Need Advice About Dropping Out of College

[Failure404]

Obligatory “I’ve wanted to be X since I was a kid” comment.

So, I’ve been at college for the last year and a half, switched my major a half dozen times, still not sure what I’m here for. Basically, I’m a little lost in terms of what I want to get out of the college experience. A huge reason why I’m here is because everyone’s advice was to go officer. Even though I’d like to enlist on an 18X contract, my parents have encouraged me to at least pursue a degree so the option to go to OCS is available in the future. I realize the value of a degree, but I just can’t seem to get motivated to finish. I’m 23 and only in my 4th semester (Mainly because I went on a 2 year mission for the LDS church. I don’t consider myself a “Mormon” anymore, though, so I’m a little salty because that set me back a few years on college and the rest of my plans.)

My ultimate goal is to make it through SFAS as an enlisted guy; I don’t really want to be moved to “upper level management” after a couple of years. It’s never the job I wanted, even if it’s the job my parents would like me to pursue.

So, I’m a little behind the curve. I just want to get on with my life and start pursuing MY goal. I’m not giving up on college indefinitely, but I’ve given it my best shot and it just isn’t working out at this time. The plan is to finish this semester and prepare to enlist beginning of next year. I know there will be opportunities for me to pursue further education in the future, if I so choose, though. (With the added benefit of a better vision and end goal in mind.)

I’m sure my story isn’t much different than what’s been said here in the past, but any advice for my situation would be appreciated. You can be completely frank with me. Am I being a fool by dropping out of college? I’d be 26 by the time I graduate, and that’s just not worth it to me just to have the potential to go officer SOMETIME in the future (which I don’t think I would want to do for a good amount of time.)

TL;DR: I’m 23, only in my 4th semester of college, and still don’t know what I’m doing here. I plan to drop out and enlist beginning of next year.

(If this has been posted before, I'm sorry. I tried to search as best I could before posting.)

 

[SpitfireV]

Sounds like you need a solid career plan not this all over the place stuff. Perhaps working for a year full time might focus you. Who knows.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

You can be completely frank with me.

Okay....

My ultimate goal is to make it through SFAS as an enlisted guy

Thought you wanted to be a SEAL?

My ultimate goal is to be a SEAL

Realistic or not? Pursuing a college degree while in the teams?

I realize the value of a degree, but I just can’t seem to get motivated to finish

You contradict yourself here....either you realize the value of a degree, or you don't. The whole "can't get motivated" thing irritates the crap out of me.

Here is what I hear when I read the two posts reference above:

1) SEAL's are cool. I wanna be one.

2) I read those damn Dick Couch books, SEAL training seems really hard (and cold), I think I wanna be a Green Beret instead.

3) Fuck. I still have to finish college, and I hate college, so I'm gonna bail on that and just join "something" so I can try and get a contract for a cool-guy school.

You said above, "you can be completely frank with me". So here goes, you come across as very indecisive and looking for someone to make your decisions for you. I'm assuming no one put a gun to your head and forced you to go on the two year Mormon mission, you agreed to go and invest those two years.

Have you seen The Godfather? Shame on you if not, but I remember the post your wrote in April 2016 about nearly the same topic. That one, combined with the one you wrote today, reminds me of this classic scene:

 

[DocIllinois]

I'm sorry to hear about the LDS delay.
FWIW, I agree with @ Ooh-Rah - stop sweating it and make a plan.

What the current state of things is; what you really want to accomplish; how you're going to do it; what the logistics of doing it might be; whom or what might offer guidance along the way.

$.02

 

[Jay_Pew]

College is definitely a good thing to have out of the way before you enter the service, but at the end of the day you shouldn't be continuing with school if you have no motivation to complete it, potentially wasting your or your parents money, in not completely or flunking out of your program. Go where your heart is bud, and put 100% into whatever you do.

 

[H. Harper]

I suppose I'm not exactly the greatest person to offer advice here seeing as I'm not even out of high school yet, but I'll try anyway; take it, or leave it.

No one here can plan your life for you. What you need to do is figure out exactly what you want out of life, figure out the steps to getting it, and execute those steps. If your ultimate goal requires a degree, get a degree. I, sitting who knows how far from wherever you are now, could not possibly understand all the various factors that go into to deciding what YOU should do with YOUR life. Also, if you don't think you can find motivation to finish your degree, then how in the world do you ever expect to find motivation to finish SFAS? Sounds to me like what you need to figure out more than anything, is how to get yourself some good ol' fashioned willpower.

 

[Teufel]

I am a huge fan of college. I'm actually wrapping up my masters now and am applying for a masters certificate this month. Education is great if it focused and relevant. Everything I learn is pertinent to my career and my future. This is easy to do when you have your life figured out and you are well into your career. I can't help you get to where you want to go because I'm not you and I don't know where you truly want to go. I initially wanted to enlist but ended up finishing college and got a commission instead. That worked out great for me but might not be what you want. That a decision only you can make. Best of luck in your future career. No matter what you do, live a selfless life and serve a cause greater than yourself.

 

[Failure404]

Thought you wanted to be a SEAL?
...
Here is what I hear when I read the two posts reference above:
1) SEAL's are cool. I wanna be one.

2) I read those damn Dick Couch books, SEAL training seems really hard (and cold), I think I wanna be a Green Beret instead.

