[E. Pluribus Unum]

What's a real crime is saddling young twenty-somethings with $100,000 in student loans for a degree that qualifies them to flip burgers.

[USAConstitution]

What's a real crime is saddling young twenty-somethings with $100,000 in student loans for a degree that qualifies them to flip burgers.

BRAVO!!!

[Verginius Rufus]

Places like Marshall University are still pretty inexpensive if you are a state resident...annual tuition there is under $4,000.

Some people who can't afford to go to college get the financing through military service, but I don't this guy would be able to learn to march. Every time he heard "Hupp" he'd turn, thinking someone had called his name.

[.cnI redruM]

No one saddles you with a degree. In most places, you spend a ton of $$$ and sometimes work your butt off for the privilege. Do your research prior to enrolling in a course of study.

[VegasCowboy]

What's a real crime is saddling young twenty-somethings with $100,000 in student loans for a degree that qualifies them to flip burgers.

Nobody's forcing them to select majors that are not marketable in today's economy. There are plenty of majors that almost guarantee you a starting salary of at least $40K with lots of opportunity for advancement (accounting being one). Further, there are plenty of schools that don't cost $100,000. There's a whole marketplace of schools and majors to choose from. These kids ought to do a little research before selecting a major in Elizabethan Poetry.

[redgolum]

What's a real crime is saddling young twenty-somethings with $100,000 in student loans for a degree that qualifies them to flip burgers

Which is the real issue with the American system of higher education. To many degrees that are just a $100K bar tab, and to few that will actually help a student be successful.

[Born Conservative]

What's a real crime is saddling young twenty-somethings with $100,000 in student loans for a degree that qualifies them to flip burgers.

If they are "smart" enough for college, they should be smart enough to pick a major that is marketable (I know, I know; in real life, this doesn't often happen). As for the money, I think the ideal situation is to go to community college the first 2 years to get all of the bullsh!! courses out of the way, and then go to a 4 year school to finish.

IMHO, the crimes are the rates that schools charge for a degree, and the racketeering between the college/profs/book companies that force students to pay exhorbinant rates for textbooks, as well as preventing them from re-selling them and/or buying them used. I'm sure there are some RICO violations here.

[Red Boots]

What's a real crime is saddling young twenty-somethings with $100,000 in student loans for a degree that qualifies them to flip burgers

Let's assign responsibility properly. No one is being saddled with $100,000 in student loans without their full consent, hence there is no crime. Stupidity, yes.

College students should fully examine the marketability of their degree before begining their studies. If it's really cost-effective to take out that loan for that degree,the college placement office, will have statistics to back it up.

Otherwise, a trade school is probably a better deal; cheaper, shorter, less stupid time wasting classes; and generally a job placement service at the end.