Archived Skip College?

[Backroom81]

Team Lead is about the highest you can realistically attain at Target without a degree. The only time you will see ETL positions open to people without a bachelor's is when there are no available college kids in the area to take them. Team Lead is not really a guaranteed full time position anymore either. Payroll at my store have been slashed to the point that half of the TLs are only getting ~30 hrs now. We're expecting to lose some TL positions in the next fiscal year.

If medical school and college isn't your thing, look at the trade schools. Skilled blue collar jobs can pay pretty well since there is a labor shortage in various industries.

 

[NMpdx13]

My opinion may be un-popular here, but here it goes.

1) Like you, I have anxiety (general anxiety, social anxiety, depression). I had really really bad panic attacks when I went to college to the point where I would need to leave class for a bit because I felt like passing out. I would sit in the desks by the door and just wait for the time that I would need to leave. College was hell, but I went because, well, I was forced to by family.

2) If you don't know what you want to study, then drop out for now, and focus on working at Target, if that's REALLY what you want to do. If I had it to do all over again, I would've just went to community college. Instead I got a useless Bachelors degree in Humanities that I can't do anything with. Why Humanities? Well, I didn't know what I wanted to study, or what I wanted to do as a career after school, so I just took classes that I enjoyed (mythology, theater history, art history, etc., etc.) I switched majors several times, but still couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. My four years were up soon, and I had to pick something to graduate. I had already taken a lot of classes for the Humanities degree, so I went with that. I graduated college, and guess what??? Ended up working at a grocery store bagging groceries. Nice huh?

3) Again, I say, if you don't know what you want to study, if you can't figure out why you need to be in school, skip it for now. Work at Target, you seem to love that, and figure out your interests. Have any hobbies you love? Can those be changed into careers? Try getting a degree in something that interests you, not just because something is a safe career. Sure, medical careers may be wonderful, but if you hate doing it, how is YOUR health going to be? You may worsen your anxiety, or develop some kind of deep depression if you work in a field that you don't enjoy. If you REALLY love retail and see yourself in retail forever, that's great! You probably would be better off at a Community College or Technical College getting a business degree, or retail management degree, or something like that.

4) If you move up the ladder at Target and you're feeling like "man this sucks, I need a change," THAT'S when you need to figure out what you're really passionate about. You can always go to school part-time while you're working, if you're motivated enough to leave Target. Also, since you struggle with anxiety like me, I would suggest looking into online classes. More and more colleges offer this option, and that would be a great way to fit school into your schedule.

5) You don't NEED to go to school now. School will always be an option. Just don't waste your money (especially if you are getting loans) on something that you DON'T WANT to do. Spend your money on something that you love or see yourself working in for a long time. Even if college is free for you, don't waste your time on something you won't like.

As someone with anxiety, I can tell you that if you continue school in a field that you don't like, and if you feel like college isn't for you, then you need to just take a break on it, and focus on what you're enjoying right now. If you stay in school, you'll just feel pressured to complete a degree, and you could end up hurting your anxiety, and possibly turning it into Panic Attacks like what happened to me. Not saying it WILL happen, only that it could...

My story: Went to college, had NO idea what I wanted to do with my life. Graduated with a useless Humanities degree. Worked in grocery for a year. Moved to a big city and found some office work through a temp agency. Still trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Took some classes at the community college in Accounting (sounded fun at the time), didn't enjoy that. Took some classes in Paralegal at the community college since I worked at a law firm, didn't really enjoy that either. Couldn't see myself becoming a Paralegal either. Still working at the law firm, became really interested in law enforcement (I always loved doing police ride-alongs, watching 'Cops', following police scanners on twitter, attending police citizens academies). I just really fell in love with law enforcement, and finally a light bulb went off. THAT'S what I want to do, work at a police station in some position, I didn't even care if it was records, or dispatch, or admin support, or whatever! So, I went back to community college and took classes in Criminal Justice and absolutely enjoyed school so much. Had no anxiety issues, or panic attacks at all, even with having to do a few presentations. I looked forward to classes. I'm still on my way to finishing my degree and applying to work at police/sheriff departments around my area. And here I am, at 39 years old. I finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I finally found something that I was passionate about.

Don't just skip school and never go back. But, if you feel like it's not for you, take a break. Work at Target, save money, pursue some hobbies, figure out your interests. Just take some time to figure yourself out. Then, when you find things you love and are good at, then go back to school and educate yourself, get your degree, and get yourself in a good position to find something you enjoy doing, even if that happens to be retail.

Good luck to you!

 

[Kartman]

Don't skip college just to work in retail.

Just say NO!

 

[dannyy315]

If working your way up at Target doesn't work for you, you have no fallback plan. Think very carefully about this.

 

[james0707]

HELL NO!!

Finish college.

Your job at Target can end at anytime. Let's say you get into store management and the store's sales decline. You could be fired for a sales decline.

Then you are on the job market without a college diploma.

