300K In Debt Is NOT Okay.

[@macngeeseyt6029]

If your dream job requires a degree, get the degree the cheapest route possible, and build up other credentials.

[@anotherdragneel5077]

That's actually a nice advice, thanks.

[@CamoLoTiProd]

Basically. I'm a Civil Engineering Student and I'm commuting over an hour every day to keep the cost down. thankfully UH is good at keeping it 'lower' than most. College is still around 8,000 per semester... ouch

[@GeorgieB1965]

Correct. My daughter is doing this. Is getting her undergrad degree at a lower level university here in Connecticut, and is interviewing to get into grad program for the fall.

[@lumindina699]

Honestly only a handful of people who go to college for those big expensive degrees really as women, RARELY work long enough to get the money back in pay before they start a family. I advise people to look at other fields of work that are real money earners and you can also work remotely from home in a job as a paralegal! 2 years of classes, pass a state exam and for a small fee compared to colleges. Often a good paralegal can make more money than the attorneys do because there are no overhead costs! You can even open your own small office to assist people with divorces or represent people in properties and taxes and other small claims court legal work. If you just look at the world around YOU, you need to realize there are some jobs with big salaries all around town. Certifications alone are another alternative like in Human Resources, can land you a pretty cozy job with big companies.

[@williambenner701]

I can't stress Internships enough. I had a 20 year Currier in TV Production that was based mainly on an 2 year Internship with a privately owned TV station. Then I built my own company compiled of mostly interns. Once their 2 year internship was over, I would hire them. I can't say enough about internships! It is the best way to learn!

[@Gukworks]

You can not be trusted with a can of beer at 18, but you can be trusted with 300k in unbankruptable debt.

[@Rexhunterj]

That the interest continues to rise on despite what the loaners tell you.

[@MRosati5000]

All by design. Why do you think it can't be bankrupted?

[@LeonWolves]

I don’t think they should be trusted with either at 18

[@tuffstuff9593]

I started college at 17, and yes I decided to go to a beach school 😐. The interest accumulating on that bachelors rn while I’m doing my PhD is scary.

[@SaveznaRepublikaJugoslavija]

@@tuffstuff9593phd is kinda a scam not gonna lie

[@getinthespace7715]

$300k in school debt... you better be a friggin doctor or lawyer. I became an Engineer for less than $20k, make 6 figures. My wife became a nurse practitioner, cost us about $50k. Her RN was paid for by an employer program.

[@kickboxingfan]

I want to also make six figures sir how do become somebody getting out of high school

[@getinthespace7715]

@kickboxingfan , have you looked into the trades? I used to work construction in my senior year of high school and during college to pay for my engineering degree. If I had stuck with that and saved money, I could have built myself a house every 2 years and taken advantage of the section 121 capital gains tax exemption for selling your primary residence. If you live in the house at least 2 years in a 5 year period, when you go to sell it, you can make $250k-500k profit excluded from capital gains (single vs. married). I'm 40, and I'm actually going to start doing this as a side job. It's as low a risk investment as you can make, with as high a returns as possible. As a single guy, I could build a house and sell it for double what I paid for land, permits and materials. Make $250k profit tax free every 2 years. As a married guy, I could build bigger places and make up to $500k profit tax free. That is the equivalent of an annual salary of $390k as a W2 employee Low risk comes in your ability to control what you do with the houses. If the market crashes and your profit would be down you can choose to rent the house out instead. You have a 3 years window to sell it and still avoid that $250k cap gains. If you rent it out, the property deprecates, which helps offset income. Once you have the cash and if you can build a house more than every 2 years you could specifically target build rentals, build them a little cheaper. Build yourself a rental and amass a portfolio of rentals. The trick is finding the right market to do this in. I'm moving to a very tourist trappy market, small town of 4k people on a lake where property is cheap and short-term rentals are driving housing costs through the roof. People make $40k-60k a season on Airbnb's. Old less than 2k sq ft houses sell for over $500k. Median listing price right now is $780k. A lot can be purchased for less than $100k depending on what and where you buy. Long explanation, but hindsight being 20-20. I would have skipped engineering and stayed in the trades. My current plan is to get into building houses as a side hustle until I either build up $1 million in cash investment, then I'll quit my 9-5, or once I get to cash $2.5 million invested or a portfolio of enough rentals I'll retire completely.

[@dumbeezy5480]

@@kickboxingfanlook into STEM orientated careers unless you like working with your hands you can try getting on as an apprentice with your local utilities.

[@carlo8108]

@@kickboxingfan You don't need to go to college and take on hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt to make six figures. Right now is the easiest time in human history for people to make a comfortable living. If you're on the internet asking people how to spoon feed you the formula chances are, you won't ever get there.

[@jackcarraway4707]

​@@carlo8108"Right now is the easiest time in human history to make a confortable living." 😂😂😂 GTFO with that BS

[@PinkMakesItPunk7]

I'm an immigrant from one of the poorest countries in Europe. My dad really wanted me to get into Harvard so he could brag about me to others, but i refused and applied to community college and then state university. I had a high gpa and got grants which covered half of the tuition, the other half i did in payment plans and my dad would send me 1k a month during school while i also worked part time. I got a degree in computer science, a stable well paid job and zero debt. I think this is a better bragging point than going to harvard and being in decades of debt.

[@LiamColeman-Halla-yq2jl]

Good.

[@TheKatarinaGiselle]

It absolutely is!

[@letsRumble814]

Hey beautiful ​@@TheKatarinaGiselle

[@mindtekzone]

Well said and displays your great common sense as well.

[@smokeymacpot76]

thats not the story your dad tells lmao

[@adamalexander4883]

The problem is that college is sold to these teenagers not as a means to an end, but as a lifestyle. They’re racking up obscene debt going to “dream colleges” because they want the dorm life, the tailgating at football games, playing frisbee in the quad, sorority/fraternity parties, weekends at the club, etc. The expectation, whether they’ll admit it or not, is that they’ll spend 4 to 6 years drinking, blazing, and hooking up, and at the end they’ll be handed a “get a cushy, high paying job” ticket.

[@fun0537]

That's not the problem- the problem is the Gov guarantying student loans which allowed tuition to outpace inflection by an insane amount. Remove government, put the onus back onto the schools and watch what happens.

[@mae2759]

@@fun0537 You're both 100% right.

[@FishFreddy]

What would be better is to allow students to have a loan for public colleges with more normal rates. And deny it for big commercial collleges. Then people can still go to college but let the overpriced colleges for rich people. That's how we do it in Europe. It is why we don't have extreme student debt and America seems out of this world for us with their extreme college debts. We have expensive colleges but those are private ones which you cannot do with a student loan, you need rich parents.

[@MrMgrPL]

I's a bait for becoming a slave.

[@AngelaMastrodonato]

@@FishFreddyin the US, the expensive Ivy League schools will actually waive tuition for lower income students to attend if they manage to get in. The US has always been about the opportunity, not the guarantee, of upward mobility. Now, I disagree with the lie that a expensive university degree is required for upward mobility. I also think student loans are predatory and work off the lie. However, I do believe that colleges, not the government, are great for offering opportunities to students who have the academic abilities and desire but not the finances to attend top universities. What bothers me is the US government considers college “non-profits” and therefore does not collect taxes from them, while at the same time gives most colleges, even the so called private ones, grants. To me this means colleges are “double-dipping” into public money. Brett is correct to describe them as for-profit businesses, but for tax purposes they aren’t seen that way. I want them to either be seen as non profits on the condition that they take no public funds and offer opportunities to students with the aptitude but not the funds or to be acknowledged as for-profit businesses and pay taxes like other businesses.

[@trinity6180]

It is crazy. I have been saying this since the 80s. Not everyone should be going to college. My daughter went to beauty school. She make over $100k a year. One of her son’s is a barber and at 25 is pulling in about $75K. Her other son started as a laborer in construction. He make $110K. This is in a small city. Only go to college for some thing that is specialized and that you have to. Something like a doctor.

[@estebanhenriquez3491]

• No debt • No student loans • Paid off car • 750+ Credit Score • 3 month emergency fund • Live on half my monthly income …and all of this a as a blue collar worker in Central Florida. I’m also a college dropout. But, let’s be honest, my kind of life style/work isn’t IG or TikTok trendy-worthy. Consequently, we Americans will continue to perpetuate that in order to “make it” we must go to college. People, it’s doable. I’ve done it!

[@nicolegonzalez5992]

Same only I went to community college because my job requires a master’s degree. Private universities are so not worth it

[@colin985]

People try to disrespect blue collar workers you’re working hard and I appreciate what you do

[@SSFYHHH]

A bit braggy of you but yeah, nice. To be fair though, a lot of people (especially women) don't want to do a trades job. The real problem is how expensive the universities in the states are. 300k is so ridiculous...

[@dragineeztoo61]

Me too, well - I do have a mortgage. But I'm also 64 and accidently fell into a lucrative and obscure area of IT as it was just beginning. Now I'm an acknowledged expert and a guy that has a HS Diploma is sometimes invited to be a guest lecturer at colleges.

