Only 1/3 of College Grads Paying Off Student Loans

Far too many college students are conned into believing they will be able to pay off their student loans with the paychecks they will earn after graduation. Statistics tell a far different story. About 30 million grads are never going to be free of student loan debt.

Nationwide about 38% of graduates are current with their payments. Their balances are decreasing over time. Eventually, they will be debt free. This may not happen until they are old and gray, but at least they have a chance.

However, 62% of those with student loans are unable to make a dent in the principal owed. About 46% are current with payments, but the interest charged means the balance is not decreasing. In many cases, although payments are being made, the balance owed is actually increasing.

Those in the most trouble are in default or delinquent. That’s 16% of those with college loans. Although they are not making payments, or doing so sporadically, interest still accrues. The balance owed increases and cannot be erased by bankruptcy.

There is only one way to avoid falling into this trap. Don’t take out college loans, ever, for any reason. Go to the least expensive accredited college that teaches the subject you wish to study and get a job. Better yet, do what Full Ride Scholarship winners do. Become the ideal scholarship or grant applicant and earn enough scholarship money so college loans are not necessary. Graduate debt free and enjoy life. 

For more information, you'll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing and Watering Seeds. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

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Goal Setting is Crucial to Success

Why Take Harder Classes in High School.

Smart Way to Get More Free $ for College

Colleges tell you what they want, but often students don’t hear what they are saying. Let me translate for you. They want you to take the hardest classes offered at your school and do well in them. Of course, not everyone is talented in many different courses of study; so this may seem impossible. It isn’t. Here’s how to look great to college admission and scholarship personnel.

Figure out your strengths. Perhaps math comes easy to you, or maybe it’s foreign languages. You might love science or find writing is your talent. Look at your grades. They will tip you off. If it's routine for you to get an “A” in a specific subject, then that’s your strength. If you don’t mind studying for a particular class, if it doesn’t feel like work to you, then this too may be in your wheelhouse.

Take the hardest classes in those subjects that administration will allow you to take. Enroll in extra classes in these areas, even if that means summer school. They will not overwhelm you, because for you they come easy. Here’s an example from my own life. I started French in ninth grade. In the tenth grade I continued with French, and added German. I continued both in the eleventh grade, and added Spanish. I made room for these electives by taking required subjects I didn’t especially like, but which were not tough for me, in the summer. I aced all of the foreign language classes and the others I took in summer school.

Why? Because I enjoyed the languages and didn’t mind studying. The summer classes were easy because I didn’t have anything else to study. You may not choose extra foreign language classes, but pick something you both like and don’t find difficult. Because I had taken and aced many foreign language classes, college personnel were so impressed; they didn’t notice I only took the required number of math classes.

Find your strength, talent or interest. Take as many classes as you can in these subjects, as far as you can and settle for nothing less than an “A” as your final grade. There are always creative ways to make more classes fit into your schedule. Find them. Do more of what colleges want and become the ideal college scholarship and grant applicant.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

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New Year’s Resolutions for Language Classes

Help students start the New Year off right. Students will soon be selecting their classes for the fall semester. This lesson will encourage them to do what is best; continue their French or German study. Although some people do not keep resolutions, many do.

I always started off with an example from real life. Decades ago my dentist told me I was dehydrated and needed to drink more water. But, I don’t like the taste of water. That year I resolved to drink a full glass of water after brushing my teeth each morning. I still do. I even drink one after brushing my teeth at night.

Talk to students about how they too can improve their lives in some little way. It can be health related (sleeping ten hours each night), relationship related (be nicer to their little sister), school related (homework before electronics), or whatever. 

The goal of this lesson is to get students thinking about doing what is good for them in baby steps. You will also sneak in a little practice in vocabulary and use of the future tense.

Supplies Needed: One large white poster. If this is not available to you on campus for free, go to Smart and Final or some other restaurant supply store and buy yourself a roll of white butcher paper 

CLICK HERE (ad). It is much less expensive, and has many uses. Two fine felt tipped pens of two different colors. I used black and blue, but any two dark contrasting colors will do. Two wide, felt tipped pens of two different colors. Pick colors that are bright, cheerful and easy to read from a distance CLICK HERE (ad).

1. Using the wide pens put the title BONNES RÉSOLUTIONS DE NOUVEL AN or NEUJAHRVORSÄTZE on the top of the poster. Beneath that write the fragment: “ Je vais…” or “Ich werde…”

2. Create two columns on the poster, numbering one through the total number of students you have enrolled in all your classes combined.

3. As a homework assignment, have students write down one little thing they could do which would make their lives just a little bit better (In the language they are studying, of course). Give them an example or two from your life.

4. The next day, have them check each other’s grammar and spelling. You can check it yourself during class time, or during your prep.

5. Have students make corrections. Once complete, while the class is busy with another task, have each student put his/her resolution on the poster using a thin felt marker CLICK HERE (ad), alternating colors to improve legibility. Have them place their initials next to their resolutions.

6. Give them points for this assignment. Encourage them to write their resolutions in their school planners and read them over at the beginning of each day. Explain to them the power of “intent”. 

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Image Credit: Pixabay