Have you fulfilled IT?

[lookout123]

********Well, I clicked the button before fixing my thread title********** dumdumdum. This started as a thread about parental expectations and changed to an expectation about college. Carry on.
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Was college an expectation growing up? Is it for your kids?

Growing up my parents always wanted me to go to college but they didn't pressure me. They required that I work hard so that I would be educated and eligible for college but they always left my path up to me. I chose the military so that I could pay for school and when I graduated I became the first person on my dad's side of the family to get a degree. (my sister was the second and last one to do so) My parents didn't dictate that college was necessary, only that it was necessary for some things that I might want to do. I always figured I'd go to school because it was the norm for my age group, but it just didn't rule my plans as it did for some of my friends. In hindsight I think my parents did the right thing by me.

Now I'm a dad and looking at Lil Lookout. He is too young to really give serious thought about what he might become but I'm a dad so I do it anyway. I don't really care what he does as long as he is happy and productive. College? Cool. Athletics? Cool. Military? Cool. Gay burlesque dancer? I hope not. At this point I can honestly say the kid has enough raw athletic talent he really could make a go of it in a number of sports. He is generally the best in any game he plays up to about three years older than his own age. Chances are he'll get bored and leave sports behind, but the raw material is there. He's also intelligent enough that he seems to pick up a wide variety of subjects with ease, except for math which causes him to convulse just as it always did for me.

My sister and I were talking about it and she was excited because he might be a good enough athlete to get a scholarship for soccer. I shrugged and said maybe, but then I pointed out that if he really was that good he would probably skip school and try his luck in the pros. She asked if I'd be ok with that and I told her I'd actually encourage it and help him along the way. If that doesn't work, then he can go to college. (Obviously completely hypothetical - he is only 7). She was absolutely appalled that I would be ok with that. We decided to agree to disagree as she believes everyone should go to college and get a degree.

I firmly believe that everyone who wants a degree or wants to work in an area where a degree is required should go to college. I do believe that everyone should prepare as if they were to go to college, so that it is their option when the time comes. I firmly believe that a person who chooses to go to college because they have seen some value in it for their own benefit is a far better student who is more likely to succeed and complete school with generally less time and money wasted. I see a lot of kids go off to school because that is what is expected and spend a few years partying and screwing off because they have nothing but their parents' money invested in the educational process. That just doesn't make sense to me.

What say you?