Should you learn a trade or head to college? This is often the most fitting question for people around the age they are required to start supporting themselves. We all need to fly the nest at some point in our lives, and the willingness to do this is often hand in hand with the ability to. That means that it pays to research your options, or to help your child research theirs. The most informed choice you can make will always likely be the correct choice.

There are many paths you may travel down after you finish school. You might throw yourself into your hobby, and try to make a living from that. It’s not uncommon for eighteen to twenty year olds to get lucrative jobs through a personal portfolio or list of experience. You might choose to enter the military. There are certainly good careers to be found there, and plenty of stability if you engage with the entire affair. You may decide to head to college. This is one of the default options for many people, as college plan are often figured out long before graduating for some people.

However, the question remains. Should you learn a trade or go to college? What are the difference? How do you know if you’re cut out for either one. Might you regret choosing one over the other? We have a few assorted and loosely affiliated tips to potentially help you answer this question.

They are as follows:

Consider The Timeline

There is something about this choice that is slightly disingenuous. It suggests that now is the only time in which you may make this decision. While a degree undertaken in your early twenties is of course preferable to one taking in your early thirties, it’s important to consider if you would be best served with some time after your high school graduation. College is not exactly an extension of school. It is a lesson in independence, something that you may never have truly tasted. Combined with a demanding course, this can cause some people to burn out or suffer from stress related illness.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with sitting back for a few years and working in your hometown. You might choose to work and supplement your understanding with night courses, building your self-efficacy and reliability piece by piece until you gain a solid work ethic. Then, alongside the savings you have accrued, you are likely to find an excellent pursuit that you might not have originally thought of taking part in. This builds your competence.

Then, maybe one or two years down the road, you might consider to learn more about your current trade, or then go to college a little more of an adult than you are now.

Consider Your Attitude

Many people want to go to college due to the partying lifestyle and ‘free love.’ It’s not always the best idea to do this however, especially considering the extortionate costs of going to college in the first place. It’s likely you’ll take out a massive loan in order to do this, with your parents or guardians co-signing responsibility for the loan. If you go bankrupt due to a lack of income or earnings, your student loan will still need to be repaid.

For this reason, it’s absolutely essential you view university through an education-first standpoint. Never go there to party and relax for three years. You will regret it for the next decade. However, if you truly desire to learn more about something, university can be a great option. More and more though the normal bricks-and-mortar institutions are less than the premium. Many much cheaper online courses can be found online, lending you credibility and for a much reduced price point.

All in all, it depends on your attitude. You should never force yourself to college for a fear of missing out. You should never do it because all your friends are going. You should never do it because you simply want to wait to work. You need to be one thousand percent sure that you’re interested in a course before you take it. Alternatively, consider looking into a foundation course. These are often one or two years long, and come at a fraction of the price of a full degree. However, they yield little in qualifications aside from eligibility for a full degree, so be sure to consider this option with care. These are usually reserved for those potentially looking to specialize heavily, such as in engineering or other options.

The Prevalence Of Skills

College has become something that is seemingly the default for people to visit and try to earn a degree out of. This has flooded the market with graduates, waving degrees at job postings and still struggling to gain any recompense from doing that. It’s not simply a cultural meme that graduates find themselves working at Starbucks, it’s true. Without the ability to intern for hours and stand out in your field, you’ll notice that job roles will dry up. A degree does not keep the strength it once did.

This has led out for a true calling in specialized skills. There is nothing blue collar about this. Skills are the backbones for which society is formed, not thousands of people talking about their liberal arts degrees. This isn’t to disparage those who attend college, but you can only talk through abstract problems long enough before practical skills are needed. If hoping to push through and educate yourself on something with artistic or debating merit, consider simply reading heavily and learning a skill for a year or two. Then, if it’s something you’re passionate about going into, you will have secured this in your mind and have something to fall back on if nothing comes of it. Alternatively, consider studying STEM subjects or high-value degrees that are guaranteed  to at least help you get a foot in a door.

With these tips, you can be sure that the overall decision to learn a trade or go to college is wise, and the two options bind each other to an outcome that makes the most sense and wisdom. That sounds pretty good to us.