March 20, 2007
Education Done Right
College is a necessary part of life. Here’s a quick quote from Orange County explaining my feelings about college. “Shaun: I have to go to college. Cindy: Why? Shaun: Because it’s what you do after high school.†Those few lines sum up my feelings about college. Why go to college? Because educating yourself is a key part of life. One of the major reasons why people now attend universities is the incredible networking opportunities that unveil themselves throughout the college experience. It’s not what you know, but who you know. This old adage saying is becoming more and more important in today’s world.
Unfortunately, college ain’t cheap. There’s a large sum of money due before you walk down the aisle (and I’m not talking about getting married). Most people don’t have large stacks of money laying around for education. That’s where student loans come in. Let me be the first one to tell you that student loans are still one of the most powerful debt instruments in the world. They provide the financial backing for your future financial successes. There’s a strong correlation between education and yearly salaries. Here are some figures brought to you by the Census Bureau : $36,302 for a high school graduate and $60,020 for college grads. Double the education, double the pay. It pays to go to school.
The scary part is education costs are going up faster than inflation.
What can you do to receive a good education and not drown in student loan debt? Stick to in-state schools. A lot of research has shown that making the most out of your education will mean a lot more than the name of the college you graduated from. In-state schools will provide a tuition discount and will save you a boat load of travel expenses. After graduation, many local businesses will select in-state grads to fill positions before they scout for out-of-state grads. Do your parents and yourself a favor by sticking to in-state schools. It’s also good for your state economy which is a huge plus!
If you fail to plan – plan to fail. Don’t let scary TV shows about tuition increases get to you. You just need to plan ahead. College is a great way to meet new and exciting people while getting a ticket for more money in the future.
[…] conversation inspired me to write an apology letter to my son and Jeremie to talk about the value of a college education. Here are some of the things he has to say: Why go to college? …… It’s not what you know, […]
Education is an investment like a home. The price is steep when you look at it from above but you have go beyond those numbers.
dont forget interest from your student loans are tax deductible. So you are sorta borrowing for free….sorta.
People dont realize how much the government helps out with education. I have a friend who’s parents combine income was less then 18K a year, their family size is 5. He had okay grades but got into a 4 year university and everything was covered, his parents didnt have to contribute a dime. He ended up only borrowing about 10K in student loans. The rest were grants from state and federal level. He has a job now that pays 60K a year.
No where else in the world will you find this. The opportunity to go from poverty to almost middle class. With little cost. This is one reason why people risk their lives to come to the US. It’s because of these opportunities.
Step outside to developing countries and most countries’ educational systems are not free and its out of pocket expense for the parents. I am talking about from preschool through college that you have to pay for. They have to pay for 15 years of education while we mostly pay for 4 years. I am strictly talk tuition, when you factor in school supplies and such we are getting a bargain for our education, yet not many people see that.
You hear a lot about how bad the US school system is for k-12, but when it comes to higher education meaning college and higher the US ranks number 1. This is not just a US opinion but a world opinion that was recently conducted.