Review of The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College

The book titled “The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College” was written by a young professional Anthony ONeal who has collaborated along with Rachel Cruze, a personal finance expert. Anthony ONeal who has ranked as the best-selling author by the New York Times worked along with Cruze, with a purpose to help out the teenagers to create smart financial decisions that would positively influence their future results.

In this book, ONeal has identified and explained five mistakes for all the students to perform during their college days. In fact, he has provided the readers with realistic true stories that came from his own life experience and also clipped on others’ experience regarding financial management. He has clearly mentioned that he created this valuable book to help the college students to realize that these mistakes are not as simple as they might think. In actual fact, even though they might unable to feel the negative impacts during college days, but these mistakes will definitely impact them in the future. Thus, “The Graduate Survival Guide” created to guide the students to practice the habits of healthy money to secure them from the appealing of debt, plan their expenses, save more money, avoid those enticing students’ loans, and also give the cash payment for their college fee. Here are the five big mistakes during college that presented by ONeal:

1. The students’ loans

ONeal has described that almost all of college students never have any idea what the students’ loans actually are, nor knowing that these students’ loans are bad alternatives to pay off the college fee. He has explained as well that once a college student decided to take a loan, then he or she would always have to pay a quite lot of money due to the interest rate. Hence, ONeal stated that no matter which type of student loan that you are taking, it will only give you a terrible situation in paying for your college expenditures. The reason is obvious, a debt will require you to return the money back more than the amount you borrowed. At this point, Cruze has added information that most college students graduate with an average of $37,000 in their loan debt. For this, she has clearly advised that there are lots of other alternatives instead of the debt available for college students such as scholarships or some work-study programs.

2. Credit Cards

Credit cards are the most appealing thing for college students. The reason might be because there is a myth believed that we all need an adult needs a credit card to build up a credit score, which will support them in the future. Furthermore, ONeal also has stated that for more than decades, our society has assumed that debit or credit cards are the best ways of enjoying their lives. This statement was totally rejected by ONeal by saying that we can live easily with no burden derived from the debt payments. In addition to this, the way the credit card companies have been frequently promising with promotions such as a free T-shirt or a free pizza has attracted the hungry college students. This has proposed by ONeal as a debt trap which has been enticing those college students to make another big mistake.

3. Dumb Choices

Later on, ONeal presented some dumb choices that might be chosen by the college students associated with the loans and also credit cards. In this context, the author has clearly described that “your now impacts your tomorrow,” which simply means that every single youth, especially college students should consider to make smart decisions, right from choosing the right key to evading any type of scams. ONeal has also suggested that every single decision that we make today will definitely have its own consequences, whether positive or negative, for our future life. To give some clues, ONeal has labeled some positive choices and senses that we should make for our future life such as:

· Make sure to stay away from debt

· Build up eminence relationships with others

· Pursue your passions

· Acknowledge the huge importance of insurance

·  Embrace the changes in your life

· Realize the power of multiple interests

· Believe in yourself

·  Be cautious in using online things

  Take good care of yourself

4. No Plan

Having no plan to survive in college days has presented as the next big mistake in this book. The reason is due to the fact that college students really need a proper plan in managing their money to help their lives. In this part, Rachel Cruze has also come up with her support with her guidance in making a proper budget every month. Even though it does not require a lengthy time for the college students to recognize that it is fundamental to make a detailed plan which able to track down all of their classes, assignments, and more, but still, those college students find some difficulties in creating a similar plan to manage their finances. For this reason, “The Graduate Survival Guide” supports the college students to acknowledge the importance of creating a proper budget, and to stick with it. What’s more, the book also has offered valuable pieces of advice related to things such as insurance and even budget-friendly date ideas as well. To complete its pieces of advice, “The Graduate Survival Guide” has also included some tips for the college students to make some money such as:

·Make online money

· Create and sell handicrafts

· Apply for suitable scholarships

  Do some unusual jobs

·  Fill some online surveys

·    Become a secret shopper

·  Provide tutor for kids

5. No money

Having no money is claimed to be the final big mistake mentioned by ONeal in this book. In this context, the author stated that saving some money might require strict discipline, however, it is completely worth it once we would be able to give the cash payment for our purchases. Furthermore, the book also has established the five foundations to help out in handling money intelligently as follow:

 Save at least $500 for an emergency situation 

 Move away from debt

Make sure to give cash payment to purchase your first car

Only give cash payment for your college fee

Shape up wealth and give

In the end, ONeal has concluded with a nice motivation that it is essential to acquire both a written plan for your life, as well as a written plan designed for your money as well. The reason is due to these two work along with a purpose to deliver some basic guidance to maintain our life. Hence, at the time we develop our plan, we also have to make sure to recognize certain methods that will help us out in avoiding those five big mistakes mentioned in the book. In brief, we need to avoid to take any types of students’ loans, stay distance away from the appealing credit cards, create smart and wise choices, make sure to live with a proper budget, and ultimately, prioritize and emphasize in both saving and giving. Even though all of these might deliver some difficulties, but it would be valuable in our future life (ONeal & Cruze, 2017).

Reference of The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College

ONeal, A., & Cruze, R. (2017). The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make in College. Ramsey Press.