The Incredible, Rage-Inducing Inside Story of America’s Student Debt Machine
This, like insurance, banking and medical sectors are no less than a giant Ponzi scheme saturated with fraud. Until we change the increasing price of tuition and change the mindset that everyone needs to go to 4 year university college then we are simply treating the symptoms.
agree with this
unfortunately i disagree with about everything else in practical terms even though it's logically sound
Until that changes, you have to play the game.
it's a rigged game - it will keep producing the winners/losers it wants - the only thing to do is change the game and make it more productive and effective
#1- If you are racking up massive debt to get a degree that has average to below average salaries, you are doing it wrong.
when i was in undergrad Physical Therapy was the 'next big field'
guess what? everyone went into PT - and now there are way more licensed PTherapists than positions
an 18 yr old is going to suck at what's going to be a viable field in 15 yrs. why? because everyone sucks at that
plus the whole idea behind universities (and it's a good idea - really a great idea) is that it should be progressive and expansive not regressive and restrictive
#2- Skilled trade and technical colleges offer many courses that are cheap and lead to average to above average wages. We as a country have to stop looking down on blue collar jobs and encouraging our youth to get behind a desk.
actually do agree with this whole-heartedly - the problem was this sector use to be the dumping ground for economic, racial, regional segregation - -how to we re-institute it so that it is equitable?
and then the same problem as #1 remains - are these jobs going to be there in 15 years?
#3- Most 4 year degrees can be obtained very easily in 3 years reducing costs drastically and for those that want to be a full time student without a job then there is no reason not to be able to finish in 3 years.
unfortunately for too many kids year 1 of college is remedial - they are being taught the things that should have been taught in their crappy high schools
BUT your #4 is the best remedy for this, so i 'agree' with #4 also - no caveat
#4- Community College offer plenty of classes for the first two years, sometimes at a 90% discount. Those credits transfer and nobody cares where you started.
#5- Most states offer scholarships that are pretty easy to obtain. If you don't meet those standards then there is a good chance you shouldn't be at a 4 year college.
i've taught some of the more accomplished students in La. and even with TOPS - -tuition was going to be a struggle for most
one of the problems with my former school is that getting students into BIG schools was a huge selling point which the counselors drove relentlessly - -so I had many students, say who went to NYU or Howard for a year and couldn't afford to keep going (and obviously never could afford it)
and then transferred to Xavier or UNO or similar
Everyone wants to make Government, schools and banks the scapegoat which I get. It's a shirtty system but the rules to the game are pretty clear. Play the game or don't. Yes, the system needs to be changed but until it is, their are options.
it is in the best interest for the country as a whole that the best students are given every opportunity to chart the future - esp as the country will get more and more diverse and the need to adapt to that will continue to grow
this means keeping doors open
I have so many friends that are Meteorologists with huge student debt looking for jobs in the field that aren't there and the ones that are don't pay enough to earn a living. That hasn't changed the last 20 years yet every year a full class of students make the same mistake. Worst part is, they all want jobs that they think involve getting up close to mother nature when in reality the jobs that are available consist of cubicles and low wages.
i was studying to be a psychologist when i was kidnapped by dance (i still think it's important that we are broad in many fields vs deep in middle management) and even with living hand-to-mouth in my 20s while touring the world (which psychology never would have allowed me to do)
i was fine with landing my 1st university position and only a bit of debt (i've never paid for tuition -all 3 college experiences were full-rides and even had grad stipends, but it was not nearly enough to live off of)
my problem came with family health issues that brought me back to NO, adjunct and Visiting Prof positions and then Katrina - "bad choices" aren't always the issues - -i would even guess that "other shirt" is more of a problem then just a glut in the workpool