Public higher education in the United States is undergoing radical change. The reasons and mechanisms by which this is occuring, however, are proceeding in a manner that is largely invisible to the public at large. Education, first and foremost, is being defunded at the insistence of economic elites — the very wealthy — as a part of their overall strategy to increase profits by drastically lowering the cost of human labor. Labor costs across all industries are being lowered by direct means through wage cuts and naked exploitation of workers (i.e. wage theft, demanding free labor). Costs are also being lowered through indirect means, which includes maintaining high levels of unemployment, cutting social welfare benefits, and cheapening/de-valuing public higher education. Such a process effectively “de-skills” the workforce and lowers living standards across the board.
Profits can, at the same time, be increased through lower tax assessments. This policy mechanism, however, not only reduces revenue streams and transfers the tax burden to the middle class, it results in cuts to public schools and other social welfare benefits. This is why we see cuts in higher education. In order to manage costs in this environment, colleges and universities use cheap labor — adjuncts, part-time faculty, and graduate assistants — to teach. Another way they do this is to cut back on student aid and raise tuition. These actions are taken as a direct response to states reducing appropriations for higher education. All of these trends, I might add, have been under way since the early 1970s and are well documented.
The public, however, appears to have largely bought into the argument that governments must help corporations prioritize profits over people (often subsidizing them with tax dollars/”corporate welfare”), because people are desperate for jobs. This occurs because “public opinion” has been and continues to be deliberately shaped — which is to say it is “manufactured” — to justify the policies of increasing profit, cutting labor costs, and reducing social welfare benefits along with the standard of living of the majority of the population. When working class and middle class people support policies that reduce taxes for the wealthiest among us, they are effectively transferring the tax burden onto their own backs. Accepting tax cuts means they are simultaneously accepting cuts to education, which requires them to dig deeper into their own pockets or use loans to make up the difference.
Statistics provided by BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and appear in an article published by Mother Jones Magazine, by Katie Rose Quandt, Wed Sep. 3, 2014.
Sources:
Check out the Guardian article on buying back student debt:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/13/occupy-wall-st-debt-buying-heart-capitalism
Also this Mother Jones Article:
College Has Gotten 12 Times More Expensive in One Generation
Discussion Questions:
What do you think about the issue of student debt and the public debates surrounding it? Do you think of education as a “market” where you, as a student, are purchasing a product (education in commodity form). In line with this logic, do you think of education as an individual benefit that young (and not so young) people should pursue to the extent they can afford it? Or is education a community asset; one that society should make an investment in for reasons that it benefits society, so that no one among us would be denied education because they do not have enough money to pay?
How does student debt presently impact your life? Is it something that you worry about? If so, how does it relate to your decision making in regards to your future, i.e. purchasing material goods like a car or a house?
How is student debt related to university cooperation with policing organizations? Can you see how and why they have formed an alignment of sorts, working together to target and suppress student populations? What structural comparisons might you make between prisons and universities?
How might you employ Marx’s theories on social inequality to explain the material circumstances of your life with regard to student loan debt?
Why is the public/private binary not well suited to account for the different socio-economic dynamics that characterize developments in regards to education in the United States?
As a college student this topic really irritates me a lot. We are raised by the school system and taught that going to college is the best way to secure your future, however the cost may not be worth it. As a college student i have taken out loans that i know as of right now is not really hurting me but once i graduate i am going to regret. Students become in debt once they enter college. How is a student ever suppose to be successful in life if they’re always going to be in debt, on top of everything once a college student graduates with lets say a masters or even a bachelors there’s no gurantee that he/she will have a job. The loans will keep increasing and the student will be more and more in debt where is going to jeopardize them in owning their own house, property and even a car. i don’t understand why education isn’t free, or just cheaper!
Student debt is my favorite topic to talk about because it’s the one that I can most directly relate to as a student. I have been working since I was 14 years old just to be able to support myself all the way through school. It was my goal to not have to take out any loans that would pile on and then just feel like a huge burden once I graduated. Working a full time job has been very difficult for me especially with learning time management and finding time for everything. Not only does having to pay your way through school on your own effect your school work but it effects how quickly you can graduate and get a better paying job.
From my experience there’s very few students that can afford to not work while they are in school, either they have taken out loans or their parents have paid for their schooling. My fear with taking out a loan is what if I don’t find a job right after graduation, the loans will always be there. The longer the loans are put off the more impact that has to your credit score which you also need in your adult life to be in good standing if you want future loans for; car or home.
The idea that I am paying for each class does give me a certain drive, though. Which counters my argument but I feel it is necessary to include. The fact that the same class given at two different institutions could be significantly different in price is what I don’t understand. Am I paying for a better professor? A nicer classroom? A better education? The fact that such a thing as Financial Aid exists and I am considered to be in a high income class and can not receive any aid whereas in a previous article i read that I was considered to be in the lower to middle class just shows where the issue really stems from. I’d have to basically be not working at all just to qualify for financial aid. I have been able to get an excellent education at Hunter all while not going into debt and not starting a life with loans, but that is only because I still live with my parents. Not having to consider rent in my monthly budget has been the only way i could’ve managed school on my own.
