I don’t necessarily think that college is the only way to be successful/self sufficent. But seeing as my kids are slightly pampered, scared witless of guns and we are sort of cookies cutter, follow the herd, kind of people and I actually do value book learning/academics its own sake, College as the next step was the right answer for us. Sometimes I wish my kids were out of the box thinkers, but they are not and that is OK too, the the world needs hamsters to keep the wheel turning too! 