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Indentured Education

category north america / mexico | education | opinion / analysis author Tuesday May 17, 2005 19:12author by Ella Powers and Hannah Leah - NAF - Northwest Anarchist Federation (USA/Canada) Report this post to the editors

A look at options for working class students in Oregan, USA

Increasingly, working class students are incurring lifelong debt because the alluring promise of upward mobility through education leads them to take out substantial loans to pay for their education. Quite often they are uninformed or misinformed when it comes to the nature of the financial obligation.

Indentured Education

by Ella Powers and Hannah Leah

Increasingly, working class students are incurring lifelong debt because the alluring promise of upward mobility through education leads them to take out substantial loans to pay for their education. Quite often they are uninformed or misinformed when it comes to the nature of the financial obligation. Financial aid advisors assure them that those with college degrees have higher incomes than those who don't. Many students overestimate their earning potential after college and do not understand the consequences of taking out interest-bearing loans. Furthermore, they are easily enticed by credit card companies that prey on them because, as inexperienced consumers, their money management skills are often poor.

The Rising Cost of Tuition

The rising cost of tuition is one reason students are going into debt. Last year tuition costs rose 14%. The average student graduates with a minimum debt of $30,000. Pell Grants and state grant programs have not kept pace with rising tuition costs. The economic recession and Bush's tax cuts also contribute to the rising cost of tuition by reducing funding. The result is higher tuition at a time when families and students are least likely to be able to afford it. The population of students whose parents make less than $100,000 per year is markedly decreasing at state universities.

Community College

Faced with the rising cost of tuition, many are turning to community college. More than half of the nation's undergraduates are educated in community college. Open admissions, local access, and reasonable tuition attract students from families with mid to lower incomes. Other attractive qualities of community college campuses are the diversity. They are comfortable places for all ages and types of people and the average student age is 29. The average tuition is $1,518 per year.

Unfortunately, 42% of community college funding comes from the state government rather than the federal. The American Association of Community Colleges reports, 'In state after state, community colleges have seen their financing slashed as state and local governments struggle to balance budgets. Cuts have reached the point where the vital mission of the colleges is being dramatically affected. Colleges are being forced to terminate programs, lay off faculty, and eliminate essential student services.'

The funding crisis in community colleges mirrors the financial problems plaguing public secondary, middle, and high schools. Students are not offered the range of services and coursework that was once available. This, along with the increasing costs of higher education, leaves them unprepared and without resources for competitive institutions.

What Are You Going to Be When You Grow Up?

Students should seriously consider the practicality of their degree. In the U.S., creative/thinking fields, such as philosophy, art, or literature, do not carry the same value as science, medicine, or computer technology. Though it is not fair for working class students to be discouraged from pursuing liberal art degrees, some consideration is advised for those taking out loans that must be paid back. It is important to think about what you are going to do with your degree and whether the earning potential balances with the debt in consideration.

Academic programs are often insulated from the reality of working for a living, which affects how they plan programs. If you are from a wealthy family with good job connections and benefactors, it is likely that your loans will be paid quickly. If not, you could be paralyzed and unable to get ahead while you work to simply get out of debt.

How To Get By

To reduce school costs apply for scholarships and grants, consider attending a community college or state university (they are still cheaper than private schools), work while attending school part-time (it may take longer, but you will save on student loan interest), live with your parents (it may not be fun but it will decrease monthly expenses). One option is to work for UPS. They will pay for part of your college education and you can experience being in a union.

In order to develop money management skills, read books on how to cut costs and manage your money before you set out on your own. If you must take out a loan, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans are your best bet. They are based on a student's financial need and year in school. While a student is enrolled in school, and for a six-month grace period after leaving school, no payments on the loan are due and the federal government pays all accrued interest on the loans.

Alternatives

You may consider alternatives to college such as coop programs and apprenticeships in trades; carpentry and ironwork are popular options. Job Corp is an option for those wanting to finish high school and obtain a trade.

Follow Your Dreams, Not Your Debt

Many people are finding themselves in their 30's and 40's, with student debt and credit card debt that is accruing interest and keeping them financially paralyzed unable to save or plan for the future. Do the research before signing up for loans or credit cards. Don't find yourself in a post- graduation reality of debt and inadequate hourly wages. In other words: follow your dreams with your eyes open.

Resources: (books)
'The Debt-Free Graduate: How to Survive College Without going Broke' by Murray Baker.
(websites) Visit The National Commission for Cooperative Education website at www.co-op.edu.
For a complete list of trades in Oregon go to www.boli.state.or.us. (phone numbers) to find out more about Job Corp call 1-800-733-JOBS.


From Firebrand No 3

To view the paper online, go to www.nafederation.org or download the PDF version from http://www.nafederation.org/issuethree.pdf

Firebrand is a publication of the Firebrand Collective, a member collective of the Northwest Anarchist Federation.

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