I have decided against college, and this will be my last year at home. I have known for a while that I didnt want to go to a college or university, but I feel like I am going to miss out big time. I was planning on going to New York or California for an acting school. If I were to change my mind I would have a hard time next year trying to raise my gpa ( I have a 3.5 that is going to go down after finals this semester) and I would have to take a night class in pre cal or something because my school does not have a good program.
So I guess what I am asking is what have you done? and what should I do?

Why are you against college?

I am against against college.

Joeman, I am against that statement against against college. I for one am all for your against college idea. I hated college, its more work then I thought it would be, great place to meat women though.... Oh wait, your against college... Why? Im against your against college. Go to college, lazy.

Trade school, get an associate's degree. I'm likely going to end up making the same choice.

Go to a technical school! Thats what Im doing. il get an associates degree to. But il also have certification with certain programs and proraming languages... so really its up to you.

there is only one science that is interesting and that is biology...
hence you correctly stated that one of the more interesting parts of college is girls...and that is biology speaking in your ear and not the devil...don't be alarmed.

(I am a girl- was that not clear?)
I have hated high school. I come from a tiny town where teachers are more likely to slack off than students. There is no culture and everyone seems to want to fester in their own ignorance. In college I am likely to be ill prepared even though all my life I wanted to learn. Even in Cp classes I want to gouge out my eyes. This might sound like I would love college then, but to the second point- I dont think it will benefit me any more than meeting cool people and learning a few philosophies. In my life I dont want to have a regular old job. I dont want to work with computers or business etc. All I have ever wanted to do was act.
This probably sounds like I asked for help and then made up my own mind anyway while ignoring everyone else..... My parents really expect me to go to college.
I dont know what I am saying anymore.

Prostitution.

I know the feeling. All you want to do is one thing (for me it's philosophy) and you don't really want anything else.

But you'll need something to fall back on while you're chasing that - unless you marry a rich guy and murder him for his money - so trade school it is.

Or acting school. It's like school but it's for what you want to do specifically.

But also realize that college not only gives you academic education but it also teaches you communication skills. My college buds, for the MOST part, are more social than the non-college ones. Why not try it out and if you still feel it's not for you then at least you would have had some college experience (good to put on your resume).

Luinlote,

What you are telling me is you don't want to work. That's too bad. Everyone has to have a decent paying job to have a decent livestyle.

Associate degree is for dumbasses. A lot of smart folks I know got an associate degrees because they are too damn lazy or not willing to take the pain. Eventually they either outgrow their jobs or they are sick of being treated like shit. They go back to school and get a regular 4 year degree. Unfortunately not all have that kind of option. Some did the unfornate thing, such as getting married and lived an unhappy live everafter. If you get a 4 year degree, you can advance your career by going for an MS or MBA. With an associate degree, you are stuck being a nobody.

Originally posted by Luinlote
My parents really expect me to go to college.


My family expected me to go to college too -- i was to be the first person in our family to do so. But in the end i realized that it wasn't for me, and i eventually had to tell them that. I know that the idea of them being disappointed in you and trying to convince you to do things the way they want you to do doesn't sound appealing, but if you're going to be true to yourself then you'll have to eventually stand up for yourself sooner or later. Otherwise you'll always be bowing down to familial expectations while secretly resenting it and feeling more and more bitter about it, and you'll feel angry at yourself for giving in to their expectations of you.

I'm not saying don't go to college. I'm just suggesting that when it comes to what other people want you to do, do whatever you feel pulled to do.


"There can be no universal panacea for happiness which is obvious to anyone who has studied, as I have, the root causes of happiness and its opposite. Happiness is a state which is created within us by a very large and very varied number of factors. One man is happy with nothing less than a luxurious mansion and estate and a fleet of fast cars; another man is happy in a monk's cell with the minimum requirements of life. It would seem, therefore, that it is not what we actually possess which provides us with happiness, but our reactions to what we possess. The secret of happiness, like the kingdom of heaven, must be within us, and the key to it is our attitude towards life and especially towards our personal life." - Bertrand Russell

college is not for me

I have heard that excuse a billion times. The purpose of college is not to learn but more like a rite of passage for better and greater things. The only thing that matters is a piece of paper and decent grades. Anyone who can go to college need to go. There are lots and lots of people out there who wish they have the same opportunity.

I agree with joeman.

It is a rite of passage. Even if you do not like college or think it is worthless, do it. You will be better off in the long run.

In today's economic environment it is extremely difficult to live the good life w/o at a degree.

I agree, Joeman, that anyone that can go to college should. All that matters is the piece of paper in the working world. But I think it's a little harsh to say that Associate Degrees are for dumbasses. It's a step above the rest, even if it is a small step. And sometimes getting that associates will convince a person to further their career by going on to a 4 year college, like you said. A person with an associates can make a little more than the average person but the bachelors, at the least, is where it's at.

Joeman and FC are right on it except for the following I think:

The way I see it, I got two options starting out. Can I face the fierce competition of the creative arts (be an actor, painter, rock star, blah blah, lots of stuff). If I try, the liklihood of failure is pretty high so how much risk am I willing to take? Can I face the fact that I probably won't be successful. Is the potential millions of dollars success worth the HUGE risk? I say no, unless you're that one in a million and you know it. Either way, determination is your only key to success. College however, is still risky, but FAR less risky than your other options.

