As a senior in high school, you really don't know what to expect after graduation. If you lived a fairly sheltered life in a small town like I did, the great big world out there might scare you. You are taught at an early age that college is the end goal, and some people are even pressured into going when they don't want to. I remember being warned all the time by teachers and other adults that it was going to be a huge wake-up call when I started college, so I built it up in my head to be this intimidating ordeal. The truth is, college is nothing to be scared of. There are so many misconceptions about college life that can set you up for failure by scaring yourself out of it.
College is hard to get into
To be honest, I had great grades in high school and I was not worried over whether I would be accepted or not. Flash forward seven years later and I was a two-time college dropout, with multiple F's and a horrible GPA. Safe to say I was scared when I made the decision that it was finally time to finish my degree. Then what happened? I applied to a university and I got rejected. Yup, the girl who was once so confident in myself got a big fat NO in the mail -- because of my not-so-great history. My first instinct was to give up ad call it a day, but the fighter in me said "hell no," and kept trying. I applied to a community college and got accepted right away. I was given a second chance by a smaller (and cheaper!) school, and now I have been on the president's list each semester with straight A's and B's.
Every single one of us has the same odds of flunking or passing with flying colors, it all has to do with motivation. If you don't have the best grades, pour all of your efforts into your application and talk up the good things you have done. There are so many resources that show you how to write a college admission essay like a pro. Don't be discouraged if you don't get accepted into your dream school right away. Start at the bottom and work your way up.
College will take up 100 percent of your time
Think about high school: how many hours a week are you spending in class? Quite a few. If you are a full-time college student, that means you are taking about 12-15 credits. This means about 12-15 hours a week are spent in class. That is about the same as 2 days of classes in high school! There may be more homework, but it still takes up less of your time. Be smart when you plan out your schedule, and you will be just fine. If you are not a morning person, don't schedule 8 a.m. classes, it's that simple. Be realistic with yourself, and never take on more than you can handle. You don't have to give up all of your time to college, but you do have to take it seriously and give it your all if you want to succeed.
You won't be able to get a good job anyways
The world is full of critics, and I used to be one. Before I joined the real world, I thought that a piece of paper was stupid, and that I could learn anything on the job that I could at school. While I still believe that, it's inaccurate. You won't get taken seriously by many big employers if you don't have a college degree. Not only do you have better chances at getting hired for your dream job, but you will make more money. As a new mom who had no degree and ten years of working experience, I still had a hard time finding a job that would pay me a decent livable income. It was then that I decided to go back to school.
To be honest, a college degree is a lot more important than you think it is during your early twenties.
Whether college is or isn't in the cards for you, don't stress about it too much! Only you have the ability to know what you want to do with your life, and if you don't have it figured out yet that's ok too. College is something that should not be taken lightly, as it is a long and hard process. Once you find out who you are and what you want out of life, you can decide if and when you want to pursue a degree. Don't let the fear of the unknown keep you from the life you want.