Introduction

The evidence that America is experiencing a student debt crisis undeniable. In 2019, Forbes reported that about 44 million people collectively owe over $1.5 trillion in student loans — making it the second highest consumer debt category with mortgages sitting at number one. This makes education debt higher than credit card debt and auto loans.

While these statistics are unfortunately true, the rhetoric surrounding these types of statistics is lacking. Granted the piece referenced here is solely statistics, it still undermines the impact behind these numbers. While informative, it is unsettling because mortgages, credit card debt and auto loans are not truly comparable to student loans. Individuals with student debt cannot earn equity on their degree, sell their diploma or declare bankruptcy — so in some respects, student loans are in a category of their own.

The topic of student debt isn’t new. We hear about it frequently, especially with the upcoming 2020 Presidential Election, but we are only examining the issue on a high level. Many of the thought pieces surrounding student debt keep economic effects at the center (i.e. the ability to purchase homes, rooming with parents, too much avocado toast etc), but what does this all mean for people with student debt? We need to further the discussion surrounding this subject. We need to engage in a deeper conversation.

The goal of this platform is continue to share information on student loans, but also to share the personal narratives of the individuals behind the facts and the figures. Everything from the pitfalls to the success stories. The crisis on student debt is too personal to be this impersonal. The goal of this blog is to change that.

Welcome to Until Debt Due Us Part.