Nephew failed out five years ago. Still living with parents. Spent 4 years having off and on babysitting type jobs. Finally got his first 40 hr/week job last year. It was in retail so he was let go in March. Currently collecting unemployment and making more than when he had a full-time job because of the extra $600/week, sleeping all day and playing video games all night.

My BIL. Job hops, makes OK money in production, HUGE chip on his shoulder.

Anonymous wrote:You realize that well over half of Americans do not possess a bachelor’s degree, right?

OP. I know. I also don't personally know many people who fall in that category, so was just curious.

You realize that well over half of Americans do not possess a bachelor’s degree, right?

Me, I went to college very young (16), I flunked out by 18. I got a regular job and worked my way up in a company so that by the time I was 25 I was making about $50k. I went through this same process several times and by the time I was 40 was making 100k. I always wanted to go back to school and I had gone as far up in the company I was working for as I could without a degree. So, I went back to school and graduated at 45. I am now 50 and working with a different company and I make $140k doing a much easier job.

My husband never finished his degree. He started working full time in IT as a help desk tech at 20 years old i the early 2000s and climbed up the ladder to management and six figures by 30.

I know several. I grew up in a suburb in the Southwest. Some teachers/military many blue collar families. All my friends worked starting in high school through college and took out student loans. One became a nanny and is doing well in part because she bought a condo in the perfect area at a great time. Another does bookeeping, a third is an HVAC person. They are all in pretty good shape I think large due to the fact that they never took out the loans and mostly stayed in one spot. I have big loans and moved around which in hindsight was stupid. My BIL grew up UMC and he never finished college but that was due to a whole host of other issues.

Anonymous wrote:Growing up, I knew hundreds of people who dropped out/didn’t go. Most weren’t economically successful; it was/is a “dead” city. As an adult, I know people who are economically successful and are in a trade, but they usually had at least an AA degree. I was a first gen college student.

This is my experience as well. I grew up in Western PA and know of quite a few former classmates who didn't go to college. They were from poor families, with parents who had low expectations and were not good role models. Similarly, I know of quite a few who were kind of bumped along a college path by teachers, went to mediocre in-state schools like Clarion, Pitt, etc, and partied until they dropped out. I tink this is also because there just wasn't the expectation in their families that finishing college or attending college was a hallmark of a successful person. These people are mostly poor and live in their hometowns now, and many developed drug problems; several have died of overdose or are/were in legal trouble. Super grim. I never go back there because it is just so depressing.

Yes, several family members. Most of the women ended up getting married and having kids. The men: one is living with his sister (basically in her basement) at 35, one got married and is a security guard, the other works IT help desk type jobs.

Growing up, I knew hundreds of people who dropped out/didn’t go. Most weren’t economically successful; it was/is a “dead” city. As an adult, I know people who are economically successful and are in a trade, but they usually had at least an AA degree. I was a first gen college student.

A very good friend of mine flunked out of college. She spent a couple of years getting her act together, 2 years of community college and then completed the last 2 years at a local school. Happily married with kids and is does something with computers now.

I dropped out of college. I work in people operations at a startup, mainly I deal with internal corporate communications, performance management, and benefits/"fun stuff".

Anonymous wrote:2.

1. Struggles a lot. Employed but bounces around a lot. He has bipolar but not diagnosed until his late 20s and has had a really hard time finding a medication that works long term. He is happily married

2. He has owned his own company since he was 28. Will never be a millionaire from it but can afford a good life

Sorry I should add. They both work in tech. Programming type of stuff mostly.

2.

1. Struggles a lot. Employed but bounces around a lot. He has bipolar but not diagnosed until his late 20s and has had a really hard time finding a medication that works long term. He is happily married

2. He has owned his own company since he was 28. Will never be a millionaire from it but can afford a good life

Just curious