Helping out a young guy at work...

[sanantone]

I'm about to go down the sometimes dark path of trying to help this guy at work (24 years old) with his college degree. Kid is actually quite intelligent, but lacks any sort of positive self worth, at least in the education related parts of life. In spent some time chatting with him today, I worry most about the fact that he seems to have no idea how the whole process works. He seemed astounded to learn that any degree follows a plan. I think a light actually flashed on when I broke down 30 credits in gen ed, 30-60 in electives, and 30 upper level = a Bachelors Degree. I fear there are all to many kids out there that just haven't had the basics explained to them. How do you get through 24 years without a basic understanding of common things?

He will be starting off by completing his FAFSA and trying the FEMA PDS...at least then it won't be a lot of talk about nothing.

That's noble of you. You probably just saved another person from enrolling in HIV Testicle University and catching $50k in private loans with 14-25% interest rates to go on top of the government loans. Yes, this does often happen at ITT. Federal student aid is not enough to cover their astronomical tuition, so they have taken it upon themselves to directly offer students loans that can't be forgiven, deferred, or put in forbearance. They are being investigated for this.

People who come from families that have no one with a college education often don't know the basic things about college. That's how they end up seeing a school on a t.v. commercial, calling the school, having the school hound them with multiple phone calls, and enrolling in said school. They make it so easy because they almost do everything for you.