Okay, here's my story.
I could easily have gone on to college based on my academic record. Actually, my grades would have been even better if I had had the goal of pursuing higher education. Since I knew that was not very likely, I sluffed by and still got A's and B's.
Financially it would have been tough. No JW parents have a college fund set up for their kids, at least not 10 - 20 years ago. Why, the end is right around the corner. I was assured that I would not even graduate high school because of the imminent approach of Armagedden.
I did end up with a scholarship to attend a two-year Vocational School course in computer programming. However, I turned it down to pioneer, despite having no real way to support myself.
My wife(also raised JW) was a straight-A student. She graduated high-school early so she could pioneer and support herself by cleaning houses.
I finally went back to school ten years later. It was not easy after being away from the classroom for so long, and it was not cheap. But it definitely has helped me financially. Of course, I am ten years behind my colleagues, career-wise. Pioneering also meant forgoing having children, so I often wonder where my wife and I will be 20 or 30 years down the road(if Armageddon doesn't come first, of course).