Our Debt for Diploma System in Iowa

[pstans]

I wrote this for my blog (http://commoniowan.blogspot.com)and thought I would cross post it here.

Our higher education institutions have become a debt for diploma sytem. The DM Register has a story today about how Iowa St. students average over $29,000 in debt.
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/NEWS02/603300397/1001/NEWS

The consequence of the debt is that fewer students are choosing lower-paying public interest careers, as they seek higher-paying jobs to pay off loans, said Chris Lindstrom, higher education program director for the Public Interest Research Group, which manages the student debt campaign.

She blames the debt on less federal and state aid, which results in higher tuition and fees. "Debt limits opportunity, which is counter to what higher education and affordable and accessible higher education is supposed to be about," she said.

I just finished reading a book on this subject called Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-somethings Can't Get Ahead. I heard the author on Al Franken and decided to pick the book up since I am a 20-something and just graduated.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0385515057&itm=1

The theme of the book is the debt for diploma system that getting a degree has become. In the 1960's and 1970's college was affordable because of financial aid (which is not student loans) and if you did not want to go to college you were able to get a decent job with just a high school degree. Now, the financial aid is mainly in student loans, tuition has skyrocketed and students who do graduate from college have dug themselves such a deep hole already. They then put off traditional markers of adulthood such as buying a house and having children until later in life. Worse, is that many students see the high tution costs and don't want loans, so they attend community colleges or don't go to school at all. The author calls this "downsizing your dreams."

Here in Iowa, tutition at our state universities have gone up over 50% in the past five years. I applaud the current Governor for talking about the importance of pre-Kindergarten for our children. However, I feel instead of a K-12 education system, we need a K-12+ system that provides affordable community colleges and universities.

[progressoid]

1. Interesting book.

Will have to give this a read since we have a couple daughters approaching the college years in the near future.

But I dare say that people in their 20's and 30's aren't the only ones that are "strapped". I've never been so in debt as I am now. It's scary that all I've worked for may be gone in the next year or two.

[rurallib]

2. Had an idea - a little far out but here goes

I'm thinking that a way to pay back tuition would be to have them earn some money by turning in illegal aliens.
See, I think a good way to get the 11 to 20 million illegals out of here is to come up with a profit motive for turning them in. So I think I will write my repuky congresscritter and suggest that they put a bounty of say $1000 on each illegal. That way an enterprising graduate can pay his debt back in a short time and aid in what seems to be a scourge these days.
It'll be like the old West again. And great reality shows could abound. And no having to join the army and get shipped 10,000 miles away to fight brown people. (for the freepers lurking here this is what is known as sarcasm or satire or a joke)
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Only a few years ago I used to dream of my kids future in a country that would guarantee a base level of life with great opportunities for those who really wanted to succeed. Now I hope that they can just survive. My oldest continues to check out Canada as a future home. I can't give her a good reason to stay here, only a hope.
Fortunately mine got out of school 5 years ago with no debt and both have decent jobs. And yes, I know I am lucky.