These days in the United States, many people are anxious about the struggling economy. Students are especially concerned as they consider higher education and the debt they are amassing during their time at colleges and universities.How can we be mindful of the particular gifts that students bring and the challenges they are currently facing?
How are issues of education important to the life of faith?
How can we support students who have debt?
How can we support graduates who are struggling to find jobs?
These questions are on our minds. Today we offer links to news stories concerning student debt and organizations that are thinking critically about this issue:
Student Debt: Pictures, Videos, Breaking News
College Student Debt Grows. Is it Worth It?
Student Debt: The Next Financial Crisis?
The Project on Student Debt
I think student loans were originally seen as a way to equip young people to get higher-paying jobs. Paying back the loans wouldn't be a huge burden, because graduates would have good jobs and enough money to pay their living expenses and loans.
ReplyDeleteNow the loans are bigger than in my day--massive in some cases--and there are no jobs for grads. They are still dependent on parents who could not afford to pay the tuition in the first place (which is why the students got loans and not the parents).
It would be better for financial institutions to rethink the loans *now* rather than after the system crashes and they need bailouts.
It is a very difficult situation, and some say it's the next "bubble" in the waiting. Thanks, Laura, for commented so often.
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