When I was still in school, I remember thinking about college as an automatic next step in furthering my education. What I didn't think about were the actual professional outcomes I'd have with a degree in English literature and history from a foreign university.

My situation was not unique. Too often, I've seen young adults think about their careers and thoughtlessly include college as the means to get there, even if the degree they choose has little or nothing to do with the career to which they aspire.

I was fortunate to find a route that made me question the true value of my Bachelor's degree and find my career on my own terms. Going through Praxis, a for-profit apprenticeship program, taught me a lot about myself and the kind of work I excel in.

The Fetishization of Higher Education

We've all heard phrases like this: "Without a college degree, you'll never find a lucrative career." And this: "You'll never be able to choose what you want to do if you don't go to college."