Should I go to University or not is one of life’s big decisions that drastically shapes our future.
Do you really want to go to college or are you just looking for a piece of paper to open doors? There are a lot faster alternatives then setting foot in an actual classroom and spending an arm and leg to get that certificate. The average cost of college tuition and fees for one year is $8,893 – $30,094. You know how much I paid for my piece of paper?
Approximately $5,000.
I believe experience trumps all. What you get out of 4 years attending lectures, writing essays, and sitting finals could be had in less than a year. Imagine if you had 3 more extra years of time at your disposal.
You can get an accredited degree within less than a year. With those remaining 3 years it would take if you went the traditional route you could learn from real world experience; things that aren’t taught in a classroom.
You could travel the world. When you experience other cultures for yourself you can better relate to those around you. Imagine the adventures you would have and the stories you’ll tell when you come back. You’ll carry those memories with you forever. They’ll shape your personality and you will become a better conversationalist. A major part of being a good conversationalist is being a good storyteller, and to be a storyteller you need stories.
Who are the most interesting people that you have met until now. For me at least, it has always been those who have gotten themselves into several interesting situations.
A big part of succeeding in life is not so much about how much you know, but how much your liked. If people like you, you will always have a job. People will want to be around you, because being around you is fun and takes them away from their monotonous 9-5 routine.
How many people have you met who studied a foreign language in college but cannot even hold a conversation in that language? The best way to learn a language is complete immersion. One year in South America would do more for your Spanish than 4 years at University. After one year in Japan I passed the same level of the Japanese language proficiency test that college students do after studying for 4 years!
Traveling and learning a language aren’t the only thing you could be doing with all that freed up time. You could be learning to set up and grow your own business. 3 years is a lot of time to dedicate to something. 10,000 hours is the number that is often thrown around for how long it takes to master something. If you were to dedicate 40 hours a week for 3 years (6,240 hours) at finding a way to be financially free from ever having to work for somebody other than yourself, you would not fail.
Would you rather spend thousands of dollars to sit in a classroom just like you’ve been doing for the last 12 formal educational years of your life, or would you rather spend that money on real world experience? According to a recent study, only 67% of graduates obtain jobs in their chosen fields. The reason why graduates cannot find jobs is because they have 0 skills.
When I was 19 I got a job as a grunt in the oil industry, a job that required no formal education beyond a high school diploma. I quit that job as a supervisor at 26 making 6 figures. I learned a specialized trade and obtained valuable experience that stands out on a resume and opens doors. After quitting that job, I completed a bachelor’s degree within a year, moved to Japan. I’m not saying you should go run off to be a dirty oil worker but you could find an on the job training career and learn an in demand trade.
If you’re still set on school you could fast track your way to a bachelor’s degree and enter a master’s program much sooner while saving time and money. If you choose to go the alternative route that I did of obtaining a 4 year degree, you can still be accepted to plenty of master programs.
Everyone’s situations is different and plenty of reasons can be argued for obtaining a degree and an education in the traditional manner, but I hope I have shed light on the potential possibilities that await you if you choose not to do so.
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