Recent Government Student Loan Decisions, and Self-Sovereignty
The Rising Cost of Higher Education: Why Debt Shouldn’t Control Your Future
Lately, there's been a lot of talk about the government cutting back on student loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment programs. (This is highlighted in a very recent Forbes Magazine article, linked below.) The idea is to save taxpayer money, but what does that really mean for students and graduates? It means millions of people could be stuck paying off their student loans for decades—or even for life.
Why Are We Still Paying So Much for College?
Let’s be honest—college is expensive, and it’s only getting worse. Schools keep raising tuition because they know students have access to federal loans. It’s like an endless cycle: colleges charge more, students borrow more, and nothing really changes. They justify these costs with fancy new buildings, bigger administrative teams, and higher salaries, but is it really making education any better?
The real issue? We’ve been conditioned to believe this is just the way things are. We take on massive loans, assuming it’s the only way to get ahead. But is it really worth the financial burden?
The Power Is in Our Hands
Here’s the good news: we have more control than we think. Higher education costs won’t change unless we stop agreeing to pay ridiculous tuition prices. If more people start choosing alternative paths—trade schools, community college, apprenticeships, online education—universities will have no choice but to lower their prices. Colleges charge what the market allows, and we are the market.
Take Back Your Financial Freedom
Debt is one of the biggest traps out there. When you graduate with a mountain of student loans, your life choices start revolving around those monthly payments. You might take a job you don’t love just because it pays enough to cover your debt. That’s not real freedom—that’s financial handcuffs.
Instead of depending on government programs that may or may not exist in the future, we need to take control of our financial futures. Look for scholarships, work through school, and choose affordable education options. It might take a little more effort up front, but the payoff is worth it—no pun intended.
It’s Time to Demand Change
If we really want change, we have to be the ones to make it happen. The only way colleges will start lowering their prices is if students refuse to keep paying for overpriced degrees. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to bail out the system, and students shouldn’t have to drown in debt just to get an education.
We have the power to shift the system by making smarter financial choices. Let’s stop feeding into a broken system and start demanding better. The choice is ours—let’s make it count.
See the Forbes article here.