[@candyman9635]

What's wrong with bragging ? ​@@SSFYHHH

[@angeliquebenavidez]

I am a paralegal. I got a legal secretary job at 18 and it changed my life. At that job I asked everyone what degrees they have, what they do etc. learned that in the state of CA to be a paralegal you need a AA and a paralegal certificate. Cost me 5k total. Im making more than everyone at my age and I’m about to buy my second house. Ps my husband is a union electrician and went to trade school. Our kids will know this knowledge!

[@easternpheobe]

did you get this job with no prior experience? what kind of experience would you recommend for someone looking to get into this kind of job?

[@angeliquebenavidez]

@@easternpheobe I had no experience at 18. I emphasized how well I knew computer applications, how good I was at IT and technology, how fast I could draft documents and how well I could speak on the phone to clients. It was a low budget law office but I was in. Stayed there for 1 year then got a better job.

[@Goldzwiebel]

@@easternpheobe The perfect candidate for me would be someone who has a good command of Microsoft Office programs, the standard knowledge of file formats, the concepts of computer parts and, best of all, someone who has the confidence to buy a camera that is compatible with the laptop! We can't teach something like that to the new ones if we don't know it ourselves. But we can teach the same things you would learn in uni.

[@NormieNeko]

My sister-in-law did the same. My brother joined the marines and has managed in logistics for many years. They are careful with their money, so they can afford to live in Denver. My brother only took a few college classes to learn some stuff in order to be a manager, but he doesn't have even a certificate. He still makes more money than my sister-in-law, but she makes more than the national average and without college debt. They kind of have the ideal suburban American upper middle class life.

[@Makaneek5060]

To argue that this kind of thing isn't affirmative action, I'm a white guy hired as a ERP software user documentation writer without more than an associates in General Education (made up of math, english and computer science) from Community College and experience as a waiter. The hiring managers liked the school essays I brought in, doesn't mean I always know what to do perfectly at all times, but they wanted someone who was interested in technical writing and not in woke bs.

[@amiegamache7236]

We have had this conversation with all my daughters. We told my oldest we could help her with community college so she spent her whole senior year writing scholarships so she could go to her dream school. She got full tuition, paid housing 1 year, became an RA, graduated with $5000 debt and got a job making more than her dad (electrical engineering degree). Our middle graduated from high school with 78 college credits. She will finish her degree in Accounting with under $20,000 in debt. We talk to our youngest so she can think about career and debt as she chooses a career.

[@keagaming9837]

Amazing! Meanwhile, my parents insisted I go to college because college is still worth something here. xd I hope your kids are able to get good jobs.

[@michaeldavis3819]

You get the Good Parents award! Congratulations!

[@roblogan6300]

My daughter was going to go to a "nice " college. But on her own decided it wasn't worth the money. She is now going locally to college, costing around 3-4 k a semester. And will graduate debt free. So glad she decided to go this route. Makes me feel like we raised her right.

[@sebsebski2829]

How much would it cost in the "nice college"? Im from the EU and I can't believe those stories about 300k university degrees lol

[@roblogan6300]

@sebsebski2829 Projected 4-Year-Degree Price Based on 2022-23 numbers, Purdue tuition for four years would cost $91,248 for in-state students and $166,456 for out-of-state students

[@dankmemes8619]

​@@roblogan6300 highway robbery that is lmao. God damn.

[@edinal.5404]

I heard about this many times but it still sounds crazy to me. I am from Europe and here the state pays your tuition if you have good grades. And even if the state doesn't cover it for you, it is around 1-3k a semester (which is a lot around here bc we don't earn as much as people do in the US, at least where I'm from). I am doing my masters now, and my program is considered quite expensive, and it's still only 2.7k a semester. My BA degree was less than 1k for a semester. And I didn't have to pay for any of that because I had good grades. I only had to pay for living expenses, rent, etc. Fortunately my parents could help me out with that and I also had a few jobs here and there. I can't even imagine having to pay 100k+ dollars to get a piece of paper. I think this is insane.

[@helenn7738]

I live in EU and in my country you don't even pay for your BA lmao I'm in my fourth year of uni and I'm getting my BA this summer never paid anything. This all sounds so crazy to me

[@4RILDIGITAL]

We shouldn't force college as the only viable route for the young generation. The whole education system needs a re-think. Skills over paper qualification, experience over theory.

[@christobaldvalley6599]

No one is forcing anything. Is their choice. They gotta deal with it now

[@Thomas-kp8mo]

@@christobaldvalley6599Cheery

[@TRUTHseeker-101]

We need a rehaul of all institutions. Look around. They aren’t really working for “we the people” are they??

[@Dvrkwulf]

And the reform should start in elementary school. Something about making little kids sit down and do busywork all day bothered my soul as a child and it STILL bothers me.

[@noahmichael-kp6nu]

I can learn everything online for free that I would need in my job field but no I need a piece of paper for Tens of thousands

[@andreaschneider2643]

To get your nursing degree at a community College, it actually takes about 2 years of prerequisites and then 2 years of the nursing program. Your point still stands, though. I did it while working 2 jobs also and came out debt free!!

[@sophiefredrickson9370]

I’m a senior in college. I have worked at TacoBell for the past 4 years and they have paid my tuition. I am a senior and going to graduate with no debt! I also have money saved up from working part time all 4 years! I recommend getting a job that will pay for your degree! Some examples are Amazon, Starbucks, Home Depot, McDonald’s, Lowes, etc!

[@bootdownthedoor]

Wow I had no ideas those companies will pay for your degree! That's honestly amazing!

[@KingofInkwelldia]

This stuff started happening after I came back from the military 😂

[@abrahamg3354]

Imagine if they instead payed you that same amount for working there as a career. 😮. Wow.

[@brooksroth345]

The Army helped me. Graduated entered the Army paid all my debt within one year. My salary was all disposal income which disposed all my debt.

[@AverageWhiteBoy6969]

Congrats i also worked all through school was a big help for no debt best of luck

[@micaiahwilson6680]

Literally just today I got accepted into my dream college... and it's a community college nursing program. It's literally #1 in my state and is extremely selective due to it's high quality, but hardly anyone knows about it. I tell people I'm doing nursing and they immediately say "oh are you applying to [local 4 year state school with nursing program]" and are a little bit shocked when I say "nope [local community college]" until I explain it, and then they're like "okay you're a genius."

[@gunmnky]

As someone who has been on hiring boards, I've never once looked at the school they graduated from. I want them to prove they have the skills for the position. I don't care if they got them from a box of cracker jacks as long as they can do the job.

[@B2U23]

I went to a Community College for my nursing degree as well. I now make 6 figures and I started making this right after graduating.

[@NicEeEe843]

This is how people need to think ^, giving yourself skills that are in super high demand. Very smart

[@diogo4800]

@@B2U23 cap

[@AJourneyOfYourSoul]

My kid got into lots of very good universities, including a couple ivy league schools, but got a full scholarship to the local university. Before I ever said anything he came to me and said, guess I am going to the local school. He has so much common sense. Graduated debt free, computer science and math, did two internships with faang companies and got a full job offer at a faang company. You don’t need to go to the big expensive universities to be successful.

[@keagaming9837]

Same! I go to a local college too, although my college is very big. College is overhated but still is not good, but Ivy League schools are an outright scam.

[@fumagoo1986]

Highschool teachers funnel kids into college, I remember HS teachers asking me what Im going to school for, telling them I'm not going to college. They looked shocked. A look of "But you have to" I own a small business, own vehicles, own a small house, no debt, savings, bills minimum. Im chilling at 30

[@deion312]

Very similar story

[@gabrielintano2202]

👏kudos

[@CrashCraftLabs]

yea people seem shcked we can retire ate age 30-32 without high education using skills while they will still be paying off their debt at age 65 hahhaha unable to retire...

[@seafoam6119]

The education pipeline is one of the most sinister plots in all of America. The targeting of children and indenting them for life. Pure evil.

[@trinity0844]

Just about the same thing happened to me in 1967; school councilor asked me what college I wanted to go to, told him I wasn't going to college. Told him that my Mom had already signed the papers and I would be at USMC recruit depot at MCRD San Diego by August of that year. The look on his face was priceless he told me "that's insane, they will send you to Viet Nam and you will die", he was right about the first part but wrong about the second part of that statement. Did 2 tours, one at Khe Sanh and one in the Delta, came home finished my time and went to work as a wildland firefighter, realized I couldn't make a good living fighting fire so got another job as an apprentice plumber. Went to college while working full time as a plumber and got a Bachelors in Fluid Dynamics, all at the little local colleges. Retired now and no bills to worry about; wife (of 47 years) and I now own completely clear of any debt; 2 homes, 4 pieces of property in and out of state, both have new vehicles paid cash for and no financial worries. Being "just a dumb plumber" has it's benefits!

[@snowslipper9666]

I loved community college. No debt, great professors, and smaller classroom environment. It was easier to get know my professors and understand where I could improve and where I was excelling.

[@Lattethai]

Do you have advice on CC? I am going this fall.

[@mastersnet18]

How much per class? When I went 15 years ago it was $1,000 per class. I looked up the current price and it’s $1,700 per class.

