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Mary Levin
The University of Washington in Seattle.
Congratulations, class of 2010! In addition to that hard-earned college degree, most of you walked away with more student loan debt, on average, than those who graduated before you.
A new report from The Project on Student Debt, a nonprofit working to make education more affordable, estimates that about two-thirds of people who graduated from traditional four-year colleges in 2010 had student loan debt.
For students who took on student loan debt, the group estimates that they graduated owing an average of $25,250. That’s up 5 percent from a year earlier.
The group noted that student loan debt varied widely depending on what state a person lives in. In New Hampshire, for example, average debt for the class of 2010 was $31,048. But in Utah, students had average debt of about half that, or $15,509.
An interactive, state-by-state map is available here.
The amount of debt a student takes on also can vary widely depending on where a person goes to school, and what kind of aid is available. For example, some of the pricey, elite private colleges offer very generous financial aid policies to needy and qualified students.
Hey middle class, tell us about yourselves
For the class of 2010, The Project on Student Debt said some students may have unexpectedly had to take on more debt because their parents were grappling with the effects of the recession and weak recovery. In addition, the recession caused some cash-strapped states to raise public university tuition rates substantially.
On the other hand, federal financial aid became more readily available as the economy weakened.
There’s plenty of evidence showing that a college education carries significant advantages, including a lower likelihood of unemployment and higher average earnings over time.
Still, those advantages may be tough to appreciate when you are fresh out of college and facing today’s difficult job market and looming debt payments. The unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds was 14.7 percent in September, much higher than the overall rate of 9.1 percent.
The Project on Student Debt data only looked at people who graduated from four-year public and private nonprofit colleges.
The group said they didn’t include information on private, for-profit colleges such as DeVry University and Capella University, because not many of those types of schools reported their data.. But they pointed to separate data from the Department of Education showing that, in 2008, 96 percent of people who graduated from a for-profit college had some student loan debt.
In addition, students who graduated from for-profit schools tended to have much more debt than those going to more traditional nonprofit schools, according to their analysis of the government data.
Related:
Want to go to college? Check the home value
Parents rich? You may have to pitch in for college anyway
How we view college: Overpriced, unaffordable but worth it
Leave a Comment:
How ironic that a headline for an article about college graduates has a grammatical error. *facepalm*
In case it is updated later, let the record show that it currently reads: "Congrats, 2010 grads! You're debt load is the heaviest"
This is the most common error i see in written English. I can not understand that people don't know the difference between your and you're. Good job writer of this article. I think even you WORD program would have caught that error but not you huh. That is so easy to understand that you're mean you are. Your shows possession but I guess you don't know that. Can I get a job where you work?
Ouch! Thanks for catching that one - it's been corrected!
@madcitizen - Given your grammar is also incorrect at least Allison corrected her error. So, I guess given your misuse of the English language seems to go along with your post, you're more then welcome to apply where she works. LOL
A writer that admits to his/her mistakes? I KNOW satan will ice skate outta he** tonight!
I find it hilarious that madcitizen doesn't even know the proper spelling usage of "cannot" (very rarely is it "can not"). In what madcitizen wrote, the only correct usage is cannot.
Allison Linn did as good, as she could do!
She is simply a typical graduate of our "thumbed" down 21st Century,
American, educational system!
And, probably finished maybe, at the top of her class,
without having to read a book, or take a pen in hand!
Thank Jobs, for your job and your degree of " higher education"!
At least she is honest!!!!
:+)
Actually, I suspect that many folks who know better, still tend to make that particular "mistrake" [sorry! couldn't help myself].
Actually, there have been a few times when I made that same error you mentioned above. Yes, I know the difference, but, well..... when typing during a stream of thought, it occasionally just pops out all by itself, without any consideration about the angst that might follow.....and I generally don't catch it until I see it on paper. Why on "paper", and not on the screen? Beats me, but it is what it is!! :oP
Clean up your own grammar ... "I think even you WORD" , AND "can not". Sorry you do not get the job.
