When you’re evaluating whether or not something will be “worth it,” you might consider how much you can do to impact the worth.
When you pay full price for a ticket to a movie, you’re either going to enjoy the movie or you aren’t. I suppose you can choose a nicer theater, arrive early to get better seats, and pay for your favorite snacks. But you can’t fundamentally change the movie. You’re a passive observer.
But when you join a gym, take a class, accept a new job, and yes, enroll in a college, there’s plenty you can do to get the most out of it and actually take more from the experience. You get to create the worth.
As you and your family consider the rising costs of college and smartly ask whether or not particular schools will be “worth it,” I recommend you ask yourself two questions:
1. What does “worth it” really mean to you? Does it mean a rewarding experience? Admission to medical school? A good job after graduation? You can’t begin to predict worth if you don’t know what outcome would make you call it time and money well spent.
2. How much are you willing to do to impact the worth?
Will you approach college like a passive observer in a movie theater? Will you do just the bare minimum to get by and ignore the countless opportunities waiting for you while you’re there?
Or will you take responsibility for creating as much worth as possible?