<p>Forgive me if I post this on the wrong forum. But I saw someone post something about starting college at 22. Closer to my situation.
I'm 17 years old and I feel I'm not ready for college. It's not because if leaving home. . Just I'm not ready to use my parents money on such a commitment when I'm not sure what kind of career I want to achieve. I posted on my "local" forum but all I get are adults telling me I'm procrastinating. If u think my scenario is vague. Take a look. college</a> now or college later - Hong Kong GeoExpat
I'm really wondering is taking a 4 years to work then getting into college at 20-21 is such a big problem?</p>
<p>You could take a gap year and see how you feel. Either put in college applications this year and then take a year off before starting to work or do some volunteer work or something, or wait a year and then apply. Waiting to apply can be challenging – you still may need teacher recommendations, standardized test scores, etc. that can be harder to get organized if you don’t do it now.</p>
<p>The problem with taking too long off is that life starts to get in the way… your parents may help you financially with college now, but they may not be willing to if you drag it out and don’t get started. If you end up getting married, or want to have kids, that is all a lot harder when you are in school and not working.</p>
<p>You don’t have to know your major if you decide to go to college now or after a gap year. One good thing to do is get your hands on a copy of the Book of Majors from the CollegeBoard. Your high school guidance counselor or library may have a copy. Go through with 2 different colors of post-its and mark majors & careers that seem interesting. One color for “Yes!” and one color for “Maybe…”. You may seem some patterns and clusters emerge that help you think about what major might be right for you. Then try to pick a college that offers your “top clusters” of majors. When you get there, try a couple of different classes in your top 3 major choices in your first 3 semesters. Spend some time in the career office, too, learning about specific jobs that go with the majors you are interested in. Then you will be better positioned to pick your major. You should try to get internships and informational interviews with people in your possible field while in college, too; that will help you get a better idea of what it is really like to work in the field.</p>
<p>The problem with taking a few years to work is that it may not give you any additional information on what kind of career or major you want. You will have to take a job that doesn’t require any advanced skills (barista, stocking at Walmart, whatever). And just working that kind of job doesn’t really open your mind up to the career options that are out there. Even if you go do something more adventurous (work on a lobster boat or something), you still aren’t expanding your view of the work world in a very meaningful way.</p>
<p>Well I have pretty clear plan in my head when if I was to take such a long break from formal schooling. My goal isn’t try and earn some cash and pay some bills. Like I want to get a chance to learn some trade or maybe find a jobs are willing hire non degree holders such as an assistant of some kind and if the next step up the ladder is a degree I’ll go back to school. The main reason I’m so confused and not sure is that. The system works very different here in Hong Kong. There’s no career counselor, no job talks, or anything. I’m a pretty OK student. Just no confidence in choosing. Btw. My parents will help pay for some (I would have to work to pay for some, get loans, etc ) of my college. They just want me to be sure I want to do this now or not. Their main worry is the same as what so many people are reporting. U come out of college only to end up as a barister.</p>
<p>You have to keep in mind that Asians, especially Chinese, really value and stress on the importance of education. My family is from HK and nobody has gone to college so I understand that their mindset would be to try to get you through college ASAP if you can even get accepted. </p>
<p>Are you going to a school in the US or HK? Do you plan on living in the US or HK?</p>
<p>I want to go to college in the US I’m a us citizen actually . Well u see. My parents are too. But the difference is that they aren’t the typical ones. They aren’t hard core academic types. Sometimes I think they are backwards. All about making money. But I do agree that something as expensive and as committing as college isn’t something I should be rushed to.</p>