Caught in the College Web

For many college students today, life at college is artificial and unrealistic. Their standard of living is comparable to someone who makes $250,000 a year.

● Servants prepare their meals.
● They have access to world-class facilities.
● They are mentored by accomplished teachers and coaches.
● They have time for fun.
● They have endless opportunities for activity.

Then, they enter the real world…

For most, the first challenge is just landing a job. Many entitled college kids take for granted that their degree in underwater basket weaving will really resonate with their favorite prospective employer, but it turns out that there aren’t companies lining up to hire them! They assumed they would be the pick of the litter, but they end up being grateful to have almost anyone “take them
home.”

The second challenge is paying for their accumulated college debt. They had been given access to HUGE amounts of capital to fund their lavish lifestyle, but now the piper must be paid. Sadly, their degree will never come close to yielding a return on the investment. Now they face a huge dilemma: how to balance the costs of rent, food, utilities, transportation, and other basic life necessities with the cost of college debt.

Third, they experience a massive downgrade in overall lifestyle after leaving college. Talk about a letdown! There is little comparison between their simple efficiency apartment that has seen better days and their former state-of-the-art dormitory. It is a serious step down the ladder of life. Loss of freedom—as they work more and more hours trying to make ends meet—and loss of their peer group—as they disperse into the workforce—leave them feeling very alone. All those late-night parties are over. Now it’s just late nights driving Uber or Doordash as a side hustle.

The result? We have a group of severely depressed young adults who are coming to realize that they have been sold a bill of goods. They’ve been duped. “Go to college,” their parents said. “It will help you get ahead in life,” they said. Now they are pretty sure that their parents were wrong not just about college, but about a lot of other things as well. They are living the reality, and it is making them more than a little cynical. “If they were wrong about that, what else were they wrong about?”

Of all generations, Gen Z reports the highest levels of anxiety and depression, with 91% saying stress significantly affects their health. There are rising mental health challenges among Gen Zers, with 60% reporting stress or anxiety as major issues in their life. 42% of Gen Z borrowers delay buying homes due to student loan debt, and many are postponing getting married or starting families due to financial insecurity.

To all of you young people out there, I want you to know there are other paths! While I encourage my kids to consider college as an option, I discourage my kids from taking on college debt. Pay for college as you go and only enroll if it makes sense. Before you take the leap, here are some questions you need to ask: Who stands to benefit financially from this decision? What does this look like in 10 years? Does the math make sense? (Hint: Borrowing over $100,000 for an elementary ed degree does NOT make sense, while borrowing $250,000 to complete training and certifications to become a commercial airline pilot might make perfect sense.)

Not everyone is college material, but whether or not you are, you should “never let your schooling get in the way of your education” (Mark Twain). Apprenticeship and on-the-job training models are great ways to learn, and they can be a lot more affordable than college. Don’t dismiss the trades. Skilled welders and electricians today are earning as much or more than most people with college degrees.

Taking online classes through accredited institutions like God’s Bible School and College is a great way to earn a degree while working. At Heartland Christian School, every high school student is eligible to take up to four dual-credit college classes per year with the cost of those classes INCLUDED in their high school tuition. Graduating from high school with a year (or more) of college already completed is a huge step forward educationally.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate and value education, but I don’t appreciate young people being saddled with unsustainable debt. While you’re doing those college visits and they are rolling out the red carpet, take a peek behind the curtain. Ask the hard questions and make better choices. Your grandchildren will thank you.