Comments on: Two Grouchmeister Articles Worth Reading

By: FMF

FMF — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:43:16 +0000

I’m trying to be less grouchy too.

By: Athena

Athena — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:56:52 +0000

Don’t these students parents help them understand what they’re getting into?

Also, isn’t learning about the terms of one’s financial obligations just common sense? If someone can graduate from high school and get into a college, I’d assume they’re not mentally challenged — it really isn’t rocket science. Hate to sound snarky, but it really seems that simple.

(I went to two colleges and took almost 7 yrs to pay off my loans. But college costs far less where I’m from.)

By: English Major

English Major — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:42:20 +0000

Mapgirl, I’ve never heard of a school doing a seminar of that kind. My college friends with loans certainly didn’t get that kind of help.

By: Money Blue Book

Money Blue Book — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:00:27 +0000

I actually enjoy reading someone else’s rants

I’m a vulture stock and real estate investor who wisely and luckily missed out on the boom so I’m definitely opposed to any bailouts. I’m waiting to catch their property after prices tank by half. Dang I sound evil.

Piratz is nice..I actually live pretty close to it.
Arrrrr right I’m done

-Raymond

By: mapgirl

mapgirl — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:58:59 +0000

Pardon me. But am I the only one that sat through a loan/financial aid class with the Financial Aid office from my college?

I distinctly remember being giving a package of information from Citibank about loan consolidation, payment plans, etc. It was well after the fact, i.e. during my senior year of college and not before I had contracted to take the loans in the first place, but I had to sign something that said I knew what I was doing with my loans.

Are schools not doing this anymore with students?

By: thisisbeth

thisisbeth — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:46:37 +0000

Who should be repsonsible for educating 18-year-olds? Some 18-year-olds understand all this when they take out loans, and some don’t. Perhaps colleges should give tests about personal finance, and if you pass, you get x credits, and if you fail, you’re required to take an x-credit personal finance class.

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:24:05 +0000

Sistah Ant has a good point. It’s hard for a young person to make good financial decisions without an education. Not that some people couldn’t make better decisions, but I don’t know if they can be expected to make the best decisions.

By: Sistah Ant

Sistah Ant — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:17:35 +0000

I think the problem with student loans is that you can’t expect 18 year olds with minimal financial education to know what they’re doing out there. Or 22 year olds for that matter. I’m not saying don’t hold them accountable. I’m saying give them the ability to rise to the responsibility by educating them.

I don’t complain about my student loans because I knew what I was getting into.

By: Dean J

Dean J — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:11:25 +0000

My in-state tuition at a state school is under $250 a credit, which is pretty darn cheap. $750/course makes it about $25k for the Bachelor’s.

My private tuition, previously, was $1200ish a credit, late 90’s. On the other hand, I’ve financed that out at 3.25% over 15 years, and as long as inflation stays *over* 3.25%, I intend to let that ride without thinking about it…