What does this mean? In an article this week in the Wall Street Journal, it was reported that 37 percent of College Enrollment Officers had reported that they tracked their students and that demonstrated interest was moderately important in the college admissions process (data from a NACAC sponsored study).
How do they do this tracking? When they send a student an e-mail they are able to see how soon the e-mail is opened and which links were clicked (if any). Those students that opened it in a timely manner and were engaged (clicked on the links) showed demonstrated interest and the thought is have a high interest in that school and the information sent.
This is some good information to let your students know about. If they are interested in a school and receive anything electronically it is important to review it in a timely manner and click through on any links that may be of interest. Will it ensure they get accepted to that school? No, but anything that can help them get into their school of choice is never a bad idea.
Online courses aren’t living up to their promise to disrupt higher education.
That’s
one conclusion from a pair of studies released this week analyzing
trends and outcomes of different types of online learning opportunities.
The first,
which focused on Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, offered by
Harvard University and MIT, found that the majority of students taking
these courses don’t return after their first year, that participation in
the programs is largely concentrated in affluent countries and that the
courses’ low completion rate hasn’t budged much in six years.
The second, a review of research on the outcomes of fully-online degree programs, found that
on average, these programs have actually contributed to widening
educational attainment gaps between well-off and low-income students
without improving affordability.
It’s easy to see why historically some higher education leaders, policymakers and tech evangelists have been so bullish on the potential of online education to transform the college experience. Sitting through four years of classes at a university is expensive and can be challenging for students juggling jobs and childcare with their schoolwork — not to mention impossible for those living far away from a college or university.
But the two reports published this week add to other evidence
suggesting that online courses and degrees aren’t making it easier for
working, low-income and other students who historically have struggled
to get access to college to receive a quality education. Instead, in
some cases they may be costing them time and money for a credential that
doesn’t do much to help them move up the economic ladder.
“For
all that technology can be helpful, often times the hard problems in
education remain hard,” said Justin Reich, the executive director of
MIT’s Teaching Systems Lab and a co-author of the MOOC study.
His
research found that challenges retaining students have pushed MOOC
providers to adjust their business model, which was largely based on the
idea that though the courses offered on MOOC platforms are free, some
students would eventually pay for a certificate or other document to
prove their proficiency. Now, the companies are increasingly focused on
partnering with graduate schools to serve as the technology platform for
their online-degree programs.
That’s a far cry from the original vision for the courses touted by MOOC providers as an opportunity for students — no matter their economic circumstances or location — to access lectures from the world’s top professors.
One reason MOOC providers are shifting their business model to cater
to graduate students: “Those seem to be learners who are a natural fit
for who would be successful in MOOC learning environments,” Reich said.
“Self-regulated learning on your own is really hard. Often times, people
who are most successful are those who have an apprenticeship in the
formal education system.”
And yet, the students who are the most
at-risk of struggling to make it through online coursework are those
most likely to wind up in an online degree program, according to Baum’s
report. Roughly one-quarter of students who are enrolled in online
degree programs have four or more risk factors for not completing their
education, such long periods of time between high school and college,
part-time enrollment or having GED instead of a high school diploma.
Just
1% of students with no risk factors for completing a degree are
enrolled in fully online degree programs, the report found. What’s more,
online degree programs are particularly common in the for-profit
college sector, which is often associated with poor outcomes. For-profit
colleges enroll just 6% of students overall, but 24% of students in
online-only degree programs, according to the report.
“Students
who don’t have a strong K-12 background, who haven’t already been
exposed to really developing their learning processes, they’re going to
be more vulnerable,” Baum said. She’s not advocating dropping online
courses altogether, however. “We’re suggesting that you figure out how
to integrate technology with the important personal interaction that
people need.”
Baum said she’s particularly concerned that Trump administration officials
may be looking to water down regulations requiring that online degree
programs feature substantial interaction with professors. Secretary of
Education Betsy DeVos has proposed regulatory changes that would make it
easier for non-traditional programs, such as those offered only online,
to access federal financial aid.
“People are hoping that technology will be the cure all,” Baum said. “Caution about this is just terrifically important. We know that a lot of students are paying a lot of money to go to institutions where they have very little chance of succeeding and if they do succeed in earning credentials they’re not necessarily credentials with labor market value.”
This is a blog from MarketWatch.
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Jillian Berman covers student debt and millennial finance. You can follow her on Twitter @JillianBerman.
It is estimated that 70% of college students are stressed about their personal finances. OneClass has created a free and intuitive college budget template that gives real-time advice based on spending habits. It’s very easy to use.
Students just need to add in basic information such as tuition, rent, utilities, etc. and then their monthly budget and everything is automatically calculated to see if they have a surplus, need to cut expenses or come up with additional money to make their budget.
They have also developed a step-by-step guide on how to best use the template and to get started with it: Here is the link: Template Guide
Agnes Scott College is among the Georgia schools that do not require
SAT or ACT scores. It allows applicants to use instead an evaluative
interview with a counselor or an analytical or critical writing sample.
So why do some schools say they don’t need to see those scores?
Three University of Georgia researchers — Andrew S. Belasco, James C. Hearn and Kelly O. Rosinger — explored the topic in a paper published in 2014. They said some schools relied too heavily on the exams to determine how students will do in college.
A few schools spurn tests to keep low student scores from hurting
their ranking in those closely-watched best-colleges lists. Some
colleges and universities, noting long-standing complaints the exams are
culturally biased, say not using them encourages more students from
diverse backgrounds to apply. Some of those schools have seen an
increase in applications.
The UGA team looked at 180 liberal arts colleges between 1992
and 2010 to determine if there were significant differences in
admissions by test-optional schools. They found test-optional colleges
actually enrolled a lower proportion of lower-income students and
underrepresented minorities, on average. Test-optional colleges also saw
far more applications.
Ironically, the researchers found “liberal
arts colleges that implement test-optional policies experience a
subsequent rise in their reported SAT scores, by approximately 26
points, on average.” At Agnes Scott, which became test-optional in 2009,
more than 70 percent of applicants still submit ACT or SAT scores.
For many students, the tests aren’t always the best indicator of college success, one official said.
The college declined comment on whether the test-optional policy has led to more applicants from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds.
It
gives students “flexibility to best showcase their academic talents by
choosing between either submitting SAT/ACT scores, scheduling an
evaluative interview with an admission counselor or submitting a graded
writing sample with teacher comments,” said Alexa Wood Gaeta, the
college’s vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and
financial aid.
“It
makes a big difference whether she’s going to get into the college of
her dreams and whether she can afford it,” said her attorney, Benjamin
Crump.
The College Board, which administers the SAT, is reviewing the case.
We’ll see what happens for Campbell, just like what happens with the test-optional movement.
If college tuition bills are looming and you don’t have nearly enough saved, you have plenty of company. But you also have options for making it more affordable.
Four out of 10 families who hope to send kids to college aren’t saving for that goal, according to student loan company Sallie Mae. Among those who are, parents of children aged 13 to 17 have saved an average of $22,985.
That’s not enough to pay for the typical college education out of pocket. The net average cost for a year of college, after scholarships and grants were deducted, was $15,367 in 2017, according to Sallie Mae. That means a four-year degree is likely to cost over $60,000. The expense can, of course, be much higher since many elite schools now charge $70,000 a year or more.
Here are some steps to take now to secure an affordable education – and avoid crushing debt.
Set borrowing limits
The federal PLUS loan program allows parents to borrow the full price of virtually any college education. That’s rarely a good idea. It’s much smarter to decide before applying for schools how much parents can and want to contribute. In general, parents should limit borrowing to what they can afford to pay off before retirement, while still being able to save for that retirement.
It’s also reasonable to ask the student to first exhaust federal student loan options before parents consider borrowing. Students typically can borrow up to $5,500 in federal student loans for their first year of college and a total of $31,000 for an undergraduate education.
Apply to financial ‘safety,’ ‘target’ and ‘reach’ schools
College counselors typically recommend applying for three types of schools, based on the student’s academic credentials: “safety” schools virtually certain to say yes, “target” colleges likely to accept them, and “reach” options where acceptance is a long shot.
Families also should also include at least one financial “safety” school – a college with costs they know they can handle – as well as “target” schools that could be affordable and a “reach” school that may surprise them with generous financial aid. The net price calculators available on every college’s site can help identify likely candidates.
