Why Are Teenagers So Scared About College?

1. College is More Expensive Than Ever.

   According to the national credit reporting bureau Experian, student debt rose to a whopping 1.4 trillion dollars in 2019, with the average amount per student more than doubling since 2009. Furthermore, 2.4 million Americans still have outstanding student debt at age 60. Long gone are the days when college students could hope to pay their own way through after-school work.

2. College is no longer a guarantee of qualified employment.

   Based on how fast technology is changing, and how our economy here in the US has shifted so dramatically over the last 50 years from industrial to informational, almost everyone is now expected to have a college degree. Before, a 4-year degree was an automatic ticket to a well-paying job; now it’s still seen as a requirement but certainly not a guarantee.

3. Misinformation is rampant.

4. Competition is much fiercer than it needs to be.

5. Students put a lot more pressure on themselves than parents realize.