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Debt-Free Degree: The Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Kid Through College Without Student Loans
Every parent wants the best for their child.
That’s why they send them to college! But most parents struggle to pay for school and end up turning to student loans. That’s why the majority of graduates walk away with $35,000 in student loan debt and no clue what that debt will really cost them.
Student loan debt doesn’t open doors for young adults—it closes them. They postpone getting married and starting a family. That debt even takes away their freedom to pursue their dreams. But there is a different way. Going to college without student loans is possible!
In Debt-Free Degree, Anthony ONeal teaches parents how to get their child through school without debt, even if they haven’t saved for it. He also shows parents:
-How to prepare their child for college
-Which classes to take in high school
-How and when to take the ACT and SAT
-The right way to do college visits
-How to choose a major
A college education is supposed to prepare a graduate for their future, not rob them of their paycheck and freedom for decades. Debt-Free Degree shows parents how to pay cash for college and set their child up to succeed for life.
That’s why they send them to college! But most parents struggle to pay for school and end up turning to student loans. That’s why the majority of graduates walk away with $35,000 in student loan debt and no clue what that debt will really cost them.
Student loan debt doesn’t open doors for young adults—it closes them. They postpone getting married and starting a family. That debt even takes away their freedom to pursue their dreams. But there is a different way. Going to college without student loans is possible!
In Debt-Free Degree, Anthony ONeal teaches parents how to get their child through school without debt, even if they haven’t saved for it. He also shows parents:
-How to prepare their child for college
-Which classes to take in high school
-How and when to take the ACT and SAT
-The right way to do college visits
-How to choose a major
A college education is supposed to prepare a graduate for their future, not rob them of their paycheck and freedom for decades. Debt-Free Degree shows parents how to pay cash for college and set their child up to succeed for life.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
178 people are currently reading
1084 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Oneal
10 books20 followersANTHONY ONEAL is the national bestselling author of The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College, and travels the country spreading his encouraging message to help teens and young adults transition into the real world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
December 13, 2019
With others I agree this may or may not be new or groundbreaking or even the best book on the shelf on the topic of financially preparing for college but I reserve 5 stars for those books that inspire me and cause me to make specific goals, intentional plans and/or lifestyle changes.
October 23, 2019
Good, but nothing groundbreaking. Pretty much save in advance, scholarships, do good on ACT/SAT, plan in advance, avoid debt/credit cards, and attitude goes a long way
January 17, 2020
I think for financial planning, this book offered very little that hasn't been hashed and re-hashed, but it was quite motivational in the department of having conversations with your kids and coming up with a schedule of events that should happen to prep your kids for college.
I love that O'Neal pointed out that kids should be focused on affordable schools and not dream schools. As an HR professional who does her fair share of recruiting, I can confirm that most organizations really don't care where you graduated from, and for about 75% of positions that require a degree, the major doesn't even matter to most hiring managers.
I also share the author's viewpoint that you should not be spending the amount that college costs on the "experience" of college or the lofty goal of simply gaining an education. College educations are an investment in your earning ability. If you want to learn for the sake of learning, the entire internet is at your disposal. Spend your money wisely on majors that are either 1) niche and actually required for the job you hope to get or 2) broadly applicable to business, such as a degree in marketing, business management, human resources management, communications, accounting, etc.
I love that O'Neal pointed out that kids should be focused on affordable schools and not dream schools. As an HR professional who does her fair share of recruiting, I can confirm that most organizations really don't care where you graduated from, and for about 75% of positions that require a degree, the major doesn't even matter to most hiring managers.
I also share the author's viewpoint that you should not be spending the amount that college costs on the "experience" of college or the lofty goal of simply gaining an education. College educations are an investment in your earning ability. If you want to learn for the sake of learning, the entire internet is at your disposal. Spend your money wisely on majors that are either 1) niche and actually required for the job you hope to get or 2) broadly applicable to business, such as a degree in marketing, business management, human resources management, communications, accounting, etc.
January 25, 2020
This is a quick read that didn’t provide much information about earning a degree debt free. Most of the information was about how to get into college so if the book had a different title I think it would be more accurate. I’m glad I checked this out of the library because I would have been upset if I paid for it.
