I seriously considered not going to college, as most likely I'd end up self employed or doing something that didn't require a bachelor's degree. I read books such as
The UnCollege Alternative: Your Guide to Incredible Careers and Amazing Adventures Outside College.
Still I applied to a few, with a resolution that I'd only go if most of it was covered by scholarships. I ended up actually getting more scholarships than I could use, so I went
It's mostly been for the social experiences. I'll graduate with a degree that, while not the most marketable, has been fun, and hasn't loaded me down with student loan debt. I'll leave having had some amazing experiences. Now that it's been a few years, there are some things I know I could have done from the beginning that could have made it even better, but that's how life is: we learn.
One recommendation I'll make is to take a year or two off between high school and college. I wanted to but my parents were afraid I wouldn't go back, and I didn't realize how easy it'd be to defer my scholarships and have them waiting for me. Schools like Harvard actually PREFER that students take time off before coming in. Maybe spend a year with Americorps.
If you can't get college debt down to under a few grand per year, either by working or scholarships or grants, it could be worth considering exactly why you'd be going. Are you passionate about one of the professions that requires a good deal of education? Or would you simply be going because that's the IN thing, as mentioned here? If the latter, I recommend taking time off and looking into something like the above book even more.