Why A College Degree Is Still Worth the Cost

Many students, and their parents, are wondering whether college is still worth the price.  The high cost of college has not been reduced at many colleges nationwide, yet the college experience has been greatly curtailed. 

According to Money, “A weak economy makes paying for college harder, but it also puts a spotlight on one of the major benefits a college degree can deliver – security.” Money cited statistics from April 2020, the first full month of the COVID pandemic in the US, indicating that about eight percent of workers with a bachelor’s degree filed for unemployment benefits.  That was roughly half the rate of those with a high school diploma or only some college experience.  The conclusion drawn was that the higher one’s level of education, the more stable the paycheck.

Road Trip May Be Needed to Take Upcoming SAT Exams

Tens of thousands of students had planned to mark the end of summer by taking the SAT exam tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the majority of these students who live in New Jersey will have to retain, for a while, the knowledge and testing skills they had honed.  More than 70 New Jersey high schools, scheduled to host the August 29th SAT exam, cancelled their proctoring plans as COVID leaves schools in a state of flux. Included are many high schools in Central New Jersey: Bridgewater-Raritan, Edison Township, Franklin, Hillsborough, Montgomery, New Brunswick, Somerville, South Brunswick, West Windsor-Plainsboro South. 

Some students, who were alerted in time, were able to change their registration in order to take the August test at another site. Others were left scrambling to register for an upcoming SAT in the near future as tests are also scheduled for September 26th, October 3rd, November 7th and December 5th. 

In order to find a testing site with available seats, students need to expand their radius on Collegeboard.org, the registration site for the SAT. Even in previous years, some families would find themselves taking a road trip to Pennsylvania, Maryland, or even Washington D.C. in order to get a seat for the very popular August exam.  This year, with the massive closure of testing sites, even more families are hitting the road.

Checklist for the Start of a Unique Academic Year

Labor Day is almost here, and in many ways it’s similar to New Years Day.  It’s the start of a new year -- not the calendar year, but the academic year.  For students, it’s the perfect time to make mental (or paper) checklists to be sure that they’re on track to meet all of their future goals.

Students should carefully consider their schedule for the new school year, to be sure that the courses they will be taking – whether online or in person -- will allow them to complete all of the courses they want to have under their belt by graduation day.  For example, students with dreams of attending a top college to major in engineering should be sure to get through calculus while in high school.  If they’re not on track to do so, perhaps they should double up on math this year.

Students who recognize that demonstrated leadership is an important quality to college admission officers may want to join a club or organization, of which they are particularly passionate, early in their high school years. Through dedicated involvement as freshmen and sophomores, the opportunity for leadership roles will be great in junior and senior years.

Why a College Education Is Still Worth the Price

The college experience has certainly changed during 2020.  Millions of students nationwide, who had dreamed of fraternities, football games, and freedom from the constraints of living with their parents, may find themselves still at home this fall – just replacing high school studies with college level academics.

Although the on-campus experience has considerably changed, the financial investment is as high as ever.  This leads many to wonder whether college is still worth the cost.  The answer is, “Yes.” The reason is that college graduates, on average, can expect to earn 80% more than those with a high school diploma as their highest degree. 

CNBC researched data from a number of sources, including The Hechinger Report’s Tuition Tracker and PayScale’s College Salary Report.  Utilizing its findings, CNBC recently released its annual ranking, “50 Colleges That Pay Off The Most.” The list was separated into private and public colleges and universities. 

Strategies to Score High on Upcoming PSAT and SAT

Thousands of New Jersey students are finally getting the chance to take the SAT this month, and every month throughout the rest of the year, after the frustration of cancelled exams this past winter and spring.  Thousands of other local students are looking towards the October PSAT to launch them on the college-bound path. What all of these high schoolers need to do is go into the test feeling confident and well-versed on the strategies for success.

First of all, students should be sure to answer each and every question – whether they know the answer or not. They are not penalized for wrong answers so even random guessing will, according to the Laws of Probability, give students credit one out of four times.