Episode #1: Why College is Great - But Also Perilous

About this episode

Ric Edelman discusses the complexities of college education and the common mistakes parents make regarding their children's college choices.

Hey, Ric Edelman here, and I'm back with something special: a four-episode podcast series about college. After 32 years on the radio and three years as a Top 1% podcast, I couldn't stay away when I realized how many families are struggling with the biggest decision teenagers face today. Here's the reality: College graduates earn nearly a million dollars more over their careers and live seven years longer than non-graduates. But here's what's scary: a quarter of freshmen drop out, only 62% graduate in six years, and 42% are still paying student loans 20 years later. No wonder 78% of adults say college isn't worth the cost anymore! In this first episode, I'm sharing the top 10 mistakes parents make about college - from assuming your teen must go, to not funding their education properly, to giving them unlimited choices without parameters. I've seen these mistakes destroy families financially and emotionally during my decades running the largest independent financial planning firm in the nation. But here's the good news: when done right, college can set your teen up for an amazing life. I'm going to show you the one goal every college-bound student needs to set - and it's not just…

People in this episode

Host: Ric Edelman

Topics covered

• college education
• financial planning
• student loans
• college dropout rates
• parenting mistakes
• career success

Keywords

• college
• student loans
• dropout rates
• financial planning
• parenting mistakes
• career success
• graduation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: largest independent financial planning firm

More episodes of THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR FUTURE with Ric Edelman

• Episode #4: How to Graduate College Debt-Free in 4 Years · November 18, 2025 · 40 min
• Episode #3: Make This Mistake, and College Will Lead to Your Teen's Ruin · November 11, 2025 · 18 min
• Episode #2: What College is Really All About · November 4, 2025 · 26 min
• 12/27/24: Ric's Final Podcast: The Most Important Personal Finance Message, Part 3 · December 27, 2024 · 49 min
• 12/26/24: The Most Important Personal Finance Message, Part 2: Investing · December 26, 2024 · 28 min
• 12/23/24: The Most Important Personal Finance Message, Part 1: Longevity · December 23, 2024 · 29 min