Doesn't she look hopeful? Optimistic? Bored?
This is my lovely friend Lauren who's graduating from high school in less than a week. (She's all gowned up for one of her many pre-grad events.)
I looked the same 16 years ago. Albeit my hair was much more extravagant and flammable than Lauren's.
What advice would I give to 18-year-old Jamie and Lauren and other high school graduates?
Go to college.
That's it. That's the entire text of my "High School Graduate Guide."
Do you know why?
Because no one ever says "Man, I wish I hadn't gone to college."
They might say they wish they'd gone to a different college or only taken 4 years rather than 7 to finish or majored in something cool like sociology rather than accounting. To my accounting genius friends, I sense your envy.
Class of 2010 - go to college. Any college. You'll never regret it.
Postscript: You WILL regret applying for that credit card on the Quad so you can get a free t-shirt and finding yourself still paying for a meal from The Cheesecake Factory 10 years later. You will.
What's your advice?
{image: Jamie}
Actually my advice is think long and hard about college. I owe so much money (not as much as a lawyer but enough that I am struggling) and when I think of all the money I could have saved ($50G for my final two years), and gone to a technical school for something else, or just had known there are other options, I don't know that I would have gone to college. Try an associates from a community college. Then decide.
ReplyDeleteI see your point but I disagree- I went to college for two years and still wish I hadn't. What I DON'T regret is dropping out when I did.
ReplyDeleteA: I 100% agree with you on the debt - boo to debt. Luckily there are some more economical options like trade school or 2-year degrees.
ReplyDeletel: I hate that it was a stinker for you! At least you got out when you did without Anonymous' 50K in debt, right?
I'm a big fan of college. And though I don't have an actual accounting degree, I do have enough accounting hours to snicker with disdain at a sociology degree. Which is what I'm doing right now. :)
ReplyDeleteSaLC: My sociology degree would beat up your accounting "hours." Then my women's studies degree would come clean up the mess.
ReplyDeleteMy advice is to go to a college that is near a beach! That was the best decision I made!
ReplyDeleteAW: Good call - I should have thought about that when sending in applications...
ReplyDelete