The choices you make today will determine your future. Parents today look for the best colleges that they can find for their kids. Hence, they are more than willing to spend more money and secure admissions in some of the top prestigious colleges in the country. While all this is true you often need to ask if it is worth the investment. Generally, there is a perception that a luxurious and highly reputed college can offer the best education. However, does that really make sense in the real world and if you should really spend that much money on education?
Think of the Budget
Education is an investment and you need to be sure that you are clear about how much you are spending. Even when you have the funds for your education you have to calculate the cost of the education. This would allow you to know how much you are going to spend on your education or your kid’s education. Knowing the fee structure and rate of the college is going to make all the difference. You need to evaluate various factors like travel and accommodation expenses, cost of laptops and other activity fees, additional expenses of the major and the Greek life expenses.
Graduation Rate
Some of the top prestigious colleges offer plenty of courses that can be used in many different career options. Hence, it becomes critical for the students to know how they are going to pick the right major. If the student is unsure it can quickly escalate the amount of money you invest because it can take more time for the student to graduate. Most prestigious and top colleges have 4-year graduation rate and therefore you need to pick the right colleges based on it.
Job Placements and Internships
Many people think that top colleges offer more job placements and internship opportunities, but that is not always true. It all depends on the courses students have chosen and the major programs they have completed. Hence, before you actually invest in top colleges you must research the strength of the alumni and career paths of the graduates that have chosen similar programs in the past. Also, you must focus on how you are going to network with other people in the class as you will find these people in the real professional world.
Job Market’s Reality
The money you spend on your education must come back to you in terms of better paycheck and perks. One of the reasons why most people choose prestigious and top colleges is because they believe that they will have better career options and placements. However, that is not true because not all professions are the same. It is important that you know the job market’s reality and how other professionals in the same field are earning their income. It is important that you have clarity on how your education is going to provide you with better returns in the distant future. In some professions, you have to spend additional time as interns to achieve professional and financial success.
