A diploma isn’t enough anymore. Without a plan, you’re likely to end up with debt and limited job opportunities (Troy Media)
A university degree is no longer your ticket to success ~~ by Roslyn Kunin Summer is winding down and those three familiar words—Back to School—are everywhere. But for post-secondary students, this isn’t just a seasonal shift. It’s a major financial commitment that demands careful planning. Unlike K–12 schooling, which is publicly funded, post-secondary education comes with a hefty price tag: tuition, textbooks and, for many, the cost of living away from home. For many students, that can mean accumulating $20,000 to $30,000 or more in debt by graduation. And without a clear strategy, that debt can pile up with no guarantee of a good job at the end. There’s also the often-overlooked cost of lost earnings. Students old enough to work are giving up potential income by staying in school (what economists call “opportunity cost”). It means missing out on money they could have earned in the workforce while accumulating debt instead. Even so, many young people still pursue h...