Sell College to Your Kids

Want your kids to go to college but they don't want to? MSNBC has some suggestions on how you can "sell" them on going to college. Here's my favorite:

Another compelling tidbit is financial. Point out how much difference a college education will make to their earning power for the rest of their lives. Explain how most good jobs today require at least a college education. Share this eye-opening table with your children early, and you may find that they're suddenly considering law school!

• Not a high school graduate annual salary: $22,074 
• High school graduate annual salary: $27,975
• Some college but no degree annual salary: $33,948
• Bachelor's degree annual salary:  $51,644 
• Master's degree annual salary: $61,296
• Ph.D. annual salary:  $80,225
• Professional degree (M.D., J.D.) annual salary: $95,175

(Median earnings, source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000)

There's a BIG difference between just graduating high school and getting a bachelor's degree -- wow! If this doesn't convince them, then nothing will. But you may want to try mentioning the frat parties, lively co-eds, blowing off class and sleeping until 1 pm, and the like. Ok, maybe not. ;-)

An education is probably one of the best, if not the best, investment you can make. For more information on how beneficial it can be, see these posts:

• The Value of an MBA
• College Majors that Boost Your Paycheck
• The Value of an Education
• Facts on Education (and the Value of It)
• The Value of Education
• Almost Infinite Investment Return
• Comments: Almost Infinite Investment Return; Life-Long Learning

Comments

[Kim]

I got a chuckle from that article. Not because I don't think it's a good one, but because I was just reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad and it is totally the opposite. Not that he doesn't think going to school is a good idea, but that it's not the way to get ahead. I didn't care for the book though so I never finished it.

[mbhunter]

College and beyond can pay off if you're in the right field. Some fields don't.

Gary North (garynorth.com) has a program for high school students and parents (I think it costs about $100) that results in an accredited bachelor's degree (4 years) for less than the cost of one year at an ivy league.

[David Foster]

It's dangerous to drive by looking in the rear view mirror. The historical differential between college and non-college graduates reflected a relative scarcity of the former, and, as the percentage of people attending college grows, will erode. College will increasingly need to be about real value: actually learning something that matters to somebody, not just getting the piece of paper.

[JC]

HELP
MY DAUGHTER IS MAKING HER FUTURE PLANS FOR COLLEGE BASED ON HER BOYFRIEND. SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A UNIVERISITY PAID IN FULL, HOWEVER, SHE WANTS TO LIVE WITH HER BOYFRIEND AND GO TO A VOTECH.

[celestine ikpekhai]

how can i really make money while studying in the university?

[Scott]

I have made $60,000 the last two years and $50,000 several years in a a row before that with a Ged and 2 years trade school with 6 college cedits. So not sure where they are getting thier income facts from. I do work very hard as a HVAC/Sheetmetal mechanic but I'm sure I'm not the only one.