[@BBoyBFit]

​@@Lattethai Before even going to CC. Look at the field of work you want to be in. Explore, sit down and talk in depth with people who have been in said environment for 10+years. Ask realistic questions. Work/life balance, salary from beginning in the job to when you're capped pay. Ask if you even need college for the work you want to do? Or can you learn on the job and sidestep college all together and earn the same amount. Don't let college as a whole sucker you into massive debt for job paying 40,000/year. Learn specific job skills that pay well. Example: Video editing a high paying specific skill for a media company.

[@truthtelleranon]

@@BBoyBFitGreat advice

[@njpme]

​@@mastersnet18the CC in my area is like $70 per credit

[@FelixFlurry]

This stuff is real! My parents graduated from Alabama back in 1999. And they are STILL paying back that debt! It's crazy!!!

[@dchawk81]

Tuition wasn't super crazy in 1999. I'd like to know what they've been doing the last 25 years.

[@xaviersmall4461]

The worst part about this lie in my opinion is teens are told they have to go to college right after high school. Working after you graduate is discouraged. However, unless you're entering a field where having a younger image is beneficial, most employers don't really care about your age. Also, there are tons of people who have left the field they attained their degrees in all together within 5 years who are still paying off debt for it.

[@Raraking4796]

This and people completely forget about trade school and other similar programs which when last I saw were MUCH more beneficial due to getting an education in a daily needed field that pays decent to incredibly good. Plus far less debt.

[@hobbes2555]

I started my degree when I was 27. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Even then I was doing generals and figuring out if I wanted to go the IT route or software engineering.

[@robalink15]

My daughter is homeschooled and she has spent her junior and senior years attending community college as well. She has adamantly refused to even think about a four year college and amassing years of student debt.

[@Carey86]

Smart girl!

[@ericchism4855]

When I was in HS I wanted to go to Notre Dame. The reason? To watch football in the student section. I didn't get in. I am glad it worked out that way.

[@kirkwolak6735]

Have your daughter take a personality test and an IQ Test. you need to know if she is introverted or extroverted. What does she want to do? What would she love doing? Have you taught her how to FAIL? How to pick herself up, and try again. Learn from the feedback, and try again. Pick ANYTHING she is interested in. Have her dive in. First, figure out how she could make money doing it. Then learn to do it. Then try to market those skills. During this time, help her see where her weakness is. Some people cannot sell themselves well. Some people don't know how to negotiate (read the book: Never Split the Difference), etc. etc. etc. Whatever you fail at NOW is an opportunity to do a 10 week intensive course on your own, to improve that area of your life. Develop her soft skills. How to talk to anybody. How to get anybody to talk. If you do that much, and she knows right from wrong... You can unleash her onto the world, and she should do fine. Don't be shy about having her ask female professionals to mentor her a bit. Start by asking them to lunch, and picking their brains. What would they focus on at this point in their life? And I always recommend learning basic accounting skills. Everyone should know what a balance sheet is, a P&L Statement, and what their own net worth is. Oh, and Robert Kiyosaki has a board game about cash flow. TOTALLY RECOMMEND!

[@mssophiad03]

@@ericchism4855you can do all that at your state school

[@Carey86]

@@ericchism4855 everyone I went to HS with said they wanted to go to college to party & that was basically it.🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

[@cholieandresa]

I really love your take on issues. I sent my daughter this video, she will be 16 this yr, she’s already working and going to high school in honors and AP classes. She has said for years she wants to go into neuroscience. I love it, and if she can achieve this goal and not be in crippling debt, I want to support that any way that I can. Like you, she’s a smart cookie with lots of interests.

[@jennythompson7513]

I'm going to college, but I'm trying to do it as smart as I can. I waited a little after I graduated highschool to start college, because I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. An opportunity came up for me to be a substitute teacher, and I discovered that I really love teaching, and SPED in particular. I did research, found the cheapest school I could get my degree with, and I've been working in schools while getting my teaching degree, getting first hand experience, being able to see and implement the skills I'll need as a teacher as I'm learning them, and I'm building connections and relationships with the schools around me which will help when I finally finish my degree. Best part, I should be able to graduate with little to no debt.

[@robertfowler9704]

You used your brain. Good to know there are younger people who still know how to do that. Gives me a glimmer of hope for the future.

[@scloftin8861]

Hooray! For finding something you love and that won't keep you in debt for years. Congratulations.

[@laharrell93]

Nice plan!

[@DavidECoy]

I paid for my daughters two degrees so she is one of the lucky ones who will start her after college life completely debt free. Her college roommate wanted to become a helicopter pilot for the police. Her parents threatened to disown her if she didn’t go to college. Now she is 200k in debt with a bachelors degree in criminal justice that she didn’t need to follow her dream of becoming a police helicopter pilot. I honestly don’t know if my daughters degrees are worthless or not but I do know either way she won’t be saddled with crippling debt.

[@ig_BLJHsports]

Yea, I feel most parents aren’t the best for mentoring (even college counselors to) kids on their future. I was lucky and had college paid for but if I didn’t, I would have taken college courses in high school (by the local community college) done whatever I needed to there and then transferred to a state school to finish up. Or even do the trade route after CC with an associate degree in business.

[@DavidECoy]

@@ig_BLJHsports ya my daughter her whole last year of high school was also going to community college to do all her general classes so once she graduated and started college she had her bachelor’s degree in only 2 and a half years then did her masters so she was done with both in 4 and a half years. It was more expensive for me then if I just paid for the bachelors in 4 years but I didn’t pay for any of the courses she did in high school. So I’m happy with how it all worked out and she is too but she dose complain a lot about it feeling like her two degrees are not helping her get good jobs. She also complains some times that I make way more money then her and I was a high school dropout who only completed the 9th grade.

[@ashleyserene6846]

That’s crazy!! Threatened to disown the kid but she had to go in debt $200,000 to do what they wanted?? Great parents…

[@DavidECoy]

@@ashleyserene6846 exactly. I never told my kid what to do after high school but she decided to go to college. So as her parent I paid for it. My parents were so poor that was the reason I dropped out to get a job and help pay bills. My parents were so thankful I didn’t hate them for having to help them when I was still a kid. Been paying bills since I was 12 years old.

[@sophiefredrickson9370]

My bf parents did this to their kids as well! They dropped out and wasted their parents money by failing

[@mckennasmith2110]

I went to one semester of college and hated it. I didn't go back and started a career. I was able to buy a nice vehicle, and now, 2 years later, I am buying my first home. You don't need college to be "successful."

[@Frosty1026]

I mean look at bill gates and Steve Jobs they proved you don’t need it at all

[@AxcelGiggles]

what did you do if you dont mind me askin?

[@mckennasmith2110]

@@AxcelGiggles I work for my areas sheriffs department

[@TO-ps2qq]

If I had to do it all over again, I would become an electrician.

[@qigongkylar944]

I'm thinking Bout this. Why? Mind my asking

[@Strobobel]

You could still do it

[@TO-ps2qq]

@@Strobobel l am 64 and close to retirement.

[@TO-ps2qq]

@@qigongkylar944 if I remember right it is one year of a tech school. Then on to the work for with a possibility of a 6 figure income.

[@fionapeterson728]

@@qigongkylar944 Because the cost to go to a trade school and become an electrician is significantly lower than a university. Also the market for electricians is through the roof right now because most people are being told NOT to become one because I guess they see it as “shameful” and “not fulfilling”

[@DobeyChru]

Engineer here. I did my first couple years of post secondary at a community college in Spokane and transferred. I would pin the quality of the math department there (at the time I was in college) with any in the country. They were that good. These teachers that are in community college are there to teach, not to conduct research. I transferred from community college over to a 4-year, working the entire time, got financial aid, scholarships and grants, and graduated debt free. A degree from one college is just as another. You don't need to pay a fortune for one.

[@somethingawesome1462]

Same. Managed to get a couple internships. After two years post graduation, I just bought my first house

[@Sam-gc9yp]

As a former welder/trades guy. What maths are yall mathing at the 4 year?

[@michaelcap9550]

True. Many profs at large universities don't like to teach. You can tell from day 1 who they are.

[@DobeyChru]

@@Sam-gc9yp we mathed up to multi variable calc and linear algebra, at least in the engineering track. There were math majors who went a lot higher than the engineers.

[@Sam-gc9yp]

@@DobeyChru finished the two year and had to go back to work. Algebra was not going well for me. Trying to figure out if my best path forward is an entrepreneur one or more school.

[@B2U23]

Im a RN and i went to a community college and graduated with no debt. A lot of the nurses on my floor have $60-80k in debt for the same job that have lol. I got my bachelors degree online and paid out of pocket 3k. My vommunity college was ranked #1 in the state for nursing. We did better than the local university but did not have to worry about the debt.

[@mitziemason6970]

My daughter graduated a year early with about 24-30 hours of college credits. Enrolled in community college and was going into business but soon discovered she was not meant for college. Dropped out, went to work as a hotel desk clerk, worked her way up and “learned business”. Eventually managed three hotels. Now at 32 she has her own business offering project management, quick book bookkeeping, and other stuff.

[@juliananzita7863]

That’s really great

[@juliananzita7863]

Success for her!!!🏆

[@zylophone4840]

Awesome! People need to realize college isn't the only way.

