College or not.. WWYD?

[Anonymous]

High school senior (solid B student) made quite a significant amount of money (300k plus) making some popular game mods. Works on it constantly, has a growing number of downloads etc.
He won't fill out college apps and refuses to go to college. What would you do? My fear is once/if this income dries up he won't have a college degree. But at the same time he will have gained so much experience that he won't have trouble finding a job or maybe start something in his own. So confused... thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I mean - if he refuses to attend and refuses to fill out the application, not sure what you can do. Forcing seems like a bad idea since once he gets there, he could simply refuse to work and you will have wasted all that money.

I would strongly encourage college classes or maybe community college classes at night in business or marketing to supplement is tech talent? Maybe he would see this as helping as opposed to something different.

[Anonymous]

I would not force a child to go to college. That is a recipe for disaster.

[Anonymous]

If he wants/needs to go later, it will still be an option. Encourage him to put a chunk of his earnings away so that it will be possible for him to pay for college if he decides to go.

[Anonymous]

work product and skill matter more if he wants to be a developer (as long as he doesn't want to for for government/certain stagnant and dying businesses).

[Anonymous]

Don't force it. He can go later if/when he thinks it beneficial to his career.

My brother was already working for a company as a programmer when he graduated from high school. Tried some CC classes but thought they were pointless and stopped going. He's had a successful career in programming and makes a very good salary. Lack of degree had never been an issue. He told me recently he would now like to go college to study something like history for his own enjoyment but probably won't do that until he retires since he has two little girls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High school senior (solid B student) made quite a significant amount of money (300k plus) making some popular game mods. Works on it constantly, has a growing number of downloads etc.
He won't fill out college apps and refuses to go to college. What would you do? My fear is once/if this income dries up he won't have a college degree. But at the same time he will have gained so much experience that he won't have trouble finding a job or maybe start something in his own. So confused... thoughts?

A few years ago, I had a co-worker whose brother dropped out of UVA after sophomore year to pursue game modding full time. At least your kid is ahead of that curve. Make sure the money he makes is invested/managed wisely. He will do well. Remember.. the primary purpose of going to college is to get a job whose primary purpose is to provide income. He has that already..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember.. the primary purpose of going to college is to get a job whose primary purpose is to provide income.

Yeah, no.

The primary purpose of going to college is to get educated. Education, in and of itself, has inherent value.

Jobs, greater income, etc, come because you are educated *and* that you want those things and work for them. Everyone knows both rich people who did not attend college and poor people who did.

If kid does not want to be educated and wants to pursue his passion for now, college will be there if and when he is ready. There will always be jobs for people with technical skills but for many tech jobs a CS degree or similar gives you background in things you can't learn didactically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not force a child to go to college. That is a recipe for disaster.

+1

It sounds like he is doing great.

It sounds like the typical college experience was never happening for him anyway, because formal academia is not where he thrives, and his classes will be an afterthought to his career right now (I mean that as a positive thing).

Colleges aren't going anywhere. If 5 years from now he needs the degree, he will have the maturity and dedication to get what he needs from it. He can go then.

[Anonymous]

Gap year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remember.. the primary purpose of going to college is to get a job whose primary purpose is to provide income.

Yeah, no.

The primary purpose of going to college is to get educated. Education, in and of itself, has inherent value.

Jobs, greater income, etc, come because you are educated *and* that you want those things and work for them. Everyone knows both rich people who did not attend college and poor people who did.

If kid does not want to be educated and wants to pursue his passion for now, college will be there if and when he is ready. There will always be jobs for people with technical skills but for many tech jobs a CS degree or similar gives you background in things you can't learn didactically.

That's just not true for programmers. It's a lot closer to a trade that a traditional professional career in a lot of way- skill not a degree is the barrier to entry, and if you lack the skill a degree can paper that over. A degree is great, but demonstrated work product will get him farther. Is he contributing to GitHub- if not he should be if he has the skill to do so, I'd hire code monkey based on their profile long before I'd care about a degree

[Anonymous]

pp- can't paper that over

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High school senior (solid B student) made quite a significant amount of money (300k plus) making some popular game mods. Works on it constantly, has a growing number of downloads etc.
He won't fill out college apps and refuses to go to college. What would you do? My fear is once/if this income dries up he won't have a college degree. But at the same time he will have gained so much experience that he won't have trouble finding a job or maybe start something in his own. So confused... thoughts?

This income might not dry up. Or if it does, these modern skills will still be of value in a closely related field.

Charles Murray, not someone I usually cite, spoke eloquently at a conference how it certainly seems better to become a master craftsman than a person with a mediocre white collar if the person's skills are better suited to the former. It is a mistake we make to think college is for everyone.

Your kid has already revealed that the academic path isn't working for him (since he's clearly smarter than his solid Bs suggest).

[Anonymous]

I would totally support his current small business. I would also help him set it up. If the income dries up, he can go to college then, or get a job with a company. Congrats to him, he is living the dream!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not force a child to go to college. That is a recipe for disaster.

+1

Especially not during COVID. Whats the point, OP?