← Unemployable with Jeff Dudan
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Is college a smart investment? Or for some, is it just an overpriced promise that doesn't always pay off? Welcome back to on the Home Front. Today we're tackling a big question that a lot of people are afraid to ask. Is college actually worth it? Or is it just an overpriced promise that doesn't always pay off? Here's the reality. Half of college graduates are working jobs that don't even require their degree. So if you're about to spend four years and six figures, you need to be sure it's the right investment for you. I'll break it down into four things you need to think about before you decide if college is the right move and if you do go, how to make sure it actually works for you. College is a tool, not a guarantee. A degree used to be a one way ticket to an opportunity, but that's not always the case any longer. A diploma won't guarantee success, but here's what will. Building real relationships. Find mentors, connections and people who can open doors for you post graduation. Get real world experience. I don't care if it's a side hustle or an internship. Just get industry exposure or get exposure doing something in the real world so you can relate what you're learning in college directly to something you're doing in real life. And three, knowing where the degree fits into your bigger plan. If you're just following the crowd, hoping that having a degree will be enough, you're taking a massive financial risk. Start in the hole without a clear outcome. Now, my daughter had a playbook. She did college what I believe to be the right ways or one of the right ways. My daughter mainly went to Clemson. She got her accounting degree and she had a clear plan. She studied for the lsat, got into NYU Law School early admission and knew exactly why she was making that investment. I tried to talk her into a top 30 law school as opposed to a top six law school because she could probably go for free and paying for NYU and New York City rent on top was a big ticket. But she said something that stopped me in my tracks. And you always have to be careful what you say to your kids because they'll play it right back to you. She said, didn't you always tell us to compete at the highest level we qualify for? So melee was intentional. She knew that she wanted to participate in the top of her field. So if you're going to invest in college, you've got to be strategic and you've got to have that outcome in mind. To maximize the opportunities. And that's what having a clear end game will do. The Alternative Some people may want to skip college entirely, and I think that's okay because college isn't for everybody. Some people shouldn't go at all. If you know how to work hard, if you want to get right out into the workforce, if you can follow a system, if you can execute on a career plan or a business plan, you can be successful without ever stepping into the classroom. Take franchising, for example. You don't need a degree to own a business, but what you do need is the ability to execute against a plan, a strong work ethic, and the mindset to grow and scale. And be curious. That's why military veterans and tradespeople thrive in franchising, by the way. They understand structure, discipline, and how to get results. Same thing with entrepreneurs, the people who create the biggest opportunities. They didn't sit around waiting for a diploma to give them permission to get after it. They started solving problems and providing value before anyone told them they were qualified. Here's the bottom line. If you're going to go to college, go with a plan. Make every opportunity count and get your money's worth while you're there. If you're not sure, don't just go because it's what you're supposed to do. Get experience, learn skills, and start building a life or a business for yourself instead. That degree is not a golden ticket anymore, and success comes from having clear outcomes and taking action against it and making smart decisions with your time, your energy and your money. So what's your take on this? Did college set you up for success, or do you wish you had taken a different path? Drop a comment, share your experience, and let's talk about it. And of course, give us a like and subscribe. Thanks for listening.