[@juliananzita7863]

@@zylophone4840 I’ll maybe go to community college or trade HS or both

[@MamaSamanthaS]

I remember being so embarrassed in high school that I wasn’t lined up to go to a university like everyone else because my grades weren’t high enough for all of the bursaries and my parents couldn’t afford it. Flash forward to the year after high school I swallowed my pride and went to the community college my mom worked at (so it was free) and did a one year legal assistant and admin assistant program got a job at my practicum placement, worked there for almost 10 years and now I’m a full time SAHM with no debt and 4 beautiful children. University will not be pushed on my kids.

[@taylardotson8100]

omg that's amazing! ❤

[@Kmb33831]

And THERE it is! That’s how they force women to work after kids. DEBT. If you have a lot of debt from attaining a college degree you can’t be a SAHM because your student loans, along with a mortgage and the rest, are too much for one income. I went to a 4 year university-not cuz I wanted to, but because I had no where else to go. My plan had been to live at home and pursue non traditional routes (flight attendant maybe?) whatever. Then my parents divorced and-to be blunt-I was not really wanted in either home. So the options were-move out and try to figure out how to adult immediately out of high school, or go to college. I had good grades, a couple scholarships, so I chose to go to university. Got a stupid degree that was so dumb because career counseling was a joke. For real. I literally said I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse and was given a path for RN midwife which is like eleventy billion years long-so I got a degree in public relations instead. Years later I find out a nursing degree is just 4 years ☹️ Anyways-worked all the way through and had a teeny bit of inheritance (under 20k) and managed to graduate debt free. Worked a corporate horrible job for a few years after getting married-quit when I had kids. Now I have teenagers that I’ve homeschooled the whole way through. It’s gone so fast. Being at home was such a blessing. Would’ve never happened if I’d had a huge student loan payment. Now it’s trying to help them find their way that’s got my hair going gray 😂😂

[@cawheeler27]

I did 2 years at community college and 2 years at university to get my bachelors. Would highly recommend. Got my bachelors for a total cost of $20k, and my job maxes out around 100k. Seemed worth it to me. I also agree that there are great teachers at ccs. University professors often have lots of research to produce, and teaching becomes an after thought for them. The teachers at ccs focus just on the teaching. I had some really great ones and they stand out as some of the best teachers I’ve had.

[@raymondkyruana118]

Agreed, Even as an electrical engineer the amount of emphasis put on "real world experience" and internships was insane. It's like my classes didn't even matter, just checked it off a list. I'm not using anything from my first 2-3 years of college except some of the engineering classes. All the other bullsh*t from the college writing, to the diversity classes, to the "core math" classes were useless or could have been condensed into 1-2 classes. a 4 year degree really only needs to be 2-3 years at most it's a total scam!

[@ZIbra_0]

Colleges in England are only 3 years, although the rigor is much more intense allegedly

[@j.w.31]

I tried to talk my “counselor” into just paying for the early filler courses as I already had work lined up (which was the point of me attending in the first place)… two years wasted.

[@bobbyseelye92]

Yeah but a lot of, if not most students come into the work force and their classes did not prepare them. I had a new grad engineer I was mentoring that couldn’t even use creo and make a model and drawing of a bracket.

[@LMCghwatcher]

My son who is graduating this year is looking at mechanical engineering, but he is only looking at schools that don't have "filler" classes and only teach engineering. It's also a school that is offering free tuition for low-income kids. I'm grateful that there are school out there that are not wasting time with gen. eds.

[@raymondkyruana118]

I would highly recommend that! The schools reputation can play a role but that really shouldn't hold him back in the long run and I think he'll be better for it! If I can provide some unsolicited advice: You guys should absolutely grind on networking from this point forward. Not just your kid but you, your family, your neighbors, get everyone on board to help him land an internship! He isn't just competing with Americans or undergrad students this day in age. One thing I've learned is that now there are a lot of Master's students and foreign people that are taking up internship positions because they are willing to work for cheap or free. and companies are bending the rules. So treat it as if you are at a deficit! Who you know can go a long way! Secondly, no matter what subject your son chooses, he needs to be comfortable with basic programming, and working with data (examples would be equivalent of 2-3 foundation courses in python, MATLAB or even just being really good at excel and knowing how to use AI tools to assist his work) and using CAD software. Get started early and read internship/early-career job descriptions over the next year or so to make sure he gains those skills before hand. Be it at school, free online certificates or even just personal projects. Get comfortable with the modernization of every industry become it's happening no matter what!!!! Lastly, help him find and remember his "Why". Passion will help him get through the stressful and boring times. Just because he likes the end product of being a mechanical engineer, doesn't mean he will like every step of getting there and that's perfectly normal. He's lucky to have a parent who is involved and thinking logically and proactively. Good luck!!!@@LMCghwatcher

[@JA-zh5xi]

I know executives that throw away applications from people with Ivy League degrees. They don’t know anything, but think they do and wind up being more trouble than they are worth.

[@artawhirler]

There used to be a saying about that: "You can always tell a Harvard man. But you can't tell him much."

[@bluegryp]

This is a myth. Elite firms in business and law recruit almost exclusively from top universities. It’s just a fact.

[@shana8055]

Facts. One of the most obnoxious coworkers I ever had went to Harvard. I remember thinking “Dude…I went to community college and we are working the EXACT SAME JOB” 😂

[@joelwillems4081]

If someone graduates any college without any job experience, it is too expensive to teach them to be on time or responsible at their job.

[@Joseph32547]

They also tend to want the same pay to start as someone that has done the job for 10 to 20 years.

[@Authorxzombie]

I agree with everything you said. The part about not needing college to write a book really resonated with me. I am a self-published author. I've written the first two books of my Wizards of the Apocalypse, a fantasy adventure book for kids, and I am currently writing the third in the series. For years, I wondered if I needed college to write a book. I debated on whether college would make me a better writer or not. It was during the summer of graduating that I began researching writing and the publishing industry. I was surprised at how much online resources and speaking to fellow authors who had many books under their belts taught me. So, I ultimately decided to forgo college. and I saved money. So, no, you do not need college to achieve your dream life. I love your content, Brett!

[@Ant1Fold]

I’m a junior college student and my biggest problem so far is the lack of application of the things we learn. It has mostly been: Read book, take notes, do homework, take quiz, take tests, repeat. This is an absolutely outdated process.

[@Triquetra15]

Yeah I’m a college senior and I feel like I don’t know anything. I’m studying finance and I don’t get why I have learned about the time value of money 5 times, but haven’t learned anything about real life examples of corporate decision making, financial planning, estate planning, security analysis, etc. I have no idea how these things are done in real life. It kind of makes me sad. What I have I been doing the last 3 years.

[@katee8933]

I’m going to college next year, and I feel like it’s stacked against me in every respect. Like the college isn’t really for you, it’s for itself.

[@Mike_Cosentino]

Just go to trade school

[@Cevichelicious]

College is fine. If you make the most of it and use the connections college affords you you'll do great! Biggest thing is don't just go to college just cause. College is still a good path, just it's not the only path

[@wesmattimore2895]

Go to a trade school.. get into an apprenticeship trade, you'll earn while you learn..

[@seanmurphy7183]

Be smart about what you’re taking don’t be frivolous and smart about any jobs you work

[@Justaguywithanopinion]

Watch Borrowed Future. Very insightful

[@jacquelynsong]

I just graduated high school and I’m opting against college in favor of pursuing and building my career as a home business seamstress. It’s a dying profession and most don’t know any seamstresses, and it’s surprising sought after. I can do what I love without all of the unnecessary stressors most people my age and older are dealing with. I love your show, Brett. You are a breath of fresh air in this world! Keep up the great work.

[@Mattias1172]

My father went to trade school to become a mechanic, he's now about to retire in his 60s with a net worth well over $1 million. I went to a 4 year, transferred out after the first year of not liking it to a community college before having to take on debt, and now make over 6 figures and own my own house. I went to a high school that preached 4 year universities like they were in the bible. Never did they discuss alternative options like trade schools or community colleges. If it hadn't been for my father having gone to trade school, i may never have considered going to a community college instead. Can also vouch for community college professors being way better than the majority of 4 year professors. The community college professors want to be there to help whereas the 4 year professors just want a higher paycheck.

[@jowiens32]

Totally agree. Trades are highly in demand and can make a ton of money owning their own company. Neither my husband or I went to college, and own a construction company, and are very very comfortable in our 50’s. We’ve invested very wisely since our 20’s and at the time it felt like a huge thing that will never pay out, but it does and has generously.

[@krystallos81]

Exactly. Thank you for saying this. It’s crazy how many kids are not told about gaining a skill they can actually use for life.

[@esunablizzard6482]

My brother went to an automotive trade school, but sadly our area is so saturated that everywhere wants someone already experienced. The school got him a job after finishing... washing cars at a dealership. He would have to go out of state to get his starting experience in the field. But when you're in a state with 3 out of the 4 major automotive schools in the country, oversaturation can happen.

[@debbylou5729]

Not to mention the fact that you were probably taught by a TA rather than the actual professor

[@tony_5156]

A million? Let me guess he’s a diesel mechanic?

