Thread: Im not going to college

Originally Posted by Dreamhope11

Ok ok listen in a couple of weeks i stop standard lessons and go on to start my GCSE's, when i leave school i want to get an apprentiship in plumbing, i would rather not go to college because i want to be independant from everyone else (if that makes sense) and i just generally had enough of the people i know who are going, i just wana know in about 15 years time will i be a person who has no money and living off benefits, because i didnt go to college.

If you know what you want to do and are positive it will always be what you want to do, your situation is far less problematic than the situation of somebody who is not sure about his or her future.

I don't think anyone is ever truly "ready for college" right out of high school. I had a blast during those four years, but there were a lot of things I had to learn, and some of those lessons were not easy to learn. As far as making sure I had my homework done and studied for tests, that just took effort. As time went on, I found it harder to stay caught up, but if you are willing to hunker down and do what is necessary, it truly is a worthwhile experience.

That said, college is not for everyone. Some people just aren't good at school. Some people are not grown-up enough to handle all of the pressures and temptations that come along. Some just plain can't afford it. Even if loans are available, you should be always remember that whatever you borrow you will eventually have to pay back. [/obvious]

College/university won’t guarantee you a good job. Sometimes someone will approach you and offer you an opportunity, but the vast majority of people shouldn’t expect to have a career handed to them. It will help, though, when it comes to applying for jobs as well as climbing the corporate ladder. Even if it may not be fair, often times someone with a degree will be selected for a position over someone with just experience. Also, going to school may show an employer that you were dedicated enough to put forth effort to get your degree and will likely put forth the same effort at work.

For me, those were the best four years of my life. (Weird to think I graduated exactly a year ago today!) I met some life-long friends, learned about a myriad of subjects and a lot about people, and found out more about what opportunities are available about me.

Originally Posted by Dreamhope11

Ok ok listen in a couple of weeks i stop standard lessons and go on to start my GCSE's, when i leave school i want to get an apprentiship in plumbing, i would rather not go to college because i want to be independant from everyone else (if that makes sense) and i just generally had enough of the people i know who are going, i just wana know in about 15 years time will i be a person who has no money and living off benefits, because i didnt go to college.

It sounds like you have a good thing going with this apprenticeship, actually. If you have a job lined up already then that isn’t a bad deal. You can go back to school later in life if you want to get your degree for any reason. If you find that being a plumber isn’t what you want to do for the rest of your life, take a few classes and see if something else interests you.

Going back and re-reading that, though, keep in mind that plans can change in an instant. Make sure that you have a couple of back-up plans in case this apprenticeship doesn’t work out. Unfortunately, people promise a lot of things, but they don’t always follow through, especially in the business world. Unless you get something in writing (and sometimes even that doesn’t mean much), things can always change. Just keep that in mind before you make a permanent decision.

Originally Posted by Amethyst Star

For me, those were the best four years of my life.

A whole lot of people say that about their college years, possibly most college graduates. That is one of the reasons I don't want people to never have them.

Guys you do have to take into account, in being English, he doesn't mean your version of College, as in 18+ for 3-4 years or more, that's English University. He means sixform college which is from 16-18 and you get A-level qualifications.

If your not planning to go to University then no i don;t see why you should go to College since that's basically the ticket in to Uni. If your plumbing apprenticeship only needs GCSEs then just leave at 16 and go do it.

Oh and gosh no you wont be living off benefits. Plumbers and electricians can get paid a very nice salary, especially if they work for themselves. You could try working for a company for a few years to get used to the job then go work for yourself. Either way the pay is decent, i know my uncle who is an electrician and works for himself gets more then my mum and she went to University and got a degree. She earns £31800 while he earns roughly £36000( depends on what jobs he gets but in general he beats her, also he would likely pay less tax as you do a few cash in hand jobs and maybe not tell the tax man the exact amount you get..)

Got this quote from a site about plumbing jobs:

"Estimates show a shortfall of some 40,000 plumbers in the UK - that means plenty of opportunity for someone with the right skills. Qualified plumbers can expect to earn over £30K+ a year."

So in a few years of working you could be on that pay scale, seems good to me.

Originally Posted by cuddleyperson

Guys you do have to take into account, in being English, he doesn't mean your version of College, as in 18+ for 3-4 years or more, that's English University. He means sixform college which is from 16-18 and you get A-level qualifications.

If your not planning to go to University then no i don;t see why you should go to College since that's basically the ticket in to Uni. If your plumbing apprenticeship only needs GCSEs then just leave at 16 and go do it.

