In This Chapter

Time for a pop quiz. What do Bill Gates (Microsoft), Michael Dell (Dell Computers), Steve Jobs (Apple), Simon Cowell (American Idol), Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Cosmetics), and food mogul Rachael Ray have in common? Surprisingly, these multimillionaires and billionaires never graduated college!

There’s no doubt that they are the extreme exceptions to the rule, and that going to college is still a very worthwhile investment for most people who aren’t shooting for the stars. But, they and millions of others are living proof that college, especially a four-year traditional degree from a top 50 school, is not a requirement for obtaining the life you want.

In fact, after reading this book, you might be wondering if your college dreams might just not be worth it in their current form, in spite of all the resources I’ve provided you with. That’s okay!

In this closing chapter, we finish nearly where this book started, by taking a look at college costs. Specifically, though, we take a look at what a degree is really worth, discuss whether brand-name colleges are worth the higher tuition, and knock around the merits of high-priced grad school.