Generation Money, Ep. 1: The $100K Question
Is college still worth the price tag?
That’s the $100,000 question, literally. Let’s not sugarcoat it: college is absurdly expensive. Some schools are charging six figures per year, and that doesn’t even cover textbooks, housing, or the $12 burrito you’re panic-eating during finals.
In this episode of Generation Money, the quick-hitting show where finance meets everyday life, Wall Street vets Guy Adami and Dan Nathan sit down with Norman Chuck, a first-generation American, MBA grad, and current law student, to learn how he paid his own way through college and the hacks he used to make it as affordable as it could possibly be.
If you’ve ever compared schools, questioned the ROI (return on investment), or just wondered how anyone affords this anymore, this conversation doesn’t hold back. Hear what tactics worked for Norman, and how you can apply them to your own situation..
Meet the hosts
Dan Nathan and Guy Adami aren’t TikTok finance bros. They’re longtime Wall Street insiders with decades of experience in trading, markets, and financial media. If there’s a money conversation worth having, they’ve had it, and now, they’re bringing that perspective to the price of higher ed.
They don’t lecture. They listen. They talk real numbers, honest tradeoffs, and what today’s youth is up against (a lot).
Who’s Norman?
Norman didn’t have a family safety net. No generational wealth. No college roadmap. What he did have was grit and a spreadsheet.
He worked through undergrad. He bartended through business school. And now, he’s grinding through law school, without drowning in six figures of debt.
“A lot of what I did, I had to figure out on my own,” Norman says. “No mentors. No family members who’d done it before. Just trial and error until I found a way.”
So… how does he afford college right now?
He didn’t hack the system. He figured it out the hard way, then kept going. If affording college feels impossible, start here. Norman did.
Here’s are 3 hacks Norman used to be able to afford college:
- He started at community college to save money, then transferred. He called admissions offices directly to ask for fee waivers: “A surprising number said yes.”
- He only applied to grad programs where the expected salary justified the cost. No matter how prestigious, if the ROI didn’t check out, it didn’t make the list.
- He worked nights, built his schedule around income, and tracked every expense down to the penny.
“If I didn’t write it down, I didn’t spend it.”
— Norman
Dan & Guy’s take on college affordability
“This isn’t a small investment. It follows you for years,” Dan says.
Dan and Guy treat college like what it is: a business decision. They break down how to think about ROI, why not every degree is priced right, and what happens when you can’t keep up with the payments.
“If you’re in default,” Guy explains, “the government can garnish your wages. They can take your tax refund.”
If you’re trying to figure it out too, try these strategies to help pay for college
Norman’s approach worked for him, but there’s more than one playbook. If you’re staring down tuition numbers that feel made up, these moves can help:
Fill out the FAFSA. Every year.
Even if you think you won’t qualify. It’s the key to free money (grants), lower-interest loans, and work-study jobs. And some aid is first-come, first-served, so do it early.
Apply for weirdly specific scholarships.
There’s money for athletes, artists, first-gen students, and even duck callers. Use tools like Fastweb, Going Merry, or ScholarshipOwl to apply in bulk without burning out.
Get core credits in for cheap
CLEP exams, dual enrollment, and community college are all ways to knock out core classes without the core cost. ModernStates.org even helps you prep for CLEPs for free.
Apply where you’re above average.
If your stats are better than the school’s average, you’re more likely to get merit aid. Check each school’s Net Price Calculator to see the real cost, not just the sticker.
Find flexible work that works for you.
Whether it’s federal work-study, freelancing, or a job on campus that shaves your tuition bill, the goal is income without burnout. Think sustainable, not survival mode.
Hope these tips helped you with your college affordability journey, and if they did, subscribe to our YouTube channel for more smart money hacks.
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