So you’ve spent some time in college and you’re left wondering, can I really do this? It can happen for many reasons including grades, social pressures, or even financial reasons. However, it’s not as quick of a decision as quitting peewee softball or not buying a hairdryer. It may be killing you to be in college, but it may kill you to be out.
Here are a few things to consider before making the jump and dropping out.
1. Societal factors
I put this at the top of the list because, heck, this is really the reason most people go to college. They’ve watched movies about college since they were young, their parents always loved to reminisce about their old college days, and their older friends and relatives have been graduating left and right from what seemed to be the best rite of passage of their lives.
So what do you tell mom and dad when the dream isn’t going to happen for their child? If you are reasonably close to family with such high expectations, you may find it difficult. If you have trouble finding work or get into a financial tiff, the knee-jerk reaction will be to blame it on your dropping out.
Parents and family members can be unforgiving when their pride and esteem is involved and their child going to college is a factor. It may look like you give up and are a failure. It may strain your relationship.
2. Academic Factors
A lot of times, kids spend years involved in mediocre education. I know, I was one of them. I knew how to play the game in school and not much of it had to do with me learning anything. So by the time I got to college, I was shell-shocked. I actually had to know what I was doing there and know what I wanted to get out of it. The 18 years I spent being babied in public school did not help. As a result, I spent years muddling around changing majors just because I had no direction. This had an effect on my grades because I was taking classes that I was simply not good at.
You may feel pressured to get that Chemistry degree because your parents are desperately hoping you go to med school. Though, if you are holding on by a thread it might seem useless to waste hard-earned money on a liberal arts degree that may not get you anywhere, career-wise. Some kids aren’t suited for college and that’s okay. Vocational pursuits in college are only sensible and it’s not a time to spend finding yourself, especially when tuition money is on the line.
3. Financial Factors
College is a gamble. You may come out with a job or you may not. It may be worth the loans and it may not. What’s hot in the job market today, may not be tomorrow. So if you are financially strapped for cash and don’t want to go into a huge amount of debt, you may need to consider the alternatives.
So what if you don’t have debt to face and can afford college, it is still important to figure out if it’s a good investment for future financial reasons. No one should go into debt for a liberal arts degree, in my opinion. Many have argued that STEM majors are the only reasons a college should exist. While that may be extreme, it’s important to know whether you’ll get a payback from the degree you get.
