It is so funny that I came across this article. I spent part of my Sunday night thinking about this very same topic and BOOM, there it is.
Before I had kids, I just could not wrap my head around the ol’ skool notion of spending a lifetime saving up for my kid’s college education. You see, there are probably a few people I have met or know as friends who are actually still using any of the college education they acquired. Study as an engineer? Work as a store manager. Study to be a teacher? Work in customer service. You get my drift.
My parents paid for a portion of my college education, but I was on the hook for the rest. For about 6 plus years after I graduated from college, I was saddled with debt from my education. Others I know who graduated around the same time as me are still on the hook for school bills from the early 90′s.
Before I continue, no I am not saying that college is bad and that kids should not go. I am also not saying that my own kids will not go. What I am wondering is why the only thing most kids are guaranteed to take away from college is debt that will probably last for years?
Figure out life on your own dime (or someone else’s)
While I think it might be a good idea to give your kids some start up money for college, shouldn’t we as parents make it mandatory that our kids should work and pay for their own education? If we are truly honest, I do not think that there are too many kids out there who know EXACTLY what they want to do once they graduate from high school. I mean, at that stage kids are still trying to figure out what it means to be an adult. Why not give them the opportunity to FEEL like one and have them pay for their own education as they go along? I personally think that if someone really wants to go to college, they will work hard to get there. And if they are working hard in grade school, they will be increasing their chances of getting a scholarship. Maybe even a full ride.
For right now, I am down with the idea of having them pay for most of their education. I even like the idea of giving them some start up money for a car, apartment, or to start a business. But to automatically push them into a way of thinking that tells them that building up thousands of dollars of debt is just a part of the “finding yourself” process–I’m not going to do that to them.
College graduates saddled with debt (full article)
# I wrote this post as I sat in my son’s room past 3am helping him with get through his last assignment for school.
Is college just a big scam? (daddy thoughts)
by Duane on May 23rd, 2011 at 1:11 amIt is so funny that I came across this article. I spent part of my Sunday night thinking about this very same topic and BOOM, there it is.
Before I had kids, I just could not wrap my head around the ol’ skool notion of spending a lifetime saving up for my kid’s college education. You see, there are probably a few people I have met or know as friends who are actually still using any of the college education they acquired. Study as an engineer? Work as a store manager. Study to be a teacher? Work in customer service. You get my drift.
My parents paid for a portion of my college education, but I was on the hook for the rest. For about 6 plus years after I graduated from college, I was saddled with debt from my education. Others I know who graduated around the same time as me are still on the hook for school bills from the early 90′s.
Before I continue, no I am not saying that college is bad and that kids should not go. I am also not saying that my own kids will not go. What I am wondering is why the only thing most kids are guaranteed to take away from college is debt that will probably last for years?
Figure out life on your own dime (or someone else’s)
While I think it might be a good idea to give your kids some start up money for college, shouldn’t we as parents make it mandatory that our kids should work and pay for their own education? If we are truly honest, I do not think that there are too many kids out there who know EXACTLY what they want to do once they graduate from high school. I mean, at that stage kids are still trying to figure out what it means to be an adult. Why not give them the opportunity to FEEL like one and have them pay for their own education as they go along? I personally think that if someone really wants to go to college, they will work hard to get there. And if they are working hard in grade school, they will be increasing their chances of getting a scholarship. Maybe even a full ride.
For right now, I am down with the idea of having them pay for most of their education. I even like the idea of giving them some start up money for a car, apartment, or to start a business. But to automatically push them into a way of thinking that tells them that building up thousands of dollars of debt is just a part of the “finding yourself” process–I’m not going to do that to them.
College graduates saddled with debt (full article)
# I wrote this post as I sat in my son’s room past 3am helping him with get through his last assignment for school.