There is a lot of talk these days about the “shoot the moon” costs associated with college and university expenses. Average annual raises of 7 to 10 percent are common. In four years the fees will be 1/3 more than they are right now. Big deal! What does that have to do with the workers, employees or associates of any company or corporation? Four years at a state institution will run from fifty to sixty thousand. Private schools are in the hundred to hundred and fifty thousand bracket and more.

Most parents, those who will be paying the bills, will deplete their 401k’s, sell real property, cash in life insurance policies, empty savings accounts, borrow, borrow, borrow, and what may be worse than any of that…start moonlighting without telling anyone. When a person decides to work somewhere else, for someone else, regardless of the circumstances, things start to happen. They may be late for their primary job. At first, not much, but then they’re late once or twice a week. A habit is setting in. Working the extra hours means that their decision making processes are not quite as sharp. Mistakes are made. Profits are lost. What started out as hundreds and thousands of families are in the same boat, turns out to be one person’s job in jeopardy.

This scenario occurs year after year. Those directly affected say, “Yes, I know my work has slipped a little, but it will get better.” Maybe it will, but more likely it won’t. The employee is given an ultimatum and eventually let go. Another person is hired and trained with a good chance of the process repeating itself. And, few managers make the “college connection.”

But, for the sake of argument, let’s say the next person doesn’t do any of those things to finance a child through college. She just takes out loans and gripes about how little she gets paid for doing a stellar job. This person becomes an attitude problem-again affecting productivity. Not only hers, but those around her.

Then, there is another person. He started early savings plans for each of his three children. He will be in great financial shape when his students are college bound. He feels “sorry” for his co-workers who weren’t as diligent as he was, and he lets everyone know it. Another attitude problem starts to manifest itself.

Every state has a 529 plan in effect. Universities have developed unique savings plans. But, the same force that kept people from developing early savings plans keeps people from participating in any savings plan. That force is procrastination. There is always tomorrow because tomorrow never comes… until the day of reckoning. What can be done?

A relentless program of educating employees must take place. Find out what government and private savings programs are available in each state and then hammer home the results of failing to follow through with an adequate plan. What will be the ramifications of lost opportunities for them? Encourage heads of families to discuss college with their children. Explain the benefits of working closely with their children’s schools to achieve the desired ends of having well-rounded students with better than average GPA’s.

This message can be relayed on bulletin boards, lunch table settings, paycheck stubs, in email broad casts, with in-house newsletters, seminars, and workshops. Current listings of college scholarships at all levels, local, state, regional and national will serve as motivators for parents, making them feel directly connected to the educational process. Most children cannot bee expected to generate enough enthusiasm for the academic and college scholarship processes.

Parents must lead the way. And, companies, at very low cost, can be a driving force by providing materials and information for families. Businesses can keep families from disintegrating at the mere mention of “the college financial crunch.” Corporations can be the strength and energy that keeps its workforce intact.

©2005 The Scholarship Doctor, Dale Clifton - All Rights Reserved - Dale is an educational consultant and expert at helping companies, corporations, and businesses aid their employees’ families in learning more about college scholarship planning and the ability to win college scholarships, visit http://www.ScholarshipDoctor.com.

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