I was recently interviewed by an MSN reporter who was investigating a Facebook group that wants all college grads to have their debt forgiven. I disagreed with the concept--that's why she wanted to hear from me for her article, "Do Students Deserve a Bailout?" (Christina did a great job of explaining my take on things, so thanks, girl!)
I don't believe in this concept because it will have other ramifications. I support financial help for students, but I don't think everyone should go to college for free. There are many ways to get a great education, but I don't get why everyone thinks they are entitled to everything free. The country was built on working for things, and there's nothing wrong with getting a degree, getting a job and paying back the money that helped you get there.
People can disagree with me, that's cool. I just don't have time to debate things...but you're more than welcome to discuss this among yourselves here. No personal attacks, please. Debate the concept--don't attack the commenter!:)
I'm working hard (to pay off my student loans, too!) and I was asked to be featured in an article to promote my book because that's what hard-working authors do. That doesn't warrant the rude emails I've gotten. I don't have time to respond individually to these "not-so professional" emails. Quite frankly, I don't care what other people think about my viewpoint. I'm entitled to mine, you're entitled to yours--but you don't have to share it all the time. If I wrote the author of every article I disagreed with, I'd never get anything done and not be able to pay off the money I owe for my degree.
But I do want to put the article out there for my readers here because I think it's an interesting concept. And I'll keep bringing you relevant information regardless of whether you agree with my take or not--my goal is to just present information.
Look, it's a cool concept that--poof--your college debt could just be gone. And if you support that, good for you. I don't. Our may opinions differ and I'm fine with that.
Newsflash: The world is made up of differing opinions. You'll get further along in life if you politely and respectfully own yours instead of being rude and unprofessional. If you didn't learn that in college, you didn't even get your money's worth, anyway.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
5 comments:
Does everyone deserve a bailout now? Why should college students get one? There is no reason for it. Yes it would help to have no school loans when you graduate. It would make life a whole lot easier. It would also be nice if my car and house were free too.
A bailout sounds good but the money has to come from somewhere. You may not have to pay it now but I know we will be paying for the other bailouts via taxes. More then likely my kids will be paying for these bailouts too.
I was lucky and had my college paid for me by a wealthy relative but my wife has school loans and we are paying them off together. It takes time and work and that builds character. Sometimes yo have to cut back in areas to make ends meet but that is all part of life.
Learn how to use your money wisely now and it will work for you in the future otherwise you will be working for it.
I'm currently going into my last year of college in Virginia. I've been going full time non-stop, doing summer courses to get done faster than normal.
My family doesn't have money for me to go to college, so instead I work two jobs and do freelance designing as well. I don't feel like the government owes me anything, it was my choice to go to college, and it's my choice to work the jobs. I still have to take out loans, because I have regular bills outside of college. It happens.
People who go to college make that choice, people who go into debt make that choice, companies and individuals alike. It's those people (me included) who have to make work to pay back what helped us get where we are (or will be).
If we give money back to students, then when does it stop? Is the cut off date for those in debt stop this year, next, or 10 years from now? Are my children guaranteed to go to college without debt because of a bailout for them?
If I can go to college full time while working and taking out loans with expectations to repay them. Everyone else can, and should.
Sure, it would be nice to get the remainder of my wife's loans forgiven. But inviting the government into education financing is what got us into the mess in the first place.
The reason that the cost of education in the US has skyrocketed over the last 15 years is because of government based student loans!
It's simple supply and demand. A University can only charge what people are willing and able to pay. When the government says that everyone gets free money that they can pay back later, the cost of the education becomes irrelevant, and the schools can charge whatever they want.
Same thing happens to every single scenario where the government sticks its grimy little paws into the marketplace and kills the natural order of things. And every time, the average Joe gets screwed. http://ow.ly/dEgE
I think there's definitely a middle ground here to explore between absolute loan forgiveness and a "psh, you're on your own" kind of system. None of us get to where we are without some kind of help or support, and so I think it's fair to extend that support to many people--ROTC is one example, as is Americorps and other service-for-education programs. Absolutely, people should work for benefits extended to them, but I think the handout argument is largely a straw man. Just my two cents.
I absolutely think there are grads who deserve a bailout....not all grads, but there couldd be guidelines to determine who would be eligible.
Post a Comment