It’s easy to let money—and the idea of having more money—consume your thoughts. As a recent grad with my fair share of debt, the subject is always at the back of my mind. In fact, I’ve often wondered whether school was even the way to go—maybe I should have jumped right into the workplace.

Recently, a blog headline caught my attention: Should an Entrepreneurial High Schooler Go to College?

I guess I’m not the only one thinking this way.

The post helps Andy, a high school student, through the pros and cons of living a few years of profits or a few years of books. Towards the end he makes a very good point:

If you can’t imagine anything better than building this business you’ve started, then go for it… Along the way, save most of what you earn - put it away so you can walk away from the business at a fairly young age. If you’ve built the business into something large and successful and sell the whole thing at age thirty, you can go to college then if you want to.

But that’s not necessarily the route that everyone should take. Another blogger with lots of business potential chose to leave everything for the university experience. In fact, the 20-year-old could have made $200,000 if he hadn’t moved away for his first year of school. He says his decision wasn’t an easy one, but the right one because he’s grown as an individual. It’s something he can take with him in his future endeavours:

I have learned how to take care of myself and how to live away from my parents. I have met some great people and built some key relationships… It would have been much harder to succeed without the strong network that I now have and I surely would have had a tough time taking care of myself without ever living away from my parents.

But, is it financially responsible to leave a profitable venture for a semester of debt and “experience”? I won’t deny the great experience the university provides, but now being out of school, I can honestly say that debt can feel burdensome.

And what about those high schoolers that think university isn’t for them? Are they being financially responsible by heading right for the workplace knowing that he or she could be a dropout in less than twelve months?

MacLean’s magazine’s student blog discusses the possibility of the “unsure high school student” deferring college life for a while:

There’s strong evidence that on average, university education does pay off, but that only means it’s a pretty decent bet for most people. And if you think less than most people about the investment you’re making and your plans for the future, well, betting does tend to favour the thoughtful and the informed.

The important thing to note is that everyone’s situation is, well, his or her own. If you’re finding yourself unhappy with a decision you’ve made, it’s obviously not the right one. University can only be a positive experience if you want to be there. Otherwise, you may find your mind—and your pockets—empty.