Do we know someone who definitely decided not to go to uni and still lived?

[stevehein]

Is there anyone on here who knows someone who definitely decided they didn't want to go to uni and were able to move out of their parents' house and live independently?

I am asking for some possible inspiration to those who don't want to go to a university.

I know there are some ideas here and there on SS for how to avoid uni, but I am looking to summarize them for my site and here both. Any help is appreciated.

[Sharpie]

I live with someone who never bothered with college and is quite successful at his sales job. Within six months of beginning the job he became the boss of nearly everyone there; people who have degrees and have been there for years.

[Vatman]

I know quite a few people who didn't attend college and did/are doing well. Around 40% of Americans between the ages of 25-60 have at least the equivalent of a two year degree. The other 60% aren't all starving on the street.

[Dead]

If soldiers count.

Which I guess they should, if they make it out alive.

[brainiac3397]

My doppleganger didn't go to uni but then got hit by a bus after HS graduation.

On a serious note, I have a friend who "dropped" because he really screwed up his first year and now goes to community college. He still lives with parents though, and is working hard to study...so nope.

BUT some guys in the warehouse of my last job never went to uni. They were like 24-26. One was the warehouse manager and making about 1.2k a week(~5k a month) despite never even finishing highschool. His brother was with him, also didn't finish. They lived together in some small sublet room in a low-class neighborhood.

They might not be very smart in terms of education, but they were pretty cool guys and seemed to be pretty well off(if you didnt factor in the amount they spent on their "suped-up" car and partying habits).

The common result is just being stuck in a hard grimey blue-collar job that often involves significant physical effort. You'll live but the odds of becoming really really rich is not as high, unless you start a very successful business based off your experiences.

[SoulRiser]

I know a guy. He skipped college/uni entirely and studied and passed the A+ computer technician course thing, and got a job at a computer store right out of high school. Now he runs his own business setting up and managing people's internet connections.

[xcriteria]

I dropped out, multiple times, because I felt I wasn't learning effectively. I found a good programing job after I first quit, pretty serendipitously. But they certainly didn't care about a degree.

Then I realized, programming wasn't for me, and went about trying to figure out this education thing.

A lot just comes down to what you're willing to do, or able to do without being miserable. There's a lot of work to be had that doesn't require credentials. Part of it is about connecting with people and finding it... part is about finding what will be a good fit, etc.

[vonunov]

brainiac3397 Wrote:I have a friend who "dropped" because he really screwed up his first year and now goes to community college.

Good, he should do two-year at community college anyway. It's only a shame he spent money on first-year university.

You can learn pretty much any specialized trade instead of getting a 4+ year degree and earn good money. You might have to go to some form of a school, take courses, maybe get certifications, but it's all practical, maybe the kind of thing you'd like if you think you wouldn't enjoy university.

For my reply, see the bottom half of this: http://forums.school-survival.net/showth...#pid550819

[xcriteria]

Me. I went to colleges and dropped out multiple times. I got some things out of it, at least my first year, but these are all things that can be accomplished in more than one way.

Many 'unskilled" jobs don't require college, obviously, as well as various specialized trades, like vonunov mentioned, and all kinds of freelancing. There's a shift in many companies toward temporary contract-based workers, which has pros and cons, but it means a disruption in the "get a degree and work for one company for the rest of your life."

What really matters is figuring out the range of options out there, and what you enjoy, or at least tolerate, doing... and develop and demonstrate skills and ability and willingness do do things.

Certain careers do generally require degrees, of course, but even if you want to pursue those, all the disruption in higher ed, and the range of forms college can take, mean you don't need to buy into college-as-usual if you're not into it.