Should I go to college or not?
The short answer
Go if you know why you're going, can graduate without crushing debt, and want work that requires a degree. Skip or delay if none of those are true — a gap year plus a trade or apprenticeship often outperforms.
Signals to weigh
- 01Whether your target career actually requires a degree.
- 02Total cost after aid, and years to break even on lost income.
- 03Whether you thrive in a self-directed environment or need structure.
- 04Whether the college is credentialed enough to matter to employers you'd want.
How to decide
- Step 1List 3 careers you're considering. Check if any legally require a degree.
- Step 2Compare 4-year total cost to community college + transfer, and to trade paths.
- Step 3Talk to people 5 years into each path. Pattern-match, don't cherry-pick.
- Step 4If uncertain, take a structured gap year — work, travel, apprentice. Then decide.
Framework used
Cost-Benefit Analysis →Full walkthrough of the framework, with examples and pitfalls.
Consider these alternatives
- ·Community college first, then transfer — same degree, a fraction of the cost.
- ·A skilled trade with a proven apprenticeship — often higher lifetime earnings than a soft degree.
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