In this article, I’ll show you the most habitual regrets college graduates complain about and how to deal with them so you’ll have a smoother time if you decide college’s for you.
The “American Pie” Lie
It’s true that while most young people considering college don’t think college is just like in the movies anymore. There’s still a moderate amount of people that, experiencing adult life and the freedom to not have their parents looking after them, think college will be a massive party where they make lots of friends and drink every day.
Often, they find themselves facing the sad reality. Making friends was much harder than expected and/or they do party every day and crash their grades. That leaves them with the feeling of wasting a massive amount on college and not taking advantage of their classes.
To deal with this, don’t expect college to be like American Pie. Yes, there will be parties; yes, you will make friends; but moderation is your friend so don’t forget about your classes either (it’s why you choose to go to college, after all!)
Student Loans
It’s not difficult to see why this is probably the biggest regret most people have when it comes to college. As per the College Board, the average student debt balance in 2017 was $26,900 for graduates of tuition-free four-year schools and $32,600 for graduates of independent nonprofit four-year schools.
It’s not difficult to see how this, combined with the difficulty of finding a well-paid job, poses a huge burden to young adults trying to start their life.
To deal with this, there are solutions. If a college close to home offers the degree you are interested in, stay at home (I promise you can still party if you live with your parents).
If you have to move for your degree, keep a clear mind and don’t take the biggest loan you are offered as this only will create more debt to be paid back. Keep a clear mind, make an estimate of how much you need, and take roughly that amount. If you’d like to go to a private college, consider doing your first 2 years at a community college and then transferring. A lot of classes are the same for degrees that are closely related, and this will save you some money.
Your major
The 2nd biggest regret most graduates have is choosing the wrong major. It is easy to see how this can pose a big problem. You were forced to choose a degree at 18. Since you aren’t too sure of what you’d like to do, you choose it without much consideration because you can always switch majors later.
However, you start losing interest but don’t want to switch majors because you don’t want to add to your debt. Suddenly, you are a new graduate with a big debt behind you and a choice to make between working in a field that doesn’t really interest you anymore or not using your degree.
other valuable tips:
So, choose carefully. There’s nothing wrong with switching majors if the studies you choose turn out not to be a good fit but that doesn’t mean you should be carefree about it because “you can always change majors later”!
Also, consider that not everyone is cut ot for college. You can always start your own business, try an apprenticeship, going to trade school.
So, all in all, college doesn’t have to leave you with a feeling of regret and a huge chunk of debt! Be smart, keep a clear mind, and look forward to the exciting challenges and changes this new phase of your life offers you!
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