[gerpsh]

It comes down to this: if you're wondering whether going to/staying in college is a good idea, you need to first examine the quality of your alternatives. Are you an 18 year old programmer with solid skills and a job offer in hand? College might not be worth the time or money, fair enough. Are you an 18 year old with no transferrable skills and a weak network? Do yourself a favor and go to college.

Bill Gates had a good alternative, so he dropped out and pursued it. Mark Zuckerberg had a good alternative, so he dropped out and pursued it. My friend from high school who dropped out his sophomore year and now works part-time at Best Buy did not have a good alternative, and now he's kicking himself.

People who say "college is good" or "college is bad" as blanket statements are oversimplifying the issue. Yes, college is still a decent way to get a good job and it can be intellectually enriching, but it takes years out of your life to finish and is (at least in the US) insanely expensive. Yes, college is insanely expensive and it takes years to finish, but it may end up being a good investment, and you may be personally better off for it in the long run. Individuals need to decide, based on their current position, which would be the wiser choice.

[capote]

This is a well balanced and fair summary. Of course if you want to go to college for the wrong reason you won't be happy, and of course if you drop out and get a job for the wrong reason, you still won't be happy. It's the [expectation vs. endeavor] that needs to be considered.