Consider alternatives
Not every career requires a four-year degree. For those that do, a year or two of community college can significantly cut costs but also may increase a student’s risk of dropping out. Community college may be best for self-motivated types who are determined to get a degree and who can do the legwork in advance to ensure their credits will transfer to the desired four-year institution.
For kids who aren’t that motivated or are unsure what they want to study, a gap year may be a good option. They’ll have another year to grow up and get focused, without racking up college expenses. They could even get a job to pay some of those costs.
Speaking of motivation:
Encourage focus
It’s a lot to ask 17- and 18-year-olds to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Dithering is expensive, though. Most colleges have career counselors who can help students sort through their options, and internships can offer real-world glimpses of future career paths.
Trim expenses
and tap assets
Cutting discretionary expenses can free up more money for college bills. The usual suspects: eating out less, buying used instead of new, vacationing cheaply, combing your bills for “leaks” such as memberships or subscriptions you’re not using. If your student is attending college more than 100 miles away and won’t have a car, your auto insurer may give you an away-from-home discount.
Tax breaks, such as the American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning credits, also may help make ends meet. Withdrawals from 529 college savings plans typically are tax-free when used for qualified education expenses.
Selling nonretirement investments and other assets can help pay for college while possibly increasing financial aid in future years. (While federal financial aid formulas typically ignore retirement funds, money in savings and brokerage accounts reduces need-based aid.) Consult a tax pro first, since asset sales can have tax consequences.
Don’t pause retirement contributions, however. You can’t get back the tax breaks and company matches you’ll lose, or the future tax-deferred earnings that money could have earned. Retirement is even more expensive than a college education, and few of us can afford to stop saving for that goal.
This column was provided to the Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet .
Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet, a certified financial planner and author of “Your Credit Score.” Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com . Twitter: @lizweston.
Colleges are increasingly and strategically sending letters to students who have applied regular decision suggesting that they consider converting their application to early decision or “ED” status.
These letters are sent with the goal of increasing the number of students who commit to the college early. This is advantageous to the college because their goal is to accept the minimum number of students necessary to fill all seats in the freshman class. Send too many acceptances and the class is oversubscribed and will appear statistically less competitive. Send too few acceptances and risk that the best students on the waitlist will decide to go elsewhere, yielding a less qualified or perhaps less diverse student body.
For the student, an ED application has a statistically greater chance of being accepted than a regular decision application. However, a student may only apply ED to a single college and, if accepted, the student is required to withdraw all other applications and attend that college. ED is most appropriate for students who started the college admissions process early and visited enough colleges to be highly confident in their number one choice. The primary downside of applying ED is that it can force a student to decide on a college before they are ready. Students can change significantly over the course of senior year. What they want in the fall when the application is due may be vastly different from their preferences in the spring. Applying early decision also eliminates the possibility of comparing the financial aid packages offered by multiple colleges.
If your student receives one of these letters, they should do the following three things:
1. Don’t Panic. This not about you.
Panic should never be part of your admissions process. Your admissions journey is complex, sometimes stressful and the outcomes are very important, but panic will only lead to bad decision making. Don’t hit submit, send or sign anything until your blood pressure drops and you are breathing normally again. These letters are part of the colleges’ admissions process – not yours. Your process involves choosing a school that fits you academically, socially, and financially. Colleges are tasked with filling their classes with the right students and maintaining as competitive a ranking as possible. They are asking you to convert to ED because it is right for them, not necessarily because it is right for you.
2. Consider it an affirmation, but with a grain of salt.
Colleges send these letters to candidates that generally fit their admission requirements. You should take the letter as an affirmation that you have achieved the basic criteria (grades, academic rigor, test scores). You could get into this college, but you should not interpret the letter to mean that a change to ED will assure your acceptance. Colleges accept only a small portion of their ED applicants. For example, the University of Pennsylvania accepted only 18.5% of ED applicants for its class of 2022. This statistical reality remains true for applicants who receive these letters. Likewise, you should be aware that a decision to remain a non-ED applicant will not have an adverse impact on your chances of acceptance in the regular applicant pool.