The little information about being debt free such as applying for scholarships is well known. He also stresses the importance of not going to a school you can’t afford which again is common sense (although I realize many people don’t abide by this idea). He also suggests saving when your child is first born which may be too late for some people reading the book and also a well known fact.
I didn’t learn anything new reading this book but I will use his suggestion of having my kids start to focus on their interest related to careers which is more about getting into college and finding the right fit rather than being debt free.
The little information about being debt free such as applying for scholarships is well known. He also stresses the importance of not going to a school you can’t afford which again is common sense (although I realize many people don’t abide by this idea). He also suggests saving when your child is first born which may be too late for some people reading the book and also a well known fact.
I didn’t learn anything new reading this book but I will use his suggestion of having my kids start to focus on their interest related to careers which is more about getting into college and finding the right fit rather than being debt free.
January 7, 2024
I wish I read this a little bit earlier. It has lots of good stuff inside and is a good starting point toward getting a child ready for college.
January 11, 2020
I really like Anthony's tone and anecdotes throughout the book which is why I didn't give it a 1 star. But other than that, this book didn't help me at all. There are tips on taking the ACT (just what to expect), no tips on saving though-out college except for don't get student loans, don't do credit cards, and go to a community college. Like I know that! Tell me something groundbreaking!!
October 10, 2019
Disappointed by the depth of discussion. If you have elementary and middle school kids and need illumination of a path, this is a decent start. But, reading Dave Ramsey about budgeting and life choices will cover a lot of this content. Key take-away: the SAT and ACT Super-Scoring process.
October 25, 2019
Great resource. I’m sure I’ll be picking it up again and again over the next decade.
January 1, 2024
Very helpful I liked the 7 step plan to pay for school
August 2, 2020
Really fantastic tips. Read early on in your students life!
August 12, 2020
Great book and if you have a kid in 8-12th grade who wants to go to college, you should definitely check this out!
September 23, 2020
My son used this as one of his references for his research paper on getting through college without student loans. This is written in a conversational tone, so it's a quick, easy read. The main point: "You go to a school you can afford."
January 5, 2026
i feel like most of this was common sense
April 12, 2025
I rarely write reviews, but wanted to mention a few things that are outdated in this book (published 2019). I have been following college admissions websites and reading dozens of books for 3 years, and I am about to send my senior off to college this fall.
1. He says twice that people can fill out the FASFA in their junior year. This is incorrect; it must be done in the senior year and doesn't even open until October 1 or later.
2. He focuses a lot on applying for external scholarships and barely mentions merit scholarships provided by the institution. He doesn't mention that a lot of schools do not allow scholarship "stacking," so often external scholarships received simply offset internal merit or need-based aid the school would have applied. Also, many modern "scholarship" websites are thinly disguised data mills. Finally, it really shows that the author does not have children, because advising that students spend an hour every day from 9th through 12 grade applying for scholarships is the most soul-sucking advice I've ever heard.
3. He says that ACT and SAT scores don't count until 11th grade and colleges won't take scores from earlier years. Wrong!!! Also, the whole chapter about the tests is outdated since both tests are now digital and the SAT is adaptive.
4. He talks about how students should not be allowed to borrow six figures to attend college. While it was true for Gen X and Millennials that students could borrow that much (and consequently land themselves in hot water), student loan reform has led to the student only being able to borrow $27,500 in their name in Federal loans. So if anyone is borrowing that kind of large debt, it's the PARENTS, not the students, in the form of Parent Plus or private loans.
Overall, this book is a good start for people who haven't planned at all for college, and it is a quick read with easy-to-understand information. However, this should not be the only book you read because a LOT has changed since it was published - acceptance rates have dropped, formerly "safe" state flagship schools are now difficult to get into, etc. Other resources I recommend highly are as follows:
1. Who Gets in and Why - Jeffrey Selingo
2. The Price You Pay for College - Ron Leiber
3. Paying for College (current year edition) - Kalman Chaney (this one needs to be read in freshman year, because your child's spring sophomore semester and fall junior semester represent the tax year by which FAFSA judges you)
4. Joining paying for college groups on social media - you will learn a LOT there
1. He says twice that people can fill out the FASFA in their junior year. This is incorrect; it must be done in the senior year and doesn't even open until October 1 or later.