[@kennandnate]

I'm 20 years old and about to graduate as an RN in May!!! Best decision ever! I have a job lined up and almost no debt ✨

[@molls0922]

Congrats! Nursing school is hard, you deserve to feel very proud of yourself. The job opportunities are endless. Best wishes to you in your future endeavors ❤

[@zolzin561]

Congratulations I wish I went that route awesome job

[@keagaming9837]

Congrats!

[@iheartcolorado9311]

I have a 2 year RN degree, and I make $50.00 an hour (I was making $60.00 an hour at the hospital, but left 1 year ago to work from home and took a pay cut) . I started to go back for my BSN, but the 2 classes that I took were such worthless BS that had NOTHING to do with nursing, that I dropped out. I have ZERO debt, which allows me to work part-time, I work 6 8 hour shifts every two weeks. I have bought and sold 2 houses, and have a pile of money in the bank. My best friend just went back and got her Mental Health DNP, and took an $100,000 of debt, BUT she came out of school making $150,000 a year and her employer is paying back her loans AND they allowed her to move to Florida and work from home while seeing patients Telehealth.

[@MalignDreams]

I'm a Veterinary technician! Penn Foster is an amazing school and the company Banfield will pay for you if you work for them. And even if you pay out of pocket it's only $100 a month and if you get behind that they are absolutely amazing at letting you get extensions! I'm getting married in two months and I'm going to be a stay-at-home wife and then mom with a farm in the future so even though I won't be using my degree in a vet clinic it's going to save me SO much money on the farm! We currently have seven animals, two large dogs and five cats, and we do save SO much money already! We're not rich by any means but the amount of money we save just with my skillset saves us literally thousands a year. 💛

[@-spacedout--spacebound-7438]

congratulations on everything !! I hope it goes well for you hunny 🥺❤️

[@MalignDreams]

@@-spacedout--spacebound-7438 Thank you! It will. Wedding planning is stressful and expensive but we'll be ok. ☺ If you're considering being a veterinary technician I would definitely do it. Although I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, it is a great job. Sometimes emotionally taxing but also extremely rewarding. 🥰

[@Tabby_Man_3]

My wife’s a certified surgical vet tech as well! She loves her job. We have 3 little fur baby’s that are practically our kids 😂 but once the real kids are born she wants to be a stay at home mom for a while, which I think will be great for our kids. I’m an airline pilot for one of the large U.S airlines and I’m gone nearly half the month, so having her home to raise our kids seems like a win-win to me.

[@klseals]

I loved my community college. I dropped out my first year in university and took a year off. I couldn’t afford university without loans. My mom said NO WAY. Took me 6 yrs to get through paying out of pocket while serving at a restaurant full time. Taught me a lesson about our choices and my mom really looked out for future me. You will get through it, even it takes longer than 4 years.

[@DobeyChru]

Nothing wrong with trying to get it paid in full. Took me 6 years to get the 4 year degree and I graduated debt free. I don't have any debt and guess what? I have options. I don't live paycheck to paycheck trying to pay my loans. I can save, invest, do things I want to do as an adult. Good on ya kid.

[@SonuDR007]

I loved this video so much as a parent I sent this to my children who are young adults. Thank you so much and I appreciate you so much as you are doing a valuable service for all young people

[@druzellapurkey9783]

I am currently in nursing school at a community college, and I work in an ER already as a nurse extern. I found a program that pays for my associates (which is all you need to be a nurse), and when I graduate, my hospital has tuition reimbursement for my bachelor's. Just plan before you start. Be smart with which school you go to, and for the love of God, ATTEND EACH LECTURE.

[@amybaer5578]

I am graduating high school this may and it is so nice to listen to the episode!!! I have everyone and their mom telling me that going to a community college isn’t prestigious or I won’t get a good “college experience” but listening to this episode just reinforces my confidence that it’s the right decision for me❤

[@TheEdgyBarbie]

It is the right decision I promise. I avoided debt since I was your age, and at almost 30 I'm still free while others are crippled by debt

[@granitemoss1451]

Listen to your gut- your instincts are right on this!

[@Triquetra15]

I am graduating college debt free. I commuted to a local state school and worked throughout college. It wasn’t the traditional college experience. I was told the same thing. I would say this: do what you want to do. It’s certainly good to listen to what others have to say, but it is best to do your own research and come to your own opinion and conclusions. I hated the idea of getting into debt for a degree. I think the system is stupid and I didn’t want to participate in it. My parents wanted me to get a degree, so I decided to do it my way. I thought I’d learn more along the way, but I knew I would get the paper. Good luck with your decision. Also, whether you go to a community college or go away somewhere, getting involved in clubs and the community is a good idea imo. I worked a lot and saved a lot of money, but I wish I had focused more on making friends and meeting people than I did. I should have been more balanced.

[@billcollins6894]

I have worked for 40 years in several large and well known companies. The only time a prestigious degree matters is in positions where the company is going to advertise that they hired you. It is almost never worth the money. Experience and networking with people who will help advance your career is far more important.

[@michaeldavis3819]

"Go to a local bar. Get blackout drunk and wake up in a pool of your own vomit. There's your 'college experience.'" -Paraphrased from Aaron Clarey

[@pauljackson2473]

This is the best video you’ve ever done. I love the alternatives you have listed. I hate the boilerplate response everybody gives. “Go to trade school”. The point is that many professional jobs don’t require a 4 year degree. They never did in the past. They just require professional training, not degrees. The system needs to be changed to 2 years of school and professional training or apprenticeship jobs that train you. The first year of college could overlap the last year of High School. Now that college is unbelievably expensive new options need to become commonplace.

[@cjvan713]

People don't understand compounding interest. They sign these documents not knowing what they sign and their parents are guardian encourages them to. 20 years paying an $80,000 loan at a relatively low interest rate over and over a quarter of a million dollars. I saw one young person put up a video of her $80,000 college loan debt that she had paid $50,000 off on. However, with fees penalties and compound interest, she still owes $60,000. It is a failure of the schools that came out of that this is surprising to them.

[@maeg.9123]

It wasn’t until I started messing around with retirement calculators that realized how monumental debt is- because it compounds too.

[@williamkeepers1935]

This is one of the most important videos high school students could watch. I am a 53 year high school science teacher. For 15 of my 22 years as a teacher, I taught at a private school, now I teach at a rural public school. My dad worked in a lumber mill. My mom was an at home mom until all three of the mills in my home town closed in the same year (1983), when she began to work at K-mart, then as a receptionist for an insurance agency. My dad was obsessed with my little sister and I getting college degrees, because when he looked for work (along with all the other unemployed mill workers) he felt like a degree would have been a great help. When I graduated high school in 1989, I had to pay my own way, my parents had no way to help me, but because we lived on a farm, we looked rich on paper. I paid for my first two years in community college with a track and cross country scholarship, and paid living expenses with summer farm work. I worked full time during my 4 years at University of Idaho, and ended college in 1995 with just under 12,000 in student loan debt . It took six years to get my degree because I changed majors twice, something that frequently happens when students are not ready to make college decisions at 18 or so. As a teacher, I am always encouraging my students to consider all options. I teach anatomy, and one of the things I do is show students how they can get a very good paying job working as a tech in the medical field, then if they want to go back for their RN or a higher job, often the hospital will pay for it. We take a field trip to our local hospital and so students can see some of the options available. Because our hospital is so rural, they have what they call a "grow your own" program to pay for people who work there as CNAs or who commit to come back to get degrees in high need programs. At our little hospital, X-Ray techs start over 40 dollars an hour with a 2 year degree. Respiratory Therapists start over 60K a year and go up quickly with just a 3-4 years training program. There are many medical options with great job security and four years or less of school. After I got my degree, when schools all over the country were cutting back, I enlisted in the Navy. I would encourage kids to consider military options as well, though right now, the military has gone so woke, I am less enthusiastic about it. There are also internships and work programs as you mentioned. One of our students worked for a summer clearing fire fuel along power lines, then the power company paid half of his cost to be a lineman, and now 2 years after graduation, he out earns me as a 22 year teacher. We a very rural school with a terrific FFA program. A lot of our kids go into welding or some sort of apprenticeship, and after a couple years, are out earning me with my degree in Chemistry. It used to be that the purpose of the college degree was to make people well rounded but by the post War years in the 50s, it was seen as an entry to certain job fields. In many cases, those jobs can be done without the degree if companies would change their hiring practices. In the meantime, get the degree for the job you want as cheaply as possible, if you can, work through college doing internships and different job experiences like Brett says.

[@laikanbarth]

You sound like a great teacher with a lot of wisdom to offer your students.

[@cowlevelcrypto2346]

Wow. Your blended shift into that Ruff Greens commercial was smooth ...nice job!

[@Vavensss]

I was just having a conversation with my mom about how frustrating it is that the older generation is constantly telling me that I need to go to college and they act offended when I tell them I’m not going to collage right out of high school

[@Scarecrowwx]

I'm really into the weather, so I'm thinking of going to my local community college and transferring to another college, either that or I'm gonna try to change the world by truly reviving metal music somehow

[@samu-chan]

how thats mcdonalds job

[@limeonthecoconut]

​@@samu-chanyour comment is dribble. Where is your carer

[@EggplatnmWatch]

I went to a community college the same time my stepsister went to a 4-year. Now we both have careers in the fields we wanted them in, and while I am debt free now and building a savings, she is stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Another thing to consider is that the 0 interest period is only 6 months after you graduate, so unless you can pay that off in a very short amount of time (good luck with it being tens of thousands or more) it will have interest applied to it as well and end up being much more in the long run.

