Drowning In Debt

“If the world were the way most educators would have us believe, America’s streets would be clogged with people who decided to skip out on their college degrees, panhandling to feed their illegitimate children. If you asked any of the hypothetical street-lurkers what they regretted most, they’d turn to you, eyes weary and underlined with dark circles, like sad, sad eyeliner for poor people, and whisper, ‘I didn’t get my college degree. Don’t be like me, kid. Go to college. Pursue that higher education for all it’s worth.’ And you’d nod, give them a reverent ‘Yes, sir!’ and know in your heart that had just unlocked the secret to the life you’d always dreamed of,” (Peech, Charlotte). In the quote above, the author captures exactly how the image …show more content…
The fact of the matter is that many graduates are practically drowning in debt accumulated through college attendance. According to board of college a moderate college budget at a private four year college is averaged at $44,750, that’s not even including Dorms, transportation, food, or other living expenses. That’s an insane amount of money to be in debt from, plus interest, you could possibly end up spending the next 20 years of your life paying that debt off. In addition to this, many people spend more than four years getting their degree. Red –shirting Athletes often take five years or more to get their degree, and according to Tom Kertscher student’s o average are spending six years, on a four-year degree. “…And so we have, in all of our good intentions,” Ron Johnson said, “We’ve actually made college less accessible because we’ve made it so unaffordable and we’ve plunged our children into debt. And also by giving them this easy debt, on average, kids are taking six years to get a four-year degree, while the debt meter is increasing.” Going off of what Johnson, 56% of students in 2007-2008 took five to six years to get a four-year degree. It’d be crazy to have to pay for six years of college for only a four-year degree. Especially with the prices of college on the rise, yet that is what most college students have to do. All in all, college could end up costing you a fortune, in both time and …show more content…
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in 2012, only 22% of all jobs required a bachelor’s degree or more. If you have a bachelor’s degree, only 17% of jobs projected by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics will require a bachelor’s degree in 2022. 32% of the population over the age of 25 has a bachelor’s degree. Among people ages 24-34 it’s at 34%. This means there are only 2 jobs for every 3 people with a bachelor’s degree. The number of people with a bachelor’s degree is growing faster than the number of jobs that require it. There is any oversupply of jobs that require a high school diploma or less than (about 66%) compared to that of the 12% whose education fits those jobs. And even if you did end up getting a job that you’re qualified for, it’s not like you’re going to be launched into a high standing position like CEO. To put yourself through all several years of college, and only have somewhat of a chance to get a job after all you just went through, it doesn’t sound like it’s really worth it. Also wouldn’t it be better to spend six years in a gaining experience in an industry rather than studying 24/7 for the next several years of your life. Studies and common knowledge dictate that the longer you spend in a business/industry the higher your average income will be. It will also make you more efficient, knowledgeable and overall better in that industry, and make employers more