DR. WALLACE: I'm a high school senior. I am a good student and have a B+ average, but I really didn't enjoy the rigors of studying. I'm not planning to attend college and this is a huge problem with my parents.
My parents are both college graduates. My mother teaches elementary school and my father works for an insurance company. They have high hopes that I will follow my mother's footsteps and teach school. I wouldn't mind becoming a teacher, but I don't have any desire to go to college. I'm tired of taking classes, cramming for tests and being disappointed if I don't get an A.
College provides a wonderful opportunity for those who want to earn money by being a professional, but I don't care to be a professional anything. I'm fairly popular and have had my share of boyfriends. By age 25, I see myself married to a wonderful man and raising a family and I don't need a college degree to be a good wife and mother. I'm not lazy. I would like to find a job after graduation and move out of my parents' house when I can.
I've discussed this with my parents and they are totally distraught that I don't want to go to college. They seem to think I'll be labeled a second-class citizen if I don't have a college diploma. I love my parents very much; they are wonderful people. It bothers me that they are disappointed in my decision not to attend college, but it's my life, and I'll live it to my satisfaction, not theirs.
I'm well aware that you have all kinds of college degrees and probably enjoy being an academic, but I'm sorry to say that not everyone is as pro-academic as you are. I will be looking forward to your reaction to my letter. — Nameless, Fullerton, Calif.
NAMELESS: I respect your decision not to attend college after high school and I had similar thoughts after graduating from high school. But after serving in the military, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to earn a college degree with expenses paid by the U.S. government's G.I. Bill.
I do have three college degrees. But I rarely enjoyed studying for examinations and, like you, was disappointed when I didn't get an A. But college gave me the opportunity to meet my wife, and my degrees allowed me to teach and coach basketball at the high school level and to eventually become a high school administrator. This became the foundation for writing a nationally syndicated column. None of this would have been possible without a college education.
It's your life to live, not Mom's and Dad's. On that score we're in full agreement. Since college is a big turn-off right now, by all means, do something positive after high school. Find a job and learn to be on your own. Living independently is a great skill to have and a necessary part of everyone's education.
May I suggest, however, that after the bitter taste of high school wears off, one day you'll wake up and realize you want something more out of your life.
At that point, you may want to take advantage of the excellent programs available at Fullerton Community College. Start out by taking a course or two in the evening. Eventually you may wind up going full time. Besides expanding your horizons, you'll start making new friends. The cost is nominal, but the potential is priceless!
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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