Voice of the People: Give some credit to Today's college students

Give some credit to today's college students

Carol Khou
Published March 20, 2006

Urbana -- This letter is in response to some letters featured in the
March 8 Voice of the people column, which were responding to "In debt,
forever; How can you cope with $55,000 in student loans on $33,000 in
income?" (Page 1, March 5).

Sure, blame it on the college student for being in debt.

Blame those who want to work for public service or non-profit agencies.

After all, it is easier to blame students for debt that we incur in
school rather than looking at the broader picture.

As a freshman who received no aid and a stack of loans, I fully
empathize with the students featured. I am appalled, however, by what
the Boomer generation (some members of which wrote some of the
letters) seemed to think about college debt.

One writer seemed to think that it is our fault for going into debt,
blaming the fact that students preferred private universities to
public ones.

As a student at a public university, I would say there is good reason
for this preference.

Let's face it.

Private schools have more funds at their disposal to help students financially.

Because of the size, they are also better equipped with career counseling.

Let's not kid ourselves. In this competitive job market, the school an
interviewee attended matters a lot. Many employers are going to give
preference to a person who graduated from a highly esteemed private
school as opposed to someone who attended a public institution.

I also resent the implication that students spend needed funds on
trips to Cancun for spring break. Because spring break is upon us, I
thought this point hit close to home.

Sure students spend money foolishly. But so do adults.

Whom do you think we get our ideas from?

I think that adults who have been through the college experience
should refrain from placing all the blame on students. Instead they
should teach their children (or the children in their families)
money-management skills.

Also people should not single out students entering non-profit work or
other thankless fields, such as teaching and social work, for the debt
that they incurred. As a student who wants to enter the field of
social work, it is discouraging to me that "educated" citizens would
scoff at the profession and wonder why I would not elect to try my
hand at being a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Despite what the Boomer generation thinks, my generation is growing up
and assuming more responsibility than they give us credit for.