My College Education - Part Two

For those of you just tuning in, last issue we critiqued the increasingly overbearing costs of a college education. If you haven't already, you can find last weeks issue here: http://tinyurl.com/27zf6lv In this month's issue, we are going to delve into a world of opportunity that awaits. Enter if you dare!

    Following your high school graduation, imagine you told your parents, "instead of sending me to college, give me $175,000 and let me do as I please." (For you rich people that's over 4 times higher than the average American income). "You will save $50,000 and spare me the pain of enduring 4 years in a classroom." Sound crazy? Think again. As a student, I would take this deal in a nano second. Furthermore, I'd be fully confident that I could use that $175,000 to make much more than my college diploma would ever award me. Don't believe me? What if I told you that you had two choices. Option 1: A degree from your university of choice (this is best case scenario) with potential college loans to pay off for the next 5 years. Option 2: ALL of the following over the course of the next four years; Visit 25 countries, learn a language of your choice, start your own business, learn to cook foods from all over the world, learn to dance, play an instrument, see your favorite bands perform in every corner of the globe, visit your very own wonders of the modern world, explore every major museum and library on your wish list, meet like minded people from every major metropolitan city on the planet AND have $50,000 left over - in essence DO your bucket list.  Still not convinced? We'll folks, over the last four years I've done every one of these things and more! Ask yourself this, "why do I need a college degree?" I'll tell you why. Everyone else does it! Sure there are exceptions for those that want to be a doctor or lawyer.  But a musician, dancer, producer, writer or (insert esoteric profession of choice here). Give me a break. Do you think Eric Clapton would say, "you better go to school so you can play guitar." No you imbecile. You lock yourself in your room and play until your fingers bleed. That's how you get good. Those who are going to "make it" aren't going to have their future hindered by their lack of diploma.  Once we can understand that our education doesn't end when we leave college, but rather begins, we start to see the light!