It’s no secret that college tuition and expenses have been rising steadily for many years. This has worried many families that they cannot afford to send their children to college. Many even avoid encouraging their children to dream of a college education. Business skills are almost taking over the younger generation. The staggering and staggering costs of college are changing the way we raise our children.

Imagine if they told you not to dream. What if you told your parents that you wanted to be a doctor and they just had to turn you down? What does this do to a young child’s self-esteem? Many families, college-educated or not, struggle to keep up with housing costs and the overall cost of living. Saving for college is simply not in the cards of many more families than many would like to believe. What does this mean for the future of our country?

We have a trend towards generation after generation of workers with minimum wage and poverty level. What happens then? They cannot afford college for their children, so the cycle continues. If you have been concerned about being able to pay for college for your children, there are a few things you need to realize.

So you’re wondering if college is really worth the cost. View college as an investment. College is not only an investment in your child’s self-esteem and job satisfaction, it is also an investment in your family and your country. College graduates earn an average of sixty percent more than their peers. This makes an income difference of nearly a million dollars over a lifetime. With all the college scholarships, financial aid, student and parent loans, there is almost no excuse to deny your child this investment in their future.

You may have to make short-term sacrifices to pay off the loans, but it will be worth the effort. Students can defer payments until after graduation. There are even payment plans that are based on income, which means that your child will not have to pay more than he can afford as he grows. If you are concerned about being responsible for large loan payments between periods of employment, don’t worry too much. Most student loans have deferral periods that can suspend your payments until you return to work. The government and loan companies have all kinds of special benefits and pauses in student loan payments.

Our government wants our children to be able to pay for college. We need professionals in our society to function. This does not mean that the rich are the only ones capable of educating themselves and remaining rich. Many loans are based on income, and your child can get most of the help he or she needs. If you are not getting everything you need for real college costs, then you should consider PLUS parent loans and private student loans. These are available in addition to federal student loans, scholarships, and financial aid. Don’t suppress your child’s dreams. Encourage them to have a better life for themselves and for their children and grandchildren. The choice to go to college can affect many future generations and, yes, the future of our families is worth it.