Warning to High School Kids: College is a Scam!

As a college graduate with a degree in mathematics and someone who's witnessed the system of higher education firsthand, I can say without a doubt that college is a complete scam, and indeed one of the biggest
scams in America. Most college degrees are not worth anything, and the few degrees that have value are immensely overpriced. Most jobs can be done without a college degree, and employers only demand such degrees because they know it's a buyer's market and there are too many people with degrees and not enough jobs.

If I could give a single piece of advice for high school kids who are planning on attending college, that advice would be this:

Only go to college if you're going to major in a hard skill.

What do I mean by a hard skill? Engineering, computer science, software engineering, statistics, etc. Something that's rigorous, in-demand, and has objectively right-or-wrong answers. If you're going to major in something like psychology, sociology, English and the like, then don't bother with college. You're just wasting your time and money on foolishness and you'll likely get nothing for it but disappointment and disillusionment.

A college education is ONLY worth it if you majored in a hard skill. Anything else isn't worth the time and money invested.

Your college professors, guidance counselors, and teachers don't give a damn about you. They just want your student loan money and research money from the government. They have zero incentive to prepare you for the workforce and couldn't care less what happens to you. Don't believe anything any college recruiter tells you, and be extremely skeptical of what your teachers and professors tell you.

Student loan debt stands at well over 1 trillion dollars, and much of that debt was racked up for worthless degrees. There are millions of people with college degrees that work low-wage jobs that don't even require a degree. A college degree guarantees you nothing in life and in many cases isn't worth it. The system of higher education is badly broken.

Given the sorry state of higher education in the US, what are some possible alternatives for high school students? Possible alternatives to college include:

1. Joining the military. The US military is one of the best, if not the best, option available to young people today.
2. Trade school. Become an electrician, plumber, carpenter, and start your own business.
3. Starting a small business, such as selling things on eBay/Amazon.
4. Entering the workforce.
5. 2-year associates degrees or community college. These tend to be much less expensive and time consuming than traditional 4-year schools and can be excellent choices.

Remember kids, college is no different than a minefield or a rigged Vegas casino. Inform yourself by seeking the advice of college seniors and recent graduates. You can win the college game only if you're informed and have sought the advice and counsel of more experienced people. If you're misinformed or uninformed about how college works, you will be scammed out of your money, and college may easily be the worst decision of your life. Beware!