The Atlantic blog recently published this chart on student loan debt:
My colleagues and I often have to decide on policies that will increase the costs of our programs (like required credit loads, the enrollment status under which a particular course is taken, or fees that we’re considering) and someone will typically bring up the question of how these policies may affect students’ eligibility for “financial aid”. I almost always interrupt to say “loans”.
Mindful of how obnoxious that might become, it is so important to me that faculty — especially those who did not pay for their own education — understand that our decisions may drive students more deeply into debt. I need this to be plainly on the table, especially now when it’s far from certain that our graduates will find jobs.
How do we talk to students who are set on being the first in their family to finish college about what debt like this will be like?
How do we talk to them about whether, in the end, it’s going to be worth it?
Education and Class 