Universities Weblog

Each year about this time, college seniors begin to seriously consider career choices. Some talk about six-figures, but not in reference to salaries. Instead, legions of students will someday wrestle with six-figure debt.

As this piece points out, it's not uncommon to graduate from college owing anywhere from $10,000 to more than $50,000, depending on whether you pay public or private tuition and your level of financial aid. Tack on law, medical or business school and you're possibly looking at a debt load close to $100,000. Even with loan consolidation, your monthly bill can exceed your mortgage payment.

Student Loans are easy to get and tempting, but they represent a mixed blessing. Burdened with such extreme debt, and not wanting to default, some graduates are forced to choose careers simply for the paycheck. Some would prefer to pursue teaching or public service but couldn't make ends meet on what they'd earn.