SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT LOAN DEBT - 44 MILLION Americans are in student loan debt. - There is $1.5 TRILLION in student debt., up from $200 billion in 2004. - Income for people ages 18-35 have gone DOWN since 1992. - At age 18, you can BORROW $200,000 but you can't drink a beer. - Student loan debt is the ONE debt that doesn't go away in a bankruptcy. The government WILL go after you. - Because of this, college tuitions have gone up TEN TIMES FASTER than inflation since 1977 (healthcare has gone up 3x faster). - 50% of students have student loans. Up from 15% in 1989. - The president of Quinnipiac College (where?) makes $3.5 million in salary (I just use this as an example to show where these rising tuitions are going). This has led to rising income inequality, less young entrepreneurs and innovation. Solutions: - relief of student loan debt so America remains in the lead of innovation. - Accreditation of online universities: increasing supply will reduce price. - system where investors can "buy" 10% of future income. Moving funding into the private sector. - spread awareness of companies that do not require a degree: Examples: Google, Hilton, Apple, IBM, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, etc. don't require a degree. #college #success …see more