Grammar Nazi's, stop focusing on the grammar mistakes in this article. Everyone makes mistakes, the mistakes are not that bad and this is not your article. Besides, I don't any grammar mistakes at all. Instead, focus on the topic here.
Typos are often cited as grammatical errors. It fairly easy to tell the difference.
Ron Paul will take care of this problem by getting rid of student loans. That way, only rich kids can get an education. Poor kids are going to end up on welfare anyway. Right, Ron?
Unfortunately for the U.S. Ron Paul doesn't have a chance to win because narrow minded liberals and narrow minded conservatives wont let it happen.
Since when is it the governments job to pay for your education anyways? Here's an idea, why don't you join the military when you get out of high school? Not only will it help you to grow up you can also take advantage of the GI bill and get your collage paid for.
Ron paul will take care of the problem by stop subsidizing student loans, which only (and history proves this) increases the cost of the student loan to the student.
Maybe if government was not involved in loans for school ( which it shouldn't be, what a failed liberal policy that was) it would naturally drive the cost of education down because competition would be present.
How about them Apples, Sam Adams? Care to explain how throwing money at the problem solves anything, or will you just rant about how wrong you are?
Since we as nation decided it was in our best interest to invest in the next generation of thinkers, inventors, doctors, engineers etc...
By getting rid of government loans you do not increase competition, you decrease it-as less students will be able to afford it. I agree that throwing money around isn't going to solve anything but neither is withdrawing it.
Are you really "Sam Adams", or are you just from Portland? Or both?
No, Ron Paul won't win because he's ancient. He's already 76, would be 78 at his inauguration, and one heart attack or stroke away from promoting his VP. Not someone you want to thrust into 4 yrs of leading the world. Just look what it's done to the other presidents!
Correction, Brendan. Maybe if we wouldn't have thrown hundreds-of-billions of tax dollars into Iraq to build new schools, hospitals, and roads there, our own children wouldn't be burdened with all that "conservative-initiated" debt.
So sad how a lack of basic Economics 101, common sense, and memory permeates the GOP. China is investing in high speed rail, nationwide construction initiatives, alternative energy solutions, and, just yesterday, completed their first space docking. TODAY, the Republicans in the Senate trounced a $60 billion dollar infrastructure bill. HOW PETTY AND SAD!!
If Paul wins he would cut the taxes of the middle class so they could pay for their kids education. As it is now the middle class are shut out because they pay the taxes but don't qualify for the benefits.
JKfomPA-
How about all the money the government threw into Solyndra and other corporations in the bailout? How about all the taxpayer money we send all over the world that the liberals have approved? It's not just a GOP problem. People like you make me sick. It's a problem the whole stinking government has, GOP and Democrat. It all bothers me because all anyone ever does is point fingers and refuse to work with the other side. It happens on both sides. We need more people willing to work together.
Anything the reps throw out, the dems vote against and vice versa. This is what is screwing up our country. No one wants to compromise.
At any rate, what about the class of 2011? Do we somehow have less debt than 2010? Not that I'm complaining, just curious. I have 24k in debt, but I don't blame anyone for that because I wanted to go to a private school. I fully intend on paying it back. I know a girl who paid back 30k in 6 years. Sometimes it takes a lot of hard work and doing jobs you don't want to like *gasp* fast food.
Yes I want Ron Paul as the President since he was the president who opposed all the stupid wars.
The availability of easy student loans is what has driven college costs higher much faster than the rate of inflation.
Over the past 25 years costs have increased 5x the rate of inflation. If loans werent available then univerisities would have had to keep costs in line.
When I went to the university very few were able to get loans, and I was able to afford the costs by working myself. Now no one can do that.
Liz, Solyndra (spelling?) was peanuts compared to two decades-long wars. Also, the "corporate bailout" of GM has paid off dividends and saved tens-of-thousands of jobs (court still out on Chrysler, although they are a historic mess, anyway).
We keep cutting taxes, then soon we will all be consuming filthy, contaminated water, eating rotten food, and tossing sewage out into the streets. I guess living like Pakistan is the GOP's cure-all answer. We DO need to cut tax waste, and if Ron Paul can do that, then he has my vote. Here is one place to start: I say let the politicians buy their own healthcare insurance, and get off our dime!!!
