Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

COLLEGE

Expectations, Alternatives, and the Many Roads to Success

College isn’t the only path—it’s one of many. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how postsecondary decisions are shaped by pressure, personality, and possibility, and why success can take many forms.

In your Senior year of High School, the repeat conversation is about going to college. Your relatives want to know if you are planning to go to college, where you want to go and what you want to study. The pressure is on to figure out your future. Hey, you are in high school! What is the rush? I am just a teenager, and the prom is months away. Lighten up. Or the scenario could be that you have been planning this since elementary school and cannot wait to get those applications in (implying that you are ready to get out of here).

Then there are your friends, who, for whatever reason, are not thinking of college, cannot afford college, have no goals in mind, and want to avoid the conversation altogether. Some will drop out and go the GED route later. Some will get a job after school, leading to full-time work when they graduate. Some will follow a parent or relative into a trade and build a career path before graduation. Some will shrink in fear and confusion until someone grabs a hold of them to set them on a better path.

Regardless of your group, college is a factor in everyone’s life. The dividing line for the future seems to be planted here. We have the idea that college is the ticket to a better life. In many ways, this is true. Look at your friends. Your best girlfriend in high school became a dentist. Your friend on the soccer team is a high school counselor. The fringe friend is an author and does speaking gigs about dating relationships. But your friend from the camp went into the family construction business and is now running the place. And your friend from music camp is making records and never spent a day in class.

Your parents will not want to hear this, but some of the most successful entrepreneurs do not have college degrees:
Mark Zuckerberg
Steve Jobs
Richard Branson
Bill Gates
Michael Dell
Larry Ellison
Walt Disney
Henry Ford

I am not advocating that everyone leave school. I have a college degree and use it every day. I am just saying that looking at the person and their capability may be more important than looking at the expectation that a college degree is necessary for success. The facts do not always support that.

Want to explore how college readiness and success are shaped by academic and nonacademic factors? Visit The U.S. Department of Education’s predictors of postsecondary success, Inside Higher Ed’s six factors shaping student success, and AACRAO’s student-defined success framework.

If you’re reflecting on education, career paths, or personal growth, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, confidence, and purpose.