Dropping Out of College-Yay or Nay?

[findingmyway]

Hello. I'm back for more advice.
Essentially, this is my mini-story: I'm a junior in college. If I worked really hard, I could finish in one year. I have a part-time job that I love, but has nothing to do with my major (at least, the qualifications do not). But I absolutely hate college. Due to different issues, I have had the opportunities to take some different leaves. I thought, at the time, that I was just burned out. Because of a high school program, I was able to "quit" high school (hated that too) and get a little under two years of college finished by the time I graduated high school. Also, because of the program I was in, the tuition was free (textbooks not, unfortunately).
My parents have paid for about a year's worth of college now. I've tried asking to drop out. We basically go through this every quarter. And every time, the response I get is so negative that I end up going back. But then I just end up hating it even more. I am very aware of the work that they have put into tuition. I am aware that not everyone gets to go to college, let alone have it paid for them. And it is this reason why I feel a tremendous amount of guilt. Right now, someone could take my seat, someone who really enjoys the education process and is extremely motivated to be there. It's not a problem of the wrong major, but just the way that it is being taught not only makes it not enjoyable, but seems to makes me almost hate the subject. The whole thing really goes against my values and what I believe in.
I know what I want to do with my life, and it doesn't require a college degree. I want to go into the arts and I am very okay with working different part-time jobs until I can make money off of art. I have been repeatedly told that I am selfish for wanting to "throw away this opportunity." Yet, I know that I am going to get that same criticism if I end up getting the degree and then go on to work with jobs that don't require a degree anyway. Furthermore, my parents are both out of work right now and struggling to find jobs. I really want them to keep the money they would have spent on college and use it for themselves.
I know it's kind of a difficult question to answer, since no one knows the future and how this will pan out, but do you think I should stay or dropout?

[MisterTinkles]

Get all of your college done asap. You will regret it if you dont!!!

You dont know HOW many jobs I do not get accepted for, JUST because I DONT have that lousy fukkin piece of paper from a college, that has my name on it!!! Even though I know MORE than the people who have graduated a college. If I could afford a black market college diploma, believe me, I would buy one, just so it would be easier for me to find work and make more money.

I dont care WHAT you get a degree in, get a degree in SOMETHING!!! If you have the chance to get it all done and over with in the next year, then DO IT!!!

Once it is all over and done with, then you dont have to worry about it any more.

You WILL regret it if you dont. Once you have taken "time off", 30 years will have passed before you know it....and then you wont care about finishing at all.

DONT QUIT!

[dfiant]

You are not going to achieve anything if you are forced or force yourself to do something you hate...I am just saying.

Do wht makes you happy and you will achive more with your life.

That is all

[Woollyhats]

Which degree are you pursuing, and how far are you from finishing college?

If you're close to finishing I would say to finish since you've invested a lot into this already.

Also, if you're in a field that is not saturated and in high demand, I'd say to stay in it if you are very capable. Not every degree is valuable, but if you have a valuable one, you can secure your future financially...

This said, college (or university as it's called in Canada --- when I see college I think diplomas not degrees) is never the only route to happiness.

[partis]

If you leave now the last two to three years will be for nothing. On the other hand i think you should do what you want to do not what your parents want you to do.

I left secondary school (high school) two years early too because of a school programme, only i didnt go to collage, i went to work, my teachers decided that schooling didnt work for me and some others so they did this and then we have school only two days a week in a "special" class where the teachers had a laugh with us, the only thing was as we started getting into our jobs we stopped turning up for class! lmao

[ChadCoxRox]

If what you say about your art is true then you must be prolific with it in the same way formal education requires for success. If you do that there is no reason why you cannot succeed and anyone's opinion otherwise is just that...opinion.

From another perspective:

I've been hiring and firing for years and I have a degree in Fine Arts and have worked in the field since 1980 when I was only wee lad with a small bit of talent and a shit load of passion. Finish school no matter what it is or you will be overlooked in most all employment pursuits beyond entry level unless you simply work your ass off (literally) or hit all the right scratch tickets. It's about discipline and ability to maintain a structured growth pursuit. If you can find a suitable alternative that will "look good" on paper then go for it. Art lends itself well to such pursuits. You're far enough along now to just do it to your best and put it down as persistence, endurance, resilience and other descriptors you can add.

One last important word of advice. If you change over to some sort of formal art schooling don't let it rob you of your own personal style for the sake of technique!!!

[megumidesu]

i dropped out of college and i'm doing pretty well.
you should do what makes you happy . and anyway , you can always go back in a few years if you decide you want to finish

[747XL29]

Get all of your college done asap. You will regret it if you don't!!!
Get all of your college done asap. You will regret it if you don't!!!


DON'T QUIT!

This.
You will never look back and say, "damn I really should have quit college" after graduating, but odds are, you will look back and wish you had finished. Possibly in a big way.

[Lilitu]

I wouldn't do that unless I was sure I had a steady source of income that I was sure could support me and leave a small surplus.

[Bowyn Aerrow]

I don't know your whole situation, however I do know there is more in your life than just school that sits in your brain.

There is the logical side here which you listed, its free, its a piece of paper that will look good on resume's etc. Then there is this whole 'it goes against my values'.

I'm wondering if this power struggle relates to other things in your life, you are using it as a point of control to one degree or another?

You are putting a lot of time and effort into ending a temporary process which has a definite end date to it.

I think that this would be a good subject to bring up to your therapist and see what she/he has to ask in the way of questions to see if this power struggle thing is what is really going on and that school and getting this degree ain't something else altogether.

Guilt is a useful emotion.... when people start ignoring guilt its usefulness ends and the horrors of humanity begins....