As a child, I dreamt of a future career. Titles like zookeeper, teacher and superhero filled my dreams and pushed me toward completing my grade-school education, and all the while I never doubted those illusions of grandeur.
What I did not dream about, however, was paying off the debt I would accumulate while going to college.
According to the National Project on Student Debt, nearly two of every three undergraduate students are going into debt to obtain an education, and by the time they receive their degrees, they will owe an average of $19,000.
If this is true, dear reader, the two out of three probably means you and your friend next to you will be paying off your student loans well into your 40s. Not only that, but starting this July, rates on existing loans (both Stanford and PLUS) will jump an additional 1.84 percent, making rates higher than they’ve been in the last six years. This, coupled with the ever-rising tuition costs, creates a very intimidating experience for those of us aiming to do something that we love in spite of the low income involved.
Now, I know what’s going through your head. You’re thinking, “Well, I don’t have to worry; I will be raking in the dough after my schooling is done.” Well, that is great for you, Mr. I-Chose-My-Major-Because-It-Pays-The-Most, but what happens when you grow old and find that money really cannot buy you happiness? I’m sorry, but when I hear people justify their major in terms of job-demand and regular income, I cannot help but foresee a future of unfulfilled, sick-of-their-job convertible owners, who drown their mid-life crises with large television sets and expensive liquor.
Not that I can really blame you, though; you are just being realistic. To be honest, it really is scary to look at the numbers and think, “How in the world am I supposed to pay this off?” Especially while maintaining the dream of becoming a zoo-keeping substitute teacher with superpowers. I worry that future students will be scared as well, and that this fear will push an even larger crowd into the “what pays the most?” mindset.
Imagine the consequences if more and more people begin to abandon their dreams of becoming a teacher because of the falling pay-versus-cost ratio. Other equally important pathways will also become less popular, like the architect or historian. We will become a culture separated from its history and focused only on survival. Because of the costs of learning, extremes on both ends of education will continue to expand. All in all, this does not make for a good fate.
Unfortunately, I alone cannot cease the inflation of the prices, but I can remind those students who dare to dream that there is hope. Fight for what you believe in, and strive for what you want in life. Maybe prices will go down later on, maybe not. Either way, I encourage everyone to worry a little less about surviving financially and to aim for something a little simpler, like having good friends or doing something you enjoy.
Sure, this path might not be for everyone; but seriously, do we really want to become a society of lawyers and podiatrists? Who is going to keep the animals healthy and teach children about sharing? Or save the world?