Mike Rowe took to Facebook and asked his supporters to share the following video about the scam of college costs and student loan debt (see Free College for All? This Guy Blows his Financial Aid on a Trip to Thailand… and VICTIMHOOD: Student Won’t Pay $170K Debt Because… He’s Depressed?!). Anything for you, Big Guy!

Contrary to what many have said, this doesn't make me "anti-college," or "anti-education." It just makes me suspicious of the persistent belief that a college degree - no matter the cost - is a ticket to prosperity. This belief, in my opinion, is not only misguided, it's at the heart of why college is so damn expensive. I'm convinced that the current outstanding student debt of $1.5 trillion dollars will get far worse, if we don't do something to turn the ship around - fast. Likewise, I believe the skills gap will continue to widen if we don't begin to make a more persuasive case for the 7 million jobs that are currently open - many of which do NOT require a four-degree.

My story was similar. Two years of community college. Actually, three. Just because of beer and...other stuff. Followed by two years of the local state college. No student loans. Total cost was under $7,500. Then I began a job that had nothing to do with anything I studied. Twenty years later, I'm successful in working in an industry that didn't even exist when I graduated.

If I had a liberal studies degree and tens of thousands of student loan debt, that wouldn't be the case.

The poster says work smart, not hard. Smart is not borrowing money you don't have for a piece of paper you more often than not don't really need. So don't succumb to the pressure to get a degree in a useless field. Be smart for yourself, plan a road to success which may not include $100k or more in debt. Then get on the road.

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