A 4-Year College? It 'Aren't' That Special

There was a tape of a young girl on the radio two weeks ago bemoaning the fact that she had gone in debt over 100K to attend Brown University and didn't think it was fair she had to pay it back. First, why is it necessary to attend a college that costs $50 thou a year? Secondly, does it really make that much difference if one attends some pricy-pricy school or one like, The School for Losers. I mean, a degree's a degree. It might make a difference for females, though. I've always maintained if I was a college age fab looking female I'd high tail it to some place that had the best medical school in the country and set up a pup tent in the front yard. I wouldn't even have to pay tuition; just attend the parties and look good all the time. Believe me, I know guys.I'd have no problem securing a lifetime of worldly excesses and maybe get a nice man in the process.
For the life of me I can't figure out why kids today don't go the junior college route.
Enter into the picture our first child, G-1.(nom de plume, of course). She attended the same high school in which I taught so I had the opportunity to witness her academics, athletics and interaction with others on a daily basis. She ran around with the right group of kids, was funny, pretty and enthusiastic. There was only one problem. Out of a graduating class of 166 she nailed down that ever elusive 144 spot. Lizzie and I worried about her future. We always felt if she could secure a position as Asst. Mgr. of Burger King the world would be her oyster.
Toward the end of her senior year she began wondering about the next. So did I. Wasn't it about time for her to leave the nest and fly away. That's what's supposed to happen. There was a Catholic college run by some nuns in Clinton, Iowa who would take the girl. They'll take anyone as long as they received their 8 Grand. I wasn't into robbing banks and didn't want to see the money I didn't have and probably never would be flushed down the crapper so that school was out of the question. There was another alternative. We used to live in a town named Ottumwa, Iowa(Yes, Marge, there is a town by that name) and they had a two-year community college: room, board, tuition for $2,000 in 1989. "Let's give it a shot" Lizzie and I said. We're only going to drop two thousand instead of 8 and this will give us time to come up with Plan B. Well, G-1 took off and found her niche. She earned straight A's. "So what", you might say. Indian Hills Community College isn't exactly Harvard.
After two years the daughter matriculated(I like that word)at the University of Northern Iowa and, are you ready for this, graduated Magna cum Laud. Our daughter; the supposed dunce, the never will find a job unless she's selling bra's at JC Penney, graduated with a degree in pre-school and elementary education along with a Masters degree in education.
So, it was off to Scottsdale, Arizona, newly married, and a gig in the Paradise Valley school district. A very successful ten year gig, I might add. One of her parent's thought she'd be a successful sales rep for Ross-Abbott pharmaceuticals--and she was.
Now, she's a stay at home mom and doing what she wanted to do all along; have her family. This is a success story Horatio Alger would write about.
So, you parent's who think you need to send you kid's to someplace fabulous and ritzy so they can go out at the good spots and swill beer on Friday night, save your shekels and put your egos in the closet. And for God's sake stop trying to impress your neighbors by telling them your kid goes to Brown U. You know you hate every damn dime you send there.
Oh, I have to add, this blog is my opinion only.