Among Friends

[Mom2Dogs]

@ECBG  She will/does have the opportunity to visit another state with a relative and live there is she likes it....I have encouraged her to do that.  The state shut downs have put a damper on those plans for right now.

It will get her away from home, let her see how she can spread her wings away from mom and dad.   She can always come home. Her issue right now is she is not really sure what she wants to do with her life, but again she is only 18, not many 18 year olds knew what they wanted to do at that age.

[RetRN]

Unless she is highly motivated with a stong desire to attend college she will not succeed and it would be a horrible waste of time and money. College is not for everyone and I am sick of people saying it is necessary. I can't begin to  tell you the number of college grads I know with mediocre, low paying jobs. They are getting by, but many who attended tech schools are earning much more. 

[just bee]

@Mom2Dogs 

Google college degrees of the future.

I just did and article after article appeared:

Top Ten Degrees for the Future

Ten Best College Majors for the Future

Top 50 Degrees for the Future

30 Highest Paying Degrees for the Future

College Majors with Great Job Prospects

Best Degrees for the Future

Best College Majors for the Future

Top Degrees in Demand for the Future

And more.

If she hasn't already done this, she's not as interested as her parents would like her to be.

Just a few listed here, but these are the usual suspects.  There are long lists of college majors that she could consider.  What are her strengths?  Interests?

Quick list pulled from just a couple articles:

International Business Degree or Finance Degree

Bioinformatics or Biomedical Engineering

Environmental Science Degree or Sustainability Degree

Health Information Technology or Health Administration

Computer Science Degree

Information Technology Security Degree

Public Health Degree

Instructional Design Degree

Human Resources Degree

Pharmacology

Aeronautics and Aviation Technology

Physical Therapy

Nursing

Construction Management

Electrical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Medical Technology

Medical Assistant

Computer Information Systems

Accounting

Advertising

And if she can't envision math and science, there are plenty of other options.  Like others have mentioned, maybe a couple years at a community college would be a good idea while she thinks about it.

[ECBG]

@Mom2Dogs Eighteen.  It's just so hard at that age.  I've seen so many who didn't quite know what to do when I taught.

In college, I remember quite a few were undecided, so they got the general requirements out of the way during the first two years.

I reread your post, and I'd have her look up the Occupational Outlook mHandbook.  In print, it was the size of the NYC telephone book.  Done by the Dept of Labor, it describes every occupation, the forcast for being hired, where the demand is and several schools. 

I broght that resource to class more than once and walked several students through it.

Good wishes for you both.

[cotton4me]

Found an article in US News, "25 Best Jobs Without a College Degree".  

Not sure I can post the link but you can google.

[Laura14]

Most kids can get grants if they qualify to cover the AA degree in community college.  If there is no money, she should qualify just fine.  That's what I did.  I got my college degree for the first two years in business and was actually paid to do it with how poor we were.

She doesn't have to go the full bachelors which is when I went into debt but two years gives you the basics to transfer or continue if she figures it out by then.  You are just taking college level classes already taken in high school if she really doesn't have a passion for a tech program like cosmetology, medical, or welding/appliances etc without having to specialize or choose yet.

Obviously the best career choices are what we will always need like accountants, teachers, medical professionals, IT, plumbers, etc.

And I strongly agree with being a very strong influencer in expecting that your child/grandchild has at least a plan.  If they are not going to require college, then the parents should require a job and rent if she chooses to stay in the home. 

If she chooses the real world over college life, she needs that education just as fast as the book one.  College students usually have financial help.  Non college students have bills and a job. 

To do otherwise, in my opinion and others here, is setting her up to fail and not requiring enough of herself to be a contributing member of society.  

[ECBG]

@Mom2Dogs Just another thought.  You could have her go through another "door" to begin the career decision.  I often asked my students to write what standard of living they hoped to achieve by the time they were in their late twenties to thirty.

Looking at those items and assigning them a money value plus adding an average cost of living, helped us to come up with an expected level of income.  That automatically cut out some careers because the pay was so low.

You can also have her look at Indeed dot com for your area and see the availability for positions and what the reviews have been.

I never knew a hair stylist that wasn't struggling financially where I live.

If she went to college, at least she has an open door for finding someone that is upwardly mobile.

At least with my major, I had the ability to support myself if I had remained single (which I had planned to do) or support myself if something happened.

[Mom2Dogs]

@Laura14    Her parents are not together...he dad is not encouraging at all....I agree if she is not going to pursue higher learning she should pay rent, if she decides to live at home.

 I remember the discussion we had with DH's daughter at graduation...she was not motivated (we tried very hard to get her to do something) and we told her pretty much the next day was the first day of her new life..either purse a tech certification, with our assistance, or get a job and pay rent....she decided to do what her boyfriend wanted her to do...which was not to leave the area.  We had helped line up a career in something that she wanted to do but her boyfriend had more influence on her than we did.

 Today she sees the errors of her decision and is trying to help her daughter, our grandaughter, not to go that route.

[Laura14]

@Mom2Dogs   I hope her mom wins.  I know the biggest influencer in my life was watching my mom struggle without a degree after my dad walked and she was determined we would have a college degree no matter what.  Then she's never had to worry about us taking care of ourselves again.  Maybe you could go that route if she has a strong relationship with her mom.  Go the community college route to take a load off of mom's mind.   Between the Pell grants and most state grants, it's paid for.   #GuiltWorks  

[Q-Checker]

I am wondering why you are taking on the job of channeling this young woman. She is a high school graduate who was accepted at a college. She should have the skills to do the research herself and/or see a guidance couselor to learn of relevant resources. It is HER life and it does not seem in her best interest for you to direct it although your intentions are good. If there are some growing pains involved .... so be it. She will be better off for it in the end. And "making her" go to college is a gut wrencher. If college is "right for her", she needs to figure that out for herself --- and some INDEPENDENT life experiences might help her do just that. And if she needs help beyond what a guidance counselor can provide, a therapist could be another resource to help her with her "adulting process."