2. He focuses a lot on applying for external scholarships and barely mentions merit scholarships provided by the institution. He doesn't mention that a lot of schools do not allow scholarship "stacking," so often external scholarships received simply offset internal merit or need-based aid the school would have applied. Also, many modern "scholarship" websites are thinly disguised data mills. Finally, it really shows that the author does not have children, because advising that students spend an hour every day from 9th through 12 grade applying for scholarships is the most soul-sucking advice I've ever heard.
3. He says that ACT and SAT scores don't count until 11th grade and colleges won't take scores from earlier years. Wrong!!! Also, the whole chapter about the tests is outdated since both tests are now digital and the SAT is adaptive.
4. He talks about how students should not be allowed to borrow six figures to attend college. While it was true for Gen X and Millennials that students could borrow that much (and consequently land themselves in hot water), student loan reform has led to the student only being able to borrow $27,500 in their name in Federal loans. So if anyone is borrowing that kind of large debt, it's the PARENTS, not the students, in the form of Parent Plus or private loans.
Overall, this book is a good start for people who haven't planned at all for college, and it is a quick read with easy-to-understand information. However, this should not be the only book you read because a LOT has changed since it was published - acceptance rates have dropped, formerly "safe" state flagship schools are now difficult to get into, etc. Other resources I recommend highly are as follows:
1. Who Gets in and Why - Jeffrey Selingo
2. The Price You Pay for College - Ron Leiber
3. Paying for College (current year edition) - Kalman Chaney (this one needs to be read in freshman year, because your child's spring sophomore semester and fall junior semester represent the tax year by which FAFSA judges you)
4. Joining paying for college groups on social media - you will learn a LOT there
January 16, 2020
I wish this book had been out when my older kids were in high school at least if I had known then what I learned with this book going to college for them wouldn’t have been complete and utter nightmare for them. Now we can apply these teachings as they transfer to a 4 year. Debt free from community college.
October 18, 2020
This is the type of book I would recommend my nephews/nieces read when they enter high school. AO gives great general advice as to college prep, academic achievement and benchmarks, standardized tests, career planning, financial aid, etc. His book is for the everyday reader (an easy read) and while there is nothing that will “blow you away”, his practical approach, if implemented, will pay off big dividends.
I do appreciate his take in that parents play a vital role in helping their children achieve acadmeic and financial wellness instead of relinquishing that responsibility squarely on the school. As active participants in this process, this type of mindset starts at an early age and must be continually nourished throughout the years.
If I could’ve graduated with a debt free degree, that instantly would’ve changed the trajectory of my financial goals. Start building once you graduate instead of digging out. It can be done!
**One thing he touches on that may be somewhat outdated in the years to come is how SAT and ACT scores come to play in regards to scholarships and/or admissions. COVID seemed to have accelerate the potential downfall of these tests. Perhaps this pandemic will continue to shakeup traditional norms in education in the years to come. Time will tell.
**Quick takeaways:
- start this process (conversations, grade check ups, academic and financial support/education, etc.) early and often
- Provide meaningful higher ed exposure to your kids
- fill out the FAFSA
- don’t suddenly become interested in your kids future plans their senior year- have this be an ongoing process that starts in middle school
- scholarship hunts should be treated like a full time job
- it’s not about the top university, consider community colleges and your financial package. Will a college offer you a debt-free degree?
- Academic performance still matters
I do appreciate his take in that parents play a vital role in helping their children achieve acadmeic and financial wellness instead of relinquishing that responsibility squarely on the school. As active participants in this process, this type of mindset starts at an early age and must be continually nourished throughout the years.
If I could’ve graduated with a debt free degree, that instantly would’ve changed the trajectory of my financial goals. Start building once you graduate instead of digging out. It can be done!
**One thing he touches on that may be somewhat outdated in the years to come is how SAT and ACT scores come to play in regards to scholarships and/or admissions. COVID seemed to have accelerate the potential downfall of these tests. Perhaps this pandemic will continue to shakeup traditional norms in education in the years to come. Time will tell.
