You don’t need to go to college. In fact, I’m willing to wager that most people don’t. The average annual cost of a public university is just shy of $10,000, and at private universities, tuition and fees cost nearly $35,000. But that hefty price tag can be worth it, so long as you understand how to make those four years worth your while.
Most college students enter their freshman year with roughly the same economic value. Absent ample work experience in high school, the overwhelming majority of college freshmen are worth around minimum wage. If you’re about to spend six figures of tuition or take that out in debt, you must think of college as a means of maximizing your economic value. And much of that maximization occurs outside of the classroom.
