I know there are people who say, “You don’t need a college degree to get a good job. Just look at me.” But I question the relevance when it comes from someone who’s been in the workforce for 10+ years.
In 20 years, my mom worked her way up from an entry-level position in a bank to being the system administrator in accounting. She never got a degree. She works hard, is very organized, and is very meticulous when it comes to details. But I think her real advantage was that she started her way up in the 1980s, when few people had college degrees and the economy was better. I’m skeptical that a twentysomething without a degree could advance today like my mom did back then.
These days, I think the best choice is to go to college. It’s possible to do so and escape with a minimum amount of debt. As I see it, experience is valuable and ultimately what counts the most, but having a degree will make you eligible for a greater amount and a greater variety of opportunities for experience. And since your best competition for those jobs will hold degrees, it’s to your advantage to have matching credentials.