Reference no: EM132527952

Sidestepping Student Debt

Graduating from college with limited financial debt remains a challenge in these hard economic times. According to experts, the average student uses student loans to pay for school and then carries a median debt of $35,000 upon graduation. It is a significant sum for any recent graduate. The annual college tuition for a typical private school exceeds $50,000. Students attending those schools accrue crippling debt by the end of college. How is a recent college graduate supposed to pay back such a debt? The hourly minimum wage hardly covers the rent in urban areas across the country, leaving graduates scrambling to cover loans and other expenses. Finding entry-level corporate jobs is difficult for young graduates without career experience. Nonetheless, banks do not hesitate long before demanding payment on school loans. Smart students everywhere are refusing to accept the unwritten law that attending college results in overwhelming debt. Instead, these smart students sidestep serious college debt before college even begins.

One way to avoid a hefty college loan is to start thinking about that debt before applying to colleges. Savvy students consider not only the schools that offer the best education, but also those schools with reasonable tuition rates that fit within a set budget. Budgeting requires a breakdown of all school expenses. It also ensures students that they will be able to pay for tuition without the use of student loans.
Even those students who work within a budget may find it necessary to take out a small student loan to ease the burden of paying outright for college. The monthly payback rates of those loans need to be considered carefully. Wherever possible, the payback rate should be relative to a student's projected income upon graduation. For example, students can calculate the monthly salary of their chosen profession and make sure it adequately covers their monthly loan payback. If a salary projection covers the monthly loan amount, then the student can feel safe in taking on the loan.

Another way smart students avoid serious debt is by applying for scholarships. Landing a scholarship is as easy as filling out a form. These awards range from minimal, such as a token gift of a few dollars per semester, to significant, such as complete tuition remission. Some scholarships award excellence in non-academic activities, such as sports and the arts. Students use scholarship monies to pay for school-related expenses such as books, academic equipment, and computers.

Finally, colleges themselves offer creative ways for students to avoid student debt. One such way is through student employment services. College students can work on campus in jobs ranging from tutoring and assisting in campus offices to more difficult jobs, such teaching classes through a teaching fellowship. Jobs like these can reduce tuition or provide direct income for students. All students can use extra pocket money, and campus employment can offer both immediate and long-term financial help.

Avoiding crippling college debt is crucial. It requires smart thinking before school begins in September. It requires careful forethought and active planning. It requires a thorough understanding of career-level salaries and typical real-life expenses after college. Scholarship money and campus employment offer financial help with tuition and other college expenses. By following the example of smart students everywhere, college applicants can avoid overwhelming student loan debt before applying to schools.

1. What is the author's viewpoint in "Sidestepping Student Debt"? How does the author use rhetoric to advance a viewpoint? Use evidence from the text to demonstrate your understanding of the rhetorical devices the author uses and their effect.

2. Writers of persuasive texts use a number of techniques to advance their viewpoint and argument. What are some examples of the author's use of false statements and of fallacious reasoning in "Sidestepping Student Debt"? Use evidence from the text to support your response.