The Even DEEPER Hidden College Costs You Don’t See!

As college costs continue to rise, there are EVEN MORE hidden and UNEXPECTED COSTS!

As this recent NY Times article outlines, more and more students are taking 5 and 6 years to complete a 4-year degree, if they complete the degree at all. Of course, this issue has been around for many years – but the increasing proportion is disturbing. Costs to parents and students are painful AND delay the “graduate’s” entry to the workforce, i.e., becoming a contributing member of society – and even A SUCCESS! But there are other negatives as well. Each of the reasons why students take that long has potential, if not probable, repercussions.

"At most public universities, only 19 percent of full-time students earn a bachelor’s degree in four years, the report found. Even at state flagship universities — selective, research-intensive institutions — only 36 percent of full-time students complete their bachelor’s degree on time." -NY Times artcle, Most College Students Don’t Earn a Degree in 4 Years, Study Finds

One of the first questions a potential employer will probably ask is “why did it take that long to complete your bachelor’s degree?” And almost inevitably, the interviewer will leave the interview with hesitations about hiring. Another potential issue is if the student will see themselves as “successful” despite taking 5 or 6 years to complete a 4-year degree, that’s one form of rationalizing – an excuse you believe. Alternatively, they may leave with a negative self-perception or self-image, even if they leave with a degree. And the REAL problem there is that all human performance is dictated and controlled by self-perception. Hence, they will carry that emotional baggage for a long time.

What’s the solution (or better yet, prevention)? 

(1) Guide them toward dreaming

(2) Teach them about goal-setting and 

(3) De-brief them on failures and defeats, so they learn from them 

For further insights, read our other blog posts. Most of which are directed toward this and similar issues. To learn more about how Launch Your Life can help your child succeed, click here.