College: How I Got the Most Out of My Parents' Investment

Even drinking loses some of its appeal once you turn 21 (for the same reason, I've always assumed people had a lot more fun getting drunk during Prohibition). I spent most of my time at school feeling like I was just going through the motions to get a degree. That's exactly what I was doing, and the odds are good it's what you'll do, too.

I still bitterly resent being told that college would be the time of my life, when it turned out to be pretty unspectacular. Most of my friends feel the same way. Living unsupervised with a bunch of people your own age is great, but that doesn't have to stop at graduation.

The rest of "the college experience," the learning, the activities, you're doing that to get a degree and get a job. That's a worthy cause, no question, but it's a lot less than we're promised. Temper your expectations and you won't be bothered by this kind of thing.

Now, let's get to what you need to know before you arrive on campus. I wish someone had told me that college is a total racket before I got there and had to figure that out on my own.

The whole institution is about protecting middle-class kids from downward social and economic mobility. I don't resent that fact, but it's worth noting. No one set it up to work that way, but that's how it works.

You need a degree to get most white-collar jobs or to go to graduate school (the springboard for higher-paying white-collar jobs).