Get good grades. You must!
Why?
To get into a good college, of course!
What happens if I get into a good college?
You’ll be able to get a good job, naturally!
What if I don’t want to go to college? Isn’t there another way?
That’s nonsense! College is the way.
Sound familiar?
A NARRATIVE TRAP
College owns the narrative. For so long college has been the de facto next step, people take for granted there are other options.
It’s so embedded in our social paradigm it’s become an almost expected conversation topic. If you’re under 25, chances are somebody’s going to ask about it – and not even who you’d expect.
Where are you planning to go to college?
What are you studying?
Where did you go to college?
What are you going do after college?
…
But you know who’s not asking – employers.
That’s right. Fewer employers care each day. Instead of a degree, they want to know you have skills, the ability to show up, and the willingness to dive in and work hard.
Still, the barrage of questions from your parents, friends, relatives, and guidance counselor can make it feel like your option set includes college or bust.
INFORMATION COSTS
The cost of all information – except bad information – is rapidly on the decline. Today, you carry around more knowledge in your pocket than the combined intellect of every previous generation.
Whatever you want to learn, you can access with the proper Google search. In this age, asking good questions is actually a more valuable skill than going to college.
The decrease in cost of information also means knowledge is no longer esoteric in nature. To paraphrase wise words from my good friend T.K. Coleman – “The age of the school of mystery is over.”
You don’t have to pay some institution for secret information that unlocks some parallel universe where you’re successful. Why would you pay for what you can access cheaper, faster, and more personalized to your goals?
Today, you can design the universe of your own success deliberately and at a low-cost.
CHOOSE SOCIAL DEBT, NOT STUDENT DEBT
If you’re dying to go into debt at a young age, then go into social capital debt. Go ask people for advice. Offer to buy them a coffee or lunch. Then ask all your burning questions about life and take notes. (Pro Tip: always send a handwritten thank you note after)
If you have ambitions about a particular type of role, then seek an expert out. Be respectful of their time and come up with good questions. But don’t be afraid to approach them.
No one starts out with all the answers. Everyone starts somewhere.
Even if you’re contemplating college, do yourself a favor and do some due diligence on what opportunities might interest you.
After you’ve done your research, be honest with yourself: is college the best way to get to where you’re trying to go?
If it is, then power to you. If not, then don’t put up a bunch of hurdles for your future. Serious.
It may seem like a great idea now, but when you graduate and the jobs in the industry you thought you wanted to go into have disappeared, and you’re making $35k per year…$350 per month in student loan payments becomes A LOT OF MONEY FAST.
IT’S YOUR STORY
The world wants you to believe you need college to live a successful story. But that narrative is bullshit.
Your story isn’t dependent on some third-party riding in with a silver bullet to save the day.
It’s not fair and it’s not honest to say your success depends on some other institution. It doesn’t.
Your success depends on your makeup.
Are you willing to do the hard things?
Can you get up early, show up on time, and stay late?
Will you give up some nights and weekends to be successful?
In a world where everyone else walks one way, take hold of the advantage of going a different direction.
You owe it to yourself to at least consider your options first.
Originally published at mitchellearl.com.