I'd say either way you're doomed to be a humongous unhappy loser unless you find a way to get the credentials that will let you do what you want.

A little harsh I realize, but it' pretty much true.

I'd say either way you're doomed to be a humongous unhappy
loser unless you find a way to get the credentials that will let
you do what you want.
Indeed. What could be worse than
turning out to be someone like me?
Fate worse than death I tell ya! ;)

I'm crossing my fingers several times over now, I'm planning to go to this private school in Michigan for, among other things, writing, they said somewhere that 95% of their students get accepted into the first college of their choice, and that really spiked my interest, because as soon as I knew that colleges existed not only did I want to work my ass off to get to a good one but also work my ass off once I got there.

After the private school (if I can get in, I haven't buzzed them yet...too nervous) and whatever college I pick I'll probably get a job at a newspaper or something, maybe a magazine. I want to work in writing, and hopefully have the job pay money. While I'm doing all this I'll keep pumping out short stories and continue to work on whatever takes my fancy at the moment.

Luinlote, if you want to be an actor, then as far as I know I'd suggest going to NYC. There are a ton of reasons, but I can't back too many of them up with facts. Good luck.

NY acting schools in general are more geared toward acting on a stage, like broadway theatre for example.

California acting schools are for individuals pursuing an acting career on screen.

I have heard that excuse a billion times. The purpose of college is not to learn but more like a rite of passage for better and greater things. The only thing that matters is a piece of paper and decent grades. Anyone who can go to college need to go. There are lots and lots of people out there who wish they have the same opportunity.

Yeah, then you can be miserable at your dead end wage slave job for the rest of your life, happy that you've sold forty hours of your week for years to come so that you can buy crap you never really want.... :)

Or you can do what you really want, modified by practicality.

I wanna go to college!

NOT FAIR! NOT FAIR!

I dont qualify for financial aid, and I cant afford to take too many classes, so I end up paying a couple hundred to register and 300-400 on books (which kills my bank account) and then I have no time for my daughter and no time for doing "fun :m: " stuff and it sucks cuz my friends who are on welfare get to go to school for free and not work and get low housing and I hate them and now Im going to go and shoot myself in the face.

Oh yeah, but the real reason for my post, Luinlote, if you have the resources and time, I'd go for it. When your done, you'll be glad you went. If you dont go, you'll always have regrets. Trust me.

And welcome to Sciforums!

Originally posted by Xev
Yeah, then you can be miserable at your dead end wage slave job for the rest of your life, happy that you've sold forty hours of your week for years to come so that you can buy crap you never really want.... :)

Or you can do what you really want, modified by practicality.

Miserable or not, lets look at some facts.

1. I just bought a very good car with 100% cash.
2. I paid off my college loan.
3. I have no debt.
4. Most importantly, I have money set aside for better things. I can go without income for a few years. I can pursue advanced degree like Ph.D in EE or MBA without taking on debt. I can be a travelling bum spending a few years at the beach or doing my hobby. I can even buy a house if I want to....or do the unthinkable like having a family.

That doesn't seem very miserable for me.

It is all possible because I make money at a faster rate than people without a degree. I have accepted the fact that we all have to work to make a living. Without a degree, you end up spending even more time at your dead end job.

Originally posted by *stRgrL*
I dont qualify for financial aid, and I cant afford to take too many classes, so I end up paying a couple hundred to register and 300-400 on books (which kills my bank account) and then I have no time for my daughter and no time for doing "fun :m: " stuff

You can get low interest loan from fanny mae. The APR is in the range of car loan the last time I checked. You do need to have good credit though. With good credit, you will get the loan for sure. If you do that you need to make sure you will finish your degree and get a decent job afterwards or else you will be really hurting financially. You should do it because education is always a good investment.

Oh. There is always time. It is just matter of priority. Lets say your daughtor is your highest priority, I can't see anything else that should come before school. You are 26 correct? If you start now you will be in your low 30's when you are done. Your mental capacity starts to decline when you get older. The older you get, the more difficult it is for you to learn. Going to college for you is either now or never. There is always plenty of opportunity to do :m:

Work experience is very important. It is needed for income, but more importantly you learn how to relate to people. Any job can improve your character development and speeds up your overall maturation process. It might also gives you motivation later on when you go to school.

1. I just bought a very good car with 100% cash.
2. I paid off my college loan.
3. I have no debt.
4. Most importantly, I have money set aside for better things. I can go without income for a few years. I can pursue advanced degree like Ph.D in EE or MBA without taking on debt. I can be a travelling bum spending a few years at the beach or doing my hobby. I can even buy a house if I want to....or do the unthinkable like having a family.

You're assuming any of that means anything to someone like Luinote or I.

That doesn't seem very miserable for me.

Easily satisfied, you are. Myself, I could never be chained to a job simply because I wanted the crap that my society wants me to want.

Life is too short to be wasted pursuing anything less than pure freedom, power and knowledge. The world is too deep to be satiated by cars and houses.

