[onewhippedpuppy]

If he's been laid off six times, odds are he's not as good as he thinks. A good friend of mine is the principal of a large KS high school and had to recently lay off six teachers, all were for cause. But it's easy to blame the economy, budget cuts, etc.

In 2008 when we bought our current house, we went loan shopping. We went to good old Countrywide loans to see what they had to offer. On their loan options I requested to see the amortization schedule and total loan amount, the guy was shocked. His reply - "nobody ever asks for that stuff". Maybe it's callous, but buyer beware. If you are too lazy to understand the terms of a legal contract, don't expect me to feel bad when it unravels on you.

As for college, it's expensive. Either major in something that's going to unlock some great job opportunities or don't go. Take gen-ed prerequisites at a CC, go to an in-state public school, pay as much as you can as you go, and apply to every grant and scholarship possible. If you go to a private liberal arts college in a beautiful out of state locale to "find yourself", don't have the nerve to complain about it later.