Why Community and Technical Colleges are a viable option?

When I think about the traits I really like in people.. being a straight shooter (someone who tells it like they see it) is one trait I admire.  It is more than simply speaking your mind, its more speaking what you think but thinking before you speak.  Making an argument with solid data and also offering up viable solutions.

One such guy is Mike Rowe from the popular show "Dirty Jobs" and more recently his new show on CNN, "Somebody's Got To Do It."  He's a straight shooter.  I've watched this video before and then happened to watch it again.   I found it even more interesting the second time.  Being a good parent means that we push our kids to be more or do more in life.  That is one of our jobs as parents, but it s a big job!  Teaching those skills and abilities to help our offspring become better.  My Dad's vision for his kids was simple, he wanted his kids to have it better than he did!  Which in my view is a noble pursuit.  Something I often think about for my own kids.  I jokingly share with my kids that they can be anything they want to be after medical school or law school.  I too want to be able to say that my kids are a success because they achieved a professional status in life.  There is nothing wrong with that thought process.. right?      

When I see young people struggling in todays world because support from their parents to pursue a college education is limited or even non existent, I am troubled.  I've even experienced it where parents who come at it with a different viewpoint, they only want their kids to have it as good as they have had it. Not directing them or even pushing them to be more.  This mentality can limit a young persons aspirations and motivation for a better life.  There are probably some really good reasons, both culturally and economically for this engrained thought but this mentality does impress limits on young people.

But this bring up the question, does not going to to college impede success in life?  If I didn't go to college, what limits would I be putting on my future success?  Can I be better off than my parents were?  Is that notion still possible?

Before you can decide on going to college you really need to define what success means to you.  What does success look and feel like to you? Is it the ability for your parents to brag about you to neighbors about how important you are or how well you are doing financially?  I know we want our parents to be proud of us because we grew up believing in that notion.  The reality is you need to define what success means to you because this decision is really about you.

In my career, I have worked with many college students from all walks of life. Many of those college  students defined success as making money, making a lot of money. OK.. then I would ask..how do you plan to make it?  Few had plans like starring on American Idol but most did not.  The funny thing is that I used to give an opening assignment to my classes,  I would ask them to write a two page paper on where they see themselves in 10 years.  Describe in detail your house, your job, your car, your family.. everything you see.  I read those papers and found that that about 80% of my college students did not make money the priority.  Their vision was not to get rich but to find good work, make a good living and have their own family.  They wrote of having a nice house and doing things they love to do.  Making money was important but not the most important thing to them.  Living a good life was the message I received from these students.

Going to college is still a great way to learn new skills and grow as a person.  But if you don't know what you want to do then I suggest that Community Colleges and Tech Schools are a great place to start exploring what you like and what has potential for you to make a career.  It is an opportunity to learn about areas that interest you and then learn how to apply what you learned to make an income. Community and Technical Colleges are designed for you to get skills and get to work or get the foundations and transfer to a 4 year college or university.  For a student just coming out of High School, you need those hard skills you get in the classroom to get the job you want and the soft skills like communication and teamwork to keep the job.  All are offered by your local Community and Technical College and at a reasonable rate.

Now Moms and Dads, please keep reading.  It may be a hard pill for parents to swallow but the key idea for parents is to remember that you should help your kids to be the best they can be.. at whatever they choose to do.  If my son or daughter told me that they want to be a plumber, then I will help them become the best plumber they could be.  When your child selects a career path that may not have a great demand for in the future be engaged with them and talk about what other opportunities are available and how their skills they learned may be transferable given their educational pursuits and attainment.  

I hope you enjoy the video and you gain something from it.  I certainly did.

Grad School on the cheap!

After amassing $32,000 in student loan debt to obtain a college degree, Ken Ilgunas found a very tight job market for an English / History major.  But he didn't give up and certainly was not going to live with Student Loan debt.  

I admire the guy for taking such an extreme course to further his education.  I'm not sure I could have done it.. maybe with a small RV.

Here's his story from the Yahoo Finance web page.       

Duke Grad Student Secretly Lived In a Van to Escape Loan Debt

By the time Ken Ilgunas was wrapping up his last year of undergraduate studies at the University of Buffalo in 2005, he had no idea what kind of debt hole he'd dug himself into.

He had majored in the least marketable fields of study possible — English and History — and had zero job prospects after getting turned down for no fewer than 25 paid internships.

"That was a wake-up call," he told Business Insider. "I had this huge $32,000 student debt and at the time I was pushing carts at Home Depot, making $8 an hour. I was just getting kind of frantic."

Back then, student loans had yet to become the front page news they are today. Ilgunas could have simply deferred his loans or declared forbearance. He also could have asked his parents (who were more than willing to help) for a leg up. He could have thrown up his hands and gone to grad school until the job market bounced back.

Instead, he moved to Alaska and spent two years paying back every dime. And when he enrolled at Duke University for graduate school later, he lived out of his van to be sure he wouldn't have to take out loans again.

