The biggest misconception that the majority of young people have is that their parents are crazy about a college degree. Sure, there are some who are blindly devoted to this piece of paper, but, for the most part, they’re focused on what this document represents.
For them, a degree is an increased chance of a better life. While there are stories about people who became billionaires without college, when you compare averages, college graduates are showing better average results across the board. Why is this so?
First of all, a college degree is a strong message to your future employer. It shows them that you can show up on time at the same place for four to five years straight and fulfil all your academic obligations. It’s proof that you can actually get something done.
Your parents aren’t afraid that you’ll drop out of college and go on to become the next Bill Gates or the next Steve Jobs. They’re afraid that you’ll end up broke, jobless, and without a purpose.
So, if you could just prove to them that this is not something that they should worry about.
A brief disclaimer: we’re not suggesting that anyone avoids college; as we’ve mentioned, this is something that can increase your chance of leading a more affluent life. However, if you want an alternative, there’s definitely options available.
1. Show them your plan
Even if you’re not upfront about just not wanting to go to a college and suggest an intermezzo solution like taking a gap year, you have to get the most out of it. When you say gap year, they imagine you backpacking across Europe, going on a vision quest in Amazon, or just sitting in your (or their) basement playing video games all day.
However, what if you show them that you’re serious about your job and future? What if you show them that you’re too busy to go to college because you have other, better plans that can’t wait and plans that take all your time and money?
Just think about all the big names of college dropouts that are flaunted around the internet (especially on those subreddits). No, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs didn’t drop out of college because a guy online told them to do so (ignore this bit of anachronism for the sake of the message). Instead, they had a concrete idea that they wanted to pursue.
In other words, instead of saying, “I’m still figuring out what I want to do,” say, “I can’t because I have X to do.” This is far more decisive, definitive, and confident. Just think about it, if you can’t sell your plans to your parents, how do you expect venture capitalists, partners, and strategic vendors to follow you?
2. Show them some results
You can’t just tell them about your plans. They’re old enough to know better. However, you’re not too young to show them some results. If you’re older than 18 (which you usually are at this point), you have a chance to do anything you want, from finding an online stockbroker and trading to starting a small business.
The thing you need to understand about trading is that, in the age of the internet, the fact that you don’t have a starting capital is a hindrance, not a roadblock. On these platforms, you can trade for as little as $10. Sure, you won’t make that much money, but you can still learn the platform, put a bit more money (from your summer job) into it, and show them some results.
When it comes to a business, no one expects you to start a major enterprise. However, as long as you have a connection to the internet, you can start a dropshipping business. Even a lemonade stand is a business, but if you want to be really persuasive, you need to show them something a bit more age-appropriate.
Even more importantly, you need to display some discipline. Show them that you have what it takes in order to succeed. Previously, we’ve mentioned some of their biggest fears. Dispel them for the sake of your parents.
Now, there’s a way for this to slightly backfire. After all, the more discipline you show, the more convinced some of them will be that skipping college is a massive waste of potential. Just show them that you have something more important to do.
3. Find a job that can turn into a career
A lot of parents support getting a job early on in order to develop a working habit, supplement your income, learn how to handle money and make your first step into the world of adults.
However, high-paying jobs are often something that could worry them a bit, especially when you land them too early. Some jobs pay well but don’t scale well, which is why they’re afraid that you’ll get so used to the money that getting a degree will feel redundant.
Later on, however, as you get older, your standards and living quality expectations increase, especially if you decide to start your own family. You might find yourself stuck. You will work too many hours, be too old and busy to pursue a degree, and won’t be able to advance that much.
In other words, if you hoped to flaunt your paycheck in their face and figure out that they’ll understand, you better forget about this idea entirely. It will just never work.
They’re older than you, and they’ve been through a lot, which means that they know that your finances will go up and down.
Instead, show them something that can grow into a career. Even without a degree, you can land a job as a wind turbine technician. This is a job that has a future, seeing as how everyone’s moving toward a greener future. In fact, you can even become a commercial pilot or an optical lab technician. After all, these are the jobs they hope you’ll land with a degree, so if you can prove you can do it without, even better.
Convince them that you have something better to do
As we’ve already said, your parents probably want what’s best for you, and if you find a way to show them that this is really not college, they won’t have trouble supporting you. Even if you don’t convince them (after all, you’re legally an adult), you want to instill some trust in your own decisions and choices.
Even if you can’t “convince” them, setting their mind at ease, at least slightly, is the right thing to do.
Ultimately, if your ideas are not as compelling as you would expect them to be, don’t dismiss college right off the bat. Give going to college one more thought; who knows, you might just make it.
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