Think of the costs of attending college and completing your degree as an investment rather than just an expense.  Finishing college requires an investment in time and money that usually pays over a lifetime.  Most counselors and advisors will tell you if you complete your undergraduate degree, you will make over $1 million more over your lifetime that having just your high school diploma.  On the other hand, if you had $100,000 in cash and tucked it away at 8% for thirty years, you would accumulate $1 million dollars as well.  So, what makes the investment in higher education worth the expense?   The answer rests in what you do with your education and how you maximize your opportunities.  We can rationalize going into debt buying our first home because we can live and work on the home of our dreams, hoping it will at least break even when we sell it.  On the other hand, going into debt to achieve a college education stays with us for life.  It is an achievement that can return your investment in time and money if you utilize what you gain.