Education

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     Is anyone interested in walking away with a debt-free degree?  Of course we all are, this is a silly question to ask.  So why do I ask it? Even though this exact query, we've often inquired in the past, probably today, and even again tomorrow. This questions will find its way out of an alumna’s mouth a thousand times, while their shiny degree is hanging on their wall. They are digging through a sofa for spare change, hoping to accumulate the funds needed to pay the student loan to a university they attended ten years ago. Possibly because the one or maybe even second job won’t cover both the college loan, rent or mortgage and food on their table.  

 College debt is a devastating reality in this day in age; we work hard to attain good grades in high school to gain admittance to a university, which we then work even harder to graduate from and in not all but in a significant number of cases those very expensive degrees are not even applied.  The dilemma of a high educated person with no work experience in their major is repaying that education that’s not currently getting them anywhere.   Between 2003 and 2012 the number of 25-year-old with student debt increased from 25% to 43% and their average loan balance was $20,326 in 2012 a 91% increase since 2003. (Brown, Calwell, 2013) 10% of students graduate with over $40,000 in debt and about 1% have $100,000 in debt. (Denhart, C, 2013).  This dire situation places well-educated individuals in a position that may not even require a bachelor's degree to pay on the loan taken out for a college diploma that’s occupying the space behind the computer desk.  These circumstances are sometimes related to selecting a major that may not be in high demand, and also most employees require that the individual has a certain number years of experience, making the leap from college to employment a difficult task.   According to the department of labor, as of 2008, 17 million college graduates were in positions that did not require a college education (Vedder, R. 2012).  Is the point I am making that a college education is worthless? No!!! I very much believe in obtaining the highest level of success and earning a degree is pursuing that, in addition to the benefits secured for the future, it is a very responsible resolve for everyone.  I don’t believe that we should have to pay for it at such a tremendous expense when half of your monthly income is towards your degree then you’re not taking home more money than the individual that decided not to go to college, especially if in the same job position.  

         I don’t believe that education should be gratuitous, offering a free product usually causes the product to be misused or become underappreciated and debased.  There should be several stipulations in place, to ensure that the standard of education provided by our institutions maintains the high standards that we currently pay an immense cost. Additionally, to assure that, that individual who qualifies for the proposed program does not misuse it. This suggestion to assist the population to gain a degree is to help taxpayers in the long run and not hurt them. Now the question, how do we get to walk off that field and hang that diploma high up on our wall so that it isn’t a backdrop decor piece in the office but a representation of hard work and dedication that makes us proud and celebrate the accomplishments we have done.