Iโm not against college โ in fact, I think anyone who can afford it should absolutely go.
If you want any sort of a decent life, rampant credentialism now demands it. Heck, Iโd recommend getting a masterโs if you can swing it.
However, do it as cheaply as you can โ start off at a community college and transfer. Anything to lower the price, as the risk premium is very high.
These days, I see masterโs degrees required for jobs that a bright fifth-grader could do, so for most people (outside of IT and a few other rare fields) if you donโt go to college youโre going to be stuck in a low-paying job all your life, guaranteed.
You might still get stuck there โ even back in the 1990s I knew a very sharp dude in his 40s with a chemistry degree working at Subway โ but it decreases the chances.
Just donโt try to learn anything. Concentrate on graduating. Focusing on actually learning is not something to optimize in current society.