NYCPHP Meetup

[Jake McGraw]

>     I know a lot of 20-somethings who need to make a huge payment every
> month on their student loans...  They're under a lot of pressure to get the
> first job that's "good enough"...  Taking the risk to find "something
> better" could land them in default.

<rant>
As a very recent graduate (2006) I'd like to offer some cheese with that whine.

College costs are made very clear prior enrolling. Nobody is twisting
any prospective student's arm, a huge array of choices are available
to every student. Personally. I went to SUNY Binghamton, lived off
campus for two of my four years (to save money and party hard) and had
a part time job while attending. All told, I ended up with 12K in
loans and payments of $97 dollars a month.

Based on my experience, during my senior year of high school, college
enrollment was just like every other shallow choice teenagers make: I
need a name brand school, I need a school with a big football team, I
need a school in the middle of a major urban center. So, I'm sorry if
I offer no remorse for the Special Ed major with 120K in student
loans, who can't make more than 29K a year. He/she should have spent
more time considering the consequences of their school choice rather
than whether or not they liked the school colors.
</rant>
- jake