3. Ask yourself this: What has changed?
Realize that nothing being said in the letter is incorrect. Statistically, ED applicants are more likely to be accepted. You always knew this and you originally chose to apply regular decision to this college. You probably had a compelling reason for your original choice. The college is now giving you a chance to change your mind. Use the opportunity to step back, evaluate the list of colleges you’ve applied to, take stock of the additional information you have learned about this college and others since submitting your applications and make an additional visit to one or more of your top choices. Then, make a clear-eyed decision about whether to make the change. Make the leap to ED if you are positive that this school is the right one for you, but once you make the change, remember that the decision is binding. You can only change your mind if the college does not provide enough financial aid for you to attend.
This college is giving you a chance to apply 20/20 hindsight. It is possible that switching to early decision is the exact right move for you. Or perhaps this is an opportunity for you to reconfirm your original application strategy.
Michelle McAnaney is the founder of The College Spy,
a full service independent educational consulting firm that assists
students and families across the US and internationally with the college
selection and application process. Prior to founding The College Spy,
Michelle was a guidance counselor and educator for more than 15 years,
including serving as the Director of Guidance at two high schools, an
adjunct college professor and a GED tutor. Michelle holds a master’s
degree in school counseling and a bachelor’s degree in human
development. She recently completed UC Irvine’s certificate program in
educational consulting and is a MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)
Certified Practitioner and a NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Master
Practitioner. Michelle visits over 40 colleges each year so that she has
first-hand knowledge of the colleges and universities her clients will
be considering. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Although much has been done to address the
problem, bullying still remains a prevalent and serious problem. Just
how bad is bullying in U.S. schools? StopBullying, a federal government
website management by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
shares some compelling statistics that reveal the extent to which bullying is still a problem in America:
Nearly a third of U.S. students in grade 6-12 reported being bullied
(about the same number of young people who admitted to bullying others)
About half of children in grades 4-12 reported being bullied at least once during the past month
The majority of young people (70.6 percent) say they have seen bullying in their schools
Approximately 40 percent of school staff report seeing bullying once a week or more
Who are the victims of school bullying? According to the CDC, youth
with disabilities, learning differences, sexual/gender identity
differences or cultural differences are often most vulnerable to being
bullied. Unfortunately, only about 20 to 30 percent of students who are
bullied notify adults.
That’s why it’s important to recognize the signs of bullying so you can
intervene while positive outcomes are still possible. Some of the signs
to look for that may indicate a child is being bullied in school
include:
Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork and not wanting to go to school (faking illness to stay home)
Changing in eating habits, including skipping meals or binge eating
(children may come home from school hungry because they did not eat at
lunch)
Avoidance of social situations
Decreased self-esteem
Self-destructive behaviors
Unexplainable injuries
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
This infographic reflects information up to 05/28/2018. Percentages and amounts are subject to change.
The Impact of Bullying on Children
Effects of bullying on academic achievement
One of the most impactful consequences of bullying is how it makes victims perform in school. In one sample study, children who suffered chronic levels of bullying during their school years had lower academic achievement and less confidence in their academic abilities than their peers.
UCLA psychologists conducted a study with 2,300 students in 11 Los
Angeles-area public middle schools and asked participants to rate
whether or not they get bullied on a four-point scale. They found that a
one-point increase on the four-point bullying scale was associated with
a 1.5-point decrease in GPAfor one academic subject (e.g., math).
Authors of the study concluded that students who are repeatedly
bullied participate less in class discussions and may get mislabeled as
“low achievers” because they do not want to speak up in class for fear
of getting bullied.
Effects of bullying on health and well-being
Children who experience bullying, either as a victim or as a bully,
are also at an increased risk for poor psychological health.
Surprisingly, children who report both being bullied and bullying others (sometimes referred to as “bully-victims”) have the highest rates of negative health outcomes, according to the CDC. One study found four categories of negative health conditions in victims and perpetrators of bullying:
Low psychological well-being, including states of mind that are
generally considered unpleasant but not acutely distressing, such as
general unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings of anger and sadness.
Poor social adjustment, including feelings of aversion toward one’s
social environment, particularly dislike for school, isolation and
absenteeism.
Psychological distress, including high levels of anxiety, depression and suicidal thinking.
Physical unwellness, including clear signs of physical disorder
evident in medically-diagnosed illness and psychosomatic symptoms.
