Let's Play "Good Idea, Bad Idea": Putting Off College

Okay. College is a good idea. Whether you put it off or not, you simply have to go to school. You don't owe it to yourself, you owe it to me, alright?

That said, there is a common misconception out there that high school students have to rush straight off to college and earn their degree in four years. While this is the path that many people take, it's not always the right move for everyone.

If you're not sure what subject you'd like to earn your degree in, or if you're not even sure you want to go to college at all, then taking some time off to work or travel can be a great way to gain some perspective on your situation. Perhaps a semester of working and living at home is the motivation you need to decide what you'd really like to spend the rest of your life doing. Or maybe you'd rather put 10,000 dollars down as payment on a some real estate, or toward starting your own business.

There are, however, some benefits to going straight to college from high school. It's difficult for many people to get back into "school mode" once they've been out of it for six months. If you're the type that likes finish a job once you've started it, then perhaps taking time off from pursuing your educational goals is not the best move for you.

Also consider that there will come a time when your friends will have graduated from college, gotten jobs, and perhaps moved into apartments together, and if you took a semester or two off, you might still be taking classes and doing homework.

Ultimately, it's a personal decision that no one but you can make. The safest move might be to try a semester of college and see what doors it opens for you, and what new interests might develop!