>I've met plenty of people with various fancy degrees working those jobs. I recall in my early twenties I met an alumni from one of my dream schools. He was making roughly as much as I was without a degree.
Sure, you got lucky and he probably picked a less than lucrative degree, or wasn't as lucky. There is certainly overlap, but the statistics show that there is a large wealth gap between people with a college degree and people without. Bill Gates was a college drop out and he has billions, but is that the norm? Absolutely not.
>Plus, theirs no rule saying a high school dropout can't attend community college later. This is much better option for most people.
Yes, but I thought we were talking about the prospects of high school drop outs vs people with college degrees. You're kinda moving he goal posts a bit I think. I think dropping out of high school, getting a GED and then attending college is essentially the same thing as the "normal" college route.
>The alternative is losing your mind trying to get into that elite top ten college
That's a false dichotomy. You don't have to get into an elite top ten college to have a future, statistically speaking. The main income gap is between people with a college degree and people without. I do agree with you that people who aspire to get into an elite college can easily burnout and go mad, but that's not what I'm comparing here. I also know not all college degrees or even institutions are equal. Some are absolute shit, but the majority of accredited institutions are good enough. Degrees, not so much though. Some degrees are an absolute pyramid scheme. It's tough to navigate for someone with experience with it, much less an immediate family without a college degree.
Not everyone is even capable of attending college. That's just what it is.
You can get into a trade, etc.
And if you don't like trades you can always go back to community college.
In the early 2000s you had an all out attack on tradesmenship. High schools use to offer classes in woodworking, automotive repair, and even metal working.
All of a sudden it was decided these jobs were 'dirty'. How dare some students have different aptitudes!
Life is long. You can try to become an electrician apprentice, decide you don't like it and attend community college after that
Sure, you got lucky and he probably picked a less than lucrative degree, or wasn't as lucky. There is certainly overlap, but the statistics show that there is a large wealth gap between people with a college degree and people without. Bill Gates was a college drop out and he has billions, but is that the norm? Absolutely not.
>Plus, theirs no rule saying a high school dropout can't attend community college later. This is much better option for most people.
Yes, but I thought we were talking about the prospects of high school drop outs vs people with college degrees. You're kinda moving he goal posts a bit I think. I think dropping out of high school, getting a GED and then attending college is essentially the same thing as the "normal" college route.
>The alternative is losing your mind trying to get into that elite top ten college
That's a false dichotomy. You don't have to get into an elite top ten college to have a future, statistically speaking. The main income gap is between people with a college degree and people without. I do agree with you that people who aspire to get into an elite college can easily burnout and go mad, but that's not what I'm comparing here. I also know not all college degrees or even institutions are equal. Some are absolute shit, but the majority of accredited institutions are good enough. Degrees, not so much though. Some degrees are an absolute pyramid scheme. It's tough to navigate for someone with experience with it, much less an immediate family without a college degree.