[zachwaugh]

Go to college. Put all the education and career considerations aside for a moment. College was one of the best times of my life. Go have some great experiences, make friends, go to parties, travel, do crazy shit, and take time to think about the rest of your life and want you want it to be. After that, you'll be working until you retire, and that's something I wouldn't rush into. I've been out of college about 7 years, and never once I have thought, man, I wish I've been working full-time longer. Plus, I made some of my best friends and met my wife while I was in college.

You have no idea in what direction your career will take you, so I wouldn't worry too much about trying to plan for the "long run". A lot of my friends switched careers or went back to school at some point in their 20s. Many people are now making a living off creating iPhone apps, and the iPhone didn't even exist 4 years ago, so there is no way to plan for everything.