It's true that I always wanted to be a SEAL. I think the "cool guy" stigma they have in the media is what drew me towards the military when I was a kid, but am I not allowed to change my goals as I learn new things? UW and the mission/philosophy of SF sounds a lot more fulfilling and in-line with what I'd like to be a part of, so I adjusted my target. I don't think that's something to criticize. Although, you did hit the nail on the head: I have always been an indecisive person. (I'm working on that.) I value the opinion of those with more experience, which is why I'm on here trying to figure things out. Looking back, I see the pattern, but I there's more to me than just the few posts I've made on this forum.

either you realize the value of a degree, or you don't. The whole "can't get motivated" thing irritates the crap out of me.

3) Fuck. I still have to finish college, and I hate college, so I'm gonna bail on that and just join "something" so I can try and get a contract for a cool-guy school.

I guess "lack of motivation" was a bad way to describe things, and I understand why that irritates you. Don't get me wrong, I do value the college experience and I've put everything into getting the most out of it that I can. I'm not looking for an excuse to bail, because it's too hard, or because I wanna be highspeed and shit... I just have no direction for where I want my studies to take me and can no longer justify the time and cost while being half-committed.

Thank you for awakening me to the fact that I need to own my decisions.

And The Godfather is a great movie.

 

[SpitfireV]

If you didn't mean it like that you would have worded it differently.

 

[Topkick]

I am a huge fan of college

Agreed. But to the OP, you stated that your goal was to make it through SFAS as an enlisted guy. If that is true, go for it. College will be there and you will have the GI bill. I will say this, if you want to serve in combat arms and especially in SF, you'll have to get your head screwed on tight first.

 

[Gunz]

College isn't for everybody. It wasn't for me. I was 37 when I finally went.

It sounds like you've already made up your mind and your OP is a hunt for validation. I don't know what your track record is when it comes to starting stuff and quitting. But follow your heart, man. If you want to do it, do it. Just make sure you commit 100% to your abrupt change of direction. The goal you want to achieve ain't for quitters...and I think you know that.

 

[R.Caerbannog]

Obligatory “I’ve wanted to be X since I was a kid” comment.

So, I’ve been at college for the last year and a half, switched my major a half dozen times, still not sure what I’m here for. Basically, I’m a little lost in terms of what I want to get out of the college experience. A huge reason why I’m here is because everyone’s advice was to go officer. Even though I’d like to enlist on an 18X contract, my parents have encouraged me to at least pursue a degree so the option to go to OCS is available in the future. I realize the value of a degree, but I just can’t seem to get motivated to finish. I’m 23 and only in my 4th semester (Mainly because I went on a 2 year mission for the LDS church. I don’t consider myself a “Mormon” anymore, though, so I’m a little salty because that set me back a few years on college and the rest of my plans.)

My ultimate goal is to make it through SFAS as an enlisted guy; I don’t really want to be moved to “upper level management” after a couple of years. It’s never the job I wanted, even if it’s the job my parents would like me to pursue.

So, I’m a little behind the curve. I just want to get on with my life and start pursuing MY goal. I’m not giving up on college indefinitely, but I’ve given it my best shot and it just isn’t working out at this time. The plan is to finish this semester and prepare to enlist beginning of next year. I know there will be opportunities for me to pursue further education in the future, if I so choose, though. (With the added benefit of a better vision and end goal in mind.)

I’m sure my story isn’t much different than what’s been said here in the past, but any advice for my situation would be appreciated. You can be completely frank with me. Am I being a fool by dropping out of college? I’d be 26 by the time I graduate, and that’s just not worth it to me just to have the potential to go officer SOMETIME in the future (which I don’t think I would want to do for a good amount of time.)

TL;DR: I’m 23, only in my 4th semester of college, and still don’t know what I’m doing here. I plan to drop out and enlist beginning of next year.

(If this has been posted before, I'm sorry. I tried to search as best I could before posting.)

Hello Ash, have you looked go see if there are any trade skills that you might be able to pick up? I hear really good things about underwater welding if your looking at doing something aquatic. Growing up I wanted to be a welder or a machinist, since that was the work available in town and the guys that did that lived pretty decently. If your tired with college pick up a trade skill, you would not believe how useful it is to be able to weld or fabricate stuff when you are out in the middle of nowhere. Grunts that have a background with electrical systems are gold. Heck, even having a basic knowledge of plumbing and installing waterlines will be valuable if you end up at JSS or COP. From what I've seen, the guys who bring in outside tradeskills are worth their weight in gold and bring a whole lot more to the table than your average guy. Food for thought.

 

[Red Flag 1]

.

 

[suaveflooder]

Pick a path for yourself, follow that path to its end point.

You sound like you are having trouble with the above and no one here can pick the path for you. If you lack motivation then you will have trouble picking a path and going to its end point. That having been said, you will never make it to through the SF pipeline, or BUDs if you are having trouble making up your mind. Picking apart the "philosophy" of SF/SEAL is just throwing blocks in front of yourself, and avoiding the decision. All I is see here is your internal debate between school, BUDs, and SF.

You are in college, finish college. Then do something else.

I was actually thinking the same thing. Finish. If nothing else finish. This is coming from nothing but an old dude learning this late in life. Make a decision and follow it through. It STILL may not be what you want/should be doing, but the only way to know for sure is to actually see it through to the end. @Red Flag 1 nailed it dead on the head.

 

[TLDR20]

Once a quitter always a quitter ;)

 

[AWP]

"You pays your money and you takes your chances."

Be an adult, make a decision, and live with that decision. Guess what will always be there: college. Guess what else will always be there: the military.

We see "you" all of the time and there are no good answers because despite this being a common problem there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. You only have one life and you can't run very fast whilst sitting on your hands. Time and a lack of spirit are man's enemies.

 

[DocIllinois]

Additionally, try not to date wild women you've met in Org. Chem. class who are stripping their way through school and already have a kid. A real time/ energy sucker, there.

This is from hearsay.