$ 100,000 in the hole for an education with little to show for it.

[MillCreek]

I can't find the comments on it. Linky?

http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/assigning-responsibility-for-high-student-loan-debts/?ref=student-loans

358 comments now.

[nico]

I graduated from dental school a week ago and have just under $250k in loans.  I never would have gotten myself into this much debt if I didn't have a realistic expectation of getting a job where I could pay them back.  Friends of mine who got jobs straight out of school (I'm doing a residency) are going to be making anywhere from $50-75/hour and the thought of the ~$2500+/month loan payment is still scary.  

I can't imagine getting all that debt without having a very good idea of what I'd be doing/how much I'd be making once I graduated.

[Perd Hapley]

I get tired of this assigning blame to creditors.  Creditors sell money like J.C. Penny sells slacks. If I wrote a hot check to J.C. Penny, they would be the victim. Why is it different for businesses that sell money?

[roo_ster]

No degree is ever useless if a person puts it to good use.

I don't know the lady in the article, so obviously I'm guessing a bit.  But it sounds like she doesn't intend to try to make good use of her degree.  As she's saying she thinks she wasted a decade and wishes she could turn her degree back in.  She could try to use it to get into writing, administration, academia, etc. 

She'll get a job in local, state, or fed.gov.

[MicroBalrog]

Good colleges and universities don't offer interdisciplinary degrees in tripe like "religious and womens's studies."  I

http://www.hds.harvard.edu/prse/

http://www.yale.edu/religiousstudies/

http://www.yale.edu/wgss/index.html

[Gowen]

She'll get a job in local, state, or fed.gov.

If she can, most states are cutting jobs and are having massive layoffs.

Seriously though, I am questioning the truthfulness of the article.  Does this person really exist?  I've seen articles made up before.  100k on that degree!?!?  If so,  she is too stupid to get a job.  If you are going to spend 100k on schooling, there had better be Dr. preceding your name or Esq. after it.  I really believe that this is a made up person.

[MillCreek]

^^^ Yes, I am sure that the New York Times, one of the pre-eminent newspapers of the world, just makes up articles. 

[Gowen]

I'll just ask Dan Rather for you.

[Ron]

Economic hard times generally help clarify which degrees are the most utilitarian.

When times are good, a lot of folks make money hand over fist while adding little to societies overall well being.

When times are lean, the truth of what is necessary, in comparison to what is just the vanity of excess becomes clearer.



 

[Scout26]

Got my BS degree in Computer Information Systems in 1987.  Never used.  After I got out of the Army, My degree was 4 years out of date and they could hire new grads for less.  So I tried going into Financial Planning, it didn't work out, so I went into Logistics.  (As an MP platoon leader, I was responsible for moving a Mech Infantry Brigade from one side of Germany to the border, that's my story and I'm, stickin' with it.)

The 4 year degree was just proof that I could make through school, nothing more.