Student debt is my favorite topic to talk about because it’s the one that I can most directly relate to as a student. I have been working since I was 14 years old just to be able to support myself all the way through school. It was my goal to not have to take out any loans that would pile on and then just feel like a huge burden once I graduated. Working a full time job has been very difficult for me especially with learning time management and finding time for everything. Not only does having to pay your way through school on your own effect your school work but it effects how quickly you can graduate and get a better paying job.
From my experience there’s very few students that can afford to not work while they are in school, either they have taken out loans or their parents have paid for their schooling. My fear with taking out a loan is what if I don’t find a job right after graduation, the loans will always be there. The longer the loans are put off the more impact that has to your credit score which you also need in your adult life to be in good standing if you want future loans for; car or home.
The idea that I am paying for each class does give me a certain drive, though. Which counters my argument but I feel it is necessary to include. The fact that the same class given at two different institutions could be significantly different in price is what I don’t understand. Am I paying for a better professor? A nicer classroom? A better education? The fact that such a thing as Financial Aid exists and I am considered to be in a high income class and can not receive any aid whereas in a previous article i read that I was considered to be in the lower to middle class just shows where the issue really stems from. I’d have to basically be not working at all just to qualify for financial aid. I have been able to get an excellent education at Hunter all while not going into debt and not starting a life with loans, but that is only because I still live with my parents. Not having to consider rent in my monthly budget has been the only way i could’ve managed school on m own.
As children we’re told that America is the land of opportunity. We are told, that everyone has equal opportunities for higher education. Unfortunately, when it comes to applying for colleges we are faced with the issue of money. The weight of the almighty dollar forces students to take out large loans to pay for their education. Higher education is all but mandatory for pursuing a career and institutions take advantage. Education has become marketed to the point where many students don’t have a choice, but to take out loans simply to be given a chance to live out their dreams. Students are then forced to settle for less, in order to begin paying off their crushing debt. Alleviating the pressure should be at the forefront of our government’s agenda. Education should be made available to everyone regardless of their socio-economic status. The almighty dollar shouldn’t determine a person’s place in life, rather than their intelligence and work ethic.
As long as universities keep making more and more money, debt for college students will always be prevalent. Unlike public schools, where everyone can attend because we all pay taxes, college is a more highly selective and competitive market. It’s hard to promote class mobility and equal opportunity for everyone through college. You need college to get a good job, at least 95% of the time. Even with services like FASFA and student aid help, students from lower income families who are looking to move their family up in the class system often fall into unsurmountable debt. Even after you pursue your degree you are still not guaranteed employment which is very discouraging alone, but most of th jobs you do land are very low in salary, if they’re paying you at all! If there was a “safety net” feature through each university that assists you in landing a job after your education, it would make it a lot easier for college students, or possible applicants, to see a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ so to speak. As of now, were 16,17,18 year olds that are basically making the choice of where you want to further your knowledge and how much are you willing to pay for it the rest of your life: a tough choice to make at such a young age.
I think that student debt is a big impact in a person’s life because once you graduate from college; you are now stuck with paying off the loans with interest. People may not worry about student loan as they are attending the school but in the future, they will have a huge burden and maybe stress on their decision- making on certain things. It can affect the future because instead of finally earning money to start saving for a car, a house, etc. You are now working off the debt and that can also limit your freedom such as hanging out with your friends, food shopping, or even choosing where to live. I just think that student debts are cruel because students around the world are stuck in their debt and are unable to have certain freedom.
When graduating from college you move forward and backwards at the same time. You move forward by finally achieving the degree you need for your profession, however you backtrack because of all the debt you racked up trying to acquire that piece of paper that qualifies you. I thought I was poor before I got into college, but now I realize I had no idea what poor actually meant. My idea of poor was having a few dollars in my wallet, that was optimistic thinking. Now I know what its like to have a negative balance. It is like working your hardest just to break even. Your goal isn’t a positive number, it is zero. You are working to owe nothing. Your motivation to work is at an all time low knowing you can work really hard but you are not really making any money, you are working to not owe any.
Being in debt could now eventually become a legal issue. If a student is unable to pay their college debt they do not have a lot of options. Declaring bankruptcy at an early age will set newly graduated students even further back in life and taking in another loan to pay for your college debt loan is just stacking debt.
This problem with college debt happens because a decade or two ago the jobs you needed a bachelors in, you now need a masters. Also, colleges have gotten more expensive, their are some colleges like Rider University that are about 50,000 dollars without scholarships.
Getting a job after you get your degree is not a walk in the park either. Just because you have a degree does not guaranteed you will be hired right on the spot. This causes young adults with college degrees to have to work at places like Mc Donald’s just to have a small source of income to account for their debt while they attempt to get their dream job for their degree. Just because they don’t have a job, does not mean the debt will disappear without paying it.
Student debt greatly impacts my life, since I am paying for college on my own. Because of this I make efforts to conserve money by commuting everyday even though it is a far distance, just to save myself some burden in the future. It has also made me want to work through college to better prepare myself for later, due to this I go right from school every week day and work Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Student debt is something that I worry about mainly because I plant to become an elementary school teacher and I am constantly reminded that it is hard to get a job, which adds to my stress that I associate with student debt. It effects my future since I have the mentality that I am going to be in debt for a while. On the other hand it won’t really affect me since my parents would love to have me stay at home while I work out of college to pay off my debt if I can, which can make things easier since I would not have to pay an extreme amount of money for rent.
