It is not uncommon these days to hear stories about college graduates coming back home to live in their childhood bedroom.  This after completing their degree some $100,000 later with no job in sight.  Recent reports notes that in Obama's economy (because he owns it) that unemployment rates as high as 53% for recent college graduates.

My own son will be graduating from high school next year.  Like most people he has some vague idea of what he wants to study - but at an average tuition rate of $25-40,000 a year, I want him to be a little less vague in his thinking.  A year of "life experience" can go a long way to helping any prospective college student appreciate and use wisely those education dollars.

For my son, A job  earning some spending money, with an idea of what it's like to pay some rent along with a volunteer stint in an organization doing what he thinks he wants to do will be helpful when it comes time to go to college.

Community colleges, while often a lot less expensive are a good way to get core courses out of the way while not starting off one's life in a mountain of debt.