I am not saying this because I am a stupid person and don’t meet the requirements to get into a good school and want to make myself feel better. I got a 1320 on my SATS, my gpa is 89.8 +or- .1 I have many EC (national ski patrol, starting young republican club, many hours cycling and racing, other bs stuff too.). I applied to some schools: SUNY binghamton, SUNY buffalo, george washington, babson, northeastern and UVM. I don’t care which one I get into, and I believe that my chances of getting into at least one of these schools is pretty good. so I’m not to worried.
The only thing is. I really do not want to attend college. I have always hated school, and while getting a degree might be important. all I want to do is work at a Bike shop or something ( I already have the skills for repair,fitting,ect) and cycle all summer and ski all winter sounds good to me. at times I even hope I get rejected from these schools so my parents can’t force me to attend. everyone says I will throw my future away but I think that going to school and throwing 160k (probably like 200k+ w/ interest on a loan) is worse. I don’t even know what i want to go for. I applied all undecided. I dunno, I have thought about joining the marines for a few years. Just thought I would see if anyone had any thoughts. Should I go? Should I not go? what do you all think?
<p>Don't feel guilty, maybe college just isn't for you. Or maybe you just havent figured out what you want to do yet. My advice- tell yourself you'll try it for one semester. Go to school, live the dorm experience. If January comes, and you still feel like your wasting your time, drop out and do what you really want to in life. Life is short, don't waste it doing what other people want you to do. But then again, don't miss out on anything just for the sake of rebellion either. Best of luck.</p>
<p>I was exactly like this after I graduated high school back in the mid 90s. I just wanted to work and party. I took about five years off to enjoy my youth with no responsibilities then started as a freshman at 23 years old. Now I am an alum. Take time off if you don't feel its right, right now. No shame in enjoying your youth.</p>
<p>stargzrlilychk, I can see where you might get the idea that someone would not apply to college only because everyone else is, they are mad at the world, mad at thier parents parents, think they are trapped artists, nonconformists, vampires, or whatever. But I am not one of those people and dont consider myself a "rebellious" person or whatever, I am pretty average. I would never do anything just becuase I was ****ed off my parents or whatever.</p>
<p>at most colleges you can defer your admission for a year. you could always do that, see how you like what you're doing for that year, and go from there.</p>
<p>Go watch Animal House or Back to School or something similar. Don't start out with a very hectic schedule, just ease into it. You might enjoy it. I don't know what better way to live up your youth than in college with people your age.</p>
<p>"at times I even hope I get rejected from these schools so my parents can't force me to attend. everyone says I will throw my future away but I think that going to school and throwing 160k (probably like 200k+ w/ interest on a loan) is worse. I don't even know what i want to go for. I applied all undecided. I dunno, I have thought about joining the marines for a few years. Just thought I would see if anyone had any thoughts. Should I go? Should I not go? what do you all think?"</p>
<p>I think you know what you want to do. Don't force yourself into something you are not ready for, if you are not willing to take that stretch.</p>
<p>But you've already applied, so that part is taken care of. Wait until April and see how you feel then, based on where you are accepted.</p>
<p>You can also look into deferring an acceptance and taking a gap year. Do volunteer work abroad. Take a few community college classes and see how they go. Work in a bike shop for a year. Save money for college. Look up emeraldkity4 on this board. Her daughter took a gap year, and she has good advice. </p>
<p>But again, this is not something you have to decide now. Once you find out what your options are, then you can explore. Call the colleges you are accepted to and find out whether they will let you defer enrollment for a year. Until that deposit check goes into the mail, you can think about it.</p>
<p>ahhaa I have almost the exact same stats and feel exactly the same. school is seriously asking for my death right now, i'm doing work till 3 am and i don't really care which school i get into. they're all pretty much the same - school.</p>
<p>college really isn't for everyone. you should do what makes you happy. it doesn't matter if you're not gonna be a proffesional, as long as you are responsible and love what you do.</p>
<p>Absolutely don't go. It would be a waste of time and money now and you probably won't do well given your feelings. I suggest you go out and work in the bike shop, etc. Within a couple of years you will know if that's a life and an income you'll be happy with long term. If not you'll go back to college motivated.</p>
<p>Things will get a little hairy when you're approachng thirty but that shouldn't discourage you. Ten years of skiing and fixing bikes can make up for a lot.</p>
