Comments on: Student Loan Debt Hits $1 Trillion

By: Student Loan Debt Tops $1 Trillion « HRD Consulting

Student Loan Debt Tops $1 Trillion « HRD Consulting — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:52:10 +0000

[...] approaching one trillion dollars — or “a thousand billion dollars,” as stated in this article from Education News. “There is now more debt on students loans in the US than Americans have [...]

By: Shawn Warren

Shawn Warren — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:23:51 +0000

Some call it debt others call it investment. I call it unnecessary and so absurd. The sole reason that citizens and society – students or otherwise, myself included, a PhD adjunct faculty in Canada – find themselves in this position is because of the university-government-union paradigm. We have inherited this hybrid and mistakenly identify this functionary with the product of HE itself – education and research – and the individuals that comprise its core relationship – the student and professor.

The modern university (the face of the hybrid) is not sustainable. If we persist in our attempts to resuscitate this redundant, expensive, corruptive paradigm for the DELIVERY of HE commodities, we do so at our own peril. Education (higher or otherwise) and research are pillars of civilization – no exaggeration. We have to start thinking creatively.

I have a proposal (https://sites.google.com/site/professionalsocietyofacademics/home). Convert the provision of HE from the hybrid model to the professional. We not only endorse the professional paradigm, we insist on it, in the provision of other highly valued social commodities such as, legal counsel, medical and engineering services. If we trust our (and our children’s) lives, financial stability, human rights, and very safety to experts, operating under a professional society, relevant legislation, and social contract, we can surely do the same for education – and perhaps at all levels.

Under the professional paradigm, HE could be provided at the cost of tuition ALONE, while improving quality and accessibility – among other fundamental and peripheral benefits.

By: Why Are Things As They Are? » Blog Archive » Rouge Forum Dispatch: No Bribes, Undermining Lies.

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:15:27 +0000

[...] New Resource on Education Updates http://www.educationnews.org/higher-education/student-loan-debt-hits-1-trillion/ [...]

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:19:23 +0000

I have to agree with you on this one. Even if she only expected to take out $60k and her college raised the tuition (which it would not have raised that much), she made a choice. When you take out a loan, you are forced to sign multiple waivers, saying that you know how much you are borrowing and you know the consequences. I know quite a few students who are going to be in that boat because they decided to go to a private school instead of a state school. I have little sympathy because in NYC, the city schools are approximately $6000 per year for in state students, $14,000 for out of state students. If this student had borrowed the entire out of state tuition for four years, she still wouldn’t have reached $60,000, let alone $80,000. If you can’t afford a school, you shouldn’t go. There is always a cheaper option, and jobs are not as picky about the name of the school you go to – rather they want to know what you did with your education as far as grades, internships, summer jobs and campus leadership. So many students can do all of these things at a city or state school and graduate with little to no debt instead.

By: mcp_43

mcp_43 — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:24:36 +0000

What was the student’s major? According to the NY Times “In 2009 the United States graduated 89,140 students in the visual and performing arts, more than in computer science, math and chemical engineering combined.” The choice of a major makes a big difference in future income.

By: Jenn Fraser

Jenn Fraser — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:38:30 +0000

It is no doubt inspiring to think so, but is the height of privilege to believe that “an answer to your problem” exists for everyone. Some people don’t have an option of free college tuition because their parents work on the faculty. Some people don’t have parents who work. It is the heartbreaking truth that, as the system works right now, college is just not possible for some people to afford no matter how much they do everything right. It is not a denigration of your effort, Anthony, to admit that even though you might have worked hard and made hard choices, you were, nevertheless, a beneficiary of a lot of unearned good luck. Failure to see that this doesn’t apply to everyone, or even to most, means you’re becoming a part of the problem.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:40:17 +0000

I really don’t understand the issue with people who have made a poor investment decision. When I was 18 I turned down a partial scholarship at my dream school and opted for the free education I could get at a local state school where my father was faculty. This was because I didn’t want debt, and didn’t want to burden my parents. I also went to grad school and after my first year got an assistantship that paid tuition as well as $1500 a month, and I worked a private freshman dorm as an RA so I could have free room and board and $500 a semester for book money. In addition I ran a small online business. I felt like those were some of the most wealthy years of my life!

Whats better might be: what’s the one thing you want to
Change in the world, that you could give your life to with no pay.. First find that passion, then go do it with the beleif you can and will succeed. Also, be determined to find an answer to your problems, take responsibility, ask for help when you need advice, put in the work, and give back however you can. Most importantly enjoy the ride and love as deeply as you can.

I do think that there is a major systemic problem and that young folks are sold lies packaged as education — but perhaps this generation of Ed debtors should resolve to solving the problem for the next generation vs. being upset with the world — they did infact make a decision to invest in
this system.. Let’s build something better, together!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:06:54 +0000

I paid off my student loans too. It wasn’t that difficult, actually. I went to a state school, my expenses weren’t that high and, this is key, I got a job right out of college. I am, however, not naive enough to believe that everyone would be so lucky, especially now. As far as I am concerned, the only thing that separates me from the girl in that picture is the fact that I graduated during a period when the economy was doing better and that I had parents who shouldered some of my costs. And, I’m sorry, but making military service basically a tax on poor people is to me obscene.

By: Linda Brees

Linda Brees — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:03:19 +0000

What? I mean, seriously, what? You have three college degrees? Please pardon me for my skepticism, unless one of those happens to be a B.S. in Sophistry. I don’t even know where the whole soliloquy on the paying professors but not teachers, or teachers but not professors comes from unless of course you’re arguing that all the university money goes into paying teaching staff. But of course no one who has a diploma from middle school, much less THREE college degrees would make an argument that specious. Also “blah blah blah, personal responsibility” isn’t actually an argument. Please try again.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:46:03 +0000

3 college degrees thanks Linda. No expert needed on this. What does she want as an answer, free college education as well. You continue to talk about how schools need more money, some of this money goes to pay teachers, in this case professors. Are you suggesting we pay teachers but not professors? Or maybe your suggesting the government (taxpayers) goes ahead and pays for free college for everyone as well. The fact is there are ways to pay you loans. Some majors pay better, the national gaurd pays well, as does other military branches. Otherwise, SHE didn’t do HER homework as you suggest that the rising cost left her unaware, but last time I checked an estimate of total cost was available from most univeristies and it did take in account inflation. Where does personal responsibility come in?