Cry me a river. I see my nephews and nieces all going to out-of-state universities and racking up over $50,000 in student debt. Why, when in-state colleges are every bit as good? Has these kids ever heard of part-time jobs? I cleaned dormitory bathrooms and waited tables when I was in school and worked at a railroad yard in the summer.
That's because this is the age of entitlement. Everybody is entitled to everything because they were born. No reason to work for what they want, after all it's somebody else's fault that they don't have everything they desire.
Road Warrior, part of the problem is that a lot of the part-time jobs that were traditionally available for college/high school students are being taken by non-students due to layoffs etc. Most employers would rather hire a non-student because they have more flexible schedules. The typical "summer" temp jobs are also much harder to get if they are even offered nowadays. Also, the cost of tuition, books, housing, etc. is much higher than it was even 10 years ago. I'm in the middle of finishing up the degree I started 10+ years ago (I work full time also). The tuition at the state 4 year school when I started in 2000 was around $900/semester. Now it's around $2500, which I realize is still very inexpensive, but it just goes to show how tuition has gone up significantly. Even with working full time, I won't be able to afford to pay $5000 a year completely out of pocket. I'm at the community college right now finishing up some pre-requisites and general education to save money, and they raised the tuition rates during the summer, for the fall semester. Sort of a bummer since I and everyone else had already paid for fall tuition, and we all had to dig up more money.
Also, because of budgets, they are cutting classes and only offering certain classes required for general education or the degree program maybe once or twice a semester. So, if your schedule (because of work, other classes etc) doesn't allow you to take that class at that specific time, you're out of luck because there's no other options. So, many students have to choose between taking the classes they need to graduate relatively on time, or to work.
Realist and everyone else using the "entitlement" argument....
You're 100% right. A good portion of 2010 grads and their surrounding classes do have an air of entitlement about them. I think it's more a problem of pre-mature entitlement than just flat out entitlement. I don't think that is as big as a problem as the fancy word leads most to believe. I think the real problem lies with the people responsible for raising these snotty-nosed brats. I mean, who tells a kid, "you can be a famous athlete one day" and hands them a trophy, knowing good and well the kid will never make it? Surely, it wasn't the kid's fault. Who tells a rightfully naive 16 year old all one has to do is get into college and things will be fine; designs whole "education systems" to point kids towards college... then jacks the prices on tuition up when they get there? Surely not the young adults. Who writes a job description that says "degree required, will not substitute for experience," then balks at all the dummies wasting money getting degrees? After all, they already got theirs, what else matters? Most important, who raises a generation and wont take responsibility for the fact that they set them up for massive failure?
The people you are referring to, Gen Y, are victims of the biggest scam i've ever seen. Yes, some may complain, if you've ever been duped, you'd understand why. even more, however, are doing something about it. they are speaking with their actions, to not make the same mistakes their "caretakers" did. This means gen Y's aren't going to take the same exact path "you all" did ( I assume you're a boomer or close to it). i think the message i'm trying to get across is: Stop complaining that you can't bully others into seeing things how you do. It's easy to blame the victim than to own up to it and make amends. And remember, when boomers start retiring, they'd better pray that karma is a make-believe idea, because Gen Y's will be running the nursing homes.
Let's refocus the discussion on the obscene price of the so-called "higher education" instead of who to steal the money from to pay for it.
Right! Higher education, and the cost there-of, is NOT because the profs are making a mint (consider what a teacher gets paid). More and more universities are hiring adjuncts to strip instruction costs.
Problem here is that the uber-wealthy who run this country (and get those great tax breaks, thanks to the bought-and-sold-off GOP!), a college education will very soon be for those of "financial means" only, leaving the other 90% to flip burgers or sell Chinese junk at Walmart.
Ridiculous how many working class, intellectually lazy, fools buy into the rightwing bullcrap professing corporate profits over healthcare and fair wages for employees. Forrest Gump was so right: "Stupid is as Stupid does".
