Discussing Post-High School Options With Your Kids

Going to college is not the only option. Even if you decide to go to college, there are multiple ways to control the expenses.
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I had an insightful chat with a friend who is a successful small business owner. His daughter just turned 17. They are currently in discussion about her college options. This girl is very lucky that my friend has set aside $150,000 college fund for her. He has been saving aggressively since she was born.

Instead of talking about which college she should go to, they changed the conversation to what is the best way to use the $150,000 for her. Here are several of the options they discussed:

When I had a conversation with my friend, I was amazed at how he helped his daughter think outside the box. He is not against college education. He believes college education has its value. Like a successful business owner and a caring dad, he wants his daughter to see various options. Going to college is not the only option. Even if she decides to go to college, there are multiple ways to control the expenses. The conversation did get his daughter to think about college education in a completely different way. She is no longer so adamant about going to an Ivy League school.

My husband and I are also debating the return on investment of college education. We had similar conversations with our sons regarding college costs and career choices, but not as extensive as my friend's conversation with his daughter.

It may be nice to have a prestigious schools' diploma and enjoy the unique college campus experience, but the ultimate goal is about learning. Going to college is not the only way to learn anymore. Check out online learning options at edX, MIT, Stanford, Open Course Ware Consortium and more. Learning should not stop there either. If you have a strong desire to learn, you will learn wherever you go.

As the ancient Chinese said: 活到老, 學到老 (Live until old, learn until old.)

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