How You Can Address the Problem of Bullying in Schools
The
negative consequences of bullying are far-reaching, even life-changing,
for everyone involved—targets, bullies and bystanders alike. That’s why
we need more mental health professionals who understand the effects of
bullying, as well as the underlying causes of these behaviors, and are
specifically trained and educated to intervene in children’s lives.
Strategies and interventions for addressing bullying include
assisting victimized children to develop self-protective assertiveness
skills and working with bullying children grow awareness of the
consequences of their behavior. In addition to school counselors, other careers
for those seeking to help prevent bullying include behavioral
interventionists, behavioral therapists, child safety awareness
educators, and community service managers.
If you want to expand your role as a student advocate or are thinking about a new career working with children, a master’s degree in school counseling may
provide you with the tools, knowledge and skills needed to have a
positive impact. Programs that focus on developmental counseling and psychology may be particularly useful if you wish to address the causes and consequences of bullying.
With over 4,000 colleges in the United States alone, deciding where
to apply can be a daunting task. Most high school juniors are starting
to ask themselves questions about distance from home, academic majors,
importance of athletic teams, dominance of greek life and of course the
total cost of attendance and their potential return on their investment.
Here are two fictitious scenarios.
Ivy Ivy: We all know Ivy. She was groomed in the
womb. She and her parents have been diligent about tracking her every
academic and extracurricular achievement since preschool. She feels she
is open-minded since she’s willing to consider Harvard, Yale or
Princeton. She just “can’t see herself” going anywhere else.
Unfortunately, students like Ivy who have narrowed their list to
include only “dream schools” have blinders on. Statistics from college
admissions offices state that roughly 80-85 percent of applicants at
almost all colleges, even the nation’s most prestigious ones, are
totally equipped to be admitted.
That means that over 80 percent of applicants meet or exceed the
average SAT scores and the GPAs posted by the previously admitted class.
For this reason alone, the subjective criteria of extracurricular
activities, letters of recommendation, athletics, jobs and internships
are often critical factors.
What should Ivy do? She needs to fill out her list with “target” and
“sure-thing” colleges. She and her parents need to get beyond their
prestige panic and identify colleges that are the right fit. Common
wisdom is to have at least six to eight colleges on the final list,
including:
2 sure-thing schools.
2-3 target schools — where you’re solidly in their range.
2-3 reach schools — schools that you’d love to attend, or any college that accepts 20 percent or less of its applicants.
Larry Local: Larry had never given the college
selection process much thought, up until now. He was always assuming
he’d go to a college close to home and “it will all work out.”His grades
have been strong. His parents are beginning to get nervous because they
haven’t visited any colleges, don’t know what the requirements are and
aren’t sure if he has taken the right tests.
In the spring of his junior year he took a class in marine biology,
worked closely with his teacher and really enjoyed the subject. He
contacted the local science museum and is working there after school and
loving it. None of his state university campuses offer marine biology
as a major.
What should Larry do? Larry is lucky. Having an idea of what you’d
like to study narrows the search. Being “undecided” is completely fine.
It just means that your search should focus on colleges with an array of
liberal arts opportunities. Be sure to understand that liberal arts
opportunities do not necessarily equate with “big” universities. Small
and medium-size private colleges and public universities have impressive
offerings.
Larry and his parents should sit down with a college guidebook and
discuss their wishes and expectations. They should research colleges
with strong marine biology departments. If any of the colleges are
public, they should investigate the possibility of receiving in-state
tuition, since their state doesn’t offer that specific major.
Are you a new reader of LINK for Counselors? If so, you may not have read some of our great issues from several years ago. Here are links to all our back issues in one handy place.
If your students plan to get a degree includes running up a bunch of debt, chances are there’s a better path forward. Here are some tips for their parents.
A higher education can cost a small
fortune, even in-state at a publicly funded school. If you’re worried
about helping your kids get through college or are trying to plan your
own education affordably, you’re not alone. Just know that there are
smart ways to think about college funding and some not-so-smart ways.
These six signs indicate you’re thinking about funding an education the wrong way. If any apply to you, step back and reconsider the path you’re on before you sign up for decades of debt service that you don’t really need.
No. 1: You’re saving for your kids’ college, but your retirement is not on track
As a parent, you’re used to sacrificing for your children. But the one thing you should absolutely not sacrifice for the sake of your children’s college educations is your own retirement.
