How long does it take noncollege kids to become independent?

[doetwin]

So I imagine that just about everyone on here went to college. I also imagine that most of the people you know went to college, but just in-case you happen to know someone who didn't go to college, how long did it take that person to become independent of their parents?

[hocus2]

My sister was on the super part time college program. She was living in her own apartment at 18 which I think might have been hard on her in someways. 18 is very young. Around 20 she moved closer to us, but still had her own place. I think my parents may have paid college partially or in full (my parents paid part of my tuition as well) but I'm not in the know about the details.

FWIW my sister is very sucessful but I felt like my parents really helped her both financially and emotionally in the first 5-10 or so years post HS, which is pretty much they did for me off an on. They were involved in college and then they helped in verious ways for the 3 years I was working before graduate school. During graduate school they helped me pay rent. In many ways I leaned on them longer. I still lean on my mom for help with the kids so there is that as well.

[read247]

My mom didn't go to college. She was independent, in her own apartment (with a roommate, but zero help from her parents) and paying her own bills, at 17.

My sister did one year of college then left to get a professional certificate instead. She moved out shortly after she withdrew from school, so was independent of our parents at 19, IIRC. Definitely no later than right after her 20th birthday.

[stephm0188]

I went to college for a semester and ran out of money. I moved back to my hometown and rented my own apartment.