I often find myself helping friends or family in high school decide whether or not they should go to college. Right now I am currently in my second year as an undergrad at Virginia Commonwealth University. I have noticed several things that I think will be helpful for anyone trying to decide what to do after high school.

First off, I think it’s important for everyone to understand that you CAN be successful without college. I have several friends that have been able to land successful jobs without having a degree.

During high school, I felt as though college was drilled into our heads. More than a third of my classmates wanted to attend college. In fact, we had a bulletin board that included all of the colleges students got into.

Because of this, I felt as though many students believed going to college was the only way to make it in life. And those that either couldn’t afford it or didn’t want to go, were talked about or looked down upon.

However, one of my classmates, Erik Deitrich was able to pursue a career in the military. Deitrich currently works in the engineering department of the Sector Deleware Bay Coast Guard base.

“The experience has given me the chance to meet new people. It also has given me the chance to protect lives in the Philadelphia area and surrounding states,” stated Deitrich.

In addition, another classmate Shakeria Johnson has plans of getting her cosmetology license by 2019 and then pursuing a degree in business. Johnson stated that she currently works full-time at Crossroads as a Training Specialist, part-time at Cookout and does hair on the side because it is her passion. After she gets her degree, she wants to buy her own salon.

Provided that, if you do decide to go to college you have to decide whether you want to attend a community college or a university. One of my classmates, Allison Franklin chose to go to Southside Virginia Community College. Franklin earned her degree/license in Cosmetology and Barbering through the institution and graduated July 2017. She currently works at Classie Cuts in Farmville, VA.

“The experience was such a privilege--really fun and very educational. I also started my first day at work in a salon on Monday,” stated Franklin.

On the other hand, Daja Edmonds transferred from Virginia State University to Old Dominion University. Edmonds stated that although VSU had wonderful people, the admissions office was unorganized and sent her transcript to the wrong place at ODU. Eventually, Edmonds stated that she was able to go to ODU and even received a $200 fee waiver for her housing deposit.

“Though it is financially different here at ODU, the opportunities here outweigh those at VSU. I also was able to come here and double major in criminal justice and sociology without having to take any extra classes,” stated Edmonds.

In addition, you have to be aware that college is not all fun and games. At VCU, the cost of tuition alone, based off of 15-credit hours per semester, is roughly $14,000. And for out-of-state students, tuition is approximately $34,000. Needless to say, college costs way too much money for someone to slack off or skip class. However, if you do want to go but can’t afford it, there are numerous scholarships available to help pay for college and most colleges will offer you financial aid.

Furthermore, you have to understand that when you miss class, it’s on you to get whatever work you missed. Most professors are not going to send an email with the notes. Also, if you go to sleep in class most professors are not going to wake you up & make sure you don’t miss the lecture. You are given the resources to become a professional and you’re expected to act as such.

However, not all professors are bad. If you’re proactive in letting them know you have health issues or personal issues, they will work with you. And if they don’t know the answer to a particular question, they will do their best to either find the answer or find someone with the answer. You just have to make sure you don’t wait until the day of or week before an exam to go to their office hours and ask for help.

All things considered, I hope this provided insight for those stuck on this decision. Whether you choose to go to college or not, you can still be successful. But if you do go, you have to be sure you’re going for the right reasons. From my experience, I have been introduced to many cultures.

I have also been able to make numerous connections with professionals within my career field of choice. Every day on campus provides an opportunity for me to learn more about myself and my career. And every day at my dream school is a day I look forward to and will certainly miss when I graduate.

More information regarding Shakeria Johnson’s work can be found here.