Student debt is a big problem. Schools way too expensive. Grads saddled with debt for years or even decades. And having the feds pay for tuition isn’t the answer as that allows schools to charge whatever they want for lousy service with majors that are worthless.
Here’s two possible solutions:
1. Students pay their first year either with loans as done now, their own or parents funds, or scholarship. After the first year have corporations come in to recruit future employees and pay the tuition for those they select. They would pick students with best courses of study and the best grades. Corp pays for three years in return for five years work at full pay. Student could opt out by reimbursing the company if they get a better job offer.
This will have many benefits. The most obvious is reduced loans/debt for students. Second is that freshman year they would be more incentivized to study to get the grades to win a full ride for three years. That would reduce the lure of partying and such behaviors and have kids more focused. It would also incentivize them to pick majors that companies would fund.....probably leading to a big increase in STEM majors. Kids that miss out the first year could qualify after their sophomore year. A company could even offer tutors or other assistance to help their ROI. Companies would also likely have more internships and students would build a network of mentors along the way. And schools would have to improve their offerings to get companies to participate. Having a good program would attract better students. A bad program of this nature would hurt enrollment.
2. Make the schools be co-signers on any student loan. Great way to incentivize the schools to help students succeed. And to enroll students in courses that would result in quality jobs so students don’t default. It would reduce majoring in studies with poor employment opportunities. It would also reduce schools accepting kids that they know will not succeed but pay tuition for a year or two before dropping out. Schools would make professors better teachers instead of just research gods that sleepwalk through some required class.
I know most schools would never agree to such a program. But if enough do so and are successful, the rest would have to fall in line. Hate government mandates to institute such a plan but I would prefer such a mandate over just handing out free tuition to anyone that enrolls in any major.
Ideally it would be a hybrid of both. Schools co-sign for year one, corporations pick up the tab for the top students the rest of the way. Could easily see half the students winning such corporate support.
Go ahead shoot some holes in it. Know it won’t be easy. If you have a better idea let’s hear it.
Here’s two possible solutions:
1. Students pay their first year either with loans as done now, their own or parents funds, or scholarship. After the first year have corporations come in to recruit future employees and pay the tuition for those they select. They would pick students with best courses of study and the best grades. Corp pays for three years in return for five years work at full pay. Student could opt out by reimbursing the company if they get a better job offer.
This will have many benefits. The most obvious is reduced loans/debt for students. Second is that freshman year they would be more incentivized to study to get the grades to win a full ride for three years. That would reduce the lure of partying and such behaviors and have kids more focused. It would also incentivize them to pick majors that companies would fund.....probably leading to a big increase in STEM majors. Kids that miss out the first year could qualify after their sophomore year. A company could even offer tutors or other assistance to help their ROI. Companies would also likely have more internships and students would build a network of mentors along the way. And schools would have to improve their offerings to get companies to participate. Having a good program would attract better students. A bad program of this nature would hurt enrollment.
2. Make the schools be co-signers on any student loan. Great way to incentivize the schools to help students succeed. And to enroll students in courses that would result in quality jobs so students don’t default. It would reduce majoring in studies with poor employment opportunities. It would also reduce schools accepting kids that they know will not succeed but pay tuition for a year or two before dropping out. Schools would make professors better teachers instead of just research gods that sleepwalk through some required class.
I know most schools would never agree to such a program. But if enough do so and are successful, the rest would have to fall in line. Hate government mandates to institute such a plan but I would prefer such a mandate over just handing out free tuition to anyone that enrolls in any major.
Ideally it would be a hybrid of both. Schools co-sign for year one, corporations pick up the tab for the top students the rest of the way. Could easily see half the students winning such corporate support.
Go ahead shoot some holes in it. Know it won’t be easy. If you have a better idea let’s hear it.
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