When deciding to go to invest in an education you really have to take a good look at yourself and BE HONEST about your strengths and weaknesses. Trust me. It will save you from avoidable heartache, stress and annoying debt in the long run. Too often do young people think, “I don’t need college. I’m going to start my business.” Although that may very well be true, it is wise to consider if skill set necessary to be business owner? Do you know the basics of accounting, business law, marketing, product development, etc. Are you a teenage genius in technology, engineering, etc? Do you have $30K – 100K+ stashed in your bank account as startup money? If not, do you know how to write a compelling business plan to acquire investors? If you answered “no” to these questions, you may want to consider investing in some sort of professional education.

Let’s say you are one of those people who have an idea of what they want to do but do not know, specifically, what career path to take. Going to college could help. In college you are exposed to many industries and professional groups that help you make that decision. It also buys you time to get yourself together by sharpening your skill set to be competitive in the workforce. Use your electives for meaningful exploration and not for an easy A. You may absolutely hate the class but at least you can check something off the list. I went into college wanting to get into business. I had no clue what type of business and changed my major 5 times. I ended up figuring out what I wanted to do my senior year (Marketing) but by then I had too many credits in the wrong direction to switch my major. I would have had to stay and extra 2 years. I said “Bump that, I’m out”. I graduated from the school of Hospitality Management with a minor in Marketing. I hated hotels and felt Event Planners worked too hard for too little money. Eventually I went back to school for Digital Marketing and now have a successful career in that field.

I will be the first to say I do not believe college is for everyone. Having said that, if you plan to work in a particular profession within an already established industry, I highly recommend getting a bachelor’s degree in something. If you ever plan to grow into management, it will serve you best to get a degree. For instance, many will say “I want to be a graphic designer. Why do I need to get a degree for that. Well my friend, as you grow in your profession you could cap out in salary at some point and want to get into management such as Creative Lead or Creative Director. Many companies require a bachelor’s degree for such position. Experience means a lot but your degree could either give you a leg up or be the only reason you are considered depending on the circumstance.

Three Things I wish someone told me before college:

1. Discover your passion and find ways to make money doing it. Understand the workforce and where there are needs.
2. Big Universities are not always the best route to take. Universities are big business. Be sure that you will get out of your 4 years what you put into it. They make lots of money off of you. Be sure you are able to do that same.
3. College is not for everyone BUT… You better dang well have a plan for how to make a living (sustain 70K+ per year) if you decide not to get an education