EdtheCynic::
And what pray tell is the problem with this? Other than I doubt ANYONE gets to qualify for 100% of their College costs in loans..
The problem is it's an incredible waste of cash to waste on an Undergrad degree. But daddy and mommy wanted that GeorgeWash logo on the Christmas cards this year -- So Suzy becomes debt whore for the rest of her life..
College has gotten expensive because status OBSESSED parents are pushing their kids into overpriced schools for a mere BA or BS degree. As long as GeorgeWash and Vanderbilt have a long waiting list -- costs are gonna be higher..
The "$212,000" figure that Limbaugh spit out would be at the highest end of the college tuition spectrum and represents a small percentage of the whole.
It's closer to what someone like me would be looking at coming out of professional school. In my case, that's a scary number. On the other hand, I want to go into Emergency Medicine. The median annual salery is over that (as is the mean). Pragmatically, I am looking at a 3-4 year residency at $35 to 40K where times will be tight followed by the potential for a good income. IBR makes sense for me. I can delay paying on a large principle for three years when times are tight and then try and knock it off as quickly as possible when my family has more disposable income. It also pays off for the government/taxpayer: more interest.
If I stretch that principle out over 20 years, I will have ended up paying multiple times what I have owed for no real benefit. Clearly I am going to try and pay off my loans as fast as I can. So in my (and my peers case), the government and the taxpayer are repaid in full with 7% interest.
Income wise, the profession I am going into is somewhat unique in that the salaries are fairly consistent and predictable. The mean salary is in the upper ends as far as Americans are concerned. On the other end, the high end of the salary curve is also basically capped. I am never going to earn a seven figure income unless I invent something or do something outside of the purely practicing medicine (i.e. start a business or invest).
On the other hand, kids coming out of college generally have more risk, but the potential to go on and become a bajillionaire is also there.
Mark Zuckerberg didn't start a business that now puts his value at 17 billion dollars on a loading dock. He started it at Harvard.
So where is the tipping point? You guys clearly want to *****, but at what point are student loans a good investment and when are they a bum deal? I mean, I only hear you guys bitching about the most extreme cases: "Susie Creamcheese went to Yale and got a degree in Underwater Basketweaving".
You've chosen to SERVE PEOPLE in one of the meaningful ways that ANYONE in society can.. The eventual reward (assuming you don't freak out in Residency or suck at the job) is obvious. That's what money is -- thanks from other people..
What I'm (we're) bitchin about is ...
It's all those "perverse incentives" and unintended consequences that we see ALL the time coming out "well-intentioned" GOVT altruism.
1) It places a GUARANTEE on your outcome regardless of your choices OR (apparently) your performance. Don't make an expected college salary? No Prob... Suck at what you do? No Prob.. Don't have a clue how you are gonna serve humanity in a meaningful way with a Russian Lit degree.. We'll comp ya.... That's YOU and ME comping them BTW...
2) It tells folks that kicking out kids will pay you $140/month or more!!!
3) It gives a Golden Parachute to Public Servants. Making that choice a refuge for the hopeless. Can't find a real job? Uncle Sam will provide for you and dismiss your loan. Is that a way to INCREASE competency in GOVT?
4) It sends the message that education assistance is means tested "AFTER THE FACT".. Whereas scholarships may be means tested on ability to pay and therefore benefit the currently underprivileged -- THIS sends a message that the debt you incurred is means tested by your ability to CONTRIBUTE after you wasted time in college. It REWARDS the folks who are UNDERPREPARED to serve society...
5) Since there is CAP on payment amounts -- it sends the message to RUN UP those college loans, it won't really affect payments. How perverse is that? if someone WANTED to inflate College costs -- they couldn't have devised a more devious plan..
HOLY COW... Looking at that list -- I REALLY think we blew it by not reading whatever Bill allowed this evil plan.. It is to me maybe MORE of a leftist grab in effect than the Health Care fiasco...
And there isn't a leftist on this board that can claim that way this works is to "provide free education as entitlement because it will benefit ALL of us". If that was the goal -- we wouldn't be ENCOURAGING failing outcomes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And GeauxtoHell --- "Predictable salaries?" What rock have you've been under? You're biggest hedge advantage to this plan is only that -- SHOULD the GOVT SUCCEED in a healthcare takeover and your salary and reimbursements from a single payer PLUMMET --- you're already positioned to bail on the cost of your education..
Won't help you much in serving the public better -- but Uncle Sam has your back....