Having a college degree can not hurt your future in any way. Not having a college degree can hurt your future in MANY WAYS!

Finish college.

You might want to see if Target offers education reimbursement. Maybe Target can pay for you to go to college.

 

[Tar Ghetto]

Graduate with a degree in literally anything, and you're qualified to be ETL-GE lmao.

 

[buliSBI]

Don't sell your college education short.

Target will highly value TMs with Business/Marketing degrees

 

[HRZone]

As someone who left school and came back I recommend finishing now. You would be surprised how much you forget when you are out of school for a year or two.

 

[SFSFun]

As someone who dropped out of college because I just wasn't really into it, let me add to everyone else saying DON'T DO IT! Switch majors, switch schools, try online classes, but anything is better than dropping out.

When I was 20, my parents were paying for a chunk of my tuition and I was living it home, so I could afford to take out loans. Now that I'm a few years older and living on my own, I can't afford to take out more loans to go back and my parents would laugh if I asked for financial assistance again at this point. I don't have any real life plan right now, and I'm kind of stuck not having a degree or experience for a non-retail job, but also not having a job that pays well enough to be able to go back to school.

You are happy at Target now, but things change and you have no way of knowing if Target will be happy with you down the road. If you drop out of school for a career at Target, you need to know that it could all slip away for no reason at all. All it takes is for a rotation of the ETL team and they could decide they don't like you. You will start getting written up for every little petty thing until you quit or they can fire you and bring in someone who is part of their clique. There are plenty of people on this site who can attest to that happening.

My suggestion to you is to talk to your ETL about developing into a TL. Choose some different courses next semester to see if anything else interests you. If you get promoted, take advantage of tuition reimbursement for TLs (primarily business classes are covered). And in a few years you will be a TL and have a degree to fall back on and help get hired elsewhere if you need to.

 

[Redzee]

Think peripheral medical studies. Specialize? Retail is not the end of the world but you can most definitely see it from there. Retail means serious politics to get to a place where you can afford a family and a house. You may feel comfortable now but that feeling fades with the realities of management. You have an opportunity to train for a profession. Do it.

 

[redeye58]

A former TL at our store completed office management coursework paid for by Target then left to work as an administrator for a medical office.

 

[NKG]

I strongly recommend you continue on with school. It gets harder the longer your away from school. I dropped out when I was 20 and I regret it. Ive since then had a son and now Ive struggling to raise him. Target made me realize how uneducated I am not that I am stupid but I feel belittled by ETLs because I dont have a college degree. Stay in school then you can decide what youwant to do with your life.

 

[smashandthrash]

Change your major! I did when I was in school. And get an internship and have fun. I didn't get one and now I work the warehouse floor with a college degree. Lol

But believe me, I understand wanting to drop out. I considered it... had a really bad semester one time too. Think very carefully before you fully withdraw.

 

[Rock Lobster]

I think this is the thing that drives me crazy with our education system, its that you still literally have no clue what you want to do when you start college (heck, even by sophomore year of college you declare a degree but do not know much about it until you graduate). I felt the same thing. I wish that middle school/high school was more about helping the student find what they are passionate about (job shadowing, strength finding, apprenticeship) than about such a broad and meaningless testing. Then college is about educating and training for the career you really want.

I would say to the OP, do not drop out of school for Target because even Target wants you to have a 4 year degree. If a 4 year degree is not what you want, then I would suggest looking at a 2 year associate's program in something (those are actually the best bang for your buck nowadays).

 

[Deli Ninja]

I dropped out over halfway through college for a set of reasons that included anxiety. It will likely take a lot of effort and pushing through your anxiety, but please see what mental health help your university offers and make an appointment. I was doing alright (I could have gotten to graduation, even if my grades weren't stellar) but my grades tanked when I couldn't take care of my mental health properly. Furthermore, there is a real risk that you will end up mentally stuck at Target because it is well within your comfort zone, even if you find yourself miserable. Once again speaking from personal experience. At the very least see if your school offers some sort of resume writing workshop and attend it. Write up a good resume and keep it updated as you change jobs at Target so that when/if you decide to leave Target, you have one less obstacle.

Do what's best for you, but don't forget to take advantage of what's available to you now. It can be so hard to think about a future that's not the one you've currently got planned out, but ignoring them can get you stuck in a rut you feel like you can't escape.

 

[WalmartDrone]

Please do not drop out. Target isn't going anywhere. Sure develop for team lead, and excel at your job but for the love of God do not quit school. I regretted not finishing my degree before moving. I could be an ETL right now if I only waited a year, but nope I bailed on school and now get paid 11$ and some change and only now am I getting my degree.

A degree in ANY field opens a lot of doors, especially in retail where they only want to see "Degree obtained" they do not give a single fuck what it is about. They only want to see your level of commitment.

 

[CartPusherKid]

Thank you all for your input. I'm going to see how this semester falls into place and maybe switch majors if it doesn't look like I'm going anywhere.. I really do appreciate all your input!