Successful and Independent without a college degree?

[Anonymous]

Anybody have recent success stories to share of kids that didn’t go to college but are still doing well (able to support themselves, live independently etc?). If so, what is their age and what was their career path. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I don't know whether this is fortunate or unfortunate, but my friend's son is raking it in with his YouTube channel. He also does video editing for other YouTubers. I have no idea how long someone can sustain this "career" but if a kid has an entertaining skill such as gaming or building stuff, other people may want to watch it online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know whether this is fortunate or unfortunate, but my friend's son is raking it in with his YouTube channel. He also does video editing for other YouTubers. I have no idea how long someone can sustain this "career" but if a kid has an entertaining skill such as gaming or building stuff, other people may want to watch it online.

😂 no this is not true

Do you not understand how many utters there are and the metrics for this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know whether this is fortunate or unfortunate, but my friend's son is raking it in with his YouTube channel. He also does video editing for other YouTubers. I have no idea how long someone can sustain this "career" but if a kid has an entertaining skill such as gaming or building stuff, other people may want to watch it online.

😂 no this is not true

Do you not understand how many utters there are and the metrics for this

I don't quite understand the utters part but the kid is bringing in six figures, which is common for highly successful YouTube channels. (TikTok also pays for views but not nearly as much.) It's enough to live on his own (he's mid-20s and a college dropout). There are TONS of people trying to build a YouTube audience and most of them will fail because they suck at videos. This kid is apparently pretty good, although my Gen-X eyes don't appreciate the content as I am not the intended audience.

[Anonymous]

I don't have any kid in my circle who didn't attend or finish college but my carpenter, electrician and plumber seems to do well enough for themselves. I guess if you don't want to go to college, few years of training for a high demand skill can be an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have any kid in my circle who didn't attend or finish college but my carpenter, electrician and plumber seems to do well enough for themselves. I guess if you don't want to go to college, few years of training for a high demand skill can be an option.

My regular plumber has his young adult son working for him now. He will likely take over the business when Dad retires.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of blue-collar jobs that can lead to success and independence. A white-collar option might be an IT position that only requires certifications for different hardware and software platforms, but not necessarily a degree.

[Anonymous]

I have an AC who chose to start a business in the tech sphere straight out of HS. On the one hand I'm sad about it, because I value education for much more than career prep. I also think that college is such a special time and if you start several years later, it is a totally different experience. On the other, he's making a lot of money and is enjoying himself immensely. I hope that he will go back to school eventually, but that's not for me to talk about anymore.

He was born wanting independence. He's living his dream and I am just (silently) a bit behind in feeling the joy of that.

[Anonymous]

I have a number of family members that didn’t go to college. They all own successful businesses. Two of them went to tech high schools.

They aren’t slackers “that couldn’t get into college.” Instead, they work hard and are businessmen. So when you are looking at successful outcomes without college, you need to factor in work ethic and business smarts.

[Anonymous]

That was me. I made minimum wage, but learned to invest. I did get a finance degree at some point, but it wasn't useful at all. Quite the opposite. Glad I didn't listen to my professors and simply got it because I always wanted a college degree. Took me 17 years to get it.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure it happens Op, but why limit their options?

[Anonymous]

OP here - DC is 27 and dropped out of college due to depression and anxiety. Doing much better after years of therapy, but is now 27 and currently has no interest in returning to school. Works as a server at a very upscale restaurant, makes decent money and lives with friends and seems happy. I worry about their future, and while I want them to enjoy this chapter, I would like to have ideas if they ever come to me with thoughts for a path forward. Sales would definitely be an option - they and have a very outgoing personality and are organized, also perhaps working in management in the restaurant industry. Not sure what else.

[Anonymous]

Yes:

Friend of husbands went to one of those computer training type schools where you get a degree in a year or 2. He's very bright and makes a great living because he is good at what he does. He is divorced with one child and has lived independently since age 18.

The guy who's company remodeled our kitchen lives in a megamansion and goes to Europe often. He did not go to college and he does not come from money. He is married with 4 kids.

Every plumber, electrician and HVAC person we have used in different locations seemed to do quite well without college degree.

Hairdressers can do quite well-mine seem to be managing it all.

I know there are more, I just can't think of them right now. Also, I know people with advanced degrees who don't navigate independent living well.

[Anonymous]

60% of all adult Americans don’t have a college degree. Do you think they all depend on their parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know whether this is fortunate or unfortunate, but my friend's son is raking it in with his YouTube channel. He also does video editing for other YouTubers. I have no idea how long someone can sustain this "career" but if a kid has an entertaining skill such as gaming or building stuff, other people may want to watch it online.

Unlikely he will be able to sustain interest in his channel, but the video editing skills are great and will sustain him well.