The cold, hard truth is that there are several ways to pay for an
education, but once you stop drawing a paycheck, your sources of funding
to cover your own costs get really limited, really quickly.
Think of it this way: On one hand, if you don’t save enough for your retirement, you risk becoming a financial burden on your kids as they’re trying to take care of their own kids. On the other hand, if you reach retirement and find you have more than you need, you can always give money tax-free to your kids to help accelerate the payback of any school debts they may face.
No. 2: You’re taking out loans without a clear income plan to repay them
The college experience can be wonderful, but borrowing money just for
the sake of having that experience is a terrible idea. Student loans
cannot be discharged in most bankruptcies, and even your Social Security checks in retirement can be garnished to pay those bills.
An often-discussed rule of thumb with student loans is that your
total student debt should not exceed what you reasonably expect to earn
with your degree in your first year after graduation. Even that can be
pushing it, particularly if you don’t expect a high wage after you’re
done with school.
If you don’t have a field in mind when you enter college, that’s fine. But that also means you shouldn’t take out a loan just to explore your possibilities.
No. 3: You’re ignoring community colleges for core courses
Particularly when money is tight, one time-tested strategy for
keeping costs down is to start out at a community college and then
transfer to a four-year school after finishing. In many cases, credits
can be transferred from the community college, allowing the student to
complete core or introductory courses for a substantially lower price
tag.
Four-year colleges are actually OK with this strategy, in large part because the dropout rate is so high. Overall, only around 55% of students who start toward a college degree will actually finish. As a result, many four-year schools welcome those who transfer in, to help assure the higher-level courses that make them a four-year school have enough students to justify offering the class.
No. 4: Having the student work is not part of the plan to cover costs
One of the best paths to defray the costs of college is working your
way through school. Many colleges offer work-study programs that let
students work on-campus jobs scheduled around their courses, providing
cash to help cover the costs of attending. Even without work-study, jobs
on or near campus are often available, allowing students to work during
the school year.
In addition, internships and co-ops are great ways for students who
know the field they want to get into to get both money and experience
while they’re still learning the field. Not only can you get some or all
of the costs of your classwork covered by those programs, but many
companies look to their co-op and intern pools first when it comes to
making full-time hiring decisions. In addition, an internship or co-op
provides great experience for a new graduate even if it doesn’t result
in a full-time job.
Beyond that, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) offers a tuition coverage program that can take a serious bite out of education costs. Many other employers also offer tuition assistance as a benefit, as a way to recruit a highly educated workforce. And the ROTC offers a great opportunity to trade time in the military for a college degree.
No. 5: You’re turning down scholarships to go to a “better name” school
Once you have your degree, your grit, determination, and the track
record you build over time matter much more to your ultimate success
than where you went to college. Indeed, more Fortune 500 CEOs graduated from the University of Wisconsin than from any other school. Other strong public colleges that turn out Fortune
500 CEOs include the University of Michigan, Texas A&M, the
University of California, Purdue, and the University of Illinois.
In many cases, going to a lower-cost college and emerging debt free
is a much better idea than going to a costly “big name” school and
getting saddled with a ton of debt. Without the burden of those student
loans, you’re freer to pursue your passions than if you’re tied to a job
you don’t like simply for the paycheck.
No. 6: You’re force-fitting college for a job when trade school would work
Many jobs require specialized training but don’t demand a college
degree. They include electricians, nurses, plumbers, computer
programmers, paramedics, mechanics, air traffic controllers, nuclear
power operators, and more. In addition, it’s possible to make a living
in fields like construction and transportation without much more than a
high school diploma and some decent on-the-job training.
If you have a passion that doesn’t require a college degree, don’t
force-fit college for a career that doesn’t require it. Not only would
getting the degree delay you from receiving a paycheck and building that
all-important experience, but it would also risk saddling you with debt
that you don’t really need.
Ultimately, it’s about the trade-offs you make
Whether you’re trying to figure out how to help your kids with their
educations or you’re designing your own path forward, the choice to
continue schooling is a big one, with a large price tag attached.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to taking out massive student loans
and then struggling with payments the rest of your career. It may take a
little longer or require a bit more up-front work, but if that’s what
is required to get a degree without the debt, chances are it’ll be worth
it in the long haul.
