Student Loans are a hotly debated topic throughout the nation, as many people have differing opinions on their effectiveness and worth. The main focus of these Financial Aid programs are to give students better access to colleges that will increase their skills and qualifications in a changing workplace environment, so that they can succeed and be ready for an economy that is increasingly based on skills. Since jobs requiring college-educated workers are set to grow at twice the rate of jobs that don’t require college, accessibility is a very important aspect of our work.
Student Loans should not be seen as an unacceptable burden. A prime example is that many students try to work full-time while in college, solely to afford the expense related to their education. While this may work for some, very few end up with enough spare time to do well in their academic setting, forcing them to take on fewer credit hours per term, and ultimately dropping out. We don’t believe that you should be forced to take attention away from your future just so you can afford college.
Student Loans actually offer the opportunity to improve the economy, by increasing the number of college-educated and highly-qualified people in the job market. In particular, they are very effective at offering academic opportunities to people who normally face many barriers to higher education. This is why we fully support the use of Student Loans by students, especially those who otherwise may not have access to college education at all.
There are many Financial Aid programs, including Federally-Subsidized Loans, Private Loans, Grants, and Scholarships. Grants are great, but they don’t offer the student enough funds to survive without working. Student Loans supplement other sources of funds when they are available, and keep students from having to work full time minimum wage jobs to afford college. Subsidized Loans are also interest free until the student graduates, and upon graduation students have opportunities to make well over twice the amount a full-time minimum wage worker makes, usually more. Student Loans allow students to fulfill their goals without affecting their focus and their intention to accomplish a degree program. It has been found that millions more have graduated post-secondary education programs due to expanded financial aid programs, and we believe that Student Loans are always a good thing if you stay focused on the real goal at the end: a worthy career that can sustain you financially and provide a sense of fulfillment in life.
