Higher education has never been cheap, but it was an investment that paid for itself handsomely over time. That is why parents spend thousands and thousands of dollars on their kids’ education. The right schools, the right tutors, the right summer school courses, every little bit matters. The costs can rack up quickly. And this is before they even head off to university.
I was stunned to see the costs of higher education the other day. There was a time when higher education gave you a leg up, a sizeable advantage over those who decided to enter the workforce early. I remember struggling for a year to find work thirty years ago. I can’t imagine what it’s like for grads today.
Covid19 has taken the job market into uncharted waters. Companies are going bankrupt left, right, and center. Entire industries are having to adapt and fast. It has been fascinating to watch though not something any of us want. I pity those looking for work because we are all in the dark as to long this situation will last.
I wasn’t surprised to read that many universities and colleges have opted to move all classes online, but what did make my jaw hit the floor was that they weren’t going to reduce their costs at all. We’re talking some serious dough here.
While I have spoken about my love for education in previous articles, I am also vocal about my dismay at the educational system itself. Seems I’m not alone in this as Sir Ken Robinson so eloquently explains in this TedTalk. Some professors, such as Ai Addyson-Zhang, are choosing to walk away and develop a new curriculum because they know something is amiss. Despite having more access to information than ever before in history, students’ scores continue to drop.
The other day, I came across a great meme that expresses my frustration with the costs of higher education. It compared the costs of various streaming services of Netflix, Hulu, YouTubeRed, Showtime, Disney+ and Harvard. Yes, that Harvard.
The prices were $108, $72, $120, $132, and $50,420 respectively.
OMG.
Makes you wonder: are you paying for the education or the certificate?
What exactly do we need face-to-face classes for? Obviously, certain subjects require various devices and equipment that we don’t have access to at home, but besides those outliers, can’t most classes be taught online?
College changed my life, so I do believe it’s an invaluable experience. It’s just too dang expensive for what it is, as some of the advantages it once had have since been erased.
Thankfully, we all have this thing in our pocket that is a gamechanger. It’s our smartphone. Jim Rohn said something that changed my life many years ago. He said, “Turn your car into a mobile classroom” referring to audiotape learning. We’ve come a long way from those days, and today we can turn our smartphone into our own personal university. That’s how I went from being an English teacher to best-selling author, productivity consultant and contributor for many of the world’s largest publications.
The best news, audio programs won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Personally, I have a collection of material worth many thousands of dollars. Here are some of the best from my collection to help get you started.
Jim Rohn’s How to Have Your Best Year Ever
Tony Robbins’ Get the Edge
Brian Tracy’s The Psychology of Achievement
Joe Polish’s Piranha Marketing
Zig Ziglar’s Building the Best You
Alex Mandossian’s Teleseminar Secrets
Add these to the following audiobooks and you’re golden.
Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Tim Ferriss’ The Four-Hour Work Week
Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In
Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crushing It
John Brooks’ Business Adventures
Seth Godin’s Purple Cow
Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People
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