Only a few.
You are ahead of the game compared to MANY adults much less kids in high school. Most people in high school and college don't really have a plan. You know what you want to do and have a couple of plans.
When I was in HS I knew what I wanted to do with my life, I made plans and executed to those plans. Most kids are not so lucky to know what they will be doing in life. I still work in the field I choose but it has had its ups and downs. Jobs, and even careers, can come and go, especially now a days. Getting an education is very important. A job may go away, a house may be lost, heck a marriage can dissolve, but your education is YOURS. A problem with education today is that it has gotten very expensive, so avoiding education debt, is more difficult but very important. Getting the wrong education, and going deeply into debt early in life, is not in one's best interest. However, an education opens doors that are sometimes not even seen by people without a degree. My degree opened doors that I had not even seriously considered. In fact, I would NOT be doing what I do today, if I had had my way but some things are out of your control. On the other hand, I have had been able to have two parallel careers in different fields. One field I would never have even thought about but there was an opportunity and I took it. Having an education made it easier to get accepted and get the required certifications.
Most people going to college do NOT graduate. Just getting a degree is an accomplishment because most people do not finish. I knew some very smart people in HS who were getting much better grades than I and scoring much higher on SAT and ACT exams. They were very likely "smarter" than me whatever "smarter" means. Some of them never graduated from college. They just did not have "it" in them to finish. Nothing more and nothing less. They certainly had the brains and the education, but they were not able to complete the degree. A degree does not make one smarter or better than others but it is an accomplishment. A degree does not make one a success either but it can help one be successful. What is most important is the CHARACTER of the person getting the degree and what THEY will do with their life.
You seem to have two forks in the road to take. A talk with your parents will likely push you down one fork or the other but may also open a third path. Of the two known paths, going into the military or staying at home and getting your firefighter credentials, is going to take a time commitment on your part. Both paths require you to commit a few years of your life to that path. For sure, if you join the USAF, you are in until the end of your commitment to Uncle Sam since any early out will follow you for the rest of your life. Signing up with Uncle Sam maybe the best choice but it should be well thought out choice.
The fact that you are even THINKING about such things is more than most kids are doing at your age. Most kids just go with the flow.
Later,
Dan
