To the Editor:
The high school class of 2019 will soon be starting college. George Will said American colleges owe students an apology because the cost of tuition has increased four times faster than inflation. As a result American college students have record student loan debt. Many students pay tuition for a few semesters and then leave college with debt but no degree. As a result American students owe over one trillion dollars in student loan debt. Sadly many will never be able to own a home because of their student loans!
College tuition is too high in Tennessee. College education is overpriced and may be a money making scam at some colleges. Internet online unaccredited colleges are always money making scams. It’s taking students longer than four years to graduate. They have shirts that say, “College the best six years of my life.”As a result students can’t depend on the Tennessee Hope Lottery Scholarship to pay their complete tuition. One way to have lower debt and better grades is to live at home and not on campus while attending college. One could easily drive to class at E.T.S.U., Milligan College or King University in Bristol. I drove to E.T.S.U. for two years and took their Army R.O.T.C. program then transferred to University of Tennessee and took their Air Force R.O.T.C. program and graduated with a degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant. I’m glad to read in the Elizabethton Star there’s a move to put R.O.T.C in the high school.
The value of a college education has decreased and a college education doesn’t guarantee you a good job. At least one-third of all college graduates will always be underemployed and never benefit financially from their degree. One study found over 800,000 college graduates are underemployed and working behind the register at retail stores like Walmart, flipping burgers, waiting on tables and as janitors!
C.S. Lewis said, “God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than any other slacker.” The wisest thing for the high school class of 2019 and everyone else to do is as the Bible says “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Jesus).” As one pastor said, “to be wise keep your face in the book (Bible) not on Facebook.” Read and study the Bible before you read and study any college textbook. The Bible contains more wisdom than all textbooks and professors combined. Christians like Ravi Zacharias (www.rzim.org) takes on and defeats all college professors in debates. However most won’t allow him on their college campus. Most professors are as the Bible says, “Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “I feel that a comprehensive study of the Bible is a liberal education for anyone.” President Theodore Roosevelt said, “No educated man can afford to be ignorant of the Bible.” President John Adams said, “The Bible is the best book in the world. It contains more than all the libraries I have seen.”
It’s harder to teach college age students or other adults than ever before because their pride makes them unteachable. Most people benefit from college if they don’t incur huge debt and don’t get indoctrinated with extreme liberal philosophy. The Bible warns in many places to stay out of debt. Romans 13 says, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…” The Bible warns, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Jesus.” The Bible warns, “Be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” For at least one-third of college graduates that find they spend four years or more of their life incurring huge loans for the opportunity to be unemployed or underemployed the rest of their life the college diploma and tassel isn’t worth the hassle! To achieve success a college degree is no guarantee!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton