Thursday, March 18, 2010

Quick post - Thank God for the BBC

Wow. So, here you don't get that magic number of how most people with college degrees graduate with just 23K in debt. That's right. The lame number that's an average and eagerly gobbled up by every journalist in the U.S. AND A. isn't mentioned! It's the one that's been generated by the less than respectable College Board and puked up left and right by lazy reporters in the U.S. who clearly don't give a rat's a--- about the story they are covering when it comes to the student lending crisis. Again, the College Board used to be a lender itself, so why are they regarded as reliable?

Instead, the BBC is talking about the $200,000 price tag of going to good schools here. They also ask good questions (gasp!) . . . What? What's that all about? The article actually raises good questions about the cost of going to school in the U.S. If you haven't read this piece yet, I highly recommend you do now.

8 comments:

Aimee Powell said...

We should write in to the BBC, en masse. I don't like the way the story ends -- "life's not fair." It should be known that there are people here fighting for fairness, and fighting the notion that we must be resigned to this kind on inequity.

Character Education Resources said...

In every part of the world, we talk about the equity, Every one talk about the equity, but you will not find any practical example all around the world. There is unequity in every department in every sector of the universe.

Cryn Johannsen said...

Charact. Education Resources - I am not sure if I'm understanding your remarks. You're right. There is inequity in the world. However, I don't think that it's simply acceptable to say, "Oh, well, there's inequity. That's just the way it is." If that had been the case for someone like Martin Luther King Jr., for example, there would have never been a leader for the civil rights movement. Perhaps in the U.S. African Americans would still find themselves in unjust and insubordinate roles to Whites. So, I refuse to stand by and say that the creation of an indentured educated class is acceptable. I think the U.S. should aspire for better and that their citizens should have access to either free or reasonably priced higher education. They should not be (a) misled by a corrupt student lending industry, (b) lied to about loan forgiveness programs (I am happy to provide you with evidence of such things), (c) and undermined by lenders. In the very least, borrowers should have certain rights. As it stands now, they are the dogs and the lenders are all-powerful. I refuse, absolutely refuse, to accept that as a reality. Reality can be changed and that's when people say no to inequity.

Audrey said...

Is there a resource I can look at concerning this new legislation going through the senate regarding student loan reform?
I am curious because I can't find anything concerning what will happen with Sallie Mae private loans and/or loans taken out through them already. I'm a little confused or I am having bad luck searching today.
Thank you!

Cryn Johannsen said...

Audrey - are you referring to SAFRA?

Audrey said...

Yes, I am!

Anonymous said...

Its sad that the students in this article think Harvard and MIT will give them job security. They need to read Ivy Leagued and Unemployed.

Cryn Johannsen said...

I agree, and here's the link - http://ivyleaguedandunemployed.wordpress.com/