student loans

"A leading economist makes the case that college is still a smart investment, and reveals how to increase the odds of your degree paying off. The cost of college makes for frightening headlines and politics. The outstanding balance of student loans is more than $1.5 trillion nationally, while tuitions continue to rise. And on the heels of a pandemic that nearly dismantled the traditional "college experience," we have to wonder: Is college really worth it? From a financial perspective, the answer is yes, says economist Beth Akers. It's true that college is expensive. But once we see higher education for what it is-an investment in future opportunities, job security, and earnings-a different picture emerges: The average college graduate earns a million dollars more over their lifetime, and most four-year schools deliver a 15 percent return on investment-double that of the stock market. Yet these outcomes are not guaranteed. Rather, they hinge upon where and how you opt to invest your tuition dollars. Simply put, the real problem with college isn't the cost-it's the risk that your investment might not pay off. In Making College Pay, Akers shows how to stack the deck in your favor by making smart choices about where to enroll, what to study, and how to pay for it. You'll learn why choosing the right major matters more than where you enroll the best criteria for picking a school (hint: not selectivity or ranking) why there's a high cost of working part-time while earning your degree why it's often best to borrow, even if you can afford to pay outright the pros and cons of nontraditional degree programs how to take advantage of new, low-risk financing tools Full of practical advice for students and parents, Making College Pay reminds us that higher education remains an engine for opportunity, upward mobility, and prosperity"--.

Journalist Josh Mitchell explores the history of student loans and the current economic and social impact of student debt on the American economy.

"As of 2019, Americans owed over $1.56 trillion in student loan debt, and 69 percent of college students who graduated in 2018 had to take out student loans. Student debt has increased significantly over the past twenty years, but what factors have brought this about? Are students to blame for making irresponsible financial decisions, or is the price of education rising disproportionately to average income? How do variables like class and race impact student debt? What impact do these debts have on individuals and the economy? This volume examines the nature of America's student debt crisis and explores possible solutions"--Provided by publisher.

"As of 2019, Americans owed over $1.56 trillion in student loan debt, and 69 percent of college students who graduated in 2018 had to take out student loans. Student debt has increased significantly over the past twenty years, but what factors have brought this about? Are students to blame for making irresponsible financial decisions, or is the price of education rising disproportionately to average income? How do variables like class and race impact student debt? What impact do these debts have on individuals and the economy? This volume examines the nature of America's student debt crisis and explores possible solutions"--Provided by publisher.

Student loans. Medical bills. Mortgages. The national deficit. Debt touches so many parts of American life, from the individual citizen to the United States as a whole. A complex issue, debt can be alternately beneficial, such as when building credit, or it can do irreparable damage to a person's credit score, housing prospects, lifestyle, and more. The articles collected in this volume trace the issues that affect students, consumers, corporate entities, and the nation when it comes to addressing and managing debt. Media literacy questions and terms aid readers in assessing news coverage of the topic.

"Taking readers into the homes of middle-class families to reveal the hidden consequences of student debt and the ways that financing college has transformed family life, the author describes the profound moral conflicts for parents who take on enormous debts and gamble on an investment that might not pay off"--OCLC.

Readers discover different approaches to the concept of a free college education through fact-filled main text supplemented with full-color photographs that allows them to develop their own informed opinion on this issue, which could impact their future.

Offers advice on how to apply for financial aid, features step-by-step instructions for filling out a simplified FAFSA form, and looks at the financial aid profiles of some three thousand colleges, universities, and technical schools.

A collection of articles that addresses issues related to student loans and the cost of college.

Contains data that illuminates key trends in student debt, including financial implications,interest rates, and length of repayment.