Yeah, About Those College Debt Folks

 For probably a decade, this topic has been on my mind.  I was one of the 'lucky' people who had the Air Force pay for the bulk of my education, and probably over a five-year period (early 1980s)....I probably spent $5k for my whole 'bill'.  

I have this one particular area of the discussion that I tend to focus upon....the people in the middle of this current mess.

First, there are the one who were told over and over for the final four years of high school....they were 'gifted'.  They had mostly a 'B' average.  They get convinced on the college idea, and sign up to spend the first year at some nifty college (dorm living).  

These are the people who learn at the end of the first semester that they aren't that gifted, marginally passing half their classes and failing the rest.  Part of their issue is partying....but they were dragged to the end of high school by teachers who act more like used-car dealers....than instructors.  

At the end of the 2nd semester....it's a lousy landscape, and they owe around $15k on college debt (don't even bother telling Dad that his $10,000 contribution went toward the cost of a car, beer, and partying).  

This is the guy/gal who will quit....have a crappy $15k in debt stuck to themselves, and job-wise....end up at the Quickie-Mart, tire-sales guy, or working evenings as a bartender.  

The second person is the one who goes after a worthless degree....wasting four years to achieve it, and will eventually learn that while starting pay is $30k a year....even after ten years....they probably won't make more than $40k.  That $80k in college debt will take three decades to pay off.

The third person is the one who ends up marrying another idiot who also has $80k of college debt, and both will spend decades arguing over debt and marginal lives.

The fourth person is the one who learns at the end of two years of college.....they hate their subject area, and can't bring themselves to refocus on something else because they already have too much debt on their back.

I don't have a lot of pity for any of these people.  I think if someone did a poll on college graduate folks with extreme debt.....the bulk of them by age thirty would admit they are miserable.

Fixing this?  How can you (as the government) offer some deal to pay off $10,000 or $20,000....without compensating the guy who never attended college?  You know....the guy who spent three weeks at some trucker school, and covered the cost entirely.....who is fairly happy at age thirty.