Is college really worth it?

[On the Road]

33. There is No Need for Him to Go to College Immediately

if neither one of you is sure about it. He might get a much better handle on his life by going out and working for a living for a year or joining the military or the Peace Corp.

Unless there are some specific jobs he wants to pursue that do not require a college degree, such as a licensed electrician, employment is for high school graduates is insecure and very poorly paid, and is likely to get worse. But graduating with the wrong degree doesn't help either. A general liberal arts or social science background isn't the ticket to a good job any longer

Students with work experience who have lived their own tend to do much better in college and be more motivated. They are also more likely to have an idea of what kind of work they might like and do well.

One suggestion about buying a house: You could reverse the normal order and buy the house first. Then if your son wants to go to college in a year, he can take out a line of credit against the house. Buying a house might actually make your son a lot more attractive to colleges, too, since it indicates responsibility and initiative. If you stick with state universities and in-state tuition, you might not even need the whole $80k depending on where you live.

Just some thoughts. There are a lot of problems with the way Americans go to college and the way colleges fail to connect with careers, but if it's done thoughtfully, a BA or BS gives you a MUCH better chance at a good future.