Need Some Guidance

[Steven Ladner]

I'm 19 and am not too far into junior college. I'm about to register for my Spring classes and am feeling like it's just not for me. I've been struggling this past couple of months with staying motivated enough to keep my grades good and would like to just drop out. At this point, if I stay dedicated with work I could have the chance to make a good enough living in a couple of years to keep me satisfied. I have already made up my mind on dropping out, but could use some guidance.

My questions is, what would be the best way to go about telling my parents? I'm ready to pay them back for the money that they've spent for my first semester. For those parents who have older children, what kind of approach would you want them to take if they were going to tell you they were finished? I appreciate any comments and suggestions.

[preach4bass]

if I stay dedicated with work I could have the chance to make a good enough living in a couple of years to keep me satisfied.

That sounds like a very promising dream job. ;D

On a more serious note, college isn't for everyone.  When you tell your parents that you've decided to drop out of school, tell them what career path you would like to pursue, and ask them for their advice.  Good luck.

[Stasher1]

The job you have today might not be around at this time next year. Get an education while you can. 

[.dsaavedra.]

they're your parents. just tell them. sure they probably won't be happy about it but you're their son, surely they'll support your decision to some degree.

[Carrington]

If you drop out then that will be a major wow moment when you look back.  You will regret doing that.  Stay in and find a major that you like.  Your not always going to be motivated to do something but you just have to do it, dont quit just because its hard.

[OHIO]

I recently told my parents about me dropping out of college.

They weren't necessarily mad, but they weren't ecstatic either.

They may be mad for a little while, but they will get over it and most likely support your decision.

My situation is a little different though because I am going to a trade school next year, so I am not dropping out forever.

I would make sure you have a good plan for a career before you make any major decisions though. 

[Jigfishn10]

This is coming from a person that was in your shoes over 20 years ago. I got out of high school went away to college and lasted 1 semester. Came back home went to a local college and finished my freshman year.

I was like you I dropped out. I was working thru college and when I dropped out and went full time. I thought I was on top of the world. I was young and had money.

The economy sank like a rock, much the way it is now and the company I was working for went out of business. Now I'm 23, no job, can't find a job in a high unemployment environment with no higher education and enough years experience to speak of.

I decided to go back to college in a completely different major. I approached my dad for financial help only to be turned down. I couldn't blame him for his decision. I enrolled into college and attended nights while working in my field of concentration during the day. It took 2 more years to earn my degree than it would have taken if I had went during the day full time. I was 29 when I finally finished school and I should have been 22. Let me tell ya, losing those 7 years cost me a ton of money in salary.

Stay in school. It may sound like a burden now, but you never know what will happen in 6 months to a year later if something happens with your current occupation and economy.

MHO

[Grey Wolf]

It all depends on your parents , if they had their hearts set on you going to school , you'll probably get a lot of flak from them.

Make sure you have a feasible alternative to fall back on , it might sooth your confrontation that you're probably going to have with your parents.

Last but not least , you have to be true to yourself and if you feel you are not cut out for college , don't get caught up with what Mommy and Daddy wants. You'll have a miserable life.

[Uncle Leo]

More then anything you better have a life plan laid out to discuss with them. I am sure they want the best for you if you can detail out what you will do with the rest of your life I am sure they will understand.

[dave]

Stay in school. Every young person thinks they have it figured out. Trust us, you don't. Stick it out. You never know what the next ten, twenty...forty years will hold. Bet you one thing, more doors open to a college grad over your life time than will open for anyone without one.

[CFFF 1.5]

I agree that a conventional 4 year college isn't for everyone but you have to consider what type of work you expect to be doing that will earn you a decent living. While right now you only have to support yourself at some point you will most likely have to support your own family or partly support your own family.

You should think really hard about what you want to do with your life career wise and either focus your studies on that or find a trade/technical school and change your focus to that.

[K_Mac]

As a father who had a child in this situation some years ago, I will give you my opinion. I agree with those who say college is not for everyone, but if you have the opportunity to go, and the intellect to handle the work there is no reason not to in my opinion.

I say this for a couple of reasons. The first one is not directly related to money. You will be exposed to ideas and information that will make you more aware of the world you live in. Knowledge is a powerful thing. Next are the doors that will be opened simply by completing a degree. It may be arbitrary and even stupid sometimes, but there are many positions you will not get without a degree. Some of them you may be qualified for in every other respect; it won't get you the job. The job you have now may work out just fine, but the odds are against it. It may have the potential to meet your needs in the future, of course you don't really know what those needs will be at this point.

You may not like school at this time. I get it. Go anyway. You will be glad you did. Not going to school dramatically increases your chances of working in a job you don't really like for the rest of your life.

[bowfish12]

If the reason for dropping out is you don't know what you want your career to be then you need to.  You need to finish this semester with the best grades you can.

The reason I say this is that if you don't have the desire or know exactly what you want to do with your career you will end up wasting 2-3K for next semester.

Get you a full time job for a year or two and figure out exactly what you want to do with your life.  If it requires a degree at least you aren't $10k in debt from when you were 19 and "trying" to figure out what you wanted to do.

I did the same thing when I came straight out of high school.  Wish I would have just started working instead of wasting that money. I've figured out what I want to do and it requires a degree so I'm back in school, and this time I actually enjoy going.

[K_Mac]

Bowfish12 brings up a good point. Going back to school after you've had a chance to get some life experience is not always bad. That is the route I took. I didn't really have any choice about going to work after high school.

The problem with the idea of going back later on is that life often gets in the way. I'm not saying it can't work, but more often it does not. I wish you well either way.

[scbassin]

I was in your shoes. I dropped out joined the Navy, retired after 21 years & went back to school.

[Captain Obvious]

If you find it so hard to stay focus on school why can you stay so dedicated to work?

You sound like a your willing to work hard when he know it will benefit you. Now you just have to see how school will benefit you.

It sounds to me like your coming to the end of a long semester and your at the point where your wondering if any of this really matters.

Junior  college is just the boring stuff that gets you into the big schools. Once you end up in a major you like you'll have no problem staying motivated.

Stick it out man and stay in school,  we all have our ups and downs and this is just one of those semesters that has a lot more down then up

 

[fourbizz]

I cant believe I got deleted yet again. This place is lame.

[Root beer]

If college is not right for you, read into trade school.

The whole "education gets you a job" got blown out of proportion in this country. In today's market, experience out weight the education. A bachelors degree doesn't get you a job right away. To make matters worse, it hard to gain experience if no one will hire you fresh out of school. :