For many American families, sending a child to college is seen as a rite of passage — a golden ticket to success. But behind the ivy-covered walls lies a hard truth: the cost of college is not just going up — it's being artificially inflated by government interference, debt dependency, and a deeply flawed financial system.
What was once a dignified pursuit of education has quietly morphed into one of the most well-disguised wealth transfers of our time — and it’s our children who are left footing the bill.
The Machine Behind the Madness
According to the Mises Wire, the surge in college tuition is no mystery. It's the predictable outcome of government-backed student loan programs. When you subsidize anything — especially with easy credit — you get more of it. And in this case, “more” looks like inflated tuition, bloated administrative budgets, and thousands of young adults burdened with debts they can’t discharge, tethered to degrees that often fail to generate matching income.
It’s not just bad economics. It’s bad stewardship.
Nelson Nash, in Becoming Your Own Banker, understood this deeply. In his chapter on the true cost of college education, he didn’t just look at sticker price — he looked at what families give up when they finance their future through someone else’s system. The opportunity cost is staggering. The compound interest you lose. The control you forfeit. The ownership you surrender.
As Nash would say, the tragedy isn’t that college is expensive — it’s that we’ve been taught to believe there’s no other way.
Three Paths Toward Freedom
Let’s talk solutions. Not theory — strategy. If you want to avoid handing your child over to the student loan machine, here are three bold, practical steps:
1. End the Subsidy Game (Though It's Unlikely)
The truth is, as long as government-backed loans exist, colleges have no incentive to control costs. These programs serve powerful interests: universities, lenders, and policymakers alike.
Is reform possible? Yes. Is it likely? No. There’s too much money at stake.
That’s why families can’t wait for Washington to fix what Washington broke. The answer won’t come from the top down — it will come from the household level, from stewards who choose a different path.
2. Encourage Entrepreneurship or Trade Over Traditional Paths
One of the greatest acts of stewardship is to help your child discern their calling — not just pursue credentials.
Many high schoolers would thrive in trades, creative enterprises, or entrepreneurial ventures. These paths require less debt, often yield faster income, and — most importantly — build self-reliance and resilience.
Let’s stop telling every teen they must mortgage their future to find their purpose. Purpose isn’t found in a dorm room. It’s found in contribution, in craft, in calling.
3. Capitalize Now — So Your Child Has Options Later
The most powerful thing you can give a future graduate isn’t just advice — it’s capital.
Using Infinite Banking, families can begin sowing seeds of capital early. Properly structured dividend-paying Whole Life insurance creates a private capital system that grows over time, can be accessed without penalty, and remains under your control. It’s liquid, safe, and outside the reach of the student loan industrial complex.
This is the opposite of debt-fueled dependence. It’s what Nash called financial sovereignty. And it puts your child in a position to choose the best path — whether that’s college, a business, or a trade — not because they’re forced into it, but because they’ve been faithfully equipped.
The Cost of College Isn’t Just a Price Tag — It’s a Legacy Issue
At 1322 Legacy Strategies, we believe stewardship means looking beyond the surface. The question isn’t just “Can I afford tuition?” The deeper question is: What are we funding? What are we teaching our children about capital, control, and calling?
Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” That inheritance isn’t just money — it’s wisdom. It’s options. It’s the blessing of being free from financial bondage before their life has even begun.
So let’s teach our children to think differently. Let’s prepare our families to lead.
Control your capital. Build your legacy.
That’s the 1322 way.
