How different is the enlisted life of a soldier VS. being commissioned

It is similar in many ways but much different in terms of responsibility SGT (Join to see).
I enlisted as a Combat Engineer in 1974 and was accepted into the United Stated Military Academy at West Point in 1976 and graduated in 1980. Things were different at the end of the Vietnam war and in the early 1980s than they are now but i expect much is the same.
One of my son's attended Marion Military Institute and graduated in 2007. He enlisted in the infantry. Some of the MMI graduates go to to be commissioned; but, not all.
When I was enlisted I learned what I needed to learn and associated with my fellow soldiers and generally did what I was told to dod. Not much independent thinking was required of me as a junior enlisted man.
Once I became a commissioned officer and completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course I was sent to an Infantry Battalion as a Platoon Leader. I was expected to know a lot when I got there by the NCO's and soldiers under me as well as my superior officers. I learned as much as I could from the other officers, NCOs, and some soldiers and I trained them in what I knew. Most training was unit training as an officer. Independent thinking among officers and NCOs is expected. You will be expected to think on your feet. You will find that there ares soldiers and NCOs' that you can learn from. Don't be afraid to learn; but, you need to make friends among the officers not among the soldiers. That is challenging. It does not mean to avoid all contact. Be respectful and look soldiers in the eyes when you talk with them and listen to what they have to say.

Besides the obvious benefits such as pay and rank, the biggest is job responsibility. Officers do the planning, and as you move up through the ranks, will be in command and staff positions that the enlisted may not have. The biggest thing to note is what you want to do. You will have to get a degree to become an officer and a different set of standards are set.

You may hear a joke about "I am not an officer, I work for a living." To a certain degree that is true in the sense that NCOs carry out orders of officers. They execute, and if that is what you like, then staying an enlisted to NCO might be good.

Another option is a warrant officer, which is in between an standard officer and NCO. For example, if you like flying, and don't want to rotate through staff or command positions, then becoming a warrant may be a good fit. Ultimately it is your preference and what you are best suited.

Personally I'd have suggested being enlisted at least up until E5 so you have an idea of what your soldiers would experience and develop some early leadership skills. I've seen more than a handful of Lt's who may have been smart, but weren't very army smart.