Skyrocketing college costs and decreasing employment rates for graduates are leaving students with more debt than ever before. For the first time ever, American student loan debt has reached one trillion dollars and has surpassed the amount Americans owe in credit card debt.
Marcus counselor Tom Alsop has worked with students who have been affected by student debt.
“A lot of students can’t go where they’d like to go, where they’re qualified to go, because the money is not always there,” Alsop said. “Kids come out of college owing $50,000, $60,000, $70,000. That really puts a cramp in their style.”
In an attempt to help students who must take out loans for college in the future, President Obama announced a new student loan reform plan.
The plan, which will begin in 2012, allows Americans to consolidate and reduce interest rates on their student loans. The new law allows students who hold a direct government loan and government-backed private loans to consolidate their debts into one government loan. The new loan will cap payments at 10 percent of a student’s income. If students keep up with payments for 20 years–10 years for those working in public service such as teaching, nursing, or military–the remaining debt left unpaid will be forgiven.
Money Matters teacher Janice Shuffield does not believe the law will achieve its intended outcome. Shuffield said the law lacks a mean of motivating students to work hard and pay off their student debt.
“If you are really interested in getting through school with little or no debt, nothing has basically changed,” Shuffield said.
Alsop suggests that students should consider going to a community college.
“Community college is so cheap compared to most four year colleges. (Students) could still go on to graduate from their four year college,” he said.
Junior Amber McLaughlin is considering just that.
Due to her parent’s divorce and hard economic times, McLaughlin has $9,500 left in the college fund for her and her brother.
“I really want to go to UT and I have the grades and everything to get in it, SAT scores and everything, but I can’t afford it,” McLaughlin said. “There is no other money for me other then what I make myself.”
To help save up money, McLaughlin takes Co-op. The class allows her to complete her school day at 12:30 p.m. and work the busiest shifts. Although she already works 25 to 35 hours a week, she hopes to graduate early next year so she can work at least 50 hours a week at Sonic and possibly get another job. Each week, McLaughlin puts $250 to $300 in her college fund and hopes to have $2,500 by the time she starts college. McLaughlin’s first semester at UT Austin will cost about $20,000, not even half of what she hopes to have saved by her freshman year.
“I work so hard, but I don’t have the money,” McLaughlin said. “College needs to be more affordable to the public. If you really put your heart into learning and really show a passion for it [colleges] should understand that.”
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Protests concerning rising tuition costs have started up around the world.
With a start up in Zuccotti Park in New York City, Occupy Student Debt is working in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement. The protesters are made up of those who feel they have no escape from their debt. Their main objectives are to make student loans interest-free, public tuition federally funded, and have a million people sign a petition to default on their loans in protest. Their website, occupystudentdebt.com says, “We were told to work hard and stay in school, and that it would pay off. We are not lazy. We are not entitled. We would give anything to pay our debt, but we are un(der)employed due to the job crises.”
Last year in the UK similar protests turned violent. On December 9 the British parliament voted to increase university tuition fees from £3,290 to £9,000, the equivalent of about $13,000. Rioters in London lit fires, smashed windows, and attacked a car carrying Prince Charles and his wife.
“Do I see that happening in America? No, because the government will just give people more money to go which perpetuates the problem,” Economics teacher Matthew Stoeberl said.
Stoeberl said that the current standard for education is that a college education should be available to everyone.
“A kid does not have to be a great student anymore to get into college,” Stoeberl said.
This along with the increase of financial aid, scholarships, and loans has also increased the number of students able to go.
“Everyone gets to go, and everyone can get money to go,” Stoeberl said. “The demand for college is skyrocketing and that’s driving up tuition prices.”
