“Balancing Debt Against College Choice” is a very interesting article in the New York Times written by Ron Lieber. The article is based off a true story that reflects the struggle some students face when trying to balance debt and choice of college. The article starts off by introducing the main character, Mino Caulton. He is a dislexic boy who is 18 years old and figuring out what his path is going to be for college. He was given $18,500 in grants from Juniata College. Unfortunately for Mino, along with many other families, their household value fell 80% in a previous economic downturn and if he wanted to go to a proficient liberal arts college he would need much more money in grants. One option that was mentioned in the article was for Mino to take out a loan of around $7,000 just to help pay for his freshman year of college. Beyond any grants or loans Mino and his family would still need to pull together around $43,000. Is it worth it? This is a decision students and families all over the world have to make. Most jobs nowadays will ask about where you graduated from college, there are always exceptions, but for the majority, the high paying jobs are given to people who graduated from at least a proficient college with a degree. In Mino’s case, a good college degree can have him facing a 5 figure debt and in that case a high paying job still isn't guaranteed. Lieber mentions in the article how Mino was not a spender, but still his savings are not even a fraction of what private college would cost for him to attend for four years. Another option for Mino is taking the Community College route. Mino mentions that he can’t help but feel like the Community College route is settling for less. I believe that many students feel this way and that is a big reason why a large chunk of highschool seniors chose debt and education over saving money. The main takeaway from this article is that college sets you up for your future but also has the ability to set you back. Many people debate over the right choice and I don't think there is one with the given circumstances. Many people every year set themselves up for success and others cant afford to spare the change no matter the level of intelligence or devotion to academics. The pressure of debt vs. education is a horrible pressure that needs to be changed. I believe that schools should offer more variety of grants and financial aid or lower their prices in general.
Lieber, Ron. "Balancing Debt Against College Choice." New York Times, 24 Mar. 2011, p. F2(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A252247477/OVIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=OVIC&xid=a4f1b161. Accessed 27 Oct. 2019.
