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Differing opinions |
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The current discussion of financial aid for college students is a heated one with many differing views, in this essay, liberal and conservative views will be highlighted along with an interview with a single mother who is also a struggling college student. The only thing standing in the way of some mothers that are trying to return to college and make a better future for themselves and their children, is funding. If there were just a way for them to pay for tuition, books, and childcare, many of them would be well on their way to a higher education. The views range from, either giving up the college dream the loans are not worth it in the end (Wee); to going to college no matter what a person has to do. A single mother trying to find the money to fund her dreams of a better future feels like a victim of a bully (Robinson). The “bullies” are the big loan companies that make it nearly impossible to get a loan. There are stories of successful mothers highlight the impossible: attending college, holding a job, and raising a child on their own (Kliff), however most of those success stories are few and far between, nearly an urban legend. Some people who believe that the government should not help out the people who need it most (Larson). This topic will be discussed in many meetings and sessions in Washington for years to come. Many people agree that America needs some degree of financial aid reform. Misty Robinson, a single mother of two who attends college full time talks about what made her decide to go back to college. “I was at the top of my field… making 10.50 an hour… [With the cost of living] I felt stuck and like I was sinking” (Robinson). Misty attempted to secure private student loans to no avail. Now Misty is currently receiving a Pell grant and some assistance to pay for child care. It seems impossible to afford all the living expenses and attend college full time, all the while raising children. The assistance Misty receives for childcare only pays for the time she is actually in class. If there are tests to study for, tutoring or papers to write, Misty is forced to either find someone to watch her daughter or try to get what she can done once her daughter goes to bed at night. Some people believe that returning to school is her choice, that it is not the government’s problem. Why must she be forced into a dead end job because the cost of tuition is too expensive? One of the more conservative writers believes many people feel that the costs of student loans are continuing to rise and scare many potential students away from attending college. The average college student graduates with $23,000 in debt (Wee). Gary Larson states this warning that should accompany student loans, “Beware: Your federal government is overcharging you so your representative can take credit for starting new government programs. Enjoy the extra hours you work to pay off your loans” (Larson). In his article about the government taking over the private student loan sector, he describes the situation that the private loan companies find themselves: “A House-passed bill would put 2,000 private lenders of student loans on the sidelines, foisting upon them extraordinary, impossible, inviable standards” (Larson) If the government takes control of the private student loan industry, students are no longer going to be able to find the loan the best fits their situation. He takes the view point that it is a student’s right to pick and choose their own interest rates and terms on a loan. The differing opinions get even more divided when it comes to the government taking control of private student loans. Some people believe that stepping into the ring is exactly what the government needs to mend the student loan situation. In the article, “Obama signs health care ‘fixes’ bill” by CNN, the author states, … Another $40 billion will be funneled into Pell Grants over the next decade. New borrowers taking out loans stating in July 2014 will be able to cap their student loan repayments at 10 percent of their discretionary income. The balance of their loans will be forgiven after 20 years if they keep up with their payments over time (Staff). |
