The American system of higher education is based on seven myths:  A college degree is the sure fire, slam dunk path to middle class or better prosperity. At one time this was true. However, for a lot of reasons, college doesn’t work that way anymore.  Every child can be anything they want to be. That sounds warm […]

In 1965, the federal government mandated that cigarette packaging include this warning: Caution: Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health The intent was to educate consumers about smoking, and emphasize the health risks, e.g. lung cancer, coronary disease, bladder cancer, and pulmonary disease. In the same year, as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society […]

According to the BLS, sixty-two percent of the jobs in the US pay $20 per hour or less. Those aren’t the jobs you want.  White Collar Jobs  Parents and students figured out the solution to this dilemma years ago. If you go to college and graduate, you can get a well-paying, professional job.  However, it […]

“Going to college” is a complex, six figure, multi-year project with a lot of moving parts, and a 66% failure rate. To get a rough idea of what college costs, look at the College Board’s typical annual college budget study. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2019-20- Research – College Board Making a success out of college […]

Here’s what happens when a dozen kids sign up for college: Five of them end up dropping out. Three of them graduate, but end up making lattes at Starbucks. Only four graduate and get a real job, i.e. a job that pays a “college” salary. Making a success out of college is really hard. It […]

Two decades ago in his book, Another Way To Win, Dr. Kenneth Gray coined the term “one way to win.” He described the OWTW strategy widely followed in the US as: Graduate from high school. Matriculate at a four-year college. Graduate with a degree in “anything.” Become employed in a professional job.” Dr. Gray’s message […]

Taking out student loans equal to your targeted starting salary is a very bad idea. I have written about this extensively on this blog. The short answer is to limit your student loans to HALF your targeted starting salary. Let’s look at the issue from two different perspectives, using an example of a $50,000 a […]

This is a question I see frequently. It is important that you file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is necessary to get access to federal grants, work-study, and Federal Direct Student Loans. In 2019 almost one in four families, with college bound students, didn’t bother applying for federal, need-based aid. Their […]

The moment of glory? What complete and utter balderdash. In the US, almost any high school graduate can find a college or university that will accept them and their parent’s money. I spend way too much time on these “going to college” websites. Here’s something I read recently on Grown and Flown. What Did YOU […]

In most countries, getting accepted at college is challenging. Their students are rigorously tested on what they learned in high school, and, if they can’t demonstrate mastery of the material, they can expect to be, summarily, refused entry into university. For example, in Switzerland, the test is the Matura. China has the gaokao. For South […]