your throat for a janitor's position, with health care benefits and maybe a 401K and a week of vacation a year.
Think about it please, this isn't the 1950's anymore, and damn few fairy tales turn out to be true.
Edit: Oh yeah, one more thing: meet girls, fall in love, have fun, but DO NOT, do not get married!
