Not a teacher.... but this is an underrated comment.

When I graduated highschool, I chose not to attend college even though I was accepted. Instead, I got an internship at a local tech company and worked my way up. Obviously, I "worked hard" which may be the defining difference... but I know some of my classmates who went to college( who worked just as hard ) and can't land a job or make significantly less than me.

I won't lie. I felt like I was on the wrong path for years. Everyone told me I would end up being a failure, and that I needed college. It was very stressful and had me doubting myself the entire time. Why? Because of years of conditioning from teachers/society about what it takes to make a career.

I'm very curious why teachers still push college when there are many other options that can provide a stable income?

Ex: A lot of kids want to get into tech these days. I can tell you right now - most tech companies don't care about your degree. Every boss I've had said that this is never a factor in the hiring process. How they rank in interviews/technical assessments is.

Sorry for the tldr; just very curious about this. Responses welcome.