> I plan to say here that it ain't always best to do as everyone else.

That's good advice, in general. After all, we're all different. But I think it's deceptively attractive, in that it is tempting to apply it where it should be.

For example, does it apply to eating? Should we do as everyone else and eat, or should we be our own individual and do something else instead? Obviously there's a problem here. We may all be different, but we're still all human, and the same basic things that are good for humans are good for all humans.

But should we all eat the same things? Absolutely not. I know a lot of people who would lead sadder lives without a pulp, red, juicy tomato now and again. But this is definitely a case of "to each his own," because I hate tomatoes. (Love ketchup; don't like tomatoes.) But I like other vegetables and fruits and can eat them happily and still stay healthy.

Is learning for everyone? Absolutely -- in the same way that eating is for everyone. Should we all learn the same things? I would hope not. Without diversity of knowledge, society couldn't even function. But "learning" *is* for everyone, and it is important that everyone try to learn as much as one can.

That leads us to the question at hand: is college for everyone? "College" isn't one thing. Unlike high school, where everyone learns pretty much the same things (there's a little variation, but it's basically all the stuff that EVERYBODY should learn), college is extremely diverse. The average university has *thousands* of courses, and in a four year program, you'd probably only take roughly 30-35 of them. College is not analogous to tomatoes, which may be right for some and not for others. College is analogous to grocery stores and restaurants both. Sure, you can eat without either, but it's a long haul, and let's face it, if not eating didn't physically kill you AND you never set foot in a grocery store or restaurant, what are the odds you'd actually eat? Maybe if you owned a farm (library) you would, but only leisurely, during spare moments, and without the expertise of others who can give you both drive and direction to make the experience genuinely rewarding.