Student Debt is the inevitable for most when attending a four year institution. At this moment in time, I am not and do not worry about my student loans because there’s no sense stressing about them now when i have three more years of schooling left. However, I know that once I graduate, they will be an extreme burden especially because I will be attending law school. Student loans will definitely impact my spending in the future. I do have high hopes in purchasing a home and a car, but knowing just how much debt I may have at the end of my educational endeavors will alter my ability in achieving those goals. I don’t believe that education should be so expensive. After all, growing up you are taught that education is the key to success. Why make it impossible to obtain that key?
As of right now, student debt isn’t a big concern of mine because I’m focusing on learning now instead of worrying about the future. It is something I’ve kept in the back of my mind for a little while now and it is something to be concerned about. Once I’ve graduated college, paying off student debt is something that will impact my spending. I have to make a budget so that I don’t overspend while keeping all of my necessities and gradually paying off my student debt. Because of this, universities are feeling less like school and more like banks than anything else.
As a student with the desire to study social work and pursue a career in the field, I get criticized at any family event for attending such an expensive school to study something that “won’t make that much money.” I would also like to attend grad school for social work, my dream school being NYU which costs almost twice the cost to attend Rider. This would leave me in a plethora of debt which would seem almost impossible to pay off. However, social work at NYU helps to put their students in programs of which their future employment place helps to pay off their student debt. This would be extremely helpful, but to the majority of students out there, this is not the case. So, for example, with out my family knowing that this would be a possibility for me, they think it is ridiculous that I would ever consider studying something that will not make me a lot of money and would have my undergrad student debt be considered impossible to pay off. It feels degrading to me to be put in this type of position when I truly feel that social work is the right career path for me. Unfortunately, with the continuous rise in college tuition, it is making it extremely difficult for students who are even studying a field that is in demand of workers to be able to afford this type of education. If college tuition continues to go up, and the regular working salary of white collar jobs does not, we may run into some serious career problems in the near future.
I believe that student debt is out of control. The employment industry is forcing people to continue their schooling past the high school level in order to get a “better” paying job. Unfortunately for many students this is a empty promise and the reason for this is because upon graduating with a associates, bachelors, or even a masters degree students are getting stuck with a debt that they will be working the rest of their life to pay. Personally student debt doesn’t have that much of an effect on me now because I attend a CUNY and receive financial aid, but it did impact what school I decided to go to for college. Originally I wanted to go away for college and have the whole “college experience” where you dorm away from home the year and return home for the holidays. Although due to the high cost of college tuition, I was stuck staying at home and attending college. This was not my dream to stay at home and go to college but due to the higher education cost, I had no other choice except take out a loan and bury myself in debt (which was something I wasn’t ever going to do). Even attending a CUNY can get pricey when it comes to commuting, buying books, buying school supplies, and purchasing food on a daily basis. The costs of being a college student is so unreasonable that in order to pay for college, you need to already have a decent job with steady hours (unless your parents pay for you). You can apply for financial aid but in order to do that you need to be considered a full time student which means taking a minimum of 12 credits a semester, which is hard for some people to do because of their current jobs which they can’t afford to lose because these jobs are their own ways of providing for themselves. Due to some individual’s work schedules, they are unable to take the minimum of 12 credits which forces them come out of pocket for college. I feel as if college should be more affordable if not free for everyone, there are other countries in the world that offer free education past high school, why can’t we? Especially if a bachelors degree now a days can be considered as equivalent to a high school degree.
I think its a little unfair that students like us try to do our part go to college, yet it seems like its almost impossible for recet graduates to get a decent job in that field. How are we suppose to pay off our student loans when we cant finda job. The reality of it all is that attending school is expensive and some people cant afford it. As the years go by it becomes more expensive almost making it impossible for students to be debt free. The college tuition keeps increase yet the minimum wage cant go up. education should be free to everyone like it was a long time ago, or atleast making it affordable for everyone to attend. look at all these professionals in certain fields that have good jobs but are still trying to pay off their student debt. I think if everyone was able to attend college for free, we would be able to focus more on school and being able to compete with other countries ,instead of us focusing on student debt and how we will pay it to prevent getting a high interest rate.
Debt is scary and can deteoritate people from even wanting to attend higher education to begin with. I think that tuition overall should be lowered, as a matter of fact it should be free. I can’t say it can never happen but the possibility of it ever happening is very slim. Amazing how you can go to other countries such as Germany which implemented free college to US students, yet this country can’t do that for their own people living and working here. I think higher education is important and is really beneficial for anyone who wants to possibly improve their quality of life. With that being said, at the sametime the thought of going to school as loans pile up and then working off year later to pay them off seems disappointing. I know people who are still paying loans off and they are in their riper ages in their careers, it very sad and discouraging to hear such things. You go to school for almost half your life and then end of working the rest of it paying off for all it. Not saying that everyone has that problem, we know the wealthy doesn’t but everyday working class people do. Depending how far you make or what you go into that will bring in enough money to subtain a well to do life can sometimes not even help pay off all that past debt.
I believe that education can be an individual benefit to all people because there is much to learn in college that you may not learn in the real world. I feel that because the community has made it such an important asset, knowing that not many people can afford it, they should make more of an investment towards getting an education so that more and more people can. The whole higher education system works like a system because they require that you pursue and education, make it expensive so that you more likely to be in debt after graduation, which forces you to get a job that will help you pay off the dept. But as mentioned in this post, the benefits of labor are decreasing. Thankfully I have not had experience with student debt YET because of financial aid but I know some one who can barely afford to take care of herself because she still has to pay off her loans years after graduating.
The information you provided about student debt was an eye-opener. As you stated, when working class and middle class people support policies that reduce taxes for the wealthiest among us, they are effectively transferring the tax burden onto their own backs. Accepting tax cuts means they are simultaneously accepting cuts to education, which requires them to dig deeper into their own pockets or use loans to make up the difference. I did not realize this outcome. The economic elites are greedy, selfish people only looking out for themselves while worsening the economic conditions of our society. With their power and influence, policies are created to favor only them however, if ideas of helping the poor are suggested, they won’t allow it. This ideology exists to keep them in power and control the less fortunate. Ideally, we are taught people should help people but it doesn’t happen in the way which makes a difference. When you ask do you think of education as a “market” where you, as a student, are purchasing a product (education in commodity form) or do you think of education as an individual benefit that young (and not so young) people should pursue to the extent they can afford it or is education a community asset; one that society should make an investment in for reasons that it benefits society, so that no one among us would be denied education because they do not have enough money to pay, it depends on the persective. Ideally, education should be a community asset; one that society should make an investment in for reasons that it benefits society, so that no one among us would be denied education because they do not have enough money to pay but as we see this is not happening. Sadly, education is an individual benefit that young (and not so young) people pursue to the extent they can afford it. This largely decreases education to many people and just equips them with the basic skills that will get them no where in mordern society. Highly skilled workers are preferred and make decent money but at least a college education is required. As far as universities cooperating with these policy organizations is all about profit. It seems like businessmen have taken over universities instead of educators. As we know, universities which cost more money will educate you better than cheaper ones so even the education learned depends on how much you can pay. Corporations and businesses want people who went to “good” schools so its all about money. It is interesting to understand what is going on because people are so clueless. I can see how peoples ideals could change if one becomes rich just to make it in this world. If one keeps up with the ideal way of thinking where evrything should be fair for all, the rich will laugh in your face and kick you out of their social circle and in order to maintain your wealth and status, one must conform with the roles and ideas of those in your class. How will we change then? As Marx highlights, this will not happen within the top, change can only happen with the people in the bottom. We need to say enough is enough.
Lower the cost of Labor has always been the goal of the rich and wealthy but for them to also cut welfare benefits, how do they expect people to survive? On top they are devaluing education. This seems a plan to bring back slavery. They do not want to pay a penny for employed people.
What do you think about the issue of student debt and the public debates surrounding it? Student debt is a problem for the person that is trying to survive and succeed in this country. I owe 50,000 worth of student loan. When I get out of college, garnishments are going to be high. I wonder if I will be able to pay my rent while paying a debt. I also wonder if I will be able to pay all that money, if I will owe t hem forever because after you are finished with college than the interest kicks in and the debt increases every month. Education is now a business owned by millionaires and it benefits the community as a whole. But how far can we go? I am definitely worry about how can this affect my life when it comes to purchasing a home and a car. I mean if I cannot pay my debt than this probably will affect my credit. I can see how they have formed an alignment of sort to suppress students. They do not want any of us to progress and they will do anything to keep us down.
Marxism implies that the only way capitalism thrives is through the exploitation of the working class.
Slavery and the exploitation of the working class are not very much different from each other.
Student debt is major and frightening in todays society. On one hand investing in your education is great but on the other if there are no means to invest; what do you do? Loans yes are an option if your qualified but at the same time loans are a trap. No one wants to be stuck with loans after accomplishing their degree. Sadly, a lot of individuals are stuck paying school loans after graduation. Some may take years and I think that’s what students don’t realize, that once you graduate and the Department of Education adds the taxes, paying back this loan is going to take quite some time. Especially in todays economy when jobs with fields of practice are still hard to find.
Yes I believe that student debt affects you to purchase a house because if there is no payment it hits your credit and if you are making payments, more than likely is going to be hard to balance mortgage with other expenses.
I believe that education is being used as a profit and not in the interest of students or communities when it should be affordable to everyone especially those who have to pay out of pockets and those that don’t qualify for financial aid.
Education is the key to success! My teachers and family always told me if you want your own house, car, or a decent salary then you need a college degree. so, I always had in mind I’m going to college to receive a degree that would land me in a job I want. However, not thinking college would be so expensive, there is no guarantee you would get the job you majored in, and your likely to be in crazy loan debt. It’s just ridiculous each year they want to raise tuition yet job salaries are still low. Sometimes I think what is the point in continuing your degree from BA to Masters. Then again, in this country you can’t go far without a college degree. Unless you create something society would continue to use that would make you into a billionaire then college debt won’t be a problem. Only if it was that easy….
Student debt is and will always be a big issue in our society. I wish education was free however, reality is it will never be. Our country is based on capitalism, its literally all about the money, nothing else. It is pretty sad that there are so many people who wish to pursue a career and can not due to financial issues. There are people like myself who refuse to apply for any type of loan they rather pay out of pocket or not attend at all. What blows my mind is that even after you pursue your degree you are still not guaranteed employment which is very discouraging. If you had some type of guarantee that after you finish you would have a secure job things would be different. They should come up with some type of plan for those who attend college to ease off the stress of student loans.
Student debt is an issue that affects a lot of people who are either in college or have finished college. I have a student debt to pay off and I find it to be very overwhelming. I am the type of person who does not like to owe money and pay my stuff off then and there. We all as students want the best education possible, but sometimes cannot afford it. Financial aid helps but its never guaranteed that you will have financial aid throughout your years in college. My dream was to go away for college and have the experience of getting an education and to dorm with a roommate. When I calculated my expenses and what I would be paying off in the near future. My debt would have been sky high and probably would have been paying my debt off forever. Even to get a job is difficult. Unemployment rate increases and so does tuition. If education was free, it would be an advantage to everyone. Most people pull back because they do not want to owe or feel like college is too stressful for them. In my opinion, knowledge gets you everywhere and if college had been free, I feel as though more people would get involved. Student debt is going to continue to be an issue and it stresses peoples lives because they have other responsibilities living paycheck to paycheck.
Student debt is almost inevitable and not avoidable for students similar to myself. It is really sad that college degrees have become a necessity for getting any type of decent paying job in our society; yet college tuition is so unaffordable. Its like a constant lose lose battle we face. Student debt and high tuition rates have personally effected me and the time it has taken me to finish getting my bachelors. I can completely see how this is all apart of the “1%” plan to continue to keep their success and keep others from progressing.
Student debt is bad to have and its horrible to admit in having. I remember when I was in high school, my gym teacher told me that he is still paying off his debt mind you he was in his 40s at the time. yes eventhough he finished his education, and was a good teacher, it was striking to know that he was still in debt and paying it off.. I have no student debt just credit card debt yes I know its bad also. I decided when i started my college education to pay what i can afford..even if it meant to take part time classes rather then ft..yes this is my last semester (hopefully)and I have no loan,,i use the sallie mae option where I pay monthly. I work ft and have bills rent etc., so this is what works for me. I have a friend who finished her degree last year and not only does she has a debt that is close to a salary yet she is currently working part time and is looking for a good paying job, which is difficult already due to the fact that for every job their are at least 20 people applying for that job, so now the competition is higher compared to before..its sad and depressing at times.because I think in the long wrong is it all worth it..I have learned that networking is important and this should be taught..how not to be in debt, and offer opportunities for minorites..which I dont see any. I hope that this changes..
I do think that America is starting to make education a product and it is becoming devalued. Even so, I still do believe that students should invest in it even if they cant afford it because they will have more opportunities with an education than without one. I think education is both an individual and community asset because people that receive an education often give back to the communities they come from. Student debt is something that I do worry about going forward, because in order to attend a well known college after receiving my Bachelors I would have to take out loans to pay expensive tuition rates. I think tuition should be made more affordable and student’s in public schools and college should receive high quality education at reasonable rates.
I agree with you that education is important and in order to compete for jobs you need to have college education. We will all have to take out student loans for our Masters because the way it’s going, tuition will sky rocket. I hope too that tuition should be made more affordable and student’s in public schools and college should receive high quality education at reasonable rates.
I believe that education is a collective investment. I believe this because with a degree people are allowed to access jobs they simply aren’t able to attain with just a high school diploma. Also, higher education not only brings knowledge but also skills. Many majors have hand on experience. Higher education is meant to prepare students for the real world. Implementing budget cuts on education is unfair. Increasing tuition rates is only preventing students from attaining a degree. Not all students have access to financial aid. Just because parents have a high income doesn’t always mean that they are willing to help with their child’s education. Some parents want their children to pay for their own education. Higher education is becoming a market in which those in charge try to seek revenue in other means. We have to consider that higher education, for example CUNY use to be free. We need to think about what happened from then until now to change that. Education is an investment not only for the individual but society at large. If we create a society where education is hard to attain where would our doctors or lawyers be? Higher education is becoming a system that many few graduate without loans. Student loans impact my life because it is what prevents me from going straight to graduate school. I rather work a few years, gain experience and know what I want to do then to go straight to grad school. This will allow me to pay for my masters out of my own pocket and for the realisation that I know I won’t have to pay anything back. I am extremely afraid of student loans because you end up paying back way more than you even borrowed. I understand that tax on loans is necessary but student loans are the only type of loan you can’t declare bankruptcy on. I believe that if student loans weren’t taxed we can have better outcomes.
I agree with this post for variant reasons, mostly those referring to the student debt and the new found purpose of higher education – more specifically ‘Public’ higher education in this new aged society. As discussed a few weeks ago within Social Analysis, the purpose of education (higher education), no longer holds the same values that it once did. As it truly did used to be a place for those of great desire to learn and gain more insight into their interests, it has somehow suddenly become a giant mirage / curtain of success – that if you pull this curtain back, and try hard enough – that this truly is the only way to success and making something greater of yourself; education, paying for the best education and basking in it. Education now walks in tandem to amounting to anything, and that is the problem. People are desperate, and people are filled with big dreams, people are filled with big goals – but what they don’t understand is that the government truly is taking advantage of the situation by continuing to raise costs of education, lowering the wages of employees and from that point garnering money, while students stagger and struggle through payment for college in knowing that they can’t afford it – but in the high hopes that they will eventually be able to pay it back off once their education is completed. It went from completing their Baccalaureate Degree, to having to complete a Masters. The competition is rising – so everyone strives for that next level in debt, and because of this, the debt rate is rising; this is constant schooling without proper employment. America is making people think, that high education is the way to go (and it is) – but, there is a catch; they are being prepared for a world that doesn’t exist – and with that, debt grows, interest grows – and payments sometimes are never paid in a lifetime. Debt is a terrible thing, a form of power, control and restriction on society as a whole – particularly the less privileged with aspirations for upward mobility; and that is a lot of people, sometimes even those that want to maintain their current class rank in society.
Soc 201-GGJ, CUNY York.
As higher education became a part of society, more and more people have and still are attending college today. From the late 1900’s to present day today, the tuition costs of colleges have skyrocketed. Many people finish college today and can’t pay back their school loans because it is even hard to find a job with a college degree today. “A diploma alone is not a strategy.”
Student debt is one of the scariest things.
Its like a bad joke. You have the desire to have a great career, but you do not have the money. In some cases the welfare of the state allots you some money if you are deprived just enough. But in the case that you want better for your life and you or your family make a little bit of money the aides will not consider you worthy and will then recommend that you take out a loan. When you do decide to take out this loan, you are obligated to pay it back regardless of the measure of success your time in school has provided you with.
So you took the loan and can’t get a job. What are you supposed to do?
Student loans are so fraudulent, it is really sad because only people who really want to move up in society and change class use them. The fact of the matter is the odds are staked so greatly against them that even if they get a “good” job, the student loan will forever hover over their heads.
Student loans are the devil!
Its so shocking that buying a house was considered an expense, now today we view our education as an expense. Education should be a community asset; one that society should make an investment in for reasons that it benefits society, so that no one among us would be denied education because they do not have enough money to pay. Why is it that some countries value education more that they decided to make it cost free? In my opinion education is beneficial for society’s progression and advancement in technology. On the other hand in the U.S. young adults are putting off college or dropping out due to financial hardships. Student debt affects equal opportunities because not everyone can afford to ivy league schools. Education is becoming a commodity that its being marketed everywhere whether its online or on television, and for those that value the prestige and reputation of a school if the price is right and you can or can not afford it that’s where students loans come into play. Now a days unemployment rates are as high as tuition costs making the American Dream something hard to come by. A BA is considered the same as a HS diploma, this makes it more scary to consider obtaining a degree and if you do job salaries in the U.S. do not even match up to a person’s student loan debts. To me this is another form of ponzi scheme by keeping the 1% on top through power and control.
I think student debt plays an important role and has a huge impact on many students lives. This is because education has become a priority in today’s society and if you are pursuing a career which has good job opportunities then taking a student loan is like an investment. It relates to our decision making in regards to the future because if you have a secure job with a good salary then achieving the “American dream” or buying other material good such as a car would be possible. In order to have a successful job, one needs higher degree education and relevant experience. So I think getting an education is very important. It is true that private colleges are expensive and can put students heavily into debt; however CUNY/SUNY schools are great because they offer a variety of academic programs and are also affordable. Marx’s theory on social inequality can be used to explain the material circumstances of life with regard to student loan debt because not everyone can afford to go to private colleges or Ivy League schools. The student attending the Ivy League colleges usually come from rich families or have families who have attended these colleges. Thus an individual who comes from a middle class or poor socio economic background, it is very difficult to get admission into these schools. Our opportunity in terms of where we pursue our education is limited. Although educational opportunities are not equal here in the United States, I believe that it is important that we continue to pursue higher education.
Student loan debt is a big issue both politically and locally. Each States has different policies and Grants put in place to alleviate this situation. Every State has a CUNY/STATE college which is every affordable compared to the staggering amount of $50,000-$200,000 which some students owed. A college education is a very good investment a student can every made in his/her self. It last for a life time and once applied smartly it can make a student very productive and financially secure in society. However a student should do some research and ensure that the career which he/she chooses is in demand and pays a satisfactory salary. A student loan is a good debt compared to credit card and a car loan and the rate is much cheaper. A student should think carefully about private college vs. CUNY/STATE college if the loan is going to be a burden before borrowing.
No debt is good especially if you cannot get rid of it. It affects you purchasing a home and car. If you are working then its an embarrassment that your employer has to garnish your check in order to pay that debt. The problem also with student debt is that you cannot get rid of it. Credit cards in ten years you are clear but student debts stay forever and they will go after you.
Student loan debt is a big issue in the United States, but an education is a very important investment anyone can acquire. It is something that last a lifetime and if you applied it properly when you get it you can be very successful and productive in society. Every state has different guidelines and policies on financial aides, and there are also CUNY or state college in most states which is every affordable, so if a student borrow money it should not be a lot compared to what some people owed today, over $50,000 to $200,000 which is excessive and should be taken in consideration before you borrowed as there are CUNY and STATE colleges that major in any career you think of or want to pursue.
Whenever one finished college, they are stepping into the career world where they start to earn money. Later, they are going to need a car, house and other valuable commodities which they are going to be more likely have to borrow money on, which is not a big issue as student loan.
My advice is that it is OK to borrow money for your education because it is a very good investment and a good debt. However, a student should make sure that the career major he/she chooses is demanding and pays a satisfactory salary that he/she will satisfy with.
I did not know the severity of student debt and student loans in the United States. It’s even more unbelievable how the West Coast of the country has lower debt than the East Coast. So many students graduate with degrees and with debt. But with all of these debts so many of us are still unable to get a decent paying job to pay off the debts we owe. Working at jobs then we are over qualified for but barely making what we entitled to make. I wonder sometimes is college manufactured a certain way in order to keep certain people, another form of social control? Making school more difficult for us to attend by raising the tuition every semester. In my opinion college should be called money because with money us as people would not even be able to look at a classroom. Even those who are on financial aid deal with certain debts and issues as well. I feel that education should be open to all, not a way of life.
I think that the government/loan agencies are using college education as a means of profit and not for the progress of society. people who are pursing college education are the future of the country and if debt or the fear of being in debt is going to have future student hesitant to go to college or pursue multiple degrees. education is now a market for profit for people who give loans, where education is a product and we as student are consuming the product of “Education” and making large investment for the possibility of a better life. But its not always guarantee that
this investment is going to pay out more and more people are not able to afford education which can lead to less people going school and more people finding alternative ways to get a better job.
I personally don’t have any student debt because York college is affordable for me but my Brother and sister have taken out student loans and they tell me they are less likely to purse education after a bachelor degree because of the debt they are in. I think college debt are being use to have middle class people stay in the economic status they started school in and not have any significant financial or economic growth in the future for the student who cant afford it. school should be to help student like myself to get a better life but its just use as a mean of profit for the people who loan the money.
I love the the symbolism potryaed in the picture the “unemployed superhero” and the Chains. you are influenced heavily on the importance of education is is promoted everywere yet the sucess stories these days are rare. you dont hear about the many opportunities after college all you hear relating to geting a eductation is The debt rates, the lack of jobs, and how collge grads take even longer to become established having trouble moving out on there own or moving back in the household because they can barely afford to pay all there exspenses. The debt from college is the highest exspense most college grads have. The amount of time it takes to find a job is scary. i believe going to college should be a task taken realistically by choosing the most inexspensive way because you never know what the outcome is going to be. i do believe colleges are set up to benefit the rich. its more of a buisness thats trying to progress consistently but by not doing great things for their employers being the students. College is now an investment you hope you get lucky off of. its a gamble yoy spend all this time and money but you might not be a winner at the end of it all by it paying off and geting into a good career. Its very discouraging and unfair that you work hard and recieve so little. i believe its all about luck and trying to get in wherever you can. its just another process in life that requires time more time then anyone would like.
The ideology that hard work pays off it’s absolutely far away from reality. The principle of the American dream it is capitalist built. Opportunities are limited every single day. High demand in education level and low work opportunities are leaving an huge percent of the society away from accomplishing their goals and reaching “the American dream”. People are loosing faith about a better life people don’t even take a time to dream in a society where being successful seems impossible to reach.
I agree. In many countries educational support programs for less wealthy families have been set up, to make it easier to bear the costs of education. in U.S According to Timothy Egan a person with a college degree could expect to earn 81 percent more than a person of the same age with just a high school diploma but it seems that the value of education qualification diminishes in proportion to the number of people who acquire it. as the number of graduates increases, young people with higher education qualification are forced to take less attractive and lower paid jobs in order to survive.
I feel that student debt is major issue in our society today. Many students are unable to pay their tuition and are forced to change career paths or to just drop out of college. Not only does it affect students in college but students who graduated from college as well. One example of this is medical school students who complete medical school and have to pay hundreds of thousand of dollars in loans after. I think education is a major market now, students invest so much money into school, and this money sometimes is never returned. After you graduate college, your not guaranteed a job. I think education at the college level is really to build your credentials. We are in the age of the Internet, where you can learn everything online or by simply reading a book. The education system is a system that forces people to go into debt similar to the health system. Both systems lure people in, making them seem like they get assistance, but once there finish, they slam them with a huge bill.
In my opinion the occupy Wall Street Movement created awareness on the problem of student debts. Loans created more debt for students and it puts them in a never ending cycle of paying off debt. This cycle prevents them from earning and real capital which would aid in helping them achieve wealth. From this perspective student loans do much to hinder college students from achieving. Many students are forced to choose between life essentials and paying their student loans which is counterproductive. The very reason they have a college education or are working toward one is to have the ability to do something better with their lives however that becomes increasing difficult when they are hampered by student loans. The amount of money these loans are causing will cause many other potential studentsto lament going to college because they have to work even harder to pay off their debts once they do get a “good job”.
I am college student with student loans and it scares me to see high unemployment rates, and also the increase in tuition cost. This at times can cause you to second guess or reconsider going onto grad school due to the fact that you can’t afford it or spend years of your life paying tuition debt off. Our degrees are suppose to help us gain upward mobility in society and also help us improve society but how can this be done if students are graduating and not finding jobs or not being able to afford rising tuition cost. I would love for college education to be free but realistically that isn’t going to happen but at least make it more affordable. Also stop the divide between schools and students, which causes students that can’t afford certain schools to have to settle for a cheaper watered down education.
Currently, I have no student debt but when I applied to college the fear of debt was one of the reasons that made me hold back on applying to private schools or even thinking about the possibility of living on campus. I also fear the debt that I will have when I decide to further my education and pursue my masters degree. Will I be able to afford a car, house, etc? All these worries sometimes make me not even want to pursue an education.
The fear of debt restricts people. It holds people back from living their life and pursuing their dreams because the thought of having to pay thousands of dollars for an education is not worth it. I believe that life shouldn’t be this way. Why should I not pursue my dreams because I don’t have money? Why should I have to go to a public school because I don’t have money? and Why should people who have more money then me, go to a better ranked school then me and get a higher education then me just because they have more money? Why are they allowed to have a better lifestyle then me? It makes no sense to me. We may have the same potential but just the fact that they have more money makes them a better applicant.
The fact that we have to pay thousands of dollars for an education and are not guaranteed a job also grinds my gears. I know plenty of people with bachelors and masters degrees who work in Mcdonald’s, shopping malls, etc. If I am paying so much money for my education and investing all the time into my education do you think I want to be making burgers at Mcdonald’s or having to go live with my parents when I’m 30 years old? Absolutely not!
People always grow up with the mentality that you have to go to school, and get a job and then you’ll be successful but that again is total B.S. What if I don’t want to live paycheck to paycheck. I believe schools lack financial education. Schools teach us things that will help us get a job but working for other people. So if schools are only teaching me how to work for others and not better myself why should I invest money in something that doesn’t guarantee me success but guarantees the success of someone else. I want to be secured that I won’t get fired or laid off because if any of that happens I won’t have money and with no money your basically nothing which sucks. The fact that the world revolves around money and in order to be successful or get a education you need money is sad. Why must some people be better then others just because of their financial status?
I will start by saying that I do not see education as a commodity. I feel that a right to a free education for everyone in this country (at least K-12) is what distinguishes us from less developed countries. I could get teary eyed on a soapbox about girls in other countries who are refused an education, and how that effects their lives as women and furthermore how it effects the socio-economic status of their countries. For that matter, for men, women, and countries alike where education is made available, poverty decreases. Knowledge is not only power, it is food, shelter, and expendable income. However, the degree to which education is influential in social mobility has changed in our country, and our existing educational system is flailing, if not failing. Specifically, as was pointed out in the assigned articles: student debt.
I think the general population of country has accepted that being in debt. Student debt, in particular, is an accepted norm. However, I was not raised that way. My family valued paying in cash when and wherever possible. My grandparents paid for their houses and cars in cash, and if they didn’t have the money they simply wouldn’t buy one. While my parents had a mortgage and car loans (all paid off early), my father was adamant that we would not take out loans for college.
I lived my life relatively debt free up until this point. I left college when I was 19 due to overwhelming personal challenges. I should have returned, but I didn’t know what I wanted to be and furthermore, I worked my way up the corporate ladder in retail without my degree. However, last year, I returned to college because I finally realized that I was miserable working in corporate retail. Despite my success, at company after company (even those who claimed to be “socially responsible”) I found myself disgusted with business practices, the impossible workload and how the employees were treated. I decided that living in debt for the rest of my life was preferable to being depressed and anxious for the rest of my life. When I graduate, my debt will likely be double the high range of debt on the posted maps when I am done, not because of my tuition, but because of my living expenses and medical insurance. While I have considered moving somewhere else less expensive to live, the cost of a similar education somewhere outside of CUNY would likely balance out to the same amount of debt.
I feel nauseous, as I do every time I think about my debt for too long because I am 38 years old. I wonder how will I ever pay this off and… own a home or save for retirement? When I have these moments, I wonder if I should have just stayed unhappy and uneducated: stuck in an unfulfilling career? Chained to my desk, feeling moral discomfort about unethical decisions was forced to make or execute? Revolted by managements uninspiring or simply moronic leadership or business practices? Unable to take a vacation or even a weekend off for fear of letting a ball drop? The uneasiness about my future and debt, for me, is easier to live with than the life I was leading prior to last year. These are impossible decisions that no one, at any age should be forced to make particularly without fully understanding exactly what they are getting into.
My hope is that I will complete an LCSW, and become a private practice psychotherapist and volunteer some time every week at Battered Women’s Shelters. I will likely make the same amount of money helping people overcome dysfunction or difficulty as a therapist with 6+ years of training, as I did as a college dropout buying furniture for a corporation to resell to consumers on the Internet. I know a brilliant person with a BA, who was unable to complete their PhD for financial reasons, who is now making less than babysitters do working in retail management. My own anecdotal evidence that education no longer equal greater financial success or upward mobility, can easily be backed-up by a myriad of news articles about this. I found this one from Forbes, which was discussed on NPR this week.
The privileged, who can afford and get accepted to Ivy League colleges, undoubtedly receive a better education and the connections required to prosper in our society. They also go out into the world without student debt hanging over their heads. There are of course, the few hard working and bright students, who receive scholarships who receive the same opportunity. However, this is another way that the legacies of the 1%, remain the 1%. While the rest of us struggle to survive.
Would a Marxist view take on education be beneficial? Free education for all who want it and everyone receives the same quality of education? Perhaps yes, but this too could be problematic. What if people just stayed in school forever, obtaining diverse degrees in a myriad of majors? How would this effect the GDP? Would the incentive be to “be better” exist if there were no competition to be accepted into the best schools? A pure Marxist viewpoint on this issue would not work, but I do feel we could use a dollop or two of socialism in our recipe for education in this country.
While the opportunity for education is not equal and the USA’s current system is deeply flawed, I take some comfort in knowing that we at least we offer K-12 education to everyone, and that our government does in some small way subsidize higher education. However, this is the minimum we should be doing. We need a commitment to radical change on almost every front: the way we manage our schools, the way we teach, the way we measure success, the way we treat our teachers, the affordability of education, and the student loan system.