You shouldn’t take on what is potentially the biggest expense of a lifetime lightly. While students want to make sure college pays off academically, socially, and emotionally, most need to keep the financial payoff in mind as well. Amy and Mike invited educator Gage Mersereau to define the concept of true college ROI.
Listen to the full episode HERE before or after you review the key takeaways, topic breakdowns, and questions answered from this episode.
Key Takeaways
True college ROI requires analyzing: (1) actual college costs after aid/merit, (2) projected earnings by major, and (3) intended post-graduation location
College pricing has become a "black box" with both sticker prices and discounts rising—private colleges now discount tuition by >50% on average
Current net price calculators are flawed, particularly for higher-income families, as they use outdated income brackets (highest is $110K+)
Graduation timeline matters significantly—extending beyond 4 years dramatically increases total cost and potential debt burden
