5 Reasons To Wait To Go To College

Going to college is one of the biggest decisions of a person's life, but it can produce unnecessary stress, debt and regret if not done in the context or under the right circumstances. In order to evaluate if you have the time and resources to devote to higher education, you need to sit down, think about your current situation, and determine if college will make you better off in the long run. College isn't just a "take it and run with it idea." Some people forgo the opportunity because they are satisfied with their lives regardless of a college education. Here are some reasons why you might want to put college on hold (at least for the moment).

You've got no money.

My high school counselor once told me, "It is highly recommended that you do not take out a student loan if you don't have to." She knew that the interest rates (as high as 7+%) would drag a person down, especially a fresh college graduate. Some people spend their whole lives paying back one stupid loan that garnered so much interest it snowballed into a nightmare.

If you don't have enough money at the moment, you should probably try your best to get a job and earn some before investing in your education. Plenty of people go to college and work part time, but for others the stress is too much. By spreading yourself too thin, you've successfully nullified any positive effects college could have for you. Added to the fact that if your family's finances aren't in the best of situations, you will be putting unnecessary stress on yourself and your parents.

You've got kids.

Before I hear the outcry of "I went to college and raised my kids just fine," I want to establish that many people DO successfully complete college with children, but they usually have someone such as a spouse or family member to help them out.

Anyone who's had kids knows that they need 24/7 supervision early on in their lives, and it would be irresponsible to leave them alone while you go off to study Biochemistry. Especially if you're young ( >23), you probably don't have a steady source of income to support yourself and your child in addition to pay for college. In essence, society treats you as if you're on your knees. You're not lying on the ground, yet you can't support yourself on your two legs just yet.

Now would be a good time to re-evaluate your priorities and think about your situation. The early part of a child's life is the most important, so you want to be able to provide your parenting skills to lay a strong foundation for your children. At the same time, if you decide not to go to college, who knows where life might take you? You might never get the chance to complete a degree again. Depending on your specific circumstances (i.e. how much help you have from your family, how much money, you have, etc.) the decision is up to you. But remember that college is a 4 year commitment, and some people consider dropping out as a waste.

You've got cash inflow.

If you somehow have a job, whether it be through your parents or your own inquiries, take some time to think about if higher education is actually worth it. Especially if you're the heir to a company, you may have hundreds and thousands of jobs in the palm of your hand. Your current standing in society may take you to higher grounds than a college education might ever take you, and if you put down a job in society to pursue academia, that chance may never open up again. Being lucratively successful is a combination of being prepared, and being in the right place at the right time. Life is full of tough decisions.

If you're somehow doing something that has bigger implications to you than a college education, by all means pursue your passion. Michael Dell dropped out, and so did Bill Gates. These 2 men, although among the most successful people on earth, urge you to finish your college education if you have the chance. Even so, look how far they got? So depending on your current circumstances with respect to your ambitions, passions, and pursuits, you may want to think twice about entering college.

You've got family issues.

You may not have irresponsible family members; maybe bad situation turned into worse, and now you're the breadwinner of your family. Even IF you could make it on your own by supporting yourself by going to college, you owe it to your family to take care of them. Relatives, no matter how troublesome they may be, are still relatives.

You're not ready.

Although many people would laugh at you for making such a decision, some people just aren't ready to go straight off to college. They would rather take a year off, experience the joys of our brutal society, or even travel the world. It is customary for students to enter college right out of high school, but everyone is different, and just because other people follow the crowd doesn't mean you should.

But beware, as you may think you've got everything figured out and you're just "experiencing life," but you may end up squandering your time on useless pursuits which end up nowhere. When you've matured and come back to your senses, 3 years have gone by and everyone's on their way to work at Fortune 500 companies and you're in your pajamas making a peanut butter sandwich.

Everyone has their own priorities, so think long and hard before you make any decisions. Consider every situation from every possible angle before you take any action, because you only live this life once, and when time goes by, you won't get it back.