I was recently interviewed for a TV show. One of the questions the interviewer asked was, “What is the one thing you want to get across on this show? What do you want parents to know?” My answer was that college debt is unnecessary and easily avoided. The answer is right in front of us. We just need to do it.
What is the answer that is right in front of us?
We parents need to teach our teens how to:
- Find their first career steps that match their natural interests and behaviors
- Analyze the job outlook, salary, and education for those careers
- Network in those careers
- Stand out in the sea of competition either to get into college or in that career
The interviewer said, it seems so easy. He then asked my thoughts on why this isn’t happening more, especially in schools. Unfortunately, our educational system does not have the means to give teens the individual attention needed to determine their best path after high school. Ultimately it’s us parents who are responsible for guiding our teens and the ones paying the tuition.
As to why more parents aren’t teaching these steps to their teens, here are some possible reasons:
- They just don’t know how to do it. How can you know what to do if no one has taught you?
- They tried, but their teen won’t listen to them. Congratulations, you have a typical teenager!
- They don’t realize they must teach their teen how to plan for their future. They think the college planning process is just like when they were young. Guess what; it’s not!
- They think college is the only option, so if they just get their teen in a college, it will work itself out. Yes, it may finally work out after your teen spends six years in college trying to figure it out.
- They would rather see what happens versus investing in someone to help their family. Our programs can save you over $80,000 in unnecessary college fees, tuition, and debt.
If any of these reasons resonate with you, schedule a complimentary College Assessment Plan call with me. Helping your teen plan their future can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. My Ideal College is here to guide you.