7 out of 10 college graduates move back in with their parents after graduation.

It is a disturbing fact that the average person, after spending 5 years or longer – and up to $250,000 or more - to obtain an undergraduate degree, will then have to move back home with their parents. This is not the American Dream! Nor is it the dream of most young adults – and it is certainly not the dream of their parents.

The question is: Why?

There are 5 Basic Reasons why:

1. Entitlement
2. Lack of Education
3. Lack of Self Discipline
4. Fear of Failure
5. Unwillingness to Accept the Above
   

The blame does not lie entirely with the student. It is jointly the fault of the colleges and universities, the parents, and the graduates. Understanding of these 5 Basic Reasons is necessary before one can work towards finding a solution.

Entitlement – There is a very strong sense of entitlement among today's students. Far too many BELIEVE that, once they graduate, they will quickly move to the top of the corporate ladder – just because they have graduated from college. The world will be beating a path to their door.
Where does this sense of entitlement come from? American youth are taught, from the beginning of their elementary education, that they must have a college education if they want to be successful. Universities, in recruiting students, provide students and their parents with many examples of successful alumni who have graduated from their schools. Students are led to believe that they can also attain that same level of success. Students then convert those thoughts, in their minds, from "can" to "will". Parents have great expectations that their child will complete his education and then go on to be among the most successful of graduates. Too often, it is only AFTER graduation that both students and parents come to the realization that the graduate must now go out and FIND a job.

Many college graduates will, indeed, go on to successful careers after they graduate. But statistically, very few start out at the high level that they anticipated. They have to start at the bottom and earn their way up. Most parents are very proud of their children and their accomplishments. Their attitude is, "My son/daughter just graduated from XYZ University, and I know he/she will be successful because of this great education." These parents have unintentionally helped to instill in their children unrealistic expectations for their first job, its responsibilities, and the salary it commands. Too many graduates have the belief that they deserve all that their parents have worked for years to achieve – just because they now have that sought after college degree. This "sense of entitlement" then becomes the source of discouragement and failure when the challenges of finding a new job become reality. Companies want to hire someone who demonstrates a strong desire, along with basic skills that are needed for the job. "Entitlement" is not a part of the employer's vocabulary. It would be prudent for every college graduate to treat the first 18 months of employment as simply a continuation of his education.

Lack of Education – Universities do a great job of preparing young adults for a successful career by giving them the knowledge and basic skills they will need to work in a particular career. However, they fall short in a critical part of that education – they do not teach their students HOW to FIND that job and career. It is not realistic to expect a child to run before he learns to walk. Likewise, you can't expect a college graduate to be successful in his new career if he can't find the right job that is aligned with his education. Graduates must quickly take the initiative to LEARN how to find the right job. Their future depends on it. They must take ownership of that future. They do not have to struggle for months and/or years to find a good job – IF they do it right!

Lack of Self Discipline – "I am working so hard. I am on the internet several hours a week looking and applying for jobs." It is thinking like this that sets graduates up for failure. FINDING a job is a FULL-TIME job. If you do not spend the right amount of time, focusing on the right areas, your job search could last between seven and twelve months – or even longer. Unless you are extremely lucky, a job will not simply fall into your lap. You must work harder at finding a job than you did at your studies at school – and it will be a lot less fun. In school, your education continually progressed and it consistently presented new challenges and opportunities. There was always something new to learn and new things to do. But finding a job is monotonous and tedious work. It feels repetitive and you often feel like you are making no progress. But with discipline and persistence, and using the proper skills, you can significantly shorten that process. You must be able to DAILY motivate yourself to trudge on.

Fear of Failure – This "Reason" speaks for itself. Fear of failure can cripple your efforts to succeed. It can become exaggerated when you have friends who have already succeeded in finding employment. The expectations of family can become unintentional pressure to succeed. It can lead to guilt and discouragement that further hampers your efforts. You have to keep reminding yourself that you only fail if you never try. Failure cannot be a part of your vocabulary.

Unwillingness to Accept One of the Above – If you are unemployed and have been looking for a job for more than 90 days, you need to ask yourself if any or all of the above applies to you. Acceptance is the first step towards resolution. A check-up from the neck up can often start you on the right track. And remember, resources are available to help you.