Should I Go to College? Debt, Entrepreneurship & The Voices Who Challenged the Norm

This blog is dedicated to my kids and my community, who believe college is necessary to be a successful human being. This is something that I was taught as a youth in the 90s- thus, I have accumulated an armful of degrees. It is your choice to determine how you want to navigate your future, and more importantly, it is your responsibility to understand the consequences each choice you make incurs. Read on.

Times are changing, and the cost of college is costing our young adults trillions.

The question “Should I go to college?” no longer has a straightforward answer. For decades, higher education was a golden ticket to stability, prestige, and financial growth. Today, it’s a decision tangled in student debt, entrepreneurial opportunity, and the hard reality that a degree is no longer a guaranteed path to success.

Two voices stand out in this conversation: Gary Vaynerchuk, who openly calls college a business, and the late Charlie Kirk, who rejected the traditional route himself yet built his career on campuses across America. Their words and their examples offer a roadmap for rethinking education in modern times.

The Crushing Weight of College Debt and Should I Go To College?

Student loan debt in the U.S. has ballooned past $1.7 trillion. For many, college isn’t just four years of education—it’s decades of repayment. Debt doesn’t just delay buying a home or starting a family; it restricts your ability to take risks and explore opportunities.

Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur and thought leader, has long sounded the alarm.

In his blog “Is College Really Worth It?” he wrote:

“Ultimately, it’s not a conversation about whether college is ‘bad’ or not worth it. It’s about collecting enormous debt if you want to become an entrepreneur. If you’re taking on college debt to eventually start your own business, you are not in a good place.”

In another post, The 18 to 28 Debate, he sharpened the point:

“When a college grad is $213,000 in debt, has a job that pays $84,000 salary … it is over.”

And in conversation with me personally, Gary said something that still rings in my ears:

“You have to understand—99% of people are paying for a credential they’ll never use. Don’t burden yourself thinking you have no other path.”

Gary’s perspective is not that education has no value, but that higher education often functions as a business—one that profits from young people buying into the belief that a degree guarantees success.

The Rise of Entrepreneurial Opportunity

If debt is the trap, entrepreneurship is the escape hatch. Today, with the rise of digital platforms, creators, and freelancers, the barriers to entry are lower than ever. You don’t need a diploma to start a YouTube channel, build an e-commerce store, or develop a client base as a consultant.

Gary Vaynerchuk embodies this ethos. He champions the internet as the great equalizer, where self-awareness, consistency, and execution matter more than the letters after your name. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but it provides agency, control, and the possibility to grow without waiting four years for a degree.

The Late Charlie Kirk: Rejecting College, Embracing Campuses

Politics aside, Charlie Kirk was a great example that you did not need to go to college to amass intelligence or create wealth.

The late Charlie Kirk was a living example of what it meant to walk away from higher education and still make campuses his platform. Kirk dropped out of Harper College, a community college outside of Chicago, after one semester. Kirk rose to national prominence by speaking to and debating students across the country.

Kirk was blunt about the economics of higher education:

“When students have access to low-interest loans and government aid, colleges have no incentive to cut costs.”

His critique wasn’t just financial but philosophical—he argued that higher education had become bloated and ideologically rigid. At the same time, he positioned himself as proof that a lack of formal credentials did not mean a lack of influence.

Kirk also often connected his message to entrepreneurship:

“Entrepreneurs take measured risks, not hopeless gambles.”

In his view, success came not from a diploma but from resilience, risk management, and resourcefulness. His life illustrated how one could forgo traditional education, yet still dominate conversations on the very campuses he never formally joined.

Should You Go to College?

Back to the question at hand: should you go to college?

The answer depends on your goals, field, and risk tolerance.

• If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, college (and beyond) is mandatory.

• If your ambition is entrepreneurship, creative work, or a field where skills and portfolio matter more than credentials, the return on investment is far less clear.

• If debt will crush your ability to take risks, think twice before signing loan papers.

Both Gary Vaynerchuk and the late Charlie Kirk dismantled the myth that college is the only path. Gary framed it as a business that profits from young people’s uncertainty. Kirk embodied the alternative—skipping school, yet commanding attention on the very campuses that didn’t credential him.

The world has changed. College can still be a launchpad—but it’s no longer the only one. The real question is: Which path gives you the freedom to learn, adapt, and create the life you want?

Keep Cre8ting-- Julie

Post Script:

I encourage my children to push themselves. I encourage them to understand the weight of their choices. College is not for everyone. My husband did not go to college, yet he has built a very successful landscape and construction business. On the other hand, I have 3 degrees, one of which is a law degree, and currently, do not practice law.

I believe it is about knowing who you are, what gives you purpose in life, and finding the best vehicle to take you there. Let me know your thoughts below!

Watch my interview with Gary Vee Below!⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://youtu.be/nURmyHL2lNU?si=ITxZvYMgOhtWXazp