My entire life I have been told not that I have the option, but that I am going to attend college after I graduate from high school. That has been the rule, according to my mother. Although no one in my immediate family has gone on to pursue a degree, they all enforce this idea that I am to graduate from a university at some point in my life, whether I like it or not. This notion that most people regrettably believe—that without a college education one would not be able to do what it takes to successfully support themselves, or a family—has fortunately surpassed my family, for which I am very grateful. When did the brunt of society get stuck in this misconception? In spite of this delusion, colleges have increased in both competition and expenses, keeping a college education a luxury to those of wealth, good fortune, and incredible intelligence. Meanwhile, the financial instability in America (due to faulty economic infrastructure) is the result of these fiscal cliffs -- too many low-income wage earners, and not enough opportunities for a job, leaving millions of Americans at risk of debt and struggle. Due to our country’s current economic status, the question of taking out student loans for the pursuit of a higher level education has left many with concerns about the country’s financial stability, and interested in alternative means to ensure an educated working class society.
In 1985, 35 percent of people between the ages of 21 and 34 had bought a car that year (Lewis Humphries, "What Young People Are Spending Their Money On?" Investopedia.). In 2010, 27 percent of people between the ages of 21 and 34 had bought a car (Humphries). “Cars have become an optional and often unaffordable luxury,” whereas cars are typically seen a necessity in most cases. Ask any of my friends and see how much they value the comfort and convenience of a motor vehicle. The 2012 Toyota Camry is $24,378; this is also the average amount borrowers had in their student debts in 2012. If that sounds like it's breaking the budget, then don't even worry about college, you’re only going to stress yourself out. The additional $22,878 in tuition and other fees nonresident undergraduates pay (on top of the same $12,192 in system wide tuition and fees that all UC undergraduates at all California university campuses pay) is outrageously expensive. Period. This is absolutely too much money for anyone to have to pay.
To put things in perspective, the United States government has more debt today than any other country in the history of this world, which is also apparently more than the debts of every country in the European Union combined. In 2011, Frank Porter Stansberry, founder of Stansberry & Associates Investment Research, one of the world’s largest private financial publishing corporations, came out with an online video titled “End of America,” predicting the end of the United States federal system due to the inevitable fall of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. According to Stansberry, “every hour of every single day, we are spending $200 million we don’t have.” That is not to include the $20 trillion in outside federal economic debts, which contributes to the national debt influx (Stansberry). This debt, positively due to federal inflation, will eventually cause us to not be able to afford the interest payments on our economic obligations, and inescapably devalue the U.S. dollar, thus causing our standard of living to significantly decrease, at least statistically (Stansberry). Stansberry says that we are “trapped” in this situation and that there is “no way out.”
With that cheerful quip said and done, follow me just a little further. We are led to believe that hard work and perseverance will take us places. Yet, with looming financial crises and competitive college acceptance rates, the pool of students that get to move on to a college is rapidly diminishing. That is a scary thought. As it is human nature to persevere and fight, many take the chance and risk taking loans out for their education. The odds are against most folks, working two—sometimes even three—jobs just to make ends meet.
Sometimes the options to make affordability a possibility put us at risk for more than just an increased debt. A man named Matthew Bridges ran from debt collectors for years, eventually fleeing the country and changing his identity in order to avoid them, after assuming a debt load of over $104,000 with an increased yearly interest rate at almost 30 percent (Scaliger). These debt collectors threatened him, his family, and even his wife and her family to the point where a divorce was “the least [Bridges] could do for her,” (Scaliger). That defeats the purpose of getting the degree, if the cost of the degree is going to get you. Nevertheless, many still proceed with getting loaned, and getting owned by these loans. Please don’t let me deter you from pulling loans out, though! There are federal programs that provide loan forgiveness for working as teachers or public servants.
If nobody else has told you yet, know now that there are alternatives to going to a college or university that still provide for an education and a career path. The initial shock is temporary. Once you let this idea sink in and process for a bit, your eyes can be opened to a plethora of paths life may take you. The military, comprised of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, and several other subdivisions, agree to fund a person’s educational career after first serving the country in their respective unit. The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, which provides for more than the simple payment of college tuition, is just one of many decisions out there (If the government’s monetary system doesn’t fall into shambles first, right?). If the country’s military interests do not appeal to you, you can attend any vocational school for usually a fraction of the price of a local college campus. Commonly referred to as trade schools, these institutes provide for the extensive knowledge and training of a specific course of work, such as nursing, auto-body repair, and welding. There are schools for building and maintaining boats and motorcycles, schools to certify someone to become X-ray technicians, and more out there that I am probably unaware of. Occupational certifications from vocational schools offer another chance of work and financial security, and can be built upon later by more education.
Maybe you’re tired of the concept of school. After completing nearly twelve consecutive years of it, it’s totally understandable for people to seek out another option totally outside the world of institutionalized education. Tibetan Buddhist monks, who can be found in several regions of Asia, including the Himalayas and India, accept students regularly. Kalu Yala is a village currently being developed in a Panamanian river valley that is bringing together entrepreneurs, artists, scientists and modern day romantics. Compared to that of the surge of Starbucks and midterm cram sessions, these are the most appealing options, personally. As a committed hedonist, it’s my personal belief that one should always do what makes them happy, but your happiness does not need to come from any preconceived notion of success and glory. College may bring these things, but is definitely not the only outlet.
The truth is… student loans and the crisis behind them are entirely subjective. If you prosper intellectually, then the pursuit of a higher level education is rather important and you should go after those opportunities. Colleges offer scholarships, and if our government’s economics doesn’t collapse with the next couple of years, FAFSA is a readily available option to all students. We should also remember the options beyond a university and consider what else our lives may be like.
