[bookreader]

I think the problem is that my parents seem to feel that college is a necessity for a good life, which I think I disagree with. There seem to be plenty of programmers without degrees.

The things I'm really interested in doing beyond practical needs don't require a college degree, and in some ways I think three years in the real world would be more valuable. I'm interested in entrepreneurship and non-fiction / fiction writing, and both of those seem to benefit heavily from real world experience.

[anigbrowl]

Well, it helps. And don't make the mistake of thinking that college is not real life, just because it's curated. Think of it like an intellectual shopping mall :-)