Wow. Ignorance.
I went to a private institution, when all was said and done, expenses for a year were about 27k dollars. Every student paying that much didn't even cover the basic costs of running the university. The school has to fund raise a heck ton every year to be able to pay professors and coaches. Our president is the lowest paid president in the nation.
By the way, my dad makes 20k a year. I still got through college. And it's funny how the left sings the praises of countries in Europe that pay for the higher education of their students...when those countries are now modifying their system to be more like the United States and many foreigners come to our universities because they actually get a better education here than over there.
I'm not trying to defend the GOP by any means. I think the entire gov't is jacked. But seriously, you need to expand your horizons and look at what's going on in Europe which the left is praising so highly. I've got friends in the UK who say the public healthcare there is terrible, so they shell out more money to pay for private.
Something does need to be done about corporations, but if you'd do your research, you'll find that many corporations donate to campaigns in BOTH major parties so that they can pull the strings of whoever gets elected. BOTH sides have been bought out.
Agreed! I wish people would wake up and realize what you are saying!
Liz, exactly right: ignorance. When you read the majority of the posts on this blog denigrating education, it is testament of where we are at as a society: ignorant.
Nowhere in my post am I advocating any European standard. Seems that bashing the left by tying them to European standards is the flavor of the day. Certainly, much better than being tied to the communists in China, whom the "right" has sold us to!
PS I've been to many European nations many times and, without relying on a "friend's" perspective, I can formulate my own conclusions. But, thanks for your second-hand knowledge, anyway.
What does everyone think we should do? Get the govt out of these loans? If so, there won't be any student loans. I mean what bank would loan thousands of dollars to an 18 yr old with no job, no collateral and no credit? The only reason that banks were persuaded to get into these loans was that the loan was guaranteed by the govt. So if students defaulted, the govt would pay the bank back for the loan. Maybe we should go back to: pay for your own education (or maybe parents will pay) or don't go to college. Work and go part time to a community college. If you don't have the money, you don't go.
I vote for don't go to college. Colleges can only get away with charging so much for a (IMHO) large waste of time because of government subsidies. Remember, the price colleges charge will ALWAYS expand to equal the available government money. This is a prime example of "vote with your feet". If enough kids stop going, the bottom line will suffer and prices will go down. Besides, college degrees these days come on a roll and are found in a crapper.
Wow, I couldn't disagree more with your entire comment. So your solution is to have everyone boycott colleges until college tuition goes down? Brilliant. And how can you say that college degrees are worthless? My first job out of college (with a BS in software engineering from a private 4-year university) landed me $55k a year.
On the other hand, I feel like public universities have lower standards and accept just about anyone who can pay. And degrees in communications or history aren't very applicable in the real world. However, I still think higher education is extremely valuable, even if it is over priced.
My solution: quit complaining, study harder and get merit-based scholarships and grants like I did.
As I commented in another blog some college degrees are totally irrelevant. Would you pay tens of thousands of dollars to get a degree in "Queer Musicology" offered by UCLA? I heard that on the radio yesterday. I don't think they meant that as a joke, but even so, that is not the only nonsensical degrees offered by many high-priced colleges. I do know for sure people are taking classes re the Harry Potter series. Would you help your child pay for those classes? There are too many insane classes and degrees being offered, and many students wonder why they are not being offered jobs? Even if the economy were great, how insane are schools and students taking whacked out classes like that and going into debt?
Communications is actually one of the biggest fields to get into right now. Comm majors can work in public relations, HR departments, TV stations, write speeches for the president, etc etc. Comm is definitely NOT a nonsensical major. Comm majors know how to manipulate people quite well because we understand how communication works. It's actually quite useful.
AB
I'm partially a fan of this. I think that loans generally put you in a catch-22 situation now, where you've got a leg up on your career competition, but you're bogged down in debt so you can't really thrive. My only concern is that the country as a while would suffer is only those who can afford it can go because there may be a little Steven Hawkings or Da vinci out there who simply can't afford to go. But then there's problems with that too.
