Description
This accessible reference for high school and up examines federal college financial aid polices and how they help and hurt average Americans. While offering statistics and debates on all sides of the issue, the authors claim that their book is a cautionary tale; they outline the ways in which reliance on student loans as the primary instrument for financing college has undermined education’s equalizing force and widened the gap between rich and poor. The authors briefly share their own stories of student debt, then give background on student aid and student debt from 1958 to the present. Later sections present problems, controversies, and solutions and provide perspectives on issues such as student loans and bankruptcy and questions regarding the value of higher education. Part 4 gathers profiles of many researchers, journalists, research and policy organizations, organizations providing resources and relief for borrowers, student groups and movements, and media organizations. Part 5 supplies about ten pages of data charts with explanations, plus excerpts from nine documents from 2003 to 2016. Later sections provide an annotated bibliography of books, articles, journal papers, documentary films, and agency web sites, plus a chronology from 1944 to 2014. The book also contains an 8-page glossary with detailed entries, plus chapter-opening b&w photos. Annotation ©2017 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
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Offering answers to essential questions about student debt and many connected issues, this book examines student debt in the United States at every stage of the process—from the banks that issue the loans to the colleges and universities that collect the payments.Student lending in the United States is one of the most controversial issues in contemporary American discourse. Are these loans the only option for Americans who want to attend college and university in order to attain the best careers and have a productive, enjoyable life? Should the predatory lending practices of for-profit colleges and universities be stopped? How can limits be imposed on student lending amounts without preventing students from getting the education they need to succeed?The book explains why so many students are borrowing large amounts of money to attend college; considers whether the cost of higher education is simply too high, and if there should be a cap on how much money students can borrow; explains what is contributing to the rising rate of borrowers defaulting on their loans; and predicts whether the so-called student loan bubble is in danger of popping. The Data and Documents chapter analyzes data gathered from discussions about student debt. This information enables readers to better understand who is borrowing student loans, what the money from the student loans is going toward, what individuals have the authority to decide who qualifies for these loans, and what is being done to curb wasteful student spending.Provides a thorough and accessible treatment of student loans that fills a large gap in the reference literaturePresents arguments both for and against student lending, making this an excellent resource for students writing persuasive essays on either side of the topicSupplies highly useful, easy-to-understand information for students as well as general readers who want to learn more about student loans and grasp the key issues of this important socioeconomic issue
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