Because I'm only in my first year of college I can't really say I can give a proper evaluation of the overall college experience, but since voting "Don't know yet" isn't going to help you at all, I've voted "College" and will evaluate it versus high school based one what I've experienced.
I am with the rest of the folks here; college is a much more mature, serious (in a good way), self-motivated learning environment than the classes in high school. It's incredibly different. I vaguely remember my overall high school experience nowadays (mostly because I'm not being forced to experience it or think about it everyday), but what I do remember can be described as follows: Arrive early in the morning and get in your sardine can, listen to lecture and do activities, learn a few things, switch sardine cans, repeat the last three steps several times, go home and do assignments from each sardine can lecture and get rest to repeat the same schedule the very next day. This is way more cynical than necessary, but it's the impression I have of what I went through in high school - now, to be fair, my high school was academically excellent compared to many schools in the state and in rest of the United States, but it was still a high school. So much pressure. And I haven't even mentioned the bloody drama!
Back to college. Now, here you go to, say, an Algebra class. I'm sitting in a classroom like in high school, (except I sit at a table with other students instead of a desk next to others' desks) but it's not covered by that crowded atmosphere. There aren't seating charts, there aren't those that really don't care to be there (those type of people, if they're in your classroom, disappear after week 1), you can walk in and out of the room at any time, you are often on first-name basis with your instructors, the atmosphere with the lectures isn't "you have to be here, sit down, be silent except when questions are asked and learn something", it's "hey! Ready to learn some new stuff?" and after maybe two hours of class your instructor might ask if you'd like a break for a drink or a smoke or to stretch your legs, then you get back to class, and you learn new stuff.
There's still work of course, but here's something awesome about my setup - I'm a full-time student (14 credits this and last semester), and yet I only have one class a day. My schedule is that I have a night class on Mondays and Wednesdays, and an afternoon class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have one online course, and I have a morning class that meets Monday-Thursday that doesn't start until much later into the semester. So, I've got a lot of time on my hands! You could say it's for the homework, but the homework isn't THAT unbearable that it takes that much free time to finish! I'm applying for jobs left and right and am almost constantly attacking my keyboard with my typing fingers while around DV most days and nights of the week! I know not every college schedule is like this, but they are much more flexible than high school, where you're there or you're a drop-out.
Finally, I recommend going to college. It's said many times over to high school seniors that it's not enough to have a high school education to "make it" today. It's pretty true - many jobs will require at least an Associate's Degree (2 years) in college education to prove that you've put in the person initiative and all that jazz. If you have more reason to go than not to, then go. What are your interests? What do you want to do with your life? (Besides the response "I WANNA ROCK!" ) Whatever that is, do a little Googling and see what you come up with for getting paid for your interests. Like lucid dreaming? There's such a thing as the Lucidity Institute, so lucid dreaming and studies regarding them can be used as a job, for example. (Dr. Stephen LaBerge is a psychophysiologist - had to go to college for that one, I tell ya!)
It can get you places. High school is just kind of there. It's the government's way of making sure that you're pointed in a direction and given a little push to get you going - college is where you hop in a car and check things out for yourself. Now, wouldn't you rather do things because you want to, or towards your goals, as opposed to being told everything to do that doesn't necessarily deal with your interests, and maybe not aiming at your goals?
That's what I thought you'd say. Good luck with whatever your ultimate decision is!
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