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I am not so sure that what we have right now for tuition is as bad as it seems. Because people are paying for it, we are getting much higher quality than we wo

I am not so sure that what we have right now for tuition is as bad as it seems. Because people are paying for it, we are getting much higher quality than we would if it was completely government funded. Also, it's still being paid by people who want it rather than it just being a tax. Because it's expected a lot of people are getting an education that wouldn't be educated otherwise. This is improving our overall productivity. The rising cost of an education right now is an issue, and we can do a combination of letting it self-correct (many businesses and students are realizing they really don't need a BS to do a good job) as well as adding public schools so more people can get the AS to get a good education. I don't see any reason to expect that this solution is less optimal than any of the other ones you have mentioned, and it seems much cheaper than revamping the entire system. To me the root cause of rising health insurance costs is the rising cost of all the lawsuits that doctors and hospitals deal with. When we were just paying for the doctor's education it was a little expensive, but nothing like what we are paying now. You're really just padding the budget to deal with legal fees. A more moderate court system (that awards smaller payouts) would knock this out easily. I am not familiar with the housing issue, I would have to learn more about it to make a comment. But I really do think the issues you bring up are best solved with a moderate solution.

douche 10y ago
It's bad. College loan payments are a stone around the neck of far, far too many people in an entire generation, and it leaves far too many of them crippled financially for a decade after they graduate. When you're already paying 40-60% of your income on housing, tacking on another 20% to service student loans for a degree that doesn't earn you any more money than if you didn't fall for the scam doesn't leave much left over for anything but survival. Far too many people are in that boat, because student loans are too easy to get, and they've had it pounded into them relentlessly that the only way to get ahead and live a good life is to go to college. The people telling them this, by the way, are usually Boomers that went to school when public universities were fully funded, and costs hadn't spiraled out of control by an order of magnitude or worse.
- jimmaswell 10y ago
  Assuming you stuck to federal loans, the minimum payment on the standard repayment plan is $50/month, with a 6 month grace period after graduating before you have to start making payments, and the monthly payments can go lower on an income-based plan if your finances are such that that would be necessary. Even if you couldn't get any job but fast food after graduating, this should be manageable. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/ https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/ I really don't get all the hyperbole around this. As long as you didn't make arrangements with private loan sharks, you should be fine after college.

douche 10y ago

It's bad. College loan payments are a stone around the neck of far, far too many people in an entire generation, and it leaves far too many of them crippled financially for a decade after they graduate. When you're already paying 40-60% of your income on housing, tacking on another 20% to service student loans for a degree that doesn't earn you any more money than if you didn't fall for the scam doesn't leave much left over for anything but survival. Far too many people are in that boat, because student loans are too easy to get, and they've had it pounded into them relentlessly that the only way to get ahead and live a good life is to go to college. The people telling them this, by the way, are usually Boomers that went to school when public universities were fully funded, and costs hadn't spiraled out of control by an order of magnitude or worse.

jimmaswell 10y ago
Assuming you stuck to federal loans, the minimum payment on the standard repayment plan is $50/month, with a 6 month grace period after graduating before you have to start making payments, and the monthly payments can go lower on an income-based plan if your finances are such that that would be necessary. Even if you couldn't get any job but fast food after graduating, this should be manageable. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/ https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/ I really don't get all the hyperbole around this. As long as you didn't make arrangements with private loan sharks, you should be fine after college.