"A Job Well Begun Is Half Done"

KIMT recently did a news piece dealing with the expensive cost of post secondary education. They interviewed our counselor Ms. Renwick and two of our students: Jenna Schaefer and Josh Einertson. So often, news pieces on this topic focus on the high cost of college, the cost of student loans, and how a student can pay for it all. What too many people overlook is the most important cost factor of all when thinking about postsecondary education: how much training does a person actually need? Choosing your post secondary training is like choosing a car, or a house. It’s a product that you purchase, right? And like buying a car or a house, you need to make that purchase decision wisely, and make sure it suits your needs. We work hard at N-K to help students and their families focus on that most important question: how much training does your student actually need? What if they could use their WCDA grant to ‘purchase’ a year of training at NIACC and earn a certificate as a welder, and start a job at the age of 19 making $30,000 a year, with no student loan debt? What if they could live at home, work part time, and spend two years at Riverland earning a nursing degree and enter the workforce at the age of 20? What if attending one of the regents universities provided the same training and employment outlook as a private college, at a fraction of the price? By starting the conversation about skills and interests early, continuing those conversations regularly over the years a child is in school, and engaging them in opportunities like field trips to NIACC, bringing in college reps, small group lessons with our staff about life after high school, and requiring them to learn financial literacy skills, we believe our students graduate with a sound preparation for their future. A team approach to making these big decisions works best, which is why we bring parents in for special events like financial aid nights, help completing their FAFSA, and send home newsletter articles and information that can help. The best way to keep the cost of an education manageable after high school? Part-time jobs, avoiding debt, and earning scholarships all help, but the most important factor of all is knowing how much training you really need, and matching that with a cost that works for you.