Article Summary
The student loans are becoming a concerning issue for U.S. education, as more and more people enter colleges and universities. At the same time, they graduate with enormous loans to repay in the future. What is more, the younger generation has limited opportunities to avoid student loans, as they do not receive financial backup or do not have enough savings to cover educational charges. Therefore, education has a significant influence on citizens’ welfare; however, the financial aspect of knowledge becomes a burden on students’ economic sustainability.
In the article, written by Lehman, the author discusses the issues related to the number of loans and the age of loan holders in the country. Lehman indicates that the current trend in the education system shows that younger people have more challenges to cover the college or university loans due to the imbalanced ratio between charges and the U.S. average graduate salary (Lehman). As a result, the author suggests that fundamental changes should be made in both education finance principles and perception of education importance among young people, employers, and industries.
The latter one has pivotal role in this issue according to Lehman. He states that the current tradition of being educated and hold prestige diploma limits opportunities and welfare of young people (Lehman). Lehman indicates that graduation is a vital milestone in people’s life and career; however, the growing number of student loans will only disrupt the understanding of social wellbeing and convenience in financial security.
From this perspective, the article shows that the educational system faces challenges in managing the number of students and those who are willing to re-enter colleges and universities. The financial aspect of the problem only supports social welfare decline, as graduates are obliged to repay debts for a prolonged period of their lives. In return, the changes in education role perception and rebalance in financial obligations may assist younger generations in covering both the need for higher education and the importance of social and economic security.
Critical Reflection
Lehman’s article shows that the college and university fees constraint students from achieving financial security. The problem is that the author compares age and income statements to show that young students are more vulnerable than adult students, who use education as a tool for better career promotions. In this case, the article focus fluctuates from the financial aspect of the issue to the role of education.
As a result, it is unclear how the author suggests resolving the problem or sees a possible solution. Education is vital leverage for the career start and entrance of a well-paid workforce. Without education, students can start a career; however, they will enter those adult students, who returned to college to get a degree needed for promotion. The only feasible solution is to create some collaboration between employers, students, and educational institutions that will invest in education, lower fees, and guarantee that employers acquire the best students as a new workforce.
Work Cited
Lehman, Charles Fain. “The Student Loan Trap: When Debt Delays Life.” The American Conservative, vol. 18, no. 2, 2019. Web.