Bridge Cards Taken Away from about 30,000 College Students....

[NativeDetroiter]

Considering that I have difficulty finding one part-time job, I think that it would be nearly impossible to find 3. And lazy? I am far from it, but thanks for making that assumption just like everyone else. I don't have any new clothes, either. I have been wearing the same ratty clothes for about 6 years now 'cause I have BEEN broke. I can't eat ramen OR Mac n' cheese because I have a gluten intolerance and that would make me so sick that I would be worthless.

I said it before and I will say it again: I have worked since I was 13 and I am still working. I'll lose this job soon because WSU didn't offer many students WS for next year. I will gladly take either part or full time work if someone offers it to me. But, hey. This isn't the 80's anymore, dude. Jobs aren't as abundant as they were during your golden years. I am happy that you were so privileged, but I am not.

And for those that think that student loans and grants can pay my expenses, you are trippin'. I already do without a car because I can't afford a car and insurance. My lazy butt walks, bikes and takes the bus year-round in the rain and snow. Try that for a while, it's not fun in the winter. I pay $500 a month for my rent in a small studio apartment and I don't have any extras like cable TV cause I can't afford it. I was awarded about 12,000 [[total with loans) in financial aid for next year and about 10,000 will go to paying tuition and even more towards books.

Not only is there no money left over to eat, there isn't money to pay my rent. I make about $600 a month with a part-time minimum wage work-study job. That BARELY covers my rent. And then there is my bus pass.

I don't get to go out. I don't get to go to restaurants. I don't even get to have friends because I am so freaking broke that I can't afford to do anything. I am pretty damn close to being homeless.

You do the math.

All of this ignorance makes me so angry. I have worked so hard my entire life and when it became increasingly difficult to find work I made the choice to go back to school. Excuse me for trying to make things better. Apparently I made a huge mistake. Since everyone treats me like such a loser, maybe I should just throw in the towel and live in the streets, cause I am pretty much about there anyway.

Epiphany, my heart goes out to you. I understand what you are going through. A lot of people don't understand just how expensive college has become. It may have been possible to work your way through it 25 years ago, but a lot has changed since then. The only reason some students are making it is because of their parents or they were fortunate to get scholarships. I don't believe for one minute that people are "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps" with these prices. I wish I could give you more advice.

This country should provide all of its citizens with food, shelter, and healthcare no matter what. In order for people to be successful they need SUPPORT. We are all human and we can only do so much with out help. As a nation we are moving backwards instead of forward. We are moving back to a time when only privileged people could afford to educate and advance themselves.

[Johnnny5]

This graph shows the unemployment rate rate of these individual groups relative to the overall unemployment rate.



Here's another graph which shows jow growth by education. Not that this graph is from 1976 to 1996 [[15 years old), and I can only imagine that these trends have gotten stronger.


Basically ever stat that's out there points to people with high school or less having no future.

I don't see any graph showing that those without a college degree will have "no future" I see the graphs showing that employment opportunities are statistically better for those with a college education, but that does not mean those without one will forever live in poverty. Nor does having a college degree guarantee a life of financial stability and endless fulfillment.

Either way, that's a bit irrelevant to the topic at hand. By now everyone should know that higher education will [[ in most cases) increase your future earning potential. The question is should those pursuing a college education be able to collect social welfare benefits for the needy when in many cases their "need" is a result of the decision not to seek full time employment?

[Meddle]

College .... is far more expensive now than it was even 10 years ago.

No argument there, but too much of that is going to salaries and benefits for the muckety-mucks. Chancellors and Presidents and their cronies are pulling in million dollar annual packages, while the ones actually doing the classroom work aren't getting anywhere near that.

[bartock]

I think all the people commenting on how they put themselves through college don't really understand the situation here. College [[not to mention food) is far more expensive now than it was even 10 years ago. Plus jobs are harder to come by, and adjusted for inflation minimum wage is the lowest its been in 50 years.

For example a student attending Wayne State [[a "cheap" school) for four years today at current tuition and fees rates pays close to $40,000, but students paid only $17,000 as recently as 2001. Tuition and fees at Wayne State have skyrocketed by over 231% over the past ten years! So I appreciate the sentiment that you "worked and paid your way through it" but times have changed my friends. I say that if college students are trying to better themselves we as a society have a responsibility to ensure that they are fed.

This money is borrowed from taxpayer-funded, low interest, unsecured loans. Most students would not be able to get these loans and the benefit of the higher education if not for these loans. Those loans can also be for expenses such as food as well. It is a HUGE benefit.

Once again, Michigan is/was providing these benefits to 10 times the number of students that other states were/are. