Student Loan Debt and why it is a Problem
Student loan debt affects college students all over the United States. Today students are having to take out loans in order to pay for all of their college expenses. It can be a pain to deal with the hassle of paying back the loans. The problems with student loans include causing students to go into debt that they are not able to pay them off in the given time which makes them put major life decisions on hold, and the debt stay with the student even through bankruptcy. A solution that would solve these problems is the idea of debt forgiveness which is the idea that the government will get rid of all the loan debt for college graduates.
A problem with student loan debt is that students gain more debt because they are not able to pay off the student loans within the given time which also causes them to put certain life decisions on hold. According to Sophie Quinton debt is a problem for the recent college graduates because “There’s currently no way to get rid of federal student debt other than paying off the loans. while some borrowers are paying off their debts just fine, overall they are adding debt faster than they are shedding it”(Quinton). According to Jamaal Abdul-Alim stated that a “survey - titled Student Loan Debt: Who’s Paying the Price?- revealed a number of troubling statistics about the practical ways that student loans are impacting college graduates in their everyday lives. For instance the survey found that: 49
When we think about college and a college education, it seems as though our first initial thought is the student loans and debt that can result in achieving a college degree. Looking back, student debt has risen drastically and has made it extremely stressful for students and families. Many people go through their entire life in debt, especially from being a student. Student debt has always existed; however, now, it is so extreme, almost all students who attend college find themselves deep in debt, and must continue paying off their debt many years after they graduate. For the past two decades, student debt has risen, illustrating how big this social problem has become. The reason student debt is a significant social problem is because of how much it can effect a person’s life, and their families lives, that can carry over to their future. Although there were many things that led up to and impacted the drastic student debt that is now being faced by many students around the world, the corporation Sallie Mae, was the essential factor in why student debt has skyrocketed to unreasonable proportions. Sallie Mae provided the first type of corporation that changed its focus from helping students, to helping themselves. The history and scope of the student debt can help us understand that the corporation, Sallie Mae, was the main cause of this problem.
In the year 2007, 18.2 million students enrolled into college. About thirty-nine percent of those students were between the ages of eighteen to twenty-four (Marcus). College is seen as something one must do to be able to have a successful life or career. Student debt is almost guaranteed for anyone that goes into college. Seventy percent of bachelor's degree recipients graduate with student debt. Student loans in just the U.S. alone are up to 1.2 trillion dollars, this is the second highest level of consumer debt, just trailing behind mortgages (Snyder). Student debt has been an issue for anyone thinking about going into, that is attending, and graduating or leaving college. How to solve this issue is very simple, which is to save money, lower
In the article, “Student Loan Debt 101” by Indiana University, shows how many students are graduating college with a diploma, however they have a significant amount of student loan debt. Students, such as high schools seniors or even college freshman are not taking into consideration the importance of student load debt. People would think that these freshman in college would have thought about this concern thoroughly but when they indeed do not. Indiana University has created a few ways that this issue could be addressed.
Student loan forgiveness is a terrible idea. Sure, in an idealistic world it would be great if the country could forgive all student loan debt and thus bring relief to all students across the nation. Realistic? Not necessarily! Instead of the fairytale notion of student loan forgiveness being the answer to all the problems, America would fair better in taking the initiative in making reforms to the educational loan system that are a bit more realistic. Student loans are a massive predicament in the U.S. that can no longer be ignored. The Atlantic 311.2 article “The myth of the student-loan crisis(CHARTIST)(Statistical data)” by Allan, Nicole, and Derek Thompson states that to date student loan debt surpasses all other forms of debt with over a one trillion dollars sum (2013). The United States should stop being complacent on an issue that has affected and ruined so many lives and begin finding ways to relieve the proverbial and ever-present menacing “Student Loan” pitfall.
Student debt is becoming a big issue that is affecting many individuals in the United States, some having to decide between going to school or being in debt for years after they have finished their education. Most people want to have a great paying career and need to go to school for many years but do not have the financial means to pay for college or qualify for financial aid, seeking other options to get their education such as applying for student loans or credit cards. College students should not be worried about how much debt is being accumulated and how it can affect them in their future. This paper will examine the possible solutions to student debt such as student forgiveness, allowing bankruptcy, or eliminating private lending agencies. Having these options will help students with a good paying career from living paycheck to paycheck and become more financially stable.
Student loan debt relief is a controversial issue in America today. Student loan debt affects twelve million college students, roughly 60% of all college attendees, per year (Student Loan Debt Statistics). Student loan debt relief rose to the forefront of economic news during the financial market crash of 2008. The U.S. Government has developed a debt relief plan that extends payments over a 25-year period, with a full forgiveness of all remaining debt at the end of that 25-year term (Ensuring That Student Loans Are Affordable). During this repayment period, payments can be suspended during times of unemployment, giving hardship students a break from their student loan payments. Many people feel that student
An estimated 20 million Americans attend college each year, and 60% of those students borrow annually to pay for it (qtd. in asa.org, “Student Loan Debt Statistics”). Moreover, citizens continuing to pay off debt after schooling brings the overall number of student-loan-borrowers to about 40 million- with a collective 1 trillion dollars in debt (McCarthy, “10 Fun Facts About the Student Debt Crisis); a fourth of these borrowers owe over $28,000, a tenth owe over $54,000, 3.1% owe more than $100,000, “and 0.45 percent of borrowers, or 167,000 people, owe more than $200,000” (Haughwout, “Grading Student Loans”). While some view this predicament as the result of laziness or carelessness, the bulk of this substantial group are not at fault.
Go to College; Live Your Dream...If Your Dream is to Spend Your Life in Debt
The presidential race is now consuming America. It is mentioned every morning in the news and in every “scroll” through social media. While important topics such a national security, national debt, and international affairs are brought up constantly in the debate spotlight, higher education is a topic less discussed. However, each presidential candidate has a specific, strategic plan to tackle current issues in higher education. The main issue that candidates believe should be addressed includes college costs and how they impact student debt. Each candidate has a different stance on the issue, and each have a plan to move toward solving the issue. This review will cover the current issue of student debt and how that is impacting America, each presidential candidates strategic plan to tackle this issue, a critique of each presidential candidate’s plan, and a reflection of solutions presented. Each candidate running for the 2016 presidency deserves full recognition, this review will focus on the two leading presidential candidates: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
The main problems with student debt are the high monthly payments, high interest, short grace period, and repayment programs that does not apply to everyone. Majority of students can’t pay back loans they have borrowed because they aren’t given enough time to pay them off. Students have at least six months to pay off their debt before they get an increase in interest. Over 75% percent of students have to get loans to pay for their first year of college and more (Quadlin). Debt is something we all have to deal with even parents suffer from them as well.
“The United States has created a new generation of people that have more student loan debt than at any other time in our history” (Murphey). A vast majority of students are graduating with debt. On average, students are carrying loan amounts big enough to buy a nice car or cover the down payment on a house, but instead of making those investments, or starting a family or a business, they’re struggling to keep up with student loan payments (O’Malley). Student loan debt is a major problem. Student loan debt exceeded credit card debt in 2010, auto loans in 2011, and it passed the $1 trillion mark in 2012.
An education is one of the most important tools a person can acquire. It gives them the skills and abilities to obtain a job, earn a wage, and then use that wage to better their lives and the lives of their loved ones. However, due to the seemingly exponential increase in the costs of obtaining a college degree, students are either being driven away entirely from earning a degree or taking out student loans which cripple their financial prospects well after graduation. Without question, the increasing national student loan debt is one of the most pressing economic issues the United States is dealing with, as students who are debt ridden are not able to consume and invest in the economy. Therefore, many politicians and students are calling
In the United States today, the number of students graduating college with student loan debt is quite astonishing. In the article titled, “How the $1.2 Trillion College Debt Crisis Is Crippling Students, Parents And The Economy”, we will examine and break down the student loan debt crisis by the numbers. Today, almost two-third’s of students graduating college are graduating with an average of $26,000 in debt. For most students, $26,000 is a lot of money when the average annual income for a first year graduate is only in the mid $40,000 a year range. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, student loan debt has reached a new milestone, crossing the $1.2 trillion mark (Denhart, 2013, Introduction, par. 2). With student loan debt levels
Over the last decade student loan debt has risen substantially and is now one of the largest form of personal debt in America, totaling about one trillion dollars, with 71 percent of students who earn a bachelors degree graduating with debt, with the average amount of debt being $29,400.
Financial support has played an important role for college students, especially for university students, whose family could not support their education after they have graduated from high school. Due to this situation, students have to go through a lot of problems with their tuition fees to be able to continue with their education. They always need a large amount of money besides paying for the tuition but also for living, and students have to go through a lot of problems with their tuition fees in order to be able to finish their career on time and earn a better living in the future. Some students will choose to go to work part time while at school, so they can pay for their fees and their own expense, such as gas, foods, and clothing. On the other hand, most of students will choose to take out loans from somewhere else, such as the bank or federal loans. This way, students who choose to take out a loan could focus on their education without worrying about how to pay for their fees. It is very important for students to acknowledges and be aware of the different types of student loans, and all the requirements before students decide to obtain a loan. Because of the raise in tuition leads to the existence of the student loan debt is a burden that is a financial impact on lifestyle changes, such as postpone couples to get married, to have children, to buy a house and to save for retirement.