College...what is it good for?

Ah, college.   I remember college.  Briefly.   I spent about 8 months in college, before deciding it was not where I needed to be at the time.  I was totally unprepared for the class workloads, having just skated my way through high school and still getting a 3.9 GPA.   I was also unprepared to choose classes that were supposed to be heading me towards a major, and on to an illustrious career choice, when I had NO IDEA what I wanted to do!   I was pretty good in my Spanish classes in high school, so I just followed the path of least resistance and thought I might like to teach ESL classes for a living.  
Besides, all my friends had gone on to college, and that's where I was supposed to be also, right?   Only one of my close friends had stayed around to go to our hometown college.   That first day of class, when they tell you to "look to your left and look to your right, one of you will not be here on graduation day,"  I was that person.    I bailed after the start of second semester, completely disillusioned with the college experience.  
My friend stayed on.  She even moved into a campus apartment, joined a sorority and had a typical college experience....   

Watch this video and I'll tell you the rest of my story............



Rising debt is one key reason why our guest James Altucher, a hedge-fund manager and author, argues: Don't send your kids to college!

"There's a lot of evidence to suggest that motivated kids are going to make money whether or not they go to college," says Altucher, managing partner at Formula Capital. "So teach your kids how to be motivated. Teach your kids how to sell a product, build a network of connections. That's going to be far more valuable."

 
....My friend went on to work full-time through school, partying, studying late into the night, racking up massive amounts of student loans.  She succeeded in getting a corporate job making a decent salary, but to this day she is still paying off those college loans.   I joined the military, to go see the world and give myself some more time to mature before settling into a "career."   I saw what life was like for people in other parts of the world, got valuable real world experience and walked away with a Top Secret Security clearance.    I also didn't owe them a penny when I left, in fact, they still pay me every month for my service injuries.    I got the first job I interviewed for out of the military and to my astonishment, I was making MUCH MORE than my degree-driven friend.    Hubby finds it the exact same in his line of work.  Experience and time in the field are usually worth way more than a piece of expensive paper.    
 
For students who absolutely want or need that degree to pursue their chosen field, there are plenty of ways to have a college degree without the typical 4 years on campus and the horrendous Student Loans!   Check out College Plus, University of Phoenix, and Liberty University just to name a few.