Maybe grade schools should require kids to have age appropriate "jobs" so they start gaining actual experience and earn a little cash so that they can make a decision for themselves when the time comes: use this experience and get a job or use this money + experience and go to college?
Here's the gem:
"In addition, students who graduated from for-profit schools tended to have much more debt than those going to more traditional nonprofit schools, according to their analysis of the government data."
Wow! Could it be that those for-profit schools do predatory lending in collusion w/banks to rope in suckers for high rate loans?
Ya think?
No, students who go to for profit schools are usually students whose parents can't afford to give them a dime to go to college so they have no other choice but to get loans. These students usually can't pay a $20 application fee so the only way that they go to college is through loans. They also wouldn't get accepted into most universities and they know that the average community college has a 10% completion rate and a 0% placement rate. Poor people normally have more debt period because they cannot pay for anything with cash because they have no cash. Their parents didn't consider saving for them to go to college, so they have no other choice. If you are going to quote the facts, quote the reason for the facts. The price of going to a university requires cash payments that many students just don't have. When there's no cash, people use some form of credit. That's why Walmart has started layaways again.
Layaway isn't credit.
While there are certainly exceptions, the "higher education" system is a scam that has been consistently bought by the U.S. public for decades. The primary advantage in this scam goes to the colleges and universities, as well as the banks soaking up all of that interest money.
Government secured loans have helped to perpetuate this scam by making it possible for people to go deeper in debt when they would have been unable to qualify for this foolishness otherwise.
It keeps getting more and more expensive, and what are people getting out of it. You know, the "occupy wall street" people should be picketing their schools that sold them a bill of goods that had no intrinsic value. Or they should be picketing themselves for buying empty promises.
Congrats, Reformed. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Or, look at the priorities of what new grads spend their money on. $25K in student loan debt is a drop in the bucket over a lifetime, BUT a new $40K car to congratulate oneself with (or "look good") is a priority! A $25K car can be paid off in 60 months, what's the problem with paying off a student loan? And, I know, interest rates are different.
LOL graduating with at least 25k unforgivable debt before they even land a job. I guess a college does not necessarily translate into and intelligent path to take. Like everything else in life if you cant actually afford it then the smart thing to do is not buy it. 25k debt with high interest is extremely hard to pay off even with a decent paying job.
I don't really think so. If you majored in something even remotely useful you should be able to handle your student debt. I graduated with approximately ~$23k in loans and can easily make the $263 monthly payment with the job I got after college.
It's not impossible, you just have to be smart about how much debt you can take on. If you plan on being a teacher/history/communications/marketing major, a 4 year degree at that Ivy League school you have your eye on probably isn't a smart idea.
You are right "dfinny" - going to college is an excellent gamble - because if you work it right - you can land a quality job that will enable you to pay your monthly debt. As I said before - bachelor's degrees are almost like a high school diploma -- applicants are almost expected to have one.
Yes - some people get lucky and land a good job with only a high school diploma - but I assure you they are in the minority - not the majority. Some high paying jobs will not even look at an applicant without them holding an advanced degree and graduate school is not for everyone. I saw colleagues dropping like flies when I was in graduate school - not everyone can pull that one off.
Yes, and these loans are those students responsibility to pay back, in full.
They get the advantage of a college education, but they have to pay for it.
Now, get to work, get out and get a job, so you can pay off those loans, you signed for.
You hiring?
No, but I've paid back every loan I ever signed for in full and am debt free. Although, I had to work hard to do it, it feels pretty good.
The ability for a nation to compete in the world market depends on the education of it's workforce, and the US is steadily lagging behind. Indeed, the health of our economy, and subsequently the high unemployment due to a poor economy, is significantly a result of our poorly educated workforce. Currently, many jobs requiring an educated and skilled workforce are going unfilled. Federally backed loans, grants, and work-study programs make a big difference in the long-term success of a nation's economy.
Personally, I worked my way through college and borrowed; the best thing I did. I easily paid it back many times over, and now earn about three times the median salary. However, It did take me years as a research assistant and post-grad to earn more than my mailman or plumber. In any case, it is important to get a marketable degree in engineering, the sciences, etc.
