College expenses are rising faster than students can pay for
them. There is no way to graduate
college without a mountain of debt. A
quality education is out of the reach of most people. These statements and others like them just
aren’t true. It’s this either/or type of
thinking that gets us in so much trouble as a nation: “You EITHER get in
massive debt OR you don’t get to get a quality college education.”
The truth is, though the average college student graduates
with $22,900 in Student Loan Debt1,
it doesn’t have to work this way. In the
past 40 to 50 years, college has become this fantasy experience in our
nation. We have allowed it to become
this all-expenses-paid right-of-passage full of alcohol, dating, parties, and
entertainment (with a few classes thrown in).
That may be fun, but it is expensive.
We’ve sold a false bill-of-goods to our children and now, those who are
graduating deeply in debt are struggling to pay for an education in an economy
when fewer jobs are available. They are
angry, and rightly so, but their anger is somewhat misplaced if it is used only
to blame Corporate America for a bad economy.
Perhaps some anger is due to themselves and poor choices that they have
made and unrealistic expectations that they have built their young fantasies
on. Perhaps some anger is due their
parents, teachers, and guidance counselors who sold them on the myth of the
college experience.
Let’s look at this myth a piece at a time.
#1 – Let’s be honest here.
Not everyone has to go to college.
Not only that, many people should NOT go to college. Their study skills, life goals, and sheer desire
may not be there. Maybe they are going
because they feel they have to in order to find a good job, or because their
parents want them to go. For some, a
start in the work force is what is needed.
Others may consider trade schools or union trade apprenticeship. Let’s not forget stay-at-home parents. Financial concerns should never prevent
someone from getting to college, but desire may (and should). All too often, we tell kids they must go to
college if they want to be somebody.
Many of the most accomplished entrepreneurs never went to college or
dropped out without a college degree.
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak dropped out of college. Billy Joe McCombs of Clear Channel
Mediadropped out of law school. David
Geffen of Dreamworks fame dropped out.
Walt Disney dropped out of high school.
So did Vidal Sassoon. So did
Richard Branson of Virgin Records and Ray Kroc of McDonalds. Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay cosmetics never went
to college. Hyman Golden of Snapple
fame, no college. Frank Lloyd Wright
never even went to High School. There
are hundreds of others on this list2,
so let’s be honest that college isn’t required for everyone.
#2 – working your way through college is not a bad
thing. Forget the whole ‘College
Experience.’ You don’t need to spend
tens of thousands of dollars to party for four years. It is completely possible and realistic to
work 30-40 hours a week and still attend 8-12 hours of classes. Late nights? Yes. Hard work?
Yep. Severely curtailed dating
life? Absolutely. No one said it has to
be easy. What’s more, the value of
working during your degree cannot be underestimated. Part time jobs in food service, retail, and
even janitorial are great character builders and offer an education in and of
themselves. You learn how to deal with
people. You learn how to serve
others. You learn the value of a dollar
earned. You learn a trade that will
always be a valuable back up when times are hard. I earned my way through college the first
time working in fast food. I know that I
will always be able to support my family in the roughest of times. I am not afraid of cleaning toilets and I am
not ashamed of flipping burgers or washing dishes. A waiter or waitress can make great money if
they are hard workers and good at entertaining people too. What’s more, the flexible schedule of
restaurant work allows you to go to school during the day and work at nights
and on weekends.
#3 – in almost every situation, going to an Out-of-state
college is not worth the investment.
In-state tuition is cheaper and the ability to stay with relatives*
makes it much more affordable, compared to paying exorbitant out-of-state
tuition and dorm fees. Yes, I know that
every kid is itching to move away from home.
Yes, I know that Florida State University is right near the beach. Yes, I know that every guidance counselor in
high school wants you to apply at every college in the U.S. But, the truth be known, you can get an
excellent education at your State University.
* it was
pointed out to me that some states have larger rural populations that make
staying with relatives an untenable proposition. The savings on in-state tuition as well as
using some of these other tips (especially number 4 below) still makes much
more sense than going out of state.
#4 – You don’t have to go all four years to the same
school. Save money by taking your basics
at a community college or online. At the
current schedule of fees and costs, I can take English 101 at a Maricopa county
community college for $76 a credit hour.
Contrast that with taking the same class at ASU for $658 a credit hour2. That is TEN TIMES the cost for the same class
that will transfer!!! I recommend
community college for most kids as a starter for several reasons. Financially, it is significantly more
affordable. It gives the young adult a
chance to experience a wide range of classes before locking into a degree
program. And, it gives them a chance to
see if college is even right for them.
The only ones that I recommend go right into a full university are those
kids who have earned a full ride scholarship.
If they’ve already worked that hard, they are ready for college, and
they don’t have to worry that their classes are more expensive. I do recommend that any students starting at
community college talk with an adviser from their prospective degree university
to make sure that classes they choose at the community college will
transfer. The great thing about a
community college is it gives you a chance to experiment. Take 2-3 classes of basic requirements and 1
class that looks interesting as an elective.
Most students change their degree program at least once. Attending community college first allows you
to try different things before locking in, and allows you to do it at a much
more affordable rate.
#5 – Scholarships are available for more than just perfect
grades or football. There are thousands
of scholarships and grants available for students. You just have to find them. The college financial aid counselor will
point you towards some of them, but others require research. The first time I went to college in my late
teens, this meant hours in the library looking through Scholarship and Grant
books and then writing essay after essay.
This time, it’s all on the internet and you can often apply online. Often, you must still include an essay, but
you can copy and paste right from your MS Word document to the online
form. Much easier.
