Recently President Obama has encouraged all students to think beyond high school. Currently, two out of five Americans have 2 or 4 year college degrees.

Millions of Americans struggle to get a high school degree with one in four dropping out. Then a high school degree does not guaranteed a student success in college. Many students often from the lower economic level will drop out of college. There is a 50% drop out rate.

College is a big adjustment and some students just do not have the tools to make this shift into college life. Many are also working jobs to support themselves or this new independence gets away from them.

Do you know what makes all this even worse? When these students drop out, they do not have the salary of a college graduate but they still have the college loan to pay back. Just because a college student drops out doesn't mean they don't have to pay back their student loans.
So, it is probably clear that not everyone should go to college. If there are limited cognitive abilities and/or low motivation, then college may not be a good choice. The student must be capable of doing college level work. Students are able to continue getting some kind of training beyond high school but it may not be college. This path needs to be an option to avoid unnecessary debt. It also will set these students up for success.

A student does not need to see themselves as a failure. So, if they are really not college material, then lets skip this step. It is important to prevent them from having unrealistic expectations.

There are great training courses, technical schools and vocational training courses. If a student does not go to college directly after high school, this does not mean they will not go to college. They may need to mature and get some life experiences first. Just make sure you review all the options and do not put pressure on your child to go to college if they are not equally as motivated as you. College is an investment but it is not for everyone. There are other very good choices.

Article by, College Parenting Expert, Dr. Debi Yohn, whose advice on successfully getting college students through college with an emphasis on graduation and rewarding employment is sought by parents from around the world. Now for the first time, she reveals 27 Winning Strategies for Success - a guidebook geared to parents of new college students. Get her free e-Book now at http://www.collegeparentsadvice.com/ and improve your child's chances of a successful college experience.