The Roadmap to Investing in Yourself: The Real Costs of a College Education, 2nd Edition discusses many of the economic misconceptions about earning a college degree. While it is widely believed that attending college in itself guarantees wealth, thinking of a college degree as a commodity has kept students, parents, and higher education professionals from understanding the full range of short-term and long-term costs. This book illustrates how the promotion of education merely as a commodity comes at a high price for both the individual and society. Authors Tara Jabbaar-Gyambrah and Seneca Vaught argue that the idea of investment must shift from a short-sighted view, focusing only on economic concerns, to a broader and more holistic understanding of what college costs and what students can expect in return.

Tara Jabbaar-Gyambrah, PhD,is a part-time assistant professor in the interdisciplinary studies department at Kennesaw State University and senior education consultant at TMJ Consulting in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Jabbaar-Gyambrah is an advocate for student success and a recipient of the John B. Muir Award from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

Seneca Vaught, PhD,is an associate professor of history and interdisciplinary studies at Kennesaw State University who combines his expertise in policy and applied historical methods to address contemporary problems.He has won a teaching excellence award for his innovative and project-oriented approach to the classroom and the William Wells Brown Award for his ongoing support of African American history and community development.

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: Why Does College Cost So Much? The High Price of Higher Learning

Chapter 2: What Happens When You Major for Money? The Guild Mindset versus an (Inter) Disciplinary Mentality

Chapter 3: Why Are American Universities So Expensive? Getting What You Pay For

Chapter 4: Who Pays the Most for College? At the Heart of Inequality

Chapter 5: Why Is It So Easy to Get Loans and So Hard to Repay? The Politics of Loan Forgiveness and Student Success

Chapter 6: What is Your College Education Worth? The Danger of Investment Mentalities and Jargon on Higher Learning

Chapter 7: Why its Important to Invest in Yourself: Strategies for Success When the College Bubble Bursts

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Appendix: Workbook

Bibliography

About the Authors