#6 – Extra-curricular activities are just that: extra. Unless you have a scholarship that demands
your participation in a specific sport or other program, then these things are
tertiary to your primary goal of getting a good education and secondary goal of
paying for the degree without drowning in debt.
If you have time then
you can join a sport, a club, or a fraternity or sorority. These things may be fun, but they just aren’t
what you are there for. Not only do
these things distract you from your education and waste time that is better
spent elsewhere, they cost more money.
Brutal realism is required for good financial health.
#7 – Get a degree that matters. Very few students that I have dealt with over
the years in Youth Ministry have had any clue what they really want to do for a
living. Often they have these fantasy
jobs and sound certain of their goals with all the assurance of youth. Anyone who has dealt with High School and
College age kids knows the truth. What
they think they want to do coming out of High School is rarely what they end up
doing for a career. General degrees in
business and education prepare you for almost any career. Get an Associates and/or Bachelors in these
fields and then specialize with a Masters degree. If you spend four years on an Art History
degree, don’t be surprised if there are few jobs open when you get out of
college.
#8 – You have to earn your stripes. The most important lesson that we, adults,
can teach kids is that you must expect to work your way up from the
bottom. You have to pay your dues. When
you get out of college, you just might not be able to find a job right
away. Yes, I know, the college recruiter
said that you would be making $100,000 a year within six weeks of graduation
and that the college will help you find that job. Guess what… The college recruiter’s job is to
get you to come to their college (and bring money with you). They are not always so honest about what
happens after college. What’s more, they
cannot control the economy. You will
probably have to start at the bottom of your degree field and earn you way
up. You may have to do jobs you don’t
like to earn your way to the job you want.
You may even have to struggle in a different field for awhile till you
can even get into the company you want. Prepare
for that. Acknowledge it now and save
yourself the stress. This is another
good reason NOT to get into huge college debt.
Being debt-free or mostly so upon graduation gives you time to find your
niche. This is a good reason to work
your way through college. If you can get
in on the bottom floor in a field similar to or the same as you will be working
in, you may find that internship or first time job that puts you ahead of the
rest of the field when you get out of school.
#9 – You don’t need credit cards to get through
college. The sad truth is that most
college students graduate with student
loan debt AND credit card debt. The
average college senior graduates with an additional $4,100 in credit card debt4. That is in addition to the $20,000 plus in
student loans. Credit card companies
love to come to student events and give away free Frisbees and pizza for
everyone who applies for a credit card.
Students, whose parents have often spent a lifetime in debt, now sell
themselves into debt slavery for a slice of pizza and a toy that they won’t
even have by the time they pay the bills.
#10 – College doesn’t have to take four years. In fact, a six year degree while you work is
much more realistic and will provide you with an opportunity to gain
experiences that you might not have otherwise gotten. By working your way through a realistic class
schedule, you will be able to have the flexibility to take internships, study
abroad for a year, serve for a summer in a charity, or any number of other life
experiences that will help you be a better, well rounded person and also
impress future employers.
The college experience myth is busted. You can have that fantasy of fraternity
parties, football games, and dating the cheerleader while going to classes, but
it is going to cost you. If you choose
this fairy tale, don’t be surprised when you graduate with debt up to your ears
and little prospect for financial freedom in the near future. But, if you accept reality for what it is and
are willing to put a little blood, sweat, and tears (no, not the 70s band) into
your education, you can come out with something of real value at a fraction of
the cost, and with the ability to earn your way to the top. For the rest of us, the teachers, youth
ministers, coaches, parents, and every other person who influences young
adults: it is our duty to help these kids be realistic. Let’s not feed them any more lies about
college and debt, but give them a kick start in life by teaching them the value
of hard work and an earned education.
Let us pass on the idea that the world doesn’t owe them a living and
they shouldn’t expect someone else to pick up the tab for their choices.
I am not totally hard-line against any debt. If you have to use a little to get through
your last year unpaid internship, then do what you have to do. It is much harder to get a master’s degree
debt free, but do as much as you can. It’s
just the thought of teaching our kids that debt is unavoidable, so let’s just
use loans for all four years and hope that we can get a job right away to pay
it all.
Finally, let us help our kids in the ways we can. If you can financially help a kid get through
college, do it. If you can pay for a
book, buy them dinner, or give them your old computer or bicycle, do it. If you can encourage them, help them research
scholarships, give them a quiet place to study, do it. If you can help them get a part-time job
where you work, or write a recommendation for their internship, do it. If you can help with their laundry, give them
a ride, or assist them with homework, do it.
Whatever happens, let’s help where we can and let’s not harm them by
perpetuating myths.
As long as we believe that it isn’t possible and keep
telling ourselves and our kids that, then we will continue to stick them with
large amounts of debt. But, when we quit
making excuses and quit perpetuating myths, then we can change our kid’s
future.
P.S. - It’s funny, but I’ve been accused of being
unrealistic and fantasizing for thinking that things can work this way. In most cases, it is from people who don’t
want to think they have made wrong choices, so they say things like, “debt is
unavoidable,” or, “it’s just not possible to live debt-free.” Yet, I know others who have taken personal
responsibility and recognized that past choices do not dictate the future. These people are paying off debt steadily and
living less stressful lives. This
includes myself and my family. I got
into deep debt during my first college experience and young adult years. After years of hard lessons and even harder work, we are almost debt
free. That is reality, not fantasy. Invariably, the people making the excuses and
saying that debt free living is a fantasy are the ones continually making the
same choices that continually get them further into debt and continually cause
them suffering or don’t want to be honest about their own responsibility for
past choices. Those who are brutally
honest with themselves get out of trouble, those that blame others continue
living in trouble. That is my
experience. YMMV
#Occupy Yourselves