"I had no idea what I was getting into at the time. I didn't even know what interest was when I was 17," he said. "I just think that's awfully indicative of the incredibly poor personal finance education young people have at that time in their lives."

In his book, "Walden on Wheels: On The Open Road from Debt to Freedom," Ken chronicles his journey out of debt.

He was kind enough to share his story with us this week.

He knew exactly where to go for work. Ken had spent a couple months working at a remote Alaskan truck stop the summer before graduating. So he called up his old contacts and landed a job there as a local tour guide, cook, and basically whatever the locals needed.

"The day after I graduated, I was on a flight to Alaska and pretty much started work right away," he said. "As ignorant as I was, I did know that if I didn't deal with my loans, I'd have to deal with accumulated interest or delinquency or default. I wanted to pay it off as fast as humanly possible."

It was a brilliant move for a 20-something needing to pay down debt in a hurry. "It's 250 miles from the nearest store, room and board were included, and there wasn't any cell service," he said. "You can amaze yourself with how much you can save when you reduce your cost of living. Almost every dollar I made went toward my student loans."

Click here to read the rest of Ken's Story

I'll see you on campus...

How to fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

 

I came across a series of videos from the U.S. Department of Education recently that are aimed at assisting parents and students with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid commonly refered to as FASFA.  The videos are short, approximately 3 minutes each, but full of good information.  

 

Types of Federal Aid

 

 

 

Overview of FASFA

 

 

 

 How to fill out the FASFA?

 

 

 

What happens next after filling out the FASFA?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How To Make The Most Out of College

You did it, you made it to college! Congratulations, but now the work begins. A college education is only worth what you put in to it. Put in little effort and you get little out of it. However the reverse is also true put in a lot of effort and you will gain much from your college experience.

So what can you do to get the most out of your college education? Here are the top 6 things (based on my experience in working with college students) you can do to make the most out of going to college;
Practice Time Management. In high school your time is controlled (for the most part) by parental units or the school. In college, you control your time and that means learning how to manage it. Failing to learn to manage your time could cost you the ability to graduate in time and having to take and pay for an extra semester. Advice: My advice: get a planner and use it. Write down all assignment due date sand do some backwards planning. Plan your fun time and your study time.

Stay Healthy. We all need to exercise or stay active. Studies indicate that exercise improves your mental well being and that can help make you a better student. We at USU Eastern are so fortunate to be surrounded by the great outdoors and outdoor activities like mountain biking, kayaking and hiking. Take advantage of the trips offered through Carbon County Recreation. If you like sports, try Intramurals on campus. Check with the BDAC to find out what is being planned for Intramural activities or ask about the numerous physical education classes you can take. Also, be particular about where and what you eat. Make a conscious choice and choose healthy alternatives. Spirituality is a wellness area that is often overlooked in college although it’s an important element in student success. My advice: Sleep at least 8 hours a day, stay active and eat right. (hit the salad bar at the campus cafeteria, best salad bar in Price, UT) Make an effort to schedule exercise and connect with your spiritual needs.

Don’t be another face in the crowd! Stand up and be recognized. The way to do that is to get involved on campus. Join a club and go to the activities on campus. Research indicates that students that get involved on campus are more likely to graduate than those that don’t get involved. Getting involved will also give you an edge in after college. Employers like to hire students that were involved on campus. My advice, join a club and stay involved. Make an effort to get your Professor to know your name.

Won’t you be my Neighbor? Whether you live on campus or off, go introduce yourself and get to know your neighbors. Community is important and it’s that community that can offer help when you need it. My advice, go next door and knock on the door. Bring a treat to share.

Go to class and do the work. It’s that simple. If you choose to go to college, don’t waste the opportunity by choosing not to attend class and do the work. Got a problem in class, talk to your instructor. My advice, got a life problem that seems unmanageable, seek out help on campus by talking to staff member who can steer you to the right staff person. Find 2 classmates to study with for every class.

Know your money. College costs are rising across the Nation, so it’s important that you get the most out of college. Your choice to attend USU Eastern was a smart one as USU Eastern has the lowest tuition in the state of Utah. Dollar for dollar it is your best value for a college education. However, that being said you will still need money to pay for classes, books and extracurricular activities. If you are seeking financial aid be patient that office, you aren’t the only one. Look for a part time job on campus and do not work more than 15 hours a week. Studies indicate that working more than 15 hours a week will affect your studies negatively. My advice: make a budget, stick to your budget and work a part time job. Remember, a credit card is not free money!

Most Colleges offer a course called College Success Skills that can help you adjust to college life and increase your study skills. Don’t think that the class is an easy “A”. You have to do the work and if you do you will learn much. In the past, students who have taken this class show a much higher grade point average in college than students who do not.

Getting through college is not easy but it is doable. The college offers many support services that can assist you but you must take the initiative to ask for help. It’s all up to you but we are here to help. See you around campus.