I can generally agree with what you say. The problem with the entire education system (well, one problem, there are many) is that it is a self-promoting boondoggle. Too much of the so-called "education" is worthless, at best. Even so, worthless or worth something, it is all overpriced.
The education systems exist to perpetuate themselves and keep their employees in a job. They are not typically providing an education (such as you have mentioned) that would be helpful to our society, but rather most of what is offered is not oriented to productivity of any kind.
We used to call it "Underwater basketweaving".
It's a sad day - and a commentary on how low our standards have fallen - when we stop valuing education, call it worthless.
TN, agree completely. I believe the US is the only country on the planet that denigrate the skilled trades (electrician, plumber, carpenter, etc.) as low class labor, and villify educators.
I recentlly wanted to at 59 get a BS in photography from an online Institute. IT was ment to be used to possiblly after getting a masters to teach. Even though I am unempoyed after 35 yrs as a Construction Eng. and have a spotless emplyment history I decieded to take my passion and start my own business which I have done. I was going to do this online so if and when I got a job my schedule would allow things.
So I went into the "how to pay for it" part. Since I had to withdraw $$$ from my IRA to pay for bills in 2010 added to what I made from Sept through Dec.( the FAA shut down cost me work after July 2011) qualifying for a Pell grant was not possible. The system however had me set up for 2 loans, one to be paid back WHILE in school. The other after I graduated. Total cost was over 100K. Needless to say i said .......no thanks. I will tough it out and do it the old way. A degree is not what it use to be....BTW i have a degree in Chmeical ENG, but am tired of being someones jackass. Since JOB stands for jackass of the boss, never mind the Construction sector is over 65% unemployed cept for union guys. For what its worth I finished in june a 30 acre parking garage set up to maintain 9 rental car companies at an International airport. Including refuel, drop off, pick up and totally maintain. total cost for this was 16 million $..............so someone tell me why the Memorial in Pa for the downed plane( being a simple slab on grade with a polished wall around it with name) cost us taxpayers 65 million( can you say Obama and the SEIU). Three hospitals can be built for that. While I do not disagree with a Memorial thats beyond outrageous. As is 100 K for an online BS....take BS as meaning whatever you please.
College costs are getting out of control and becoming unsustainable. Private colleges and universities can charge all they want but public institutions should get more state support to discourage them from charging outrageous tuition fees. Universities also need to streamline programs to make them most cost-effective. I know there are those who say it's a personal choice to take out loans and to work to pay the costs but it's difficult if costs are increasing faster much faster than income.
I earned my Masters in Chemical Engineering in 1974. How .... no grants, no loans, no money from family. How about working my butt off in any job available through out the school year and all summer long, weekends and any other time I could stay awake.
Bragging .... heck no. But now-a-days, seems partying, demonstrating and whining are more important than getting that degree debt free.
But that's just my thoughts.
Absolutely right...when there's a will there is a way
And to get to school, I bet you walked a mile in the snow, uphill.
Newsflash: it aint 1974. Gas doesn't cost $.65, and tuition isn't $500.
Right again, TNDan. AND, in 1974, we had Viet Nam; a fantatic motivator to do whatever it takes to stay in school! Gotta flip a few million burgers to afford the $800+ per credit tuition now-a-days.
Also, the Viet Nam Generation are the ones, basically, running the country now, and doing a crap job at it!
Elite colleges offer financial aid? Nice way to trick a kid into thinking that's its not anything more than some scamming retail discount off the exhorbinant markup. Lets see, give everyone a little financial aid off the fake invoice and maximize profit off the fed's and states while they teach folks how to read library books to get a degree in basket weaving. Sweet ponzi business if you can get it.
Yes, an old retail trick. I go to GNC to buy a $40 bottle of whatever. In the store it's marked as $70 normally. Miraculously there are 5 different sales at once right at that very moment, bringing the price down to $39.99!! What a savings. :oD
onesoul4u2 , I'm not posting an article for the public on a major news site. Therefore I don't need to use proper English or grammar use. Thanks though. Where do I apply?
