NEW YORK — A majority of young Americans say student debt is a major issue facing the nation, a new poll finds, and many blame colleges for the problem.
A plurality — 39 percent — blame colleges and universities for the rising amount of student debt, compared with just 10 percent who think students are at fault. Survey respondents were more likely to blame colleges for rising student debt if they were currently enrolled in school.
The cost of a college degree has increased 12-fold in the last 30 years, while having such a degree has become even more important to those seeking full-time employment. But policy experts and consumer watchdogs have increasingly flagged the wealth loss and ripple effect that the nation’s $1.2 trillion in student debt is having on the economy as a whole.
“Young people who are coming of age today understand that getting a postsecondary education is important [but] they have a lot of fear about the rising cost of higher education,” said Rory O’Sullivan, Policy and Research Director at Young Invincibles, a group that aims to represent young people in policy debates.
Source: Huffington Post