**Quick takeaways:
- start this process (conversations, grade check ups, academic and financial support/education, etc.) early and often
- Provide meaningful higher ed exposure to your kids
- fill out the FAFSA
- don’t suddenly become interested in your kids future plans their senior year- have this be an ongoing process that starts in middle school
- scholarship hunts should be treated like a full time job
- it’s not about the top university, consider community colleges and your financial package. Will a college offer you a debt-free degree?
- Academic performance still matters
January 1, 2020
I love the author's ability to be blunt and bold about decisions that parents often make with the intent to help their child be successful that are actually setting their kids up for a life of debt. I agreed with most, if not all, of his points and found him a very entertaining author.
June 14, 2024
Well, first of all, I didn’t read the entire book so basically I read just what matters to me and other than that what I can tell you is that the other chapters didn’t matter to me a lot so that’s why I finished the book so so fast. Then, I really really liked its simplicity and action-points that were laid out, especially for different periods of the high school you are in now. I thought this book would be more like woo-hoo regarding the mindset and all of that stuff, but most of the actions were pretty amazing to be honest and it really changed my perspective on college much more than I have thought before. The experiments and cases presented in the book were also of help for me and this was very important for me to see and understand while reading.
March 8, 2022
Definitely helped ease my fears and worries about preparing our daughter for college.
Read
August 7, 2024Read this in a day just to see if it had any useful tips.
It did, but I was broadly disappointed because it really didn't talk a ton about how to go to college without getting student loans. Its major message was "go to a college you can afford," without enough discussion of what to do if in fact that's a hard stretch for you, the cost of living is too high, you need more tips and more help and more specifics if it's actually going to happen.
Still, you'll probably get at least an idea or two that might help point you in the right direction. But the title should be changed because it's not what you're really going to get.
It did, but I was broadly disappointed because it really didn't talk a ton about how to go to college without getting student loans. Its major message was "go to a college you can afford," without enough discussion of what to do if in fact that's a hard stretch for you, the cost of living is too high, you need more tips and more help and more specifics if it's actually going to happen.
Still, you'll probably get at least an idea or two that might help point you in the right direction. But the title should be changed because it's not what you're really going to get.
Read
February 17, 2024There is information from Dave Ramsey, but there are tips students getting ready for college can use. Who knew that you can take the ACT and SAT more than once and be more successful by focusing on one section at a time? You may not want to attend college where your parent works, but a free education is always better than debt! Of course, if you work and save money, this would be most helpful. Apply to all the scholarships that you can. This in itself takes time. Spend an hour a night doing so. More time, if you can. Hopefully these tips will help more students attend college debt free.
May 26, 2024
Excellent overview of the process of approaching college debt-free! Lots of ideas and a step by step plan that starts out as early as middle school. I learned a lot, including the differences between the ACT and SAT, superscoring, AP classes and the tests you can take after one to make it count for college credit, and loads more. The only thing that is missing in my opinion is approaching college for the homeschool student. But that would probably require a whole new book.
April 2, 2020
As a financially independent adult who had parents that didn’t want me to have debt from school, this book didn’t have new information but this is a great book for any high schooler (or adult) who doesn’t follow the same financial principles. It’s empowering and I have recommended this book to so many!
December 22, 2019
Great for parents who have no idea on how to approach college with their child.
Nothing new or ground-breaking for me as a collect student returning to a community college looking for any new financial information.
Nothing new or ground-breaking for me as a collect student returning to a community college looking for any new financial information.
March 12, 2020
Hmm...good advice but I was hoping for more detailed information on how to save, budget and pay for college little by little. This book didn't talk about that. I would consider handing it to a teen for their own reading though.
September 29, 2019
If you are familiar with Dave Ramsey, there is nothing new here.
November 13, 2019
Great takeaways & having my sophomore read along with me. Keeping this one on the shelf to refer to over these next few years. Good resource.
March 19, 2020
Lots of good info, but I was expecting something else. This was more for transitioning from high school to college while repeating over and over that debt free college is possible.
