My Story: Why College Isn’t Right for Everyone

Four years of your life spent in college is a lot of time to give up just because it’s expected of you. When I was approaching college-age I wanted to make sure that I was not going to waste the next four years of my life just because I gave into social pressure. I had to think of a better reason if I was going to go to college. I didn’t want to disappoint the people closest to me, but more than that I wanted to make sure that my time and money was spent in the best way I could manage. It is often assumed that going to college is an automatic ticket to a more successful career and a higher status in the social hierarchy. And for a lot of people it is the right decision to go to college to hone the skills you want to master and become more marketable. But don’t assume college is for everyone.

I thought long and hard and made a cost-benefit analysis as to what would be the best path for me. Over the course of a couple years, I hemmed and hawed, fasted and prayed, then finally decided that going to college ultimately didn’t line up with my top priorities and desires. Here are some of the thoughts that led to my conclusion, and why I am glad I made this decision.

I want be a stay-at-home mother for my children (Lord willing) until they are all at least past the age of five. No career is more important to me than being with my children in their most foundational years. My husband and I both agree on this. We work our tails off and save like crazy to make that goal a reality in the near future. If I went to college I would potentially have been in a career for only about four years before having children. I didn’t want to achieve a successful career only to later pay someone else to raise my children. What’s more, many women who are very intelligent and have successful careers decide to abandon all of that so that they can mother their children. I didn’t want to waste so much of my time and resources only to realize later that caring for my future children is the most important thing I can do and want to do. Trying to be the best wife and mother is the most important “career” that I care to strive towards.
I like learning and doing all sorts of things. My mind is always spinning with the next “pet project” idea on what I could do to earn a little extra income, learn, and have fun with. I could own a native plant nursery, I could raise meat goats, I could be an apiarist, I could train Brittany spaniels to track reptiles and amphibians (huge market for this, ha ha), I could give nature tours, or I could have a cleaning business! I wouldn’t want to be constrained to one single “career”. I like to have the freedom to switch things up a little when need be. Flexibility is important in traditional households where the husband is the primary income provider. I don’t know where we’ll end up or how many times we will move for his work. I want to have several skillsets in my back pocket in order to have a good chance of finding work wherever we go.
I find happiness in every job I undertake. Because I decided not to go to college, I had broad experiences and saved over of $27,000 before marriage! I’ve had the best time as a trail crew member with the Southeast Conservation Corps, a back-country lodge worker in Tennessee, a UPS driver helper in Tennessee, a camp counselor in Alabama, a live-in elderly caregiver in Virginia, a Clydesdale draft horse caretaker in Virginia, a waitress in three states, a house-keeper and personal cook here in Missouri, and finally, a landscape team leader here in Missouri. I have met so many absolutely wonderful people and continue to have a life full of interesting tales, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
Success and meaning in life is not determined by one’s job. Seeking God and serving others is what’s most important.

The majority of people I’ve crossed paths in the past 5 years have respected (and sometimes been seemingly refreshed by) my independence of thought and decision not to go to college. I think that people are becoming more understanding that colleges are way overpriced for those who aren’t in the top percentile for scholarships, are becoming way too political, and it’s certainly not the only way to learn and develop skills and character! I have many broad interests and skills and want to do so many things. If I decide to get a formal education I can always do that later in life.

The world of knowledge has never been more accessible; use that to your advantage. Read as much as you can. Make time for reading and writing! Better yourself! Leith Konyndyk, the wildlife officer of my county growing up, encouraged me when I was working my very first job and gave me some good advice: don’t make excuses. Everybody has excuses. Part of what determines your path in life is whether or not you use those excuses to hold you back or not. If you want something, make it happen! Don’t wait around for it to happen to you. Go after your goals! Making the decision to not go college doesn’t mean that you will “miss out” or that you can’t be successful. Don’t worry about the handful of people who may look down on you for not having gone to college. Use that as fuel to better yourself and prove that kind of person wrong.

Here are photos of just some of the many wonderful opportunities I had during the time I would’ve been in college.