Oh and gosh no you wont be living off benefits. Plumbers and electricians can get paid a very nice salary, especially if they work for themselves. You could try working for a company for a few years to get used to the job then go work for yourself. Either way the pay is decent, i know my uncle who is an electrician and works for himself gets more then my mum and she went to University and got a degree. She earns £31800 while he earns roughly £36000( depends on what jobs he gets but in general he beats her, also he would likely pay less tax as you do a few cash in hand jobs and maybe not tell the tax man the exact amount you get..)

Got this quote from a site about plumbing jobs:

"Estimates show a shortfall of some 40,000 plumbers in the UK - that means plenty of opportunity for someone with the right skills. Qualified plumbers can expect to earn over £30K+ a year."

So in a few years of working you could be on that pay scale, seems good to me.

Yeah I tried to take the whole being English bit into account in my posts but I honestly have no idea how it works over there. Is it even possible to go back to college at an older age or do the decisions you make right out of high school set you on your path for good? If that is the case, most of my argument is moot; although I would still hold the position that he shouldn't worry about not going if he doesn't think its for him.

Get a damn college degree, even if its just an associates degree. You can't go wrong with it. And don't worry about "wasting your time" at college. You would be suprised by the amount of jobs out there that just need a degree OF ANY KIND to get you in.

again not forget people that in England, him going to college does not give him a degree. College in England is like last two years of American high school, the difference is it's optional and the qualification you get at 16( GCSEs) will allow you to get into basic jobs like shops or allow you to go on higher courses, in this case he would go on a plumbing apprenticeship, GCSEs are enough for that.

Going to English college for two years gives you A-levels, generally 3. Those three grades determine what University you go to( College in USA) and what degree course you do.

SO to the Original Poster, if your not planning to do a degree then i;d say stick with the apprenticeship. As i sated above the wages for a good plumber can surpass that of someone with a degree. Also some people just don't cope well with higher education, it is not because they are dumb but it's just the way they work. Some find tests very hard but have good knowledge. So really I'd say do what you feel comfortable with, if that's plumbing that's fine.

Originally Posted by Dreamhope11

Ok ok listen in a couple of weeks i stop standard lessons and go on to start my GCSE's, when i leave school i want to get an apprentiship in plumbing, i would rather not go to college because i want to be independant from everyone else (if that makes sense) and i just generally had enough of the people i know who are going, i just wana know in about 15 years time will i be a person who has no money and living off benefits, because i didnt go to college.

You would do good in that. But get into plumbing administration. Even if you are a regular plumber you will make like 50-60k a year. But if you own a small plumbing company you can rack alot more. Jump on opportunities.

Go to a plumbing school.

My expected GCSE grades are.. Maths > C English> B Science> B Media studies> B IT> C already have and i also have 2 business at grade C

do you believe in magic ?

there really aren't very many interesting jobs that you can get without going to college.

i mean, of course there are also a lot of boring jobs available even after college

but without it you really limit yourself

Just get really good at guitar, you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by Omnius Deus

Just get really good at guitar, you'll be fine.

fine if he can get a record deal or something
how often does that happen?

but i guess if that's the way he wants to go, no ones stopping him


thing is it costs a LOT to live. Just to go out and buy groceries and gas costs hundreds of dollars now.

there aren't a lot of good paying jobs that you can get without a degree. No matter what fluffy feel good comment someone is going to make regarding being fine in life without going to college, the harsh reality of it is that it's really really hard to get by on 7 bucks an hour

Just to add i live in England and college isnt like in America, over here its free and you cannot get a degree at college, to get a degree here you need to go to university. Anyway many people here didnt go to college and they are doing fine. My plan is to work in a supermarket for £8 an hour earning £1000 a month and then pay for plumbing apprentiship courses which will get me some decent qualifications.

Originally Posted by Dreamhope11

Just to add i live in England and college isnt like in America, over here its free and you cannot get a degree at college, to get a degree here you need to go to university. Anyway many people here didnt go to college and they are doing fine. My plan is to work in a supermarket for £8 an hour earning £1000 a month and then pay for plumbing apprentiship courses which will get me some decent qualifications.

Not to burst your bubble... but add food and other necessities in there and I don't think you'd be able to pay for those courses (I don't know how much they cost but...). Unless you live with your parents and they pay for the food maybe.

Originally Posted by wasup

Not to burst your bubble... but add food and other necessities in there and I don't think you'd be able to pay for those courses (I don't know how much they cost but...). Unless you live with your parents and they pay for the food maybe.

He's 16, so theres a signifigant chance that he does.