But of course, I wouldn't criticize you for your decision. Until you decided to do so for Luinlote.

Not all of us can find "happiness in slavery". Thus, don't snipe at those who don't want it.

Originally posted by EvilPoet
Indeed. What could be worse than
turning out to be someone like me?
Fate worse than death I tell ya! ;)

Exactly the example I was thinking of. EvilPoet, the obvious gigantic unhappy loser. :) (BTW I love your contributions to the three word story - "for later reference"..... that's awesome)

Eh, it's all perspective and how one rationalizes the decisions one has made. Is it worse to be a gigantic unhappy loser or a happy dumbass who is completely full of shit? I know not! :)

Originally posted by Xev
Life is too short to be wasted pursuing anything less than pure freedom, power and knowledge.
It is unfortunate that you cannot escape society, without becoming an agrarian or hunter. If you'd like someone else to grow or catch your food, you're going to have to go along with the concept of money. If you're going to go along with the concept of money, you're going to have to go along with all the other concepts of societies.

I'm curious as to what kind of freedom, power, or knowledge one might gain from rejecting all of society and becoming an impoverished gardener.

It's also telling that the definition of "power" is "the ability to make things happen," and the ability to make things happen is usually proportional to the thickness of one's wallet.

Knowledge may be power, but it sure isn't freedom.

- Warren

Originally posted by Xev
Life is too short to be wasted pursuing anything less than pure freedom, power and knowledge. The world is too deep to be satiated by cars and houses.


I am not talking about anything besides basic human needs. You need a car to go between places, a house to live, and food on the table. Having all that taken care off would prevent you from being distracted from your pursue of knowledge or whatever.

With a 4 year degree, you can still do whatever you want to do like in your case the pursue of freedom, power, and knowledge plus some extra money in the pocket.

I can't see how it would harm more than help. The only way it would harm is that someone is pursuing something which age is a limiting factor, like someone is trying to become a professional athlete. Extra 4 years of school would set the person back professionally and ultimately harm the person's career. That is very rare.

I think people who think they don't need a college degree are in some sort of denial and not completely honest with themselves.

Just a bit of advice - your chances of getting anywhere as an actress without going through college are slim as they come.

...unless you plan on being in porn. :eek:

Without college, it's all about luck. With college, you have a much better chance of getting what you want. And, if what you want isn't available, you'll have a degree to fall back on.

How many times have you heard this:

"Man, I've been working here for _____ years. This new guy shows up, doesn't know his job, but is my boss. ALL BECAUSE HE HAS A DEGREE."

I've said it myself. A degree can never be a bad choice.

"Well, we were going to hire you, but we noticed you have a degree, so we'll have to go with the girl that is just as talented as you, but has no education above High School."

Yeah right. You'll never hear that.

Just think about what you want, and what will be the best backup plan if/when you don't get it.

To go along with VAKEMP, I have to give my advice:

If you intend to be an actress, but can't be bothered with going to school to learn how to do it, you'd better start practicing shaving your cooter nice and clean without leaving razor bumps.

- Warren

Luinlote,

If you go to college or university and get a 4 year degree, it's very likely that you will get a job. However, if your dream is to do acting, then I would say that you should pursue your dream (mainly if you go to college to do acting). If there's anything else that you like besides acting, than I think you should try to go to college and get a degree on it (and maybe do acting while going to college). This way is far more secure. If you don't have any degree you will most likely never get a good job.

I do believe that if you just go to do acting in college, you might be able to survive with just that. Mainly if you go to California (then, you can even earn tons of money, if you are very charismatic! :eek: ). In any choice you may make I hope you always follow your heart to make the right choices. :)

Just some questions that might help me to help you:
How old are you?
Where do you live?
Do you have enough money for Hollywood? :D:D:D

Its really simple. We live in a society that is based on credentials. So, if you want to succeed in acting, you will need some sort of higher learning (I assume that your town does not offer an acting school).

If you want to be succesful(money wise), go to school.

I dont want to go to school. I want to revel in nature and devote my life to saving the planet. The only thing that would benefit me would be public speaking, but i am very comfortable speaking in front of people. In your case, YOU CANNOT SUCCEED WITH OUT RISK. Go to school dude.

Slacker47,

I dont want to go to school. I want to revel in nature and devote my life to saving the planet. The only thing that would benefit me would be public speaking, but i am very comfortable speaking in front of people. In your case, YOU CANNOT SUCCEED WITH OUT RISK. Go to school dude.

SHE cannot? I would say YOU cannot succeed without risk! That's very nice, I want to do that to, but unfortunatly, to save the planet it's not THAT easy...! :eek: I, myself, have no idea what I will do to succeed in this task. If you have any idea, please tell me! I'm dying to know it! :bugeye: (haven't figure out yet how to do it...:()...

Originally posted by chroot
To go along with VAKEMP, I have to give my advice:

If you intend to be an actress, but can't be bothered with going to school to learn how to do it, you'd better start practicing shaving your cooter nice and clean without leaving razor bumps.

- Warren

I swear to god Warren is now my hero. That kicked ass.