If I were 61 and wealthy, I wouldn’t write a stupid shit like this.

I’m no paulg, but if you’re reading this - and you’re 17 - just focus on getting into a university and having a good time that you won’t regret later. Play games/sports, make relationships, fall in love, explore.

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dude250711 2 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

So get into debt and spend money is the advice?

Then vote for someone who will make the debts go away?

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epolanski an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

Is going to university really that good of advice nowadays?

Everybody goes to college nowadays and the average white collar has lots of debt and relatively minor financial benefits over a skilled trade worker.

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borski 16 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

If you’re talking purely financial benefit: yes, it is still good advice, as most white collar jobs still require a degree.

If you’re talking about a place to mature, around others who are at a similar phase of life, also yes.

It is where most people meet their cofounders, for example, even if they don’t found anything until much later.

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epolanski 11 minutes ago | parent [-]

But it is not true financially, it really depends.

Plenty of blue collar workers make more than white collar ones, and have a huge debt free head start in life.

A plumber or electrician will make significantly more than the average bank employee or translator or nurse or teacher.

And they will also have an easier time starting a business as many trade workers are self employed and make much more than hired ones.

	▲	keiferski 5 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Going to college is worth it for basically everyone other than those that are choosing between a mediocre college / mediocre degree and a blue collar route. AND if college is going to put you into debt. Financially, intellectually, socially, it’s a good idea - college is a formative period of life in American culture. That is more and more true the better the college gets. At the upper tier (Ivy League, etc.) you don’t really have to pay anything if your family isn’t already wealthy, and the connections and degree you’ll make more than pay for themselves.

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wy35 17 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

It depends on the university and your goals, I suppose.

Many people are surprised to learn how affordable elite colleges are if you genuinely need financial aid. I had no idea -- was pleasantly surprised when my alma mater took over 80% off of my tuition.

	▲	tripledry 12 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Indeed, would the advice be good if university was free? Where I live it's basically free and I still sometimes regret not going into the trades. But I suspect this feeling might mostly be a "grass is greener" thing.