[@esunablizzard6482]

I was lucky in that I came out of school during the pandemic, so the student loan interest was paused as relief and got extended multiple times. Even without it though, I only had 13.1k owed and had enough from working a few months at my first job while living wit my mother that I paid it off before the "last" extension ended. Yeah that "last" extension was followed by yet another extension lol. Like you though, I went community college, and they had a concurrent enrollment nursing program that allowed you to get both associates and bachelors degree at the same time by taking the bachelors level classes online while taking the core program required for nursing. So it was 2.5 years vs 4.

[@giraffe558]

Graduating with my software engineering degree this May from a 4 year. I completely agree you can get into this field without a degree, however it is a bigger barrier to entry. And when it comes to larger more corporate companies, they will use a degree as a barrier to entry. So your degree is essentially paying for access

[@zillyzonka999]

I have a CS masters and have applied to about 250 jobs. I have yet to see a single one that doesn't require a bachelor's degree. Some will accept four years of formal experience as an alternative, but if just about every job requires a degree that would be hard to get without one. There were about 4 years where you could get into the field without a degree (and not need to be a Harvard dropout) 2018-2022. But that opportunity peaked in 2021 and totally fell off. Applying to anything software without a degree right now will get you auto-rejected. Even WITH a degree and low experience will get you auto-rejected for most entry-level jobs in this current market.

[@jorjachamberlain3189]

I just graduated from my 2 year community college in rural Ohio…I have over $30,000 in debt to pay back. The majority? My housing costs, because it was the only school that had my degree but was 2 hours away one way…this is so much money and I am honestly stressed trying to figure out how to pay it back. I would have never gone to school if my field, and dream job, wouldn’t require a degree. These days it’s a scam and I can say that as a graduate!

[@AdrianRuiz-gp5ru]

Tbf, $30,000 is much better than $300,000. I’m sure you’ll be fine as long as you can start earning money with the degree

[@ACloudWithoutAir]

​@@AdrianRuiz-gp5ruapparently somebody doesn't know what it's like living from paycheck to paycheck.

[@adamwolsey8589]

@@ACloudWithoutAir you have to prove to me that you're living paycheck to paycheck by force, and not by choice, before i start accepting that argument. most people don't want to budget/give up things they like to pay for things they need, and therefore end up living "paycheck to paycheck". The economy under Biden sucks, i agree, but too many people don't spend money wisely. end of story.

[@katiehard8122]

​@@ACloudWithoutAir @AdrianRuiz-gp5ru actually that depends. If he gets a job in his feild and it pays decently, then its just a matter of what kind of debt is owed. Subsidized loans wouldnt be gathering interest until 6 months after he graduated, which gives a good buffer to try and pay down the most pricey loans. Each loan is likely to have a different interest rate, so if he is able to direct his payments to gun for the highest interest rates first, there is a chance that things might not be inbearable. The problem is, colleges dont encourage students to look into the details of the loans they are taking on, and those details can seriously determine whether or not a single income can handle it. Thsnk God i had direction on which loans go take and which to avoid, otherwise i would be screwed in this aspect

[@kp4911]

Look for debt repayment programs. I have $80,000, but my field has programs where if I work for 10 years in an underserved community for a non profit, whatever is left over is forgiven. I have one year left. Other types would have been where I could have applied for $30,000 to pay down my loan in exchange for a 3 year commitment. They are out there if you search.

[@meleebrawler6462]

If more people knew they had options other than college after high school, they would be so much happier.

[@williampotter2098]

But that's where the herd is going.

[@eyeball_tickler20]

@@williampotter2098yep the hive mind wins

[@joelwillems4081]

College is mostly billed now as an experience first and education second. These students are brainwashed into thinking a D1 school with a good sports program, pretty campus, fancy foods, plenty of extra experiences, huge dorm suite and numerous party opportunities are actually important. Live in a cell, eat cafeteria food, go to class and study... that and some light socializing on the weekends plus exercising should get you through just fine.

[@keagaming9837]

Where I live, college is really the only option. But yeah, if you know for a fact what you want to do then don't go to college. If you can find a good job then don't go to college. It is hard to find a good job without a college degree, but it is possible.

[@M3GPie]

I’m in an MBA program, and it’s crazy the amount of people that are in that program right out of undergrad without any actual real world experience. Working in groups with them is a nightmare, but they think they know everything. Idk how they’re ever going to get hired anywhere because as someone that does hiring, I’d never hire an MBA without a ton of actual experience because they’re going to be expensive and under experienced despite being over educated. I’d much rather have someone that’s less educated with real world experience.

[@meganann5451]

Teacher here: Most of us haven't been pushing the "go to college" route for years, instead, making sure students know that other trades and career paths exist and can sometimes be more financially advantageous out of the gate. By the time students get to middle/high school where this becomes more of a discussion, they've already had it in their mind that college is the "ideal" or "best" path. 🙁 (On a related note, I find that a lot of students have ZERO understanding on the value of money. For example, I consistently see phones and laptops casually left or tossed on the ground with little concern for the amount they cost.)

[@awsomegirlpower476]

Same here. Before I graduated college, I would find MK coats, iPad pros, waterbottles, and bags left in the classroom when I was a TA. The one iPad pro that had a keyboard that was in the lost and found for a year eventually was split between the work study workers. Mind you, that was the newest iPad pro that came out. To this day, I don't know why my classmates in college would complain about NYU being so expensive, meanwhile they don't value the expensive things they have. At least I graduated debt free and am a month into working!

[@rl1271]

I hope that’s true. When I was in HS every fucking teacher (whose a left wing democrat) acts like it’s college or nothing

[@stephenc2481]

Most should go to college. A degree is always better than none. It is also true that some don't need to go the college route. You can tell if your kid is a college or trade school material.

[@inspiredtoenrich]

I also think it depends on what district her in and what state is wanting to push. A lot of it comes back to reporting numbers to the federal government so our district is all about college because having a high number of students going to college looks good to the state which then gets more funding. 🙄 even public education as a business in ran a such. For me personally, I never push college. In fact, I tell my older students there are other options.

[@dyoverdx]

I was born in the 80s and have been teaching for 15 years now, but I've never heard anyone encouraging students to go into college debt. Where is this information coming from? Are there people really saying this?

[@goldencoyote8644]

I go to a 4 year state school (Georgia Tech), but from the moment I started high school I carefully planned my AP/Dual Enrollment classes so that I would get the maximum transfer credits possible. I ended up starting college with 75 credits already done and finished my "4 year" Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science in 2.5 years. Currently working on my Master's Degree which will take another year, but I am on track to graduate debt free because I worked 2 jobs in high school and with 3 summers worth of internship money. I also saved a lot of money by joining a fraternity and moving into the house as rent is a lot cheaper than any apartment in Atlanta.

[@dianaaugustine5438]

Just saying, you might not need that masters degree. My husband has a B.S. in computer science. He worked his way up from a junior software engineer to the highest level engineer at his company and he makes good money. He does a lot of job interviews for other software engineers. To him, a master’s degree is actually a drawback. He said that the stuff being taught in school is outdated because the field changes so quickly. He’d rather hire someone with more work experience than a higher degree.

[@goldencoyote8644]

@@dianaaugustine5438 I am studying to become a Machine Learning engineer, and a lot of positions require or highly recommend a Master's in CS. I would definitely just stick with the Bachelor's Degree in CS if I were pursuing the Software Engineering route. Since my specialization is in Machine Learning, all the classes I am taking right now are directly applicable to what I would be doing on the job, and the subject material I learned this semester itself helped me land a ML Engineer Internship at a well known company recently. I agree about the field changing quickly though, I also keep up with the latest trends in AI/ML and am prepared to pivot if the market for ML Engineers get saturated.

[@grxce20]

left school at 18, did a school leaver program with an accountancy firm where i worked 4 days a week and went to college one day a week. They paid for the qualification too - I'm now almost a fully qualified, chartered accountant with no student debt whatsoever

[@nsabella2608]

As a senior who's choosing colleges and everything, it's actually insane how much the media, schools, and people push college. Everyone around me is pushing expensive schools that are far from home. I totally fell for it, I was genuinely considering taking on 200k-250k to get my degree. I'm going into STEM, so I don't think there is much option of not going to a four year, but there are much cheaper options. For some reason schools put into our heads that cheap schools = bad. In my situation, I can go to a well known four year college, the first two years at my local satellite campus and the last two at their main campus. All of the people my age are pushing me to spend the extra 80k and do all four years at main because of the "college experience". If I didn't have a passion for Biotechnology and I didn't have to go to college for it, I'd totally save the money.

