Sam has great advice there.  I am currently attending University of Texas at Dallas and only lake a year.  But if there is one thing I could change (educational wise) it would be to take all my math early at a community college.  Business Calculus II was a big pain in the but!

I won't loose that head until I am married  

Right.

Now as far as having a plan, that's great but a plan is "talking the talk"

making the sacrifices to turn a plan into reality is "walking the walk.

good luck on your journey.

Thanks Sam, that is great advice. I took the placement test at the beginning of my term and they made my schedule, etc. based on my scores. I am currently in Math 03, English 111, Biology 101, ITE 115 (computer class), and in October I will be taking SDV (which is a Student Development class; it was a reccomendation...)

VSU is right here in Charlottesville which is about 30 minutes to an hour away from home. I might attend VSU. I've got another year (besides this one) to decide about a 4 year college and I have time to change my goals, etc.

I will cross that bridge when I get there!  

God bless  8-)

John,

Your parents raised you to be independent and to be able to perform at a high, successful level in society.

Going to college is the next step after high school to achieve this goal.

Some guys get jobs and start their careers after high school while others bounce around until they find their niche and future careers and then settle down.

May I suggest going away to college?

By living at school, either on campus or in an apartment (I vote for "on campus" as it is a lot more fun) you will be able to manage money and time; be totally responsible for yourself and your actions; broaden your horizons by meeting a lot of new people and making many new friends; balancing fishing with school activities and studying; enjoying the college social-life activities; giving you time to think about what you want to do in the future; and learn good work and study habits that will carry over into your future.

Even being an hour away (VCU) or 1,200 miles away (LSU) can make a big difference in your life when compared to living at home.

Either way, just get that degree and start paying a lot of FICA taxes.

And give me the secrets of fishing Lake Orange and Lake Anna!!!!! ;D

I think college is a way to create better opportunities for yourself. Like Muddy said, there are lots of jobs that make alot of money without college (i.e. plumbers, carpenters, business-owners, etc., even factory workers). I remember getting frustrated about two years into college and seeing some of my friends (who went right to work out of HS at the local Campbell Soup plant) driving around in new trucks and new boats, etc. I, for awhile, began to doubt my choice and pondered quitting. However, when I graduated (late in the summer) I did not get a teaching job right away. I spent a month or two working at a bakery factory (punching a timecard working with a machine. . . day in and day out). The money was good, but the work was simply monotonous. I worked some 60-70 hours a week and didn't even have the time to enjoy the money. I realized then that college was the right choice. I have been teaching kids for 15 years now and have never again regretted my decision. You go to college to do what YOU WANT to do, not settling for something that will "pay the bills". Each person's decision is different, so I can't say that everyone needs to attend college. I have two cousins who are brothers. The oldest is a Neurosurgeon and the youngest drives a forklift for a living (he went to college for a semester and dropped out. . . said it wasn't for him). Just take time to plan out your life and look to the future.