By Bob Roth, the ''College & Career Success'' Coach
With the cost of a college education at an all-time high, most students will graduate from college with a huge debt. Additionally, new graduates frequently increase that burden by purchasing a car, leasing an apartment, and otherwise adding to their credit card debt. It's no wonder that these young adults can feel like they are drowning in bills, payments, and obligations. This is especially true when their first job does not pay enough to support their various needs and obligations.
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College success now means that a student has been able to launch his/her career by obtaining a great job, at a good salary, with an employer that holds out a future for them.
College students today must begin to look at ''college success'' from a more realistic and practical perspective. For most students, simply obtaining a college education is no longer enough. College success now means that a student has been able to launch his/her career by obtaining a great job, at a good salary, with an employer that holds out a future for them. This combination can bode well for the graduate’s social, psychological, and economic future.
Of course, there are now and always will be students who say that they place little value on economic security and success. That’s fine, as long as they understand, accept, and can deal with the challenges that go along with a severely limited income. Coming out of college with $10,000, $20,000, $30,000, or more in college loans and then accepting a job that pays around $10 an hour just won’t work out very well for a lot of people.
Most parents are very much in tune with this stark reality. They are well aware that student debt, living expenses, car payments, and credit card debt will have a significant impact on the lives of their children. Hopefully, more students will come to recognize this practical reality and will understand and accept the stark facts of financial matters early in their college experience. Early recognition of these facts will give them time to actively improve their chances of finding and sustaining a career that will offer financial success. However, belated recognition will almost certainly get them started off on the wrong foot.
Without an adequate income, young adults may be stuck in an impossible battle. Which bills will they pay this month and which ones will they let slide? They may find it difficult or impossible to get credit. If they lose a job, they will have no savings to fall back on. If they become sick or get injured, they will have no medical insurance. Few people can build for the future (i.e., a family and a home) without adequate income and savings. And what about retirement? Young adults who are unable to save for retirement will never be able to retire.
Yes, an excess of money can be the source of much evil. However, on the other end of the spectrum, a serious lack of money is called poverty. Young adults who have obtained a college degree should not be living in poverty and should not be forever dependent on their parents for support. Since few students want to live in poverty, the most aggressive students establish a plan and work hard to accomplish the steps that will help to ensure a reasonable degree of financial success and independence.
Bob Roth is the author of The 4 Realities of Success During and After College and The College Student's Guide to Landing a Great Job.
As Dr. Phil likes to say, ''When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequences.'' It’s that simple! What students do while they are in college will determine how much interest they will draw from the employers with the good-paying jobs.
Since nobody owes them a living, college students who would like to obtain something more than a dead-end job will choose to compete for, even fight and scratch for, the knowledge, skills, experiences, and accomplishments that can promise a more financially secure future.
To compete effectively, students with higher ambitions design their college, community, and employment experiences around the needs and expectations of the best employers. These students understand that they must give employers what they want. Students who choose not to prepare in this way will never even get into the game.
The college experience is an opportunity to learn, grow, mature, and prepare for the future. Because they recognize that success is a choice, savvy students make the most of their time in college. Financial security or financial distress, which will you choose?
About the Author
Bob Roth is the author of The 4 Realities of Success During and After College and The College Student’s Guide to Landing a Great Job. Visit Bob’s website at www.The4Realities.com.
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