Student debt...
Let me say up front that I am blessed. I have eight years of higher education without a single loan. I was blessed with scholarships and worked my way through law school.Unfortunately, not many in my generation and Generation Y are so blessed.
Today USA Today has an article dealing with the growing crisis in the student loan arena. Fortune also has a fascinating cover article on Generation Y in the workforce. Although I found many things in the article right on (though it includes years 1977-1995 as Generation Y), one of the big concerns for that generation coming out of college is the high cost of student loans.
A generation that is saddled with an average student loan debt for graduating seniors of almost $20,000 (according to http://www.finaid.org/loans/) will be saddled with a heavy burden.
As a parent, I'm more than a bit concerned about how to prevent a heavy loan burden from falling on our kids. We're only ten years away from college, and my husband and I routinely debate whether we are better off saving for college or retirement. So we do both, just not at the ratios either of us wants.
We've also had many conversations with friends about what the right balance is. How much should parents pay? How much should the kids pay? My parents split costs for undergrad with me...fortunately for all of us, I had full scholarships by my junior year. And I knew from the beginning any grad school was on me.
So what do you think? Ready or not, if you have kids, college debt is coming.
Cara C. Putman
Canteen Dreams -- coming October 2007 (Heartsong Presents)
Sandhill Dreams and Captive Dreams -- 2008 (Heartsong Presents)
The Law, Life & Books: http://carasmusings.blogspot.com
Original Writer for Jake Tremaine at Scenes & Beans: http://kannerlake.blogspot.com
posted by Tricia Goyer @ 8:00 AM
3 Comments:
personally - i think college should be free...........
My son is taking Jr. College classes. We're going to get as much as we can locally before considering bigger and more expensive schools. We're also going to apply for scholarships. (He'll be a HS senior next year.)
We're using our savings to adopt more kids. Hahaha ... I suppose we're trusting God and taking each hurdle as it comes.
Also, I don't believe in college just for college sake. I might have my kids do internships and stuff before spending money on a career they may not like in five years.
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