I vote against debt 1st. College is good, as education is good, but currently the mass-media indoctrinates people into believing that going into deep debt (say $50,000 or more) for a 4-year degree that has no direct connection to making money in the future (either because the field is underpaid, or the recipient of the degree has no interest in the focus of the degree).
College is a means to an end, and nothing more. If you haven't got a clear track laid out, why would you do it. Sure, walking across the desert with only a canteen of water is something that "they can never take away from you" and you will "always have that sense of accomplishment", but there are also CONSEQUENCES to wasting 4 years of your life and going deeply into debt in order to get a piece of paper that says you might know something about something, but it says absolutely nothing about your work ethic, your character, your analytical ability and (MAIN POINT HERE) whether or not you are going to generate income from your employer.
Cause that is ALL they fucking care about, unless you want to go work for the fat-ass government, living well off the labors of other people's efforts. (I hate these fucks btw, and am looking forward to the upcoming revolution.)
Which is another thing to consider. Just 2 days ago, I talked to the Store Manager of a local business that is going out of business after 40 years. Why? The economy in general, wholesalers are competing with their distributors in the retail market (makes money in short term and can spell death in the long term) and 3) Obamacare starts next year and health care costs are going up 40%. Another guy told me 400%, in some circumstances.
A weak economy is not going to withstand that. Massive lay-offs, inflation, huge spike in crime and the formation of anti-government militias, is what's coming. And you ain't getting no college education in the middle of all that. Figure out a way to start making some money and save every fucking penny you can. Pay attention to the stories from the Great Depression, because what's coming is going to make THAT look like a long Christmas Holiday.