If this is being discussed elsewhere, forgive the duplicate post. I wanted everyone's take on what is being reported as a "crisis" in student loans. As with most things being reported these days, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish beween something that's a significant issue and something that's just the "story of the day." So...

The traditional four year degree has expanded to five and sometimes six years, increasing the initial budgeted cost. The selection of a private university over a state or community college will result in higher costs, as will the housing choice (living at home versus campus housing or an apartment). Finally, not all degrees will justify a job with adequate income to repay student loans (sociology, language, history, the arts, etc.).

So given that any enrolling student makes the choice that's right for himself, controls his performance (grades), and selects the time period to complete, wouldn't it be reasonable to expect that they live with the consequences? I mean, there's no way that a kid could repay the costs of a six-year liberal arts degree from an Ivy League school with campus housing and a meal plan, but the kid who graduates with a four-year professional degree from UCO while living at home - he'll knock out his debt in no time.

I don't understand why these young people are victims.