I listen with interest each year, as parents share their angst over the rising costs of sending their kids off to college. It’s not just parents of college-aged kids; it’s a topic on the hearts and minds of nearly every parent at some point. After all, doesn’t a college education guarantee a successful future?

After barely graduating high school with a D average (and only after I cheated off my best friend’s Civics final), it was no surprise that college wasn’t in the cards for me. It’s not that I didn’t have the intelligence or ambition. In fact, I wanted the benefits of a lucrative career. I just lacked the patience to muddle through more of what I had just escaped. Sound familiar to any of you?

As luck would have it, early in my career path I was introduced to Network Marketing and embarked on a whole new kind of education. Coincidentally, it wasn’t until halfway through my fourth year that I began to really apply what I was learning and experienced phenomenal results. And the rest, as they say, is history.

IMAGINE a whole new kind of college education ...

Money magazine reports that colleges nationwide continue to jack up tuition four times faster than the inflation rate. With college costs escalating — and average salaries dropping — you may find yourself asking: Is a college education worth the price?

THE CURRENT PARADIGM LOOKS LIKE THIS:

You save a substantial amount in your child’s first 18 years to pay the $25,000 to $50,000 a year for him or her to earn a four-year degree. Often, there is no clear outcome in mind; no clear career plan or income path.

They go to school for four years, studying many of the same subjects they did in high school: history, math, English, etc.

They earn little or no income. Had they held a full-time job, this lost income would be more than $100,000 over those four years. Lost income plus expenses adds up to $200,000 to $300,000 per child. And you are out the cash with no recourse ... keeping your fingers crossed that your investment will pay off for them.

They graduate from college having learned how to get — and hopefully keep — a J.O.B. working for someone else. For those of us acquainted with the harsh realities of the workaday world, there is little security in that.

WHAT IF IT LOOKED LIKE THIS:

A university staffed by people who love to give back — teachers, coaches and mentors. Many are successful Network Marketing leaders who live a life of choice and contribution. The economic paradigm shift is staggering.

Using the Network Marketing model, the UNIVERSITY is a distributor in your favorite MLM company. You would sponsor the University, which in turn would sponsor your child.

Diagram A

There is no tuition. The University earns based on how successful the student becomes. It earns on as many different distributorships as it has students. There are hundreds of MLM companies involved, and therefore thousands of income centers funneling in. With no significant overhead except for staff, the University is very profitable.

You are not out any tuition and the University stands to earn — potentially forever — based on the efforts of your child. Plus, you get to invest the $100,000 you would have spent and watch it grow.

Your child learns invaluable life skills, like leadership, self-motivation, public speaking, listening, sales, self-esteem building, team building, project management and all aspects of marketing.

Your child works all four years to build his or her own Network Marketing Empire. They learn how to market themselves and their products; how and where to find prospects, to approach and language their offers, to give effective presentations, to speak powerfully to groups, and manage their business profits/losses and growth. They are held accountable to hit their numbers each week: numbers of approaches, presentations and new representatives.

Graduation is achieved by reaching a specific level in the comp plan, with a residual income of $4,000 to $5,000 a month — which exceeds the average first-year income for most college grads. If they do not graduate, they “stay in school” until they get it.

Upon graduation your child is free to design their own life, either continuing in Network Marketing, or pursuing a full-time career.

What could you have done with your life had you graduated college with a residual income of $4,000 to $5,000 a month? Would you have chosen the same career path you did, or would you have done something more fun and rewarding? How would you have invested that extra income over the past 10, 20, or 30 years? How much more net worth would you have?

How different would your parents lives be, had they redirected tuition into their own financial freedom and fun? How would their lives be different had you earned them $4,000 to $5,000 a month since college?

I am NOT advocating that a college education is NOT valuable. It is. And if the student has an entrepreneurial spirit, they are likely to be in business for themselves eventually anyway. Why burden them (and your bank account) with a traditional algebra education, which they may never use. Think Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Richard Branson — none of whom have college degrees, yet are wildly successful.

Since the MLM University does not yet exist, you can start your kids on this path by instilling the principles of Network Marketing early on. Create a vision for your own success and you will naturally model for them what is possible. Then mentor and encourage them to achieve their own greatness.

Now there’s an education you can take to the bank.

COMMENTS (17 - Responses)

Tom Bennett Amsoil Direct Jobber
9/8/2008 8:09:39 PM

I am building my childs future one account at a time.

Paula Mcinaney
9/8/2008 8:38:27 PM

To shift the paradigm; that is the objective.

Liked the verbage "to approach and language their offers" will use it going forward.

Thanks!

Bob And Mary Wood
9/8/2008 9:01:29 PM

My approach to University (dental) education would have been very different had I graduated first from such an MLM University. I would approach the dental business with even more independence than I already do.

Suchat Chimpradid
9/8/2008 9:42:25 PM

I agree with your thought.

Suchat Chimpradid
Bangkok Thailand

Tom Cox
9/8/2008 10:34:52 PM

What a great way to explain it. If only more parents could see this. Thanks

Mark Hibbitts
9/9/2008 4:49:10 AM

Great concept!

Yvonne
9/9/2008 4:56:50 AM

would love to see a college like this!

Mary Leedy
9/9/2008 8:25:47 AM

I think the reason why college education costs are rising is to make up for the lack of high enrollment or overflow of applications like there used to be decades ago. So now, they have to charge more to make up for those many who are not going to their institutions.

My humble opinion, college education should be passion/career oriented not something to be persevered to be

Sheatina Sparks
9/9/2008 4:38:09 PM

I totally agree with everything you said. This is a great example that I have never heard before. I am really excited about sharing this with others.

Nile C. Costa:
9/9/2008 5:55:10 PM

At the regular University training, you learn principles to be applied later on in life.
Here at MLM University you applied day by day, on Present time , your Life Experiences and you Capitalize from other experiences as well as your own ones.

Dee Ennis
9/10/2008 5:16:54 PM

Just think of how even more successful Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Richard Branson would have been if they had the created the seed money by having their own NWM organization initially.

Kim Fiske
9/11/2008 8:54:01 AM

So...now that you have me excited about this...where do I sign up?

Ian & Karen Hurley
9/11/2008 10:19:27 AM

I totally agree! After reading this and the reprint of the Success Magazine this would be a much more productive way to learn ones education once the basics are taught. I love that, Oxyfresh University, the tuition is only 100.00 per month. You will earn more than just money!

Duane Spears
9/12/2008 7:40:59 AM

I agree completely and I use this approach in my marketing of my business.

I believe we should work for satisfaction and have a money system (network marketing) to provide us with our money. Then we can take that money and invest it to create more money or simply give it away to help other people start their network marketing business.

Ray Beattie
9/12/2008 2:36:36 PM

I love the concept, what a way to help students learn all aspects of the business world.

Jim Lupkin
9/17/2008 8:04:08 AM

This is an amazing article and eye opener for many! I majored in Entrepreneurship at a university so I did not get stuck in the traditional studies. Due to studying in entrepreneurship I have been able to be my own boss, full-time, for the past 8 years. The MLM university is an excellent idea!

Jim
CEO Ojeez.com empowering entrepreneurs worldwide thru social networking

Gilbert Galang
9/21/2008 6:34:17 AM

I will surely enroll my kids!