A Different View on Student Loans
The classic investor doesn’t spend a dime until they have looked at all available sources of data, and this leads to better decisions for everything else that they decide to do. Why shouldn’t students look at things the same way that inventors do? After all, there are some strong parallels between the two fields. When you’re a student, you still have to sign your name to quite a bit of debt, unless you’ve found ways to attend school for free. If you’re an investor, then you’re buying things on margin where you really have a lot of pressure to turn a profit.
Student loans have been in play for a while, with plenty of people on both sides talking about the pros and cons. If you’re pro-loans, then you feel that they’re an investment. Not all types of debt are bad, and student loans are considered good debt.
Is it really that black and white? Not quite.
Degrees Should Have Value
Before we go into this section, it’s important to note that everyone has a different reason for going to college. We are all for it if you want to go to college just to learn something at a different level. Unfortunately, this type of student is very rare. Most people are in school to try to improve their job circumstances, and that means that they have to get excellent value for the money. They need to use the degree as a way to get a higher paying job. If they cannot find work that helps them earn back the money they spent, then the mission is a failure.
If you want to develop your skills in the classroom just for the sake of knowledge, this is most likely not the guide for you. But if you’re looking at your future in terms of what’s going to help you unlock higher doors than where you are at currently, this is the right place for you.
The ugly truth is that in terms of career employment, some degrees have more value than others. If you want to go out and explore ethnic studies or social work, you’re free to do those things. Unfortunately, our society doesn’t consider those things very high paying. If you’re driven by a need to give back to society, then being a social worker is very rewarding. But if you’re looking to make more money, you need to dig a little deeper.
Why not talk to people that are already in the field that you want to explore? People discount the value of reaching out to other humans, but this is a very powerful thing to do. It’s networking on steroids because if you approach people enthusiastically, they’re going to see that you really want to make this field your career. Never underestimate what people will do for you when they think you’re going to be productive. We all want to be around productive people and learn from them.
You’re Always in Control
Sometimes when you’re thinking about how much money you should take out in student loans you start feeling like you’re never going to be in control. However, you’re always in control as long as you stay focused. Getting your college education is exciting. It’s something that people still notice of and they will help you get connected to very interesting projects. It’s important to put yourself in a position where you can make as much money as you need to in order to do the things that are exciting for you. If you want to build the best garden that anyone’s ever seen with top of the line products, you’re going to need to put down quite a bit of money to make that dream come true. Don’t look for 100% of your fulfillment to come from your job. Good luck finding not only the money for school, but your career purpose!
