College Education Costs and Benefits

Should you or your son or daughter go to college?  Generally speaking, the answer is yes. But that may not be the right question.

Education is wonderful because it teaches us to think critically. It prepares us for a career. It gives us specific job skills. College should not only impart knowledge but make you a better, more well rounded person, someone who understands more about the world and how it works.

Make no mistake, however, the answer to whether you should go to college depends on what you intend to study, where you intend to go, and how you intend to pay for it. Some degrees are very valuable and some are worthless. Choose to study something that can prepare you for a job, a real, specific career. Community colleges and state schools are far less expensive than private schools. And do not go into a mountain of debt to pay for an education.

Maria Bartiromo has some ideas on the value of an education.

http://www.genconnect.com/videos/maria-bartiromo-financial-advice-is-a-college-education-worth-it/

Dave Ramsey blows a gasket regarding too much student loan debt for the wrong reasons.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=7Z_UpKMd3-w&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7Z_UpKMd3-w

PBS did an interesting piece on why college tuition and student loan debt are out of control.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=6p0HyjtfaMg

And finally, from The Washington Post an article on rising college costs, which are rising at twice the level of inflation.

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/chart-of-the-day-college-tuition-is-out-of-control/2011/10/27/gIQABi4sMM_blog.html

We are drowning in student loan debt. If at all possible pay cash for college. If you cannot then minimize the costs. And pay attention to whether your degree will have real value.