Can you imagine once they go to graduate school and earn a master's and doctorate?!?!? Anymore - a bachelor's degree is like a high school diploma - you are almost expected to have one. I have two master's and a doctorate and I also have loans!!! I can tell you - it is hard to land a handsome six figure salary without some credentials. I was able to hit the 90's once I earned my first masters degree and that is nothing depending on where you live. I was not able to move to the mid 150's until I earned my doctorate.
Those clowns should picket their universities. I don't know about other colleges, but dear old Penn State raises tuition every semester. The number of buildings being constructed on campus is ridiculous.
Sounds like that major in crative writing with a minor in music appreciation isn't paying off.
Should've listend to CSNY. Parents, teach your children well. Don't waste your time and money on BS degrees. Get your asses to work.
Morlack...NEWS FLASH buddy! what do you think Credit cards are? they really mean I don't have the money and I hope I can pay ya back!
When are people going to realize college is a total waste of money.
Bill Gates doesn't have a college degree. Enuf said.
Good job trying to make the rule out of the exception. Enjoy your fine job as a janitor.
Sp, we need janitors.
We don't need intellectual wastes of space.
We also need physicists, engineers, writers, etc. I don't want Cornbob the retard with his GED building the plane I'm about to board. And if I see "your" instead of "you're" one more goddamn time..... ><
Your gonna what?
Eyeballs pokin' out, Sp?
Let's have a laugh. We both know hard working regular folks are the lifeblood of this nation. Neither of us really needs to board a plane, but we all need good craftsmen and hard working people to keep this country going.
DisgustedConservative, I believe you - you, and your ilk, have no need for intellectuals.
Yes, that's true. However saying that higher education is a waste is foolish. That's like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Fix the exorbitant costs and get rid of all the extraneous coursework, and the education system will be in much better shape.
Problem is, "higher" education isn't as "high" as it once was.
We graduate high school seniors who can't write a cognesant paragraph. Can't balance a checkbook, don't know the three branches of the federal government, etc. The list is long.
The current BS degree is about as valuable as the eight-grade education of the 20's. Thanks to the NEA and other corrupt organisations, our college graduates are on par with grads of Asian primary institutions. Too much easy Pell money and profs with a political agenda rather than a curriculum.
Signed: Bachellor of natural science...
Disgusting Conservative; how quaint. "Signed: Bachel[l]or of natural science"? Thought the Cons didn't believe in science.
Totally agree. Trillions in loans from the Chinese during the first 8 years of this millenium have done wonders for the GOP's communist friends.
Enjoy your doctorate, and your $3 million in loans.
This article is right up there with the top three stupid stories i have ever read. It's like DUH, and next year the grads of 2011 will have the highest debt, and in 2012 those grads will have the highest. What a stupid article.
To bad that your degrees wont get most of you a good job. It is a waste of money.
wrong. Average high school grad in this country makes $26k a year...average college grad makes $47k. The waste is on the part of thsoe who continue in the information age to insist we're just fine with fewer highly skilled workers.
Nobody forced these idiots to borrow money to pay $35,000 per year to get a liberal arts degree. How did they ever think they were going to pay it back in the first place.
Or they could have gone to community college for 2 years, transfer to state school to graduate, and even if they never worked a job during school, they would still only graduate with a tiny fraction of the debt they owe now.
Self-indulgent spoiled brats. sooner or later we all have to take responsibility for ourselves and stop looking to someone else to take care of us or bail us out. And stop blaming everyone else for our own problems of our own making. It's called growing up!
Yeah, but most community colleges don't have frats and sororities and really good football teams! lol
In Mexico education is free ( correction: it is not free, the people's taxes pay for it) until the bachelor degree. I grew up believing that education is a right to everybody who want to get a degree. After, I graduate in Mexico and I started working, I realized that a great chunk of my salary went to education and social security. All my professors were not well payed, they used to have two jobs. So, I just wanted to tell my story.