Every year I deal with vain parents, vain students, and vain colleges. Somehow, people believe that a more expensive, higher-profile college offers some kind of career, opportunity, and life advantages. Families are willing to borrow into oblivion to attend and I don’t think it’s worth it. I’m waiting for someone to give me proof.

It is not there, the proof. But vanity colleges want you to believe it and are successful in getting many students who really can’t afford to go there to lend themselves to oblivion thinking there is some advantage.

I am against vanity colleges … No! I am against going into deep debt and having a mortgage payment and not having a house to show for it. There is no college in the United States with a $ 70,000- $ 80,000- $ 100,000 worth of debt. I challenge anyone to show me the numbers.

I am against vanity colleges … No! I went to an expensive private university, on a scholarship! My wife is enrolled in Harvard … on a scholarship. Once again, I am up against a huge debt to go to a school that he cannot pay and have to spend the rest of his life paying down the debt. There are other options, like working hard, working smart, and working well in high school with good grades and high SAT / ACT scores. Get advice from people who offer academic opportunities, not financial obligations. It sure beats leaving college with 10 years of mortgage payments and no house to show.

When I discuss this with parents, I give them a glimpse of reality:

I ask him: “Do you have a GP?” Usually I get a “Yes”. Then I ask him, “Did you choose your doctor based on the university he attended?” Do you know the answer.

I ask again: “Do you have a family lawyer?” Not that often, but I get an occasional “Yes”. I ask again: “Did you choose your lawyer based on the university he attended?” Same answer.

So when choosing the top two professions where your education is paramount, where you went to college is irrelevant. Think about it.

Johnnie Cochrane, the famous actor who defended OJ Simpson, went to Loyola Law School, a small Jesuit university in Los Angeles. However, he obtained his undergraduate degree from UCLA. Trivia: Robert Shapiro, also on OJ’s defense team, also graduated from Loyola.

Dennis Rodman, famous NBA player, went to Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Ronald Reagan, President of the USA, went to Eureka College.

Dr. David Satcher – US Surgeon General under Clinton and Bush went to medical school at Case Western Reserve College and earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College.

Now I ask, are any of these universities on your radar? Maybe UCLA. Do you think that going to these universities had any impact on the careers of these people?

There are other ways, other options, and other opportunities. Most good students who are well prepared, well packaged, and well positioned can go to a vanity college without incurring large debt!

In the end, college is what you do and the college you attended doesn’t really have much of an impact once you’ve entered your career and have a work history. The impact that remains is left in the hands of the alumni association, where donations are requested.

Maybe this will help you when you are drawn to a vanity college and a chance to borrow forgotten to go.