September 30, 2025
The author Oneal, explains the different ways to obtain as much “free” money as you can for college. He also familiarizes the uneducated on how to pick schools, do visitations and what to look for and how to get ahead with planning for college on a year by year basis.
This book has an amazing idea and topic but O’Neal really missed the mark. This book is really targeted for an audience that has no clue on what college is or what and how to make it to college. As a college graduate and parent I was looking for ideas and ways to get money for college and to get the financial aspect correct. This is where the book fell flat.
The focus of this book was really the “free” money that is left to the student in academic performance and testing on the ACT and SAT. O’Neal heavily focuses on this part of the getting “free” money from scholarships, and other revenue streams as those. The book is also focusing on doing higher advanced course work where the student can earn college credits in high school, and going to community college while in high school.
O’Neal struggles bringing the financial aspect and methods into this book. He never mentioned (outside a sentence) about college savings plans 529 with the states different rates or other investment opportunities. I wish he had dedicated a section more on this topic, even though this book is part of the Ramsey group and that may take away a topic from another writer within the group.
Read this if you seriously have no clue what college is, or not having a game plan in place, but for the folks who are seriously looking for revenue for college and different ideas, skip this read.
This book has an amazing idea and topic but O’Neal really missed the mark. This book is really targeted for an audience that has no clue on what college is or what and how to make it to college. As a college graduate and parent I was looking for ideas and ways to get money for college and to get the financial aspect correct. This is where the book fell flat.
The focus of this book was really the “free” money that is left to the student in academic performance and testing on the ACT and SAT. O’Neal heavily focuses on this part of the getting “free” money from scholarships, and other revenue streams as those. The book is also focusing on doing higher advanced course work where the student can earn college credits in high school, and going to community college while in high school.
O’Neal struggles bringing the financial aspect and methods into this book. He never mentioned (outside a sentence) about college savings plans 529 with the states different rates or other investment opportunities. I wish he had dedicated a section more on this topic, even though this book is part of the Ramsey group and that may take away a topic from another writer within the group.
Read this if you seriously have no clue what college is, or not having a game plan in place, but for the folks who are seriously looking for revenue for college and different ideas, skip this read.
September 30, 2020
I'm going to start out this review by saying that I'm definitely not the target audience for this book. I am a 27-year-old future momma-to-be (currently in the middle of an adoption process) and no future colleges to pay for as of yet.
That being said, the information in this book was really helpful for me to read and mentally prepare for when that time does come in my life. I think that while this isn't really information I can directly apply to my life right now, this is a book I will likely reread closer to that time as a refresher if I feel it's necessary. Anthony throws a lot of great information out there in this book - some of which I already knew, some I didn't.
It's also a quick read. I read it in one day by listening to the audiobook. I really enjoy audiobooks that are read by the author because I usually can feel more connected to them and hear their tone while they're reading. I do feel like his tone falls a little flat when reading in the audiobook. I'm not quite sure what it is about it, but it threw me off when listening.
Overall though, if you are a parent who will eventually be sending your kids to college, this is a great read for you to gather the information that will help you try to send them to college debt-free.
While this information may not apply directly to me right now, reading this book has inspired me to apply for grants, etc. for my adoption process as soon as possible. Maybe we can do a debt-free adoption! We will certainly try our hardest. :-)
That being said, the information in this book was really helpful for me to read and mentally prepare for when that time does come in my life. I think that while this isn't really information I can directly apply to my life right now, this is a book I will likely reread closer to that time as a refresher if I feel it's necessary. Anthony throws a lot of great information out there in this book - some of which I already knew, some I didn't.
It's also a quick read. I read it in one day by listening to the audiobook. I really enjoy audiobooks that are read by the author because I usually can feel more connected to them and hear their tone while they're reading. I do feel like his tone falls a little flat when reading in the audiobook. I'm not quite sure what it is about it, but it threw me off when listening.
Overall though, if you are a parent who will eventually be sending your kids to college, this is a great read for you to gather the information that will help you try to send them to college debt-free.
While this information may not apply directly to me right now, reading this book has inspired me to apply for grants, etc. for my adoption process as soon as possible. Maybe we can do a debt-free adoption! We will certainly try our hardest. :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews