Should I go to college? Gap year

[Cocolove]

This is a huge decision to make, and so I would really appreciate any help and advice I can get from like-minded people. Thanks  

I am 18 years old, and a high school senior in the US. I will be graduating in June. I have done everything right, really high grades, really high standardized test scores, good applications, and have applied to around 18 colleges. I have heard back from around half of them, and have gotten into all of them. Some were more selective, like Reed College and Soka University of America, but most of the elite ones I applied to, like Johns Hopkins and Stanford, don't release admission decisions until late March. I could enroll at a school this upcoming August, 2020, but at most schools, I could easily defer my enrollment and start August 2021. 

I've been doing this actualized.org type stuff for around 2 years, meditating, kriya yoga, a 10 day retreat, psychedelics, holotropic breathwork, personal development stuff, reading books, etc. etc. I think this has naturally brought me to hold a more integral view of the modern university system, and I'm sure you have great insights about it too. 

For a while I thought I wanted to do psychology, I figured that anything to do with meditation and psychedelics would fit within that department, and so from whenever to a year or so ago, I thought I would maybe become a researcher or professor. As time passed, I became disenchanted with this idea, and have now got to a point where I see no way this could be my life purpose, with the limiting structure of such jobs, and the whole academia thing lol. I have taken the Life Purpose course btw, and I came up with either this psychology idea, or another one, about permaculture, sustainable and healthy agriculture. Ultimately, I decided I need more life experience to determine a life purpose, or at least a small bet.

So this permaculture and gap year thing come together. I am almost 100% certain I will take a gap year after high school. After reading books about health and the modern food system, researching these things, etc. I think my life purpose may be to help transition the earth to a higher consciousness food system. I am deeply inspired by ecovillages, permaculture farms, such as Joel Salatin, the ecovillage of Raw Healing Mastery on youtube. I am also inspired by a countless amount of other ecovillages that exist all around the world. I have researched these extensively, when thinking about a gap year. I have also applied or reached out to dozens of places in Latin and South America, such as Rancho Mastatal, the Sat Yoga institute, the Yoga Farm, among many others.

So, to explain this gap year thing: I am pretty good at Spanish, I want to travel around Latin and South America, volunteering/ living in 2 to 3 different places, for a few months each. I imagine myself, with my 15 months, spending around 8 learning permaculture and experiencing it, this will be my 'Small Bet'. I will spend 1 to 3 months in meditation retreats, such as those run by Dhamma.org, the Sat Yoga institute in Costa Rica, I could also do some camping, which would save money and be flexible within my schedule. I would spend the rest of the time saving up money, or just chilling and self actualizing, treating the remaining months as a regular student would treat the summer between high school and college.

This whole gap year could cost anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000. I have around $4,000 saved up from working, and I plan to work more to save up more. My parents have also said they would be willing to help, which is great, so I think this could be very affordable. I believe this would be well worth the investment, as it would give me great experience and time to decide on whether or not I want to go to college. I hope that this whole broader context will make clear what the benefits and costs of college would be for me, but let me explicate. I got a huge scholarship at Soka University of America, $34,000 a year, and it would cost only $18,000 a year. This would be a little over half the cost of the state schools for Wisconsin and Minnesota, where I reside, and around a third the cost of many elite institutions like Reed College and Johns Hopkins. This is so affordable for my parents, that I would not even go into debt. No debt would eliminate one of the worst potential cons. A pro would be that I might simply have more opportunities, depending on what my life purpose ends up being. The biggest con of college would be that it could stifle my growth. I could learn and grow so much towards my life purpose in a gap year of a big small bet with permaculture, meditation retreats, and reading on my own. I worry that college would take such a great deal of my energy and time, although summers would allow me a few months for meditation retreats and other woke shit.

I have noticed that I have put a lot of emphasis on making the 'right decision'. I think it may be a better mindset to emphasize that either way, I can do great things, work towards a great life purpose, and neither decision will ruin my life.

 

So overall, I don't want an answer to some specific detail, but overall advice given all that I've said. On the other hand, here are some pointers:

Should I go to college? A gap year may help me figure this out and buy time, but still, given what we know now, should I go?

Is this gap year business a good idea? Cost? Time? Dangers? 

Do you have any recommendations for places to go? I have spend a lot of time researching this question, and have realized there are so many options. If anyone could point me to good ecovillages, farms, or places to meditate, I would greatly appreciate it. Latin and South America is the idea, but hey, if you know of a majestic place in Hawaii or India, maybe that's the move.  

I think I will start a thread in the High Consciousness resources for a list of ecovillages & of meditation retreats, if they don't already exist.

Any kind of help would mean so much to me, and I so deeply appreciate you if you just read this whole thing

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Cocolove

[Average Investor]

I found it helpful to dabble in various classes in college. I had the opportunity to go to community college for a year without getting any debt and honestly I thought that it was worth it. You will reach a level or probably already have where you can see negative things in this culture and things like group think etc. So I would not worry a lot about that since you are aware of the limitations of college.  It sounds like you are doing really well in school and might gain a lot of benefits from it. Especially from the fact that you will not have to worry about debt. That is the main reason I think college is not worth it is really the debt for most. I think there is a lot of great opportunities. It also depends a lot on the field you decide to go with though too. But I think it will really boil down to what you decide to do. I can't really sit here and say that investing this portion of your life is going to be worth it or not. 

I think your gap year sounds great. I think it would be well worth it honestly. It sounds like you have a good financial cushion and really supportive parents that want you to do well in life. You are at an age where what you want to do is likely going to fluctuate for awhile, but even the fact that you are in this work and have done the life purpose course you are much better off than most. Also, a lot of the time most people are not even going to have those opportunities at all. Think about that you don't have work, family, etc. So really this is a pretty opportune time for you to dive deep and explore. I mean alternatively you can see what $4,000 would grow to compounding it 8% yearly, but I have to admit there are a lot of things in life that experience will be worth any amount of money you can pay. I am taking a month off this summer for the first time in probably 8 years or so and traveling the US by car. Granted I am going to do some work with videos and stuff, but it sounds like an exciting adventure.  

What are you doing in your spare time? I find a big thing with purpose is really knowing that you are making a difference. I am still forming mine too and I have to admit it bugs me with all of the garbage food. I kind of have a good general idea of where I am heading. I want to find some uncharted territory I think though. 

[Wyatt]

If you're looking to live on small farms for free, look into WWOOF. If you work on their small farm and help them grow plants and animals, they'll give you free food and housing. Usually, there will be other farmers who live at these farms who are from all over the world. These are usually incredible places to learn about agriculture and other cultures. I lived in Australia on WWOOF farms for 2 months a few years ago and it was incredible, would highly recommend. 

This gap year sounds incredible! It sounds like you've done a LOT of thinking about this. I wouldn't be too concerned with planning every detail of your trip and year, but definitely make time for exploration. 

At the age of 18, it sounds like you're asking a lot of the right questions about your vision for the future and your path, as well as if college is the correct decision. Once you have a vision for your future that is inspiring and motivating, ask yourself: what can I do that is going to be the greatest challenge to reach my vision quickly? Maybe this trip will help you answer that.

[Cocolove]

@Wyatt I've looked into and considered WWOOf, and I might use it. The only thing is that I want to volunteer at places that do permaculture, and meet other various requirements like having good people. WWOOF could help me find this, but just contacting these places works too.

@Average Investor Yea the whole debt thing matters a lot. I might just go for it(college) if I don't have another very compelling path. Have fun traveling by car! that sounds really interesting!

 

[ZenBlue]

I personally am not fond of the college route as it's unnecessary for most people. Usually only very specific professions require college and advanced degrees. With that said, since you are receiving a good scholarship, and it wouldn't cost you much to attend, there are some potential benefits for you to go to college. The potential benefits are mainly in the people you meet and the experiences you have.

When it comes to education, and career choice, college is very limited and rigid. You would become much better educated going off on your own and experiencing life. Since you want to learn permaculture you would learn so much more by finding people who are successfully doing what you already want to do, and working directly for them. Nothing can replace direct, personal hands on experience. College only teaches you theory and requires you to memorize a bunch of useless facts. 

Many people tout having a college degree as a good fall back option or something that will help you advance your career. It seems like you don't want a career in academia, politics, or the corporate world. So what good would having a college degree do for you? A fall back is only necessary for those who don't believe in themselves. It is for people who are already planning for failure. Don't bother planning for failure. By doing so, you are imagining a scenario where you have failed and have settled for a mediocre job for the illusion of financial security.

Focus on finding your life purpose and listen to your intuition. It's about listening less to your head, and listening more to your heart. I think deep in your heart, you don't really want to go to college. You only consider it as an option because it's the "rational" choice. Because everyone else will tell you that it's practical and "smart" to go to college. Imagine what it would feel like if you are doing what you love every single day. 

I think the gap year is a great idea as you will have time to explore and think about your life. College will still be there. 

[Cocolove]

@ZenBlue That was perfectly said. My intuition is definitely telling me not to go to college, at the least to put off making that decision for a year. Given that I don't want a career in academia or the corporate world, and I'm pretty sure of this, it just seems like educating myself, without college, like I will on this gap year, is so much more valuable.

Thanks <3

Edited February 22, 2020 by Cocolove

[Cocolove]

I got a full ride scholarship from Soka University of America, tuition, room and board, transportation, everything. I don't think it'll hurt to enroll. With really no downside I think I'll go. This feels right.

[Average Investor]

@Cocolove Nice, no debt and you can explore what you would like. Congrats! That is is awesome opportunity.