<p>To the OP ... I think being a bike/ski bum for a year is a great way to spend a year as a late teen/early twenties type ... I think the idea of getting accepted and then asking to defer your start for a year sounds like a great plan (especially if you move out of your parent's house) (and if, after a year, you want to keep doing the bike/ski bum thing just give up your spot).</p>
<p>A bunch of your friends probably have parents who went to high school and college in the late 60s or 70s and are now doctors, teachers, lawyers, consultants, etc ... over a beer ask the parents a little about their life history ... I'll bet you'll find a bunch who spent a fair amount of time doing something offbeat that has nothing with their current career (bike/ski bum, peace corp, carpenter). A whole generation of folks didn't feel compelled to always be working to get ahead and they did fine (and maybe better for their broad experiences)</p>
<p>Beramod - lol, I know you probably didn't mean to, but you instantly reminded me of Good Will Hunting! :D</p>
<p>poontast1c - I'd give school a try, too, for one semester. Maybe you'll hate it. Maybe you'll find it grudgingly worthwhile. Or maybe, just maybe, you'll enjoy it! :) The great thing is that you can always fall back on your bike skills, but don't let it become the only thing you're meant for in life just because you didn't give yourself the chance to pursue anything else.</p>
<p>Thanks for responding guys. I think I will just wait around from decisions. If I still feel the same way, maybe waiting a year is a good idea. I can save up some money and hopefully when the time comes I will be eager to go send myself away. for now though, I'll just play it by ear.</p>
<p>the first thing to realize is you shouldn't lock yourself into absolutes, especially not at 17 or 18!! You write "I really do not want to attend college." but I think the better way to phrase it is "I really do not want to attend college right now". There's a big difference; the latter describes a state of mind now that may (or may not) change; the first is a permanent decision.</p>
<p>If you talk to your parents and other adults you'll find some who sailed right into college and it was perfect for them. But I bet you'll find just as many who weren't ready for one reason or another and flailed; flunking out, or quitting for a few years, or tranferring a few times. Go to the parents board right now and read <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26527%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26527</a> and you'll see stories by many of the adults on this board talking about their travails on college. And if you talk to adults you'll probably find several who spent a few years before college doing something else, working various jobs, maybe a few years in the military, and say it was the BEST thing they could have done; by the time they went to college they were really ready and motivated.</p>
<p>My advice is -- don't go this year. You say over and over its not what you want, at least right now. To be perfectly honest when you're 35 and looking back over your life, it won't matter much if you finished college at 22 or 26; you'll still have been working a decade or more and will be in roughly the same life position. And even if you never do go to college, well, maybe it just isn't right for you. </p>
<p>However not going does not equal being a HS student without the classes. You should move out on your own, maybe in the fall when many others leave for college. Take that job working on bikes; you'll be doing something you enjoy. And lots of adults dream of having the free time to ski but they have committments (family, a mortgage, etc) that prevent that. So do it while you can! And you might even try taking a class at a CC in a year or two and maybe you'll find a renewed satisfaction from education. I'd be a little leery of the military, what with Iraq and all. On the other hand a manager I know went into the Navy right out of HS and says the time he spent there were awesome; he got to see the world, had a decent-enough income, and got help with college tuition when he got out. </p>
<p>One thing, as you're no doubt aware, is that in contemporary society a college education is viewed as a necessity rather than a choice for career success. People will question your choice of not going. But there are plenty of happy people who never attended college, and even within the set of those that DID attend college there are lots who regret they didn't pursue an area they really loved but seemed less financially rewarding instead of one that led to a "good" career they find disatisfying.</p>
<p>I'm going through the exact same thing. Read this book:</p>
<p>Taking Time Off: Inspiring Stories of Students Who Enjoyed Successful Breaks from College and How You Can Plan Your Own (By Colin Hall and Ron Lieber)</p>
<p>There's a bunch of great ideas about spending a year abroad, volunteering, working, and traveling. I think there's even a story about a young man who worked at a ski camp with disabled children. You won't regret taking the time to check this out.</p>
<p>no but it's not that serious. I'm still going it's just I feel like college is gonna be all work, which haha doesn't look like a happy prospect. is freshman year like that?</p>