New study About Dozens of Universities Steer Low-Income Families to Debt They Can't Afford

[Anonymous]

The list includes 23 selective private universities and 18 public flagship and research institutions, nearly half of which are in the South.

https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/parent-plus-subprime-loans-universities-debt/

[Anonymous]

The educational industrial complex is alive and well in America. Nothing new. Many other schools use low income families as part of their social engineering posturing efforts.

How many of these kids actually graduate from these institutions of higher learning. Most would probably have been better off pursuing a trade instead of a dead end major even if they graduate.

[Anonymous]

Awful. The Obama Admin tried to do something about Parent Plus but were blocked by HBCU grifters. Glad to see no HBCUs on these lists though.

https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=448

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The educational industrial complex is alive and well in America. Nothing new. Many other schools use low income families as part of their social engineering posturing efforts.

How many of these kids actually graduate from these institutions of higher learning. Most would probably have been better off pursuing a trade instead of a dead end major even if they graduate.

That’s not actually it. They just fleece everyone for all they are worth. These kids deserve a college education but shouldn’t be exploited with piles of debt - which of course is a big reason why the degree may not be worth it.

[Anonymous]

The schools on the list largely make sense. The southern schools have all seen massive tuition increases to fund their football-themed, resort level amenities. Touring Clemson and Auburn last year felt more like Disneyland than a serious university. I was surprised (and disappointed) to read about this practice at Jesuit institutions. Seems antithetical to Catholic social teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The list includes 23 selective private universities and 18 public flagship and research institutions, nearly half of which are in the South.

https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/parent-plus-subprime-loans-universities-debt/

It includes 23 private universities…but many don’t qualify as “selective” which I believe means have a less than 50% acceptance rate.

It’s probably 50/50 selective vs non-selective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools on the list largely make sense. The southern schools have all seen massive tuition increases to fund their football-themed, resort level amenities. Touring Clemson and Auburn last year felt more like Disneyland than a serious university. I was surprised (and disappointed) to read about this practice at Jesuit institutions. Seems antithetical to Catholic social teaching.

This was years ago, but I remember reading the Sunday NYT Style section, and the front article was about the crippling effects of student loan debt on graduates, and how some were postponing things like marriage and children because of it. Then two pages later there was an article on the new lazy river on the LSU campus. The juxtaposition was absurd. And telling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The schools on the list largely make sense. The southern schools have all seen massive tuition increases to fund their football-themed, resort level amenities. Touring Clemson and Auburn last year felt more like Disneyland than a serious university. I was surprised (and disappointed) to read about this practice at Jesuit institutions. Seems antithetical to Catholic social teaching.

This was years ago, but I remember reading the Sunday NYT Style section, and the front article was about the crippling effects of student loan debt on graduates, and how some were postponing things like marriage and children because of it. Then two pages later there was an article on the new lazy river on the LSU campus. The juxtaposition was absurd. And telling.

100%. We toured Mizzou last year they spent more time talking about the “grotto”, the Olympic sized pool and indoor/outdoor fitness rooms than academics. It was bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing this article. We have great universities in the US but what an awful system.

It's so disturbing to know that what is best for my child and family (a "merit" discount on exorbitant tuition that realistically is NOT affordable to us "full pay" either) props up a truly rotten system that severely disadvantages other families with FAR fewer resources.

Honestly these ranking systems (and probably social media too) have created a monster. As the former LSU Chncellor noted - higher ed is chasing the wrong goals. Yuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Awful. The Obama Admin tried to do something about Parent Plus but were blocked by HBCU grifters. Glad to see no HBCUs on these lists though.

https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=448

So maybe it’s not the HBCU schools that are the “grifters”.

Americans routinely take on enormous debt for medical care and education— things that many countries provide at minimal or no cost — recognizing the importance of having educated, healthy citizens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Awful. The Obama Admin tried to do something about Parent Plus but were blocked by HBCU grifters. Glad to see no HBCUs on these lists though.

https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=448

Obama is responsible for the student loan crisis and the absurd view that everyone deserves to go to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Awful. The Obama Admin tried to do something about Parent Plus but were blocked by HBCU grifters. Glad to see no HBCUs on these lists though.

https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=448

So maybe it’s not the HBCU schools that are the “grifters”.

Americans routinely take on enormous debt for medical care and education— things that many countries provide at minimal or no cost — recognizing the importance of having educated, healthy citizens.

Oh there are definitely grifters at HBCUs of a particular type, although they are certainly not the only ones. And the very modest and sensible 2013 reforms to parent plus were totally derailed specifically by the HBCUs, making it basically radioactive to talk about Parent Plus reforms for a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Awful. The Obama Admin tried to do something about Parent Plus but were blocked by HBCU grifters. Glad to see no HBCUs on these lists though.

https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=448

Obama is responsible for the student loan crisis and the absurd view that everyone deserves to go to college.

It’s complicated. bad federal loan policies definitely create the debt burden, but the cost of college is the fault of the colleges themselves and especially the states.

[Anonymous]

Aren't Parent Plus loans capped at a lower limit beginning this summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't Parent Plus loans capped at a lower limit beginning this summer?

Yes. So one use of this list might be to identify schools about to face a cash crunch due to that new cap.