College or trucking, what to do between 18 and 21?

Oh that's right, you did say that. I was working from memory. Just got back on hometime. Been a busy day.

 

You WILL NEVER waste money in your education. If you have the means to go to college, do it! It doesn’t matter if you are going to finish the career you choose , go and learn . It will help you to think a little bit faster , will help you understand more complicated stuff than the average person without education. It will help you to trans and understand better, so employers, banks , business partners will have a hard time taking advantage of you.
Maybe, one day you will open up your own business and with your education you will make better decisions. You will understand that leasing is never about you .
Good luck and keep it up dreaming .

 

My father was a trucker. I have several uncles on both sides that trucked. I grew up dreaming of trucking. I had the chance to go on trips with my father. Just thinking about those times even today 50 years later I can't help but to smile. With that said I can not with good conscience make any recommendation to a 17 year old to get into trucking. Either as an OO or a company man. I advise to avail yourself of any chance you can to learn a trade like being a mechanic. I know several mechanics that make as much if not more money than a trucker does. I would also remind you that there is also military service to consider. You could do both in the service. get some age say be at least 25 then if you still believe trucking is your calling you would be ready. I was 17 when I joined the Air Force in Dec of 1975. You have your whole life ahead of you right now. I am trying to not patronize you, I don't think at 17 you are ready to make these kinds of decisions. Nothing wrong with a dream, i had them. Just believe me when I tell you that life has a way of gobsmacking a person.

 

If you don't have a burning need and goal DO NOT GO TO COLLEGE. You would almost certainly borrow money, get frustrated, not graduate, but still owe the money you borrowed. Only go to college if the career you want REALLY needs a college degree, not just because some college offers a degree in the area you are interested in.

Being under 21 limits you from many CDL jobs. Just get a job andcsave money until you have a specific goal in mind. I'll sell you my 3 college degrees if you can give me back the 6 years I spent earning them. I did get to work in my degree field for 2 years before I got into trucking. I doubled my income my FIRST year in the truck. I have doubled that income since then. College, other than crime, is the worst thing to do if you don't know what to do.

 

I don't believe I stated this as a general comment. If you go back and look at my comment again you will see I was referring to your age. In the rest of my comment I feel I explained my points.

 

@Cabover9670
Go to college.
Learn about technology.
Graduate.
Then decide what job you want to do.

Be smart.
Don't limit your choices in life at 18 which you will do if you start driving now.