[@sabs5647]

they also don’t advocate for competency based programs! After getting my bachelor’s at WGU i can’t advocate for it enough!!! I tried 4yr college, i partied and wasted money away. At 25, when i was actually ready to focus on school and KNEW what i wanted to do and what bachelors i needed to get there I did competence based and got it in 14 months and saved THOUSANDS! I worked my ass off and like 5/6 classes i skipped all materials and just passed the tests to test out of the class completely. it is a hidden gem AND theres competency based masters out there. And you can hold a full time job (im a substance abuse counselor) and it never felt overwhelming!

[@manwe6829]

A lot of ppl like to push community college, but when you go to get your bachelors, half of your credits don’t transfer

[@z.s.r.h]

my husband and both his brothers are in the air force (national guard) because it paid for college! it's been the biggest blessing. he's getting his degree in chemistry.

[@arealdonut]

I graduated high school in 2012, the entire time I was in high school I was pushed toward a college path. This is particularly insidious because I grew up in poverty and the guidance counselors and teachers marketed college to me as my only way out. I went to college with no real plan and ended up dropping out after accruing 30k+ debt. This isn’t a sob story tho - I started working full time, got married, was able to significantly pay down my debt, and now my husband’s career enables me to be a homemaker which, SURPRISE, is the dream job that I didn’t need a degree for and would have never discovered in a school.

[@condwiramurstally]

I dropped out of college as well, just needing a husband. Family over career anytime.

[@christomlin6966]

Started at the local community college, moved to the local university and got a Bachelor's in Biology and Chemistry. With that degree I was unemployed for two years. Went back that same community college to get a certification. Now I run a hospital lab.

[@williamwenrich3288]

After the USAF, I went to a proprietary school to get an associate degree in Electronics, then a four year college for a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, then an MBA at another school. The whole time I was working full time. I paid for my education with the GI bill and the MBA was paid for by my job at a National Laboratory. I’m now retired after working there 35 years.

[@joellezima3506]

Thank you for your service! My boyfriend just got out of 6 years in the marines and is going for a bachelors in accounting, fully covered by the GI bill and I’m so excited for him. Y’all are the ones that deserve as much free education as you need

[@caitlynking2660]

As a freshmen at a community college who made that decision to avoid debt, that you for making this video Brett. It means a lot ❤.

[@joshuafayele4782]

I just love how seamless Brett slides in advertising without changing the pace and vibe of her videos.

[@aaronschug6671]

I went to a community college for gen eds, then transferred to Metro State University Denver which shared its campus with Colorado University (CU). CU has way more expensive tuition. It was pretty crazy to see that my anatomy classes had CU students that paid way more for the same class/professor. I got through college debt free, worked 3 part time jobs and was in the Army reserves while going to school full time. Be smart, work hard, you can get through without the mortgage size debt. I'm 35, own a house, 3 cars, two motorcycles, putting 18% away into savings and making 6 figures. I grew up in a single mother household living paycheck to paycheck. You can 100% win in life if you're smart about it and work hard.

[@saasydow331]

My eldest daughter did her first two years of college at the community college while she was still in high school. Then the last two years she went to the most affordable college she could. Graduated debt free and is now running a business with 15 employees and bought a house. My youngest decided to go to cosmetology school right after graduating high school. Her friends are in their second year of college and my daughter got into a really nice salon and is making really good money. So proud of both of them.

[@ananiasgarrison]

When I graduated from highschool I was told to go to college by everyone. I had no major or plans and fell into depression with no purpose to strive for. Now I'm saddled with students loans, I don't have a degree but I'm working as a welder.

[@kkinner2762]

My husband wanted to go in construction when he got out of highschool. He was pushed out of it and fooled into going to college. After going for years and getting into debt. He realizes he's still just really wanted to get into construction so he quit college worked for a small company and then join the union a few years later he's making more than all of his peers that he graduated from high school with and they all have four-year degrees or dropped out because they couldn't take it anymore.

[@itaylor4680]

Pilot here 👋🏼 in 2021 took out a private loan for $70k for flight school (still a lot I know). But I don’t regret not going to college for a second. Im far ahead of my peers who did get a 4 year degree and far less in debt. But I’d recommend anyone who is into mechanics to become an aircraft mechanic. The mechanic shortage is worse than the “pilot shortage” and they’re making a ton of money too. Takes one year of school and about $30k-$40k

[@zgalocy]

Any recommendations on Flights Schools to look into with my GI bill. I got 2 years left of service.

[@colin985]

I always wanted to become a pilot but focusing on different career path

[@dbf1dware]

Great ad transition as always, Brett. Since it mentioned Vet Tech, and since I own a Vet hospital, and since you mentioned that some companies will pay your schooling for technical degrees (or even more advanced degrees like MBA), I would like to add that there are many, even fairly small, Vet hospitals that will pay for your tech school. Yes, we expect you to continue working for us for 2-3 years after (so that you don't just take the money for your schooling and run). But community college for super cheap, then your employer pays for a more advanced degree or certificate. No debt. Great job. Great advancement. Win, win, win.

[@Snifferous]

I'm in highschool and that's all they say. Counselors very rarely ever consider you may not want to go to college/big university and do everything in their power (pressuring students like me) to work harder in highschool so the schools can look better when they give these statistics of how many students went to colleges and universities. It's so sick.

[@xjtmskfk]

I think being in high school is a lot of pressure because people around you expect more and more from you. What is your dream job or want to do after high school?

[@Snifferous]

@@xjtmskfk I want to do something information related. More specifically archival, secretarial, or data coordination.

[@taylardotson8100]

I remember the same thing happened in my high school, all they care about is statistics and not enough about the students

[@xjtmskfk]

@@Snifferous oh I see. Are there any companies you are interested in? If you are not going to go to college/not to pursue a degree, look up the entry level jobs and get in there as soon as you graduate. I learned that experience is the money and power when it comes to real life

[@Scotchphotos]

I never comment on videos but totally agree. I went to 4 different community colleges and 2 State schools. Every single community college trumped the university teachers. Community college was one of the best things I have done for my education and early life

[@pnwvibes_]

I'm in Community College right now and i love it and have no debt. I will also transfer to a state college which is also a better decision.

[@Strobobel]

Very smart. Take all the basics you can for cheap then do what you’re looking for after. Good luck!

[@BalancedBlackwood]

I went to community college, absolutely loved it, only took out $3,000 of student loans to get a car and had paid it off with 0 interest by the time I graduated. You can find community colleges that are sister schools with the big universities, like mine was with Stanford. Community college gave me the time to realize that I didn’t need a 4 year degree to counsel people at the level I want to AND only paid $65 a quarter for 2 1/2 school years because of the in state resident discounts.

[@jordanphelps1571]

I'd like to thank you for make a video on this. For so long some of my family have made me feel less than just because I decided to wait till I knew what I wanted. Saying that me having children now destroyed the chance of ever going to college. I currently have a toddler and another on the way and I am pursuing a billing and medical coding certification for a little under 2 grand. I am extremely happy that I didn't push myself to go to college and get the degree my family wanted for me. This video made me realize that just because I am not going to a physical college that it doesn't mean my skills or qualifications are less than. ❤

[@bradywalker5291]

I'm in a certified apprenticeship program through my local union. At the end of my four years(almost halfway through), I will be a journeyman carpenter with an associates degree in construction tech. My field has its ups and downs. But the amount of carpenters I know making $100k+ is pretty astonishing. No debt required. This past year, I made about $50k with just second year rates, almost half of journeyman rate

[@Lily_hoskins8447]

I love the little smirk she gives when she transitions to ads she know how good her transitions are

[@BigRedBeard1985]

I went to a 2 year community college. I worked internships and part time jobs the whole time. I spent 3 years there and got 2 degrees by doing the general studies credits for both at the same time. I went straight to work in the IT field and started at the bottom. My first full time job only paid 35K. I took every difficult task they would give me to learn as much as possible. I got a promotion every two years and was making 6 figures in my late 20s. You do not need a 4 year degree. I didn't need both of my degrees. Just figure out what you want to do and start doing it in any way you can. Only get the education that you need. The job will give you most of knowledge you need after that.

[@nicoleb.2376]

I'm so glad that shortly after starting college, I realized that the debt isn't worth it. I was still dedicated to finishing, so I just took max credits every semester, graduated early, and saved myself $10k. My peers thought I was sacrificing my "college experience" bc I had less free time to party and socialize, but THAT wasn't what I was paying for. I was paying to learn, which oddly seemed to blow peoples' minds?

[@obocecha]

Its pressure from parents and the want to be perceived as “intelligent” from these kids is the main reason they go to college.

[@jenkroll3298]

2 of the 4 years are spent in classes that have absolutely nothing to do with your major . If I had to do it again, I would have gone to community college instead of private. My saving grace is the fact that I have a stem degree. Not a single employer cared where my degree was from...ever.

[@gumi3106]

Tysm for this video. I’m a HS senior and out of all the colleges I applied to, I really want to attend Penn State, but I’m out of state. Now, I’m leaning towards CC. This has really put things in perspective for me and given me confidence to just attend community college.

[@wyattterrell]

People called me stupid for NOT GOING to collage. Well at least I have no debt

[@_Gilles_]

*college

[@thelittledetailscr7231]

​@_Gilles_ 😂😂😂 bro he didn't go. Go easy on him.

