Paying for college as I approach retirement isn’t something I hoped for, but it is something that became necessary. I always knew I would be paying for, or assisting my children, in paying for college. Not earning a degree has never been an option. In fact, I always encouraged my children to get advanced degrees. It’s only recently that I’ve opened that up to some kind of trade school or additional certifications, if only because wiser minds prevailed against my bias.

Photo by benjamin hershey on Unsplash

From my perspective, having a degree makes a HUGE difference in your lifelong earning power. It’s easy to say when you’re young, “I can do this work the rest of my life,” but anyone who is older knows the truth. There’s a little less pep in your step as you get older, and you never know what curve balls life will throw at you.

I am grateful to President Joe Biden for assisting with holding back the interest on my offspring’s college loan. While I’m paying it back, knowing that the interest won’t be doubling or tripling that debt while I do so, is a big relief. For those who object to these efforts, I remind you that the goal is to educate as many of our populace as possible. The better educated, the better we will all be. The less educated, the worse off. At least, that’s my hope.

AI Generated Content

3 Ideas

I.

“The escalating cost of higher education is prompting a critical examination of the value proposition of a college degree, challenging institutions to demonstrate the tangible outcomes of their educational offerings.”

II.

“Student debt is not just a financial burden for graduates; it’s a societal issue that can delay life milestones and potentially stifle economic growth and innovation by limiting risk-taking and entrepreneurship.”

III.

“Exploring models for free college education reflects a growing recognition that access to higher education should be a right, not a privilege, and that investment in human capital is essential for a country’s competitiveness.”

2 Quotes From Others

I. Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator:

“The student debt crisis is real and it’s crushing millions of people – especially people of color. It’s time to decide: Are we going to be a country that only helps the rich and powerful get richer and more powerful, or are we going to be a country that invests in future generations?”

II. Derek Bok, former President of Harvard University:

“If we are to maintain a genuine meritocracy, the path to leadership must not be paved with gold. We must ensure that students of ability can attend college regardless of their financial circumstances.”

1 Question For You

As the debate over the cost of higher education and student debt continues, what innovative solutions can be implemented to ensure that all capable students have access to higher education without the burden of crippling debt?