It's upsetting / awe-inspiring that you pulled that answer out so quickly. Boffo.
I don't know why you'd want to go to college when you can sign a professional contract as a 1st round pick and earn more in your entry level deal than you could in decades of a regular job AFTER you graduate from college.
As ridiculous as this sounds as a lot of folks live paycheck to paycheck, in the grand scheme of life (particularly life in pro sports), that initial signing bonus is small potatoes.
If you're good enough to get drafted, you're good enough to get a scholarship just about anywhere in Division 1.
If you're good enough to get a scholarship, you have 4 years of hockey and a college degree. If you have the discipline, work ethic and smarts to survive 4 years at a D1 university, you'll probably do fine at "a real job" and you'll do OK in life. You won't starve.
If you make it to NCAA's and get overwhelmed and run over, that was going to happen in the AHL anyway. If you get run over in the AHL, your 3 years = $200k and a ticket out of pro hockey. In the grand scheme of things, $200k isn't a life-changing sum of money. Obviously it would help a "normal" person quite a bit, but if that's your big pile of money for life, you'd better live frugal.
NCAA's is a longer leash than major junior. You only have until 20 / 21 at major junior. Between the USHL (or Junior A) and the NCAA's, you potentially have until 24 before you make the jump to pros.
Great writeup in the Hockey News a couple months ago about Zach Werenski's transition from UMichigan to the AHL:
"Werenski's biggest issue with pro hockey has been finding a way to fill his schedule. 'I get out of the rink at noon and have to figure out what to do with rest of the day,' Werenski said. ' I'm used to classes and study hall and things like that. It's kind of boring.' When he's not looking for hobbies -- shooting hoops and hanging by the pool have become his go-to activities ..."
Gee, what kind of trouble could a rich 20 year old get into while sitting around bored in Cleveland, OH?
BU has high level competition, fewer games,, more practice, more time in the weight room, more structure in life + the college experience. Plus he gets to live in Boston instead of East Detroit. There are SO many hot chicks at BU and BC and Northeastern and Harvard ... SO many. I'd give my pinkie to be a star 19 year old hockey player in Boston with a future in the NHL. SO many hot chicks ... yeah, it's a bit less money now, but one (or even two) years at BU is a great way to grow as a player and a person.