[@mr.tootay3457]

college, I gotchu

[@wyattterrell]

Sorry y’all I’m from Texas I can barely speak English

[@LiamColeman-Halla-yq2jl]

Engineers will replace you with a robot. It needs to happen. Those engineers will be millionaires while you will be jobless.

[@kenito2050]

Thanks for this post. My 18-year-old daughter is going to a state school costing about 30K per year. We can pay about 20K per year so we will have roughly about 40k debt when she graduates. I calculate that we can pay this off in about 2-3 years. Also, regarding Grad School, my advice is the same as yours: work before deciding to go to Grad School and try to get your employer to pay for it (i.e., tuition reimbursement). Thanks again. Love your channel.

[@alliecuellar5784]

I agree with you- if companies would hire out of high school and train me in my field, I’d probably be able to learn it all on the job in a few months. What sucks is that in my chosen path (accounting), companies just won’t hire you without the degree. So I’m torn- I want to work in the field, but don’t want to go to college, but I’m grudgingly here anyways because it’s just what I have to do. I feel like I’m wasting my time and money, but it feels like the only option and something I just have to suck up and get through.

[@jenr1101]

I spent 3/4 years of college trying to get a full-time job in my preferred field that was mostly unrelated to my program. I sacrificed A's and parties for building connections in the industry and eventually was offered a full-time job before finishing my degree. It's all about networking and being persistent. Ask, ask, ask, and opportunities come. The worst thing people say is no or not right now. My degree was a safety net.

[@AndieBlack13]

I've got two degrees, one in Electronics & another in Journalism...my career has been Auto-Mechanics, forty years now. Attending a University is not exclusively to get your "Dream degree", preferences likely will change...rather it is to enrich your life. Considering all the other courses one needs, EG. Mathematics, History, etc...a four-year gets you far more than one realizes, the depth of learning new things is worth every penny....& don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[@djtwister6997]

I agree that a 4 year degree is useful but I don’t believe people should amass large amounts of debt for them. I think young adults should aim for a 2 year at a community college first than a 4 year close by to home to help minimize debt. That is what I did and I’m graduate with my undergrad with zero debt.

[@Tomlongboysfan]

Interesting.... 20 years ago. Daughter found her University. We sat at the table and explained about the loans she would have to pay back when finished. Student signature loans. When she was finished the bills started coming to her. She asked what's this???? Ahhhhh..... Your loans for school. Luckily for her she had job right out of school. She has paid off two of the loans in full. We took two and split the other one. School Debt free after only 10 years. I can't even think what they are charging now.

[@ryanspiker1677]

I spent a total of $48k (which is still too much) for my BS & MBA and am a recognized high performer at a top 50 company. All to say, even if you “need” the degrees, no one cares how much you spent on it or where you went (within reason; don’t go to Full Sail)

[@orbbb24]

$48k is a reasonable investment towards an MBA. That will pay for itself if it hasn't already. While not needed, I don't think spending upwards of $50k is an issue if you are going for a valuable degree. You start breaking $50k, you really need to think about what you're doing.

[@kwa7276]

I'm currently in college for accounting because the certification requires 150 credit hours. I've learned far more and to a far deeper understanding at 2 internships than I have during the 3 years I've been in school so far. It's practically a crime the amount I have to spend on this, and I'm not even at an expensive school.

[@sashakuhlmann4755]

I have never been more grateful for my parents paying for my college

[@Mike_Cosentino]

Amen

[@chrisprol32]

most of us are not that fortunate. If they do that, go wherever you want, but all these people going 300k in debt is crazy. I go to a crappy school, but I aint paying a dime

[@robertfowler9704]

But are your parents happy with the results?

[@michelleriveraart]

What degree did you get? Did you go to a 4-year university or a state school?

[@Savitar.2020]

Dang I forgot some parents do that. My dream job requires a degree, so I don't really have a choice but to go to college. I'm hoping for a scholarship

[@AdrianRuiz-gp5ru]

Hi Brett! Just got accepted at the University of Chicago recently which I know is an expensive private school. The thing is that Uchicago, while prestigious, does give out a lot of financial aid. I believe if the household income in your family is less than 150K, then tuition is free. Many people think that stateschool is cheaper, but in my state in-state tuition is roughly 30K a year so Uchicago would actually be comparable in price. I’m getting a degree in business economics with a minor in finance

[@AdrianRuiz-gp5ru]

Also am going to be one of the few conservatives there

[@Yesica1993]

"I believe if the household income in your family is less than 150K, then tuition is free. " Wow. My income was less than $6,000 last year. I think below poverty level. Sign me up! (Nah. Aren't they woke as can be?)

[@AdrianRuiz-gp5ru]

Definitely woke. I welcome it though, good chance to debate and potentially change some minds. Econ department there is also famous for vhavung diverse economic viewpoints and many work in the finance space which tends to lean more conservative

[@AdrianRuiz-gp5ru]

Room and board+ tuition is free if family household income is less than $60,000. This is true for almost all the ivies. Also no application fee which is nice

[@LiamColeman-Halla-yq2jl]

That's wonderful!

[@eddoherty2497]

young lady; your such a breath of fresh air! really appreciate. your input into the college. discussion. the very best to you and yours. . old guy

[@ShootingStarStudio]

I took a gap year, but now I’m a freshman at a 4-year university and I’m working throughout to pay my way through. While I am getting that 4 year degree, I’m also here because I want the experience. I’m at a Christian university, so I’m not just studying music, I’m delving deeper into my faith. I’m also using my time at school as a way to help myself transition into the adult world. I’m slowly adding new responsibilities to my plate and hopefully by the end, I’ve grown enough that I can be a better functioning adult. Edit: I also plan on doing some of my GEs over the summer at community college. I can get those out of the way for less money, as well as keep myself busy enough so when I come back to my school in the fall, I haven’t completely forgotten how to be a student.

[@PinkProvocateur]

We homeschooled our three children through high school. They’re all making good money doing things they love. No college or leftie indoctrination. No debt. Socking money away like mad.

[@livgrace27]

It’s been on my mind the last couple days after I watched this to share my personal experience. I want to start by saying that it hurts my heart to see that so many students my age are throwing away so much money for college and then creating so many issues for their future selves, and nobody is stopping them. If anything, it is encouraged. Back in 2020, when the world shut down, I obviously was out of school for the remainder of my eighth grade year. The following year, my parents decided that I would be elearning through the school so that I would not have to wear a mask all day at school. My freshmen year went by, I had a great track season, and it was summer. That summer, I got my first real job at a coffee shop/bakery. Fall 2021 came around and my parents decided to homeschool me and my three younger siblings. These two school years were the roughest years of my life, I was anxious and sad. Being a very very social person and thriving in a school environment, losing out on the social aspects and sports of school it took me a very long time to adjust. Flash forward to the summer of 2022, while still working at the coffee shop, I got a second part-time job as a receptionist at a successful car dealership in our town. I worked both of these jobs for about a year. After two years at the coffee shop, I decided it was time for something new. I searched around for a while for a different job, but nothing seemed right. I ended up calling my boss at the car dealership and asked him if they had any available positions. He kindly told me that he would be happy to train me as a sales assistant and I accepted. In June of 2023, I started full-time at the car dealership as a sales assistant. After two months, they decided that I would be a good fit in the marketing department and that they were going to train me to take over the marketing while the director went on her maternity leave. So from August to the beginning of December 2023 I trained and learned Marketing. I am now 18 years old, finishing my last class of high school, working full time in marketing at a car dealership, and in May I will be taking a class to become a certified Pilates Instructor. My point in telling my story is to show that college is not a necessity of success. I know not everyone has the opportunities that I have been blessed with, but I also know that as long as you have the motivation and drive, that you can achieve your dreams. I just want this to reach one person and keep them from making a huge mistake and causing their future selves from drowning in 300k in debt. Three years ago, I was overwhelmed because I thought that college was the only option and that I was going to have to delay my dreams for 4 years so that I could buy a degree. I was constantly being told (and still am) that I NEED to go to college and that I WILL regret it if I don’t. Now, I am not against college by any means, I actually encourage that everyone continue their learning past high school, but you don’t need to pay 50k a year to continue your learning. Like Brett said, go to community college, trade school, internship, etc. My dream is to open up a Health food store/cafe and pilates/yoga studio. You don’t need a degree, you just need drive. I pray over my peers and I thank God every day that he put people in my life that challenge me and encourage me to continue learning.

[@megstucki]

Dental Hygienist here.... When I was in school all but one state in the United States required a formal college education and board exams to obtain your professional license. And programs have prerequisites that must be taken before applying. That said, I went to a state college that had very reasonable tuition and there are community colleges that have hygiene programs.

[@flyoptimum]

You also don't stop improving yourself at 22-26. I started working after dropping out at the beginning of my junior year of college at a low-paying entry level position. While working I finished my associates degree to open a few doors, but mostly advanced myself through job performance and professional education within the context of my work. I did eventually finish my bachelor's but it was practically an afterthought. I make six figures doing very technical work that few people are qualified to do. All this is to say, you can keep maturing, improving yourself and taking on more in life as you go. The extent of your earning potential isn't decided in your 20s.