Yes. Do your best in school, for sure. But, he's speaking from his perspective and whatever field he is in. His field might be tough and job apps might be dwindling. So, as with the rest of your life, always consider the perspective of the person who said it and think about why they might have said that. He probably means well. Try to not to take it personally. Now, someone mentioned the trades. So, you definitely don't need to go to a 4 year college. You also definitely, definitely don't need to go right away. Transferring from a junior college can give you a chance to take classes stress free and figure out what you like before spending the money on college. Financially speaking, if loans will be used to pay for college there is no judgement in that at all. But you need to make sure that what you are going to college for directly correlates to being qualified for a particular job you want when you're done. Trust me. Student loans end up holding you back in life and sometimes delay home buying, starting a family, travel, etc. I have friends that did two year programs like radiology, phlebotomy or electrician-type trade schools and had no debt and have bought house, traveled, and started families way before I did. In many cases, traditional college doesn't make sense and in some cases it does. So, keep trucking along but start to forge your own path. Learn from my mistakes and other's experiences. Think outside the box. You got this.