Here's the advice I wish I had received when deciding to go off to school a dozen years ago:
Take the year off. Pursue a passion, travel, take a crack at working in the real world, or all of the above.
I went directly to college because.. well, that was the process. That's how one "got ahead" in the world. As a result, I was more concerned about GPA and achieving high marks than the actual material I was studying. I couldn't see how what I was learning applied to my life other than that "doing well" would help me get a high-paying job in a field that I was somewhat interested in.
If I had taken that year off, I believe I would have gone back to school for the right reasons: I would have selected a school and a field of study based on what I truly wanted to learn, or what I believed I needed to learn to help carry my life forward.
I would have made the decision from a base of experience; not because going to college is simply the way its done. And I would have gained infinitely more from my college experience.
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