Many years ago, in my role as a high school teacher of U.S. Government, I had the unique opportunity that allowed me to experiment–teach one and only one concept, one document to one group of kids for the entire school year. We studied the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson–attempting to understand and apply…
Aging Doesn’t Have to Mean Old
Why is five, more alive, than sixty-five? As children, wisdom is simple, not contrived. You’d think that with age comes wisdom, not so. Somewhere along the way, wisdom dissolves into reason and logic, as my friends’ daughter reminded me the other evening.
Meaning Is In the Eye of the Beholder
In reference to the picture below: Proud Momma Duck*? Conversation starter when college students call home to ask for more money? Or teasing refrain uttered by teens as they roll their eyes? Perspective can change meaning. *Referring to the University of Oregon Ducks Photo Credit: Creative Marbles Consultancy, 2013
School + New Town = College
Picking colleges for application or enrollment isn’t just picking a new school. Most likely, teenagers are moving away from their hometowns. Knowing something about the place being moved to as well as the college may add insights to the searching. The Atlantic Cities reported on the “Brainiest Cities” based on an online survey measuring cognitive…
When is “Enough” Enough?
When is “enough”, enough? To answer this question, let’s define “enough”. In my experience, an outside (read: someone else’s) definition of “enough” may provide a starting point, but knowing when I’m “enough” is an inside job. Clients and friends time and again have reinforced the notion that “trusting my own experience” will be the true…
It’s Never Too Early (or Late) to Plan for College Costs
After talking with News10 Sacramento this morning about financial aid and paying for college, thought I’d share a few additional tips and expand on a few points we discussed: Understanding the Family’s Finances: The more parents can understand the family finances, the better planning can take place for the additional expense of college tuition. Some…
From Reluctance, Blossoms an Impassioned Papa
All of the things I thought I would become, a father was never one. My marriage having failed in my early thirties, only helped to solidify the idea that fatherhood was for everyone else, but me. The last thing the world needed was for me to be in a position of influencing a member of…
What Trends in Public University Tuition Means for College Bound Seniors
Public universities and colleges are partially funded by student tuition and partially by state and local government revenues (i.e. taxes collected), alongside subsidies by the Federal government and private donations. Public funding is then allocated per full time student, as shown in the map below. Alaska contributes the most per student at $14,837, while the…
“Summer Reading” Is Not An Oxymoron
As summer vacation begins, so too does the back and forth negotiation to complete summer reading assignments. Even for avid readers, summer reading assignments can sap the pleasure derived from reading. Both parents and teens know all the logical, rational reasons TO complete summer reading sooner rather than later, but there’s that part of the…
3…2…1…Liftoff! Launching the Class of 2013
Commencements can be bittersweet moments–a celebration of accomplishments, while simultaneously a doorway into a new unknown. The following are words of wisdom from graduation festivities around the United States, as the Class of 2013 enters the world with new knowledge and greater experience. And, for posterity, I added my two cents. President Barak Obama, Morehouse University:…
The Complexities of Learning, Part 1
Learning at school can seem like a simple equation: teacher presents material + students listen (including taking notes) + students complete the homework assignments and tests = learning. Yet, in practice, learning can be more complex. The following is the first in an on-going series of posts that will discuss the intricacies of learning in…
Choosing Harvard: Thoughts About a “Prestigious” University
As Juniors and their families begin sizing up prospective colleges for application and weighing the value of a college’s reputation, I thought I’d share I came to be a Harvard graduate, along with thoughts about a recent New York Times article, Measuring College Prestige vs. Cost of Enrollment. Quotes from the New York Times article will…
Ever Wonder Where The Day Went?
The following chart represents the average time spent each day on a variety of activities for ALL American adults (people aged 15 or older), from the Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent American Time Use study. Might give you some answers to “where did all my time go today?” pondering. Some highlights: Only .47 hours of…
The Student Debt Dilemma
While debt can be a useful tool to finance a college education, potential borrowers (and their families) would be prudent to think through their choices, as we discussed in a earlier 6-part series on fiscal planning. And, to add emphasis on the need to think ahead, Fidelity Investments recently found that, “[e]ven with the…
More 25 Year Olds Have Student Debt…And At Higher Average Amounts
As seen in the chart below, the red line indicates that the portion of 25-year olds with student debt has grown from 25% in 2003 to 43% in 2012–meaning an increasing portion of young adults are choosing to “bring forward” expected future earnings to pay for a college degree. Furthermore, the black line on the chart…