Bleak Outlook for Graduating Class of 2009

Interesting article on USA Today about college students struggling to repay loans after graduation. Thing are looking bleak for the graduating class of 2009.

It’s true, we live in a system that gears students toward a college education, but is ‘stingy’ when giving out financial aid. I graduated college in 2002, and I’m STILL paying off my loans. Granted, from the $10,000 that I owed upon graduation, I now only have about $3,000 left to pay off. Despite the fact that I lived in a single parent household, I was never given any grants or student aid. I guess I wasn’t smart enough to score a scholarship either, despite graduating with a 3.8 GPA.

I any case, I think I made out pretty well. At least I work in my field of study, right? And I don’t’ regret my college education one bit. I personally support higher education. In fact, if I had the time and money, I would go to grad school.

For the sake of future students, I do hope the educational system is revised so that more individuals can get financial aid. I have a feeling many future students will forego a college education in lieu of trade schools. I think in the next 5years, we will see an increase in blue collar work. Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, upon graduation, more of my friends that went to trade schools had jobs well before others that went to college. And their education was cheaper!