College in America Blog

In the US a half century ago any college degree would set you on the path to middle class, or better, prosperity. College today is a competition for a few good jobs: Half of all recent grads are under employed or unemployed. Twenty-five percent of all minimum wage jobs are held by college graduates. Fifty-one […]

A quarter century ago the late Dr. Stephen Covey, businessman, author, and educator, wrote his most famous work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. These “habits” are just as powerful today as they were twenty-five years ago. In particular when I talk to graduating high school students about college, Habit #2 is foremost in […]

I’m going to return to the theme of “affordability” this month. A friend of mine has a grandson who will be a senior in high school this fall. Using the FinAid College Cost Projector Calculator (http://www.finaid.org/calculators/costprojector.phtml) I ran the numbers for the sticker price for a nearby state university (living on campus). The projected four-year […]

It is really hard to find a well-paying job in this economy. Half of all recent college grads are ending up under employed or unemployed. A record twenty-five percent of minimum wage jobs are held by college grads. Your major matters. (I’ve seen studies that show your major matters more than school.) A bachelor’s degree […]

If you are a Millennial or a Gen Z, things aren’t going all that well: Half of all recent college graduates are under employed or unemployed. As of 2016 the average student loan debt is $37,000. A record 25% of minimum wage jobs are held by college grads. Almost 40% of 18-34 year olds live […]

I blame the “adults in the room”— the parents. Navigating from that stage where you received your high school diploma, through post-secondary education, and into that first decent paying job is really tricky today. An eighteen year old shouldn’t be expected to have to figure their way through that maze on their own. Tuition in […]

In the US graduating from a four-year college and getting a good job in today’s economic climate is very difficult. Accomplishing that without the cooperation of your parents is almost impossible. Here are the five areas where you need help from your parents: FAFSA You will need your parent’s Federal tax information to complete the […]

You will receive financial aid awards letters around the first of April of your senior year. (This can vary +/- by several days—maybe even a week.) You are usually going to have to make your decision by May 1. At this critical time I have seen many families panic and resort to loans because they […]

The average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from 2015. In total in the US forty-four million borrowers owe nearly $1.3 trillion in student loan debt. About one in four loans is in default or delinquency. Student loan debt has surpassed credit card debt. This is looking like […]

The short answer is carefully and soon. The median family income in the US is about $51,000. The “sticker price” for four years at a state college is about $100,000—and most don’t graduate in four years. Very few families are affluent enough to enjoy the luxury of sending you to college to: Find yourself, Intellectually […]