Having a college education is by far the most important thing you can do to have more income than your parents. This is especially true for those who come from families in the lowest income group.
Only 5% of children born into the bottom quintile who don’t graduate from college end up in the top quintile. By contrast, 30% of bottom-quintile children who graduate rise to the top quintile. But only 7% of those born to parents in the bottom-quintile get a college degree. Source: The Federal Reserve bank of San Francisco “College graduates were over 5.3 times more likely to leave the bottom rung than non-college graduates.” Source: Research by Pew Trust
With all of the attention on the question “Is College Worth It?” it is easy to become confused about what to do. The research in the Buzz Today is unambiguous. If you want to have the best chance of improving the economic well being of your family you need to get a college degree. The confusion sets in when the question becomes: “Does a college degree guarantee a better life for me and my loved ones?” The answer to this question is that there are no guarantees in life. Having a college degree vastly increases your chances of a better income but it is not a sure thing.
So the three things of importance to you are:
1. Earn a college degree
2. Earn the right college degree that has good employment prospects
3. Earn a college degree for the lowest cost possible
These three things are all possible for anyone committed to their own future. But to take advantage of this opportunity, the first thing you must have is the motivation to get an education – to earn your degree. Without motivation you cannot reach these goals. My main reason for sharing this data on earning power from a degree is to create the motivation you need. Having a goal always helps provide guidance on a long journey.
In addition to motivation, you need good information on careers and college costs. For career choices, you can go to a government site titled O*Net where there is great detail on employment prospects. For objective data on what it actually costs to go to various colleges and universities go to College Navigator
But it is not sufficient to merely have the data. You need to know how to find the specific information that fits “who you are”. You also need to know how to navigate your way through these massive data bases. You can get that specific guidance from my book Your Future is Calling. Learn and prosper as the data in Buzz Today shows.
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