Student Debt. The tuition fee has increased significantly over the last 20 to 30 years

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Student Debt

The tuition fee has increased significantly over the last 20 to 30 years. It is normal for college learners or students to finance education via loans. Tuition is so expensive, and it is impossible for college students to finance learning by working. Consequently, many college students graduate with huge debts to settle. Debt from loans is a reality that students must accept. Majority trust that higher education or having a degree is worth the price because it results in higher earnings and good jobs.

Since the 1970s, annual costs for attending a four-year school have increased thrice compared to the inflation rate (Clemmit 6). The rates of savings decreasing and state grants to universities have significantly reduced. Presently, scholars from poorer and middle-income families have no access debts to finance their education. The last decade has experienced student loan binge. Presently, Americans owe about 600 billion dollars of college debt (Surowiecki 21). This burden is hard to bear in different circumstances because over 2 million graduates are underemployed and unemployed (Stigliz 14).

The roots of student debt are deep. These include recurrent demand for university education, at any price, and many easy to obtain loans, mainly from the central government. The origins of the borrowing spree have their basis in the 1980s. A time tuition levied for a four-year course started to increase at a rate higher than family earnings. For-profit institutions boomed by expending heavily on recruiting and marketing during 1990s. Despite some fraud and ethical lapses, enrollment doubled during the last decade. Approximately 11% of college learners are currently enrolled in for-profit institutions and get a quarter of national student grants and loans (Surowiecki 9).

Economists argue that increasing students’ debt lies on the economic revival for college graduates as well as indebted dropouts. A research on college graduates by Price (23) indicates that 40% of the respondents had delayed their major purchase, for instance a car or home, due to college debt. Additionally, the study found out that over a quarter of participants cancelled their studies or relocated to stay with their next of kin to save some cash.

The data from Education Department (13) indicates that loan repayments are made on merely 38% of the national students loans balance, down from 46% five years down the line. These balances are unsettled because many borrowers are in schools, have deferred payments or even completely stopped paying.

Economists after analyzing the available statistics do not foresee crash of the loan system. This would denote wholesale failure to pay. If one existed, it would be improbable to flow into the economy with similar devastating effects. Though currently larger than other purchasers’ debt as well as credit card, the loan balance for student remains less than mortgage market. The national government nearly provides all loans for students. This means banks are not affected that much.

Much as the mortgage dealers who pledged free borrowing to potential homeowners some years ago, most learning institutions never provided warnings regarding student debt within the pitch letters and glossy brochures mailed to potential students (Clemmit 16). Rather than, reading from similar booklets as for-profit institutions, they encouraged students never to worry regarding the costs. They argued most students will not pay the full fee.

College debt makes many students drop out of college. For instance, Ms. McGill had to stop her education at DeVry University due to lack of college fee. Moreover, a report by FBNW (Federal Reserve Bank of New York), about 13% of learner-credit borrowers owe over $50,000 and about 4% owe over $100,000. These debits are above ability of students to repay; this is due to soaring rates of default and delinquency.

Student debt deteriorated during the Great economic recession: costs of tuition in public universities rose by 27% in the last five years, partly due to cutbacks while median earnings reduced (Salcedo 12). In California, increase in prices adjusted tuition fee by more than twice within public two-year colleges and more than seventy percent within four-year colleges from 2007/2008- 2012/2013. With costs increasing, about $1 trillion, exceeded the sum of credit card debt in the previous year. Responsible US citizens have known how to control credit-card debit, but the problem of curbing student debit is more unsettling.

In addition, student debt is a delay on the recovery that started in 2009. The barriers to access higher education also hinder economic growth. It is a drag on recovery within the real estate, a sector in which Great economic recession begun. The effects of student debt may result into a chain of problems; slow technological growth, reduction in invention and innovation and increase, in poverty rates, just to mention a few.

In Du 80% of the students seek financial aid and about 80% to 85% of them take loans. There are different payment plans depending on the student’s program. The students do not pay their loan while in school, but they do afterwards when they secure full time jobs. The students, whose earnings are not enough, sign he deferral payment plan to process their loans based on their salary amount. Excellent students get government scholarships. The federal administration or the DU campus awards loans to students based on their needs. Loan application happens every spring or every March.

To curb the problem of student debt, national regulations need financial aid personnel to advice students. Students should be given proper advice when they secure loans and upon graduation. Counseling generally entails making sure that students complete a course concerning students’ loans, as well as repayment. Moreover, tough regulations for some profit colleges and banks they conspire with must be in place. These regulations must support low income families struggling to finance the college education.

The theory that bankrupt people should be permitted a new start, as well as an option to discharge undue debt, is a reputable principle. This assists debt markets perform better, and as well offers incentives for borrowers to evaluate the credit value of borrowers. Although education loans are impossible to cancel within bankruptcy court, regardless whether for-profit colleges never delivered their pledges and never offered an education which would let creditors obtain a well paying job to settle the debts. The support from national government should be cut off for some for-profit colleges when they do not graduate students, who never obtain jobs and default on loans payments.

Long-term solution needs rethinking best ways to finance higher learning. For instance, Australia has developed a framework of publicly offered income contingent loans which every student should take out. Repayments differ based on individual earnings after graduation. This is significant as it aligns education providers’ incentives and that of receivers. All have incentives to make ensure students perform. It denotes that when unexpected events occur, for example, an accident or an illness, the loan commitment is automatically lowered. Debt burden is proportionate to the ability of an individual to repay.

In summary, college education is a primary dream of students. Currently, most students must pay for their college education through tuition loans. The cost of obtaining university degree has increased, and students graduate with loan debts.

Interview Questions

Invitation to take part in a survey of DU campus undergraduate student

Hello, I am a student in DU compass. As part of course requirements, I’m carrying out a study on student debt. The study covers students’ tuition loans. So, I will use the information collected from you, in addition, course papers to write a report on findings. The results will be used to design better ways to improve students’ loan system.

Please assist me meet my objectives by participating. It will not take more than 30 minutes, it mean a lot to me. Mark appropriately your answers or give your opinion of the following questions.

What is your gender?

Male (b) Female

How many students seek financial aid?

How many students take tuition loan?

What are the repayment plans available to the students?

When are students expected to start repaying their loans?

How do students repay their loans?

Do students get scholarships?

Do DU have needs based financial aid?

How and when do students apply for loans?

Upon graduation how much can a student owe as debt?

What are some of the challenges experienced by students seeking tuition loans?

Thank you for your participation in this study.

Works Cited

Clemmit, Marcia. “Student Aid: Will Many Low Income Students be Let Out?” 2013. CQ Reseacher. 16 October 2013 <http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre20080125000#.UmA6yaa9LCQ>.

Clemmit, Marcia. “Student Debt: Is the college-loan system fair?” 2013. CQ Reseacher. 16 October 2013 <http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2011102100#.Ul7bYNLrxeJ>.

Martin, Andrew and Andrew Lehren. “Degrees of Debt.” 2012. The New York Times Business Day. 16 October 2013.

Price, Tom. “Rising College Costs: Should Congress penalize schools that raise fees?” 2013. CQ Researcher. 16 October 2013 <http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2003120500#.Ul7bYNLrxeJ>.

Salcedo, Michaelangelo. “Faculty and the 21 st century student in USA higher education.” ACM Sigcse Bulletin 2 (2003): 12-14. Print.

Stigliz, Joseph. “Student Debt and the Crushing of the American Dream.” May 2013. The New York Times Opinionator. 16 October 2013.

Surowiecki, James. “Debt by Degrees.” 2011. The New Yorker: The Financial Page. 16 October 2013.