Paying for College

It seems like the yearly price increase of college tuition is the new normal. We are far removed from the good ol days in which our parents or older generations paid for their college tuition while holding down a part time job at the local pizza shop or grocery store.

Yet, here we are the current and future generations facing percentage increases in yearly tuition rates that would make a financial advisor blush. At the same time we are blamed for being lazy or mooching off our parents to pay for things their amazing generation paid for by their sheer work ethic and resisting the urge to buy avacado toast, or some magical coin such as ethereum.

So what can we do?

1. We can point out the obvious during one of the many blaming sessions that occur at the dinner table or during the holidays

• That our generation will be paying for the excesses and wealth other older generations and we welcome the challenge
• That even working a full time job (pre-college degree) one would struggle to pay for an apartment and living expenses in addition to tuition and books
• Ask them for advice since obviously working full time or multiple part time jobs isn't showing enough drive, determination and work ethic

1. We can seek education via alternative methods

• Utilize free online resources such as Coursera
• Access paid online courses/programs that lead to alternative degree pathways
• Learn as much as is possible from mentors, videos, books
• Apply knowledge and gain real world work experience in order to build your portfolio and resume.
• Invest your money in crypto and wait until you make enough to pay for college (JK 😂).

In closing, if college is your chosen path look for diverse methods of funding your degree. I hope to share my tips, resources and scholarships on Steemit to help others navigate this journey full of loans, broken educational pipelines and lack of clarity mixed in with hope for a better life.