Student Loans…Is it worth it?

There’s a lot of talk about being educated. Some say getting an education is a wise choice to secure your future…it creates opportunities and increases your personal worth. Others believe the commitment is worth the feeling of independence, sense of accomplishment, and all that goes along with “being educated.” And there are many who are successful and have never stepped foot in a higher-level educational institute associated with the ongoing burden of debt and a trail of broken promises.

By definition, a “debt” means something to be paid. Is it not? When we owe money for a utility bill, mortgage, or credit card, it is a debt we must pay based on some benefit, or perceived benefit we thought we needed to incur. Indeed, we need basic necessities such as food, water, shelter and such, yet the verdict is still out as to whether or not education is worth the cost – worthy of the debt. The challenge is, the cost of advanced learning is not a typical debt – it’s an investment.

An investment speaks to more than a single sum, it also accounts for costs, in this case, related to time, physical, mental, emotional toll, and the return on investment; what’s gained as a result of the true costs of the whole. Indeed investing in your education inspires a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of gratitude that transcends a monetary debt that may never vanish – our focus is the internal sense of worth that can never be denied, revoked, or stolen because the honor will always be yours in life and remembered beyond your lifetime. The impact of your decision lives throughout your generations to come.

As an educated person and an educator, I agree with all that is made possible by being.

In my home, going to college is not an option for my children. Whether my children achieve an Associates or a Doctorate, my level of pride is no different. What makes a difference is that they feel equal in a world that shapes the image of success. Equally important is the feeling that they will experience by completing, accomplishing a goal they worked diligently to achieve. It’s them knowing that when they sit down at a table with peers or leaders, they know what they bring to that conversation, solution or outcome is meaningful because they are confident in their knowledge.

So, is it really the issue of high priced student loans that distracts you from pursuing higher education? I challenge you to determine that you’re worth the investment in yourself. The debt may never be paid in dollars, yet the debt, the obligation to a life of success defined by you yields a priceless return.