Sadly what Wayne Martin said seems to be true. In my day you were guaranteed a job with a diploma in hand and tuition and board were only $6000 per year!

Tough question! The cost of education continues to grow and opportunities seemingly dwindling!

Nathan Gesner - I agree with Kenneth J. Jones, Director . Until there is true competition out there for the available students and not subsidized debt to make college "affordable," we will not get this under control. And when people realize that there is great money to be made in the "trades," and that college isn't the route for everyone, and a true fair market results and colleges have to compete for students, we may see prices go down.

  Global banks + Federal Government?   It will never get fixed.

Many students do not consider the cost of schooling expect parents and loans will allow them to go to their dream school. They come out often with impractical diplomas not able to seek a job.

A few going to college learning to surf and ski is their motivation.  In our area some students stay home going to JC and spend last two years at local Ivy League colleges.   What is wrong going to local public universities earn your tuition with a PT job? 

Currently, that is wishful thinking.

Our state is now giving free 2 years of college and then supplementing the last two years. All that has done is help pay and the kids are still borrowing and living it up on their student loans. I hear them talk about it.

No I don't

The problem isn't student loan debt. The problem is that college no longer prepares you for gainful employment, so financing a college education = setup to a fail.

In my world I have seen more young adults playing all summer instead of working so they don't have to borrow so much

I am with Fred Griffin -  those two factors must change first.

I sincerely doubt it.... until colleges and universities stop escalating those costs.

not likely.... tuition continues to rise and education is a necessity to make a living.... 

no

Sure just like the government will stop over spending and Donald Trump will stop tweeting lol

I will add Wishing Everyone Happy and Successful New Year!

I don't think so. The cost of a college education continues to grow and hasn't shown any sign of slowing down. Interest rates are going to go up too!

When the federal government is carrying so much debt, why would the public think anything differently.   However, I do not believe in that debt! 

it is growing, even gov and state do help with aids. My son is a student, so it is not easy for him. 

I am glad that my girl has her all paid off but worry about her 4 kids when they are ready to go.

Maybe, depends on whether the folks in charge want to.

I never knew it was ever under control. When the costs were "cheap" no one ever repaid them.  More than once I've seen credit reports of doctors,surgeons and lawyers with excellent credit and never paid back their student loans. I've turned down many of them and they couldn't understand why. In today's world the cost for an education is really out of control since many have degrees that are not useful. I have a friend that got a masters is Latin and another in Philosophy and they don't want to be a teacher! What else are you going to do with it? Careful thinking and planning is the key and going the first 2 years to jC helps the costs.  Don't go to an Ivy League school for a liberal arts degree.

Not unless the educational institutions offer a "money back guarantee"! 

Nathan Gesner - with the education costs going up, this 'problem' is here to stay, I believe.

Once the odometer hits a trillion, shouldn't it roll over to zero and start over?

I have been reading that the student loan debt will be our next bubble. To add to your question this young generation that is saddled with all these loans will not be in the market to purchase a new home anytime soon. It is a serious problem that I don't think has a good solution. The problem needed attention back when it was created, Easy money!

Give out grants instead of loans, that should help.

As long they continue creating those crazy type of degrees. .. No

Yes because this country does not want to pay for public education.

Nathan Gesner Spread out the wealth. Free college so all the tax payers can carry the debt.

Depends on who's contolling the giving of money.....

Trillion dollars of debt. We bound-up an entire generation or two. Why?

Community college for the first two years, keeps the debt well under control.

Once we see several pointless colleges offering meaningless degrees; then people will start to evaluate whether a college degree will advance their lives. The students need to stop believing that society owes them a free education. I had to pay for mine!

The ultimate "solution," without interjecting political opinion, will be the government somehow wiping the slates clean...