Scotty McCreery to Face ‘Monster’ of College This Fall

Scotty McCreery is going to have a lot of juggling to do in the near future. The reigning 'American Idol' champ plans on completing his senior year of high school this year, finishing his school work while serving as the opening act on Brad Paisley's newly-renamed Virtual Reality World Tour 2012. But the 18-year-old isn't putting away the textbooks anytime soon. He hopes to attend college in the fall as well.

"That's going to be ... another monster," he tells Nashville's Tennessean. "But we're going to figure out a way to do [it]. It might take me 50 years to get a degree, but I want to get there and go to college."

The 'Trouble With Girls' singer says that while he is certainly enjoying plenty of success right now, including watching his debut album, 'Clear as Day,' reach the top of the charts, he isn't about to bank solely on a country career.

"In the music business today, you'll be around and in a few months everybody forgets about you," he says. "I want an education to lean back on."

Still, the North Carolina native doesn't plan on focusing solely on work while out on the road with his tour boss. "I'm pumped," he says of the upcoming tour. "I think this is going to be kind of laid back and fun. Brad is an easygoing guy."

Scotty acknowledges that he hopes to take lessons from Brad and other artists who are already succeeding in the music business. "I've learned a lot and I've still got plenty more to learn. I'm young and this is pretty early for a teenager to get in this business," he admits to The Boot. "You can never really plan out stuff in the music business, from what I've learned. Hopefully, it works out."

Scotty will hit the road with Brad, and fellow opening act the Band Perry this Thursday (January 12) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Keep track of his concert schedule here.