A lot of people have gotten into the notion that if they get a four year degree, they will at least be able to compete with the many millions of people out there who either do have one or will at one point. Of course, there is a pinch of validity to the notion that a four year degree is a great idea. After all, a lot of the most highly paid professional people in the world have at least a bachelors degree in something. And when you take a look at most of the highly paid fields out there, having a degree at least helps you to get your foot in the door with them. And all of this is not even mentioning the fact that, for the most part, a degree involves spending plenty of time forging a network that can help you out while you are in the college atmosphere.
But of course, there is not just the notion of “a job” that you have to consider. While some good jobs require a degree and some do not, that is only one of the two major ways in which a person can make their living. The other way, as Steve Jobs or Andrew Carnegie might tell you, is to start your own business. And as we all know, starting a business and having a degree are often completely unrelated to one another. As a matter of fact, there are actually a lot of instances in which having a degree will barely help you at all with the endeavor.
For instance, imagine that you are seized with an incredible idea for something that the world has never seen before. While it would probably work out for you to stay in school and quietly refine your idea while you grow your skills, you just never know when the iron might start to cool down. Worse still is the notion that while you have the idea (and let it simmer uselessly in the back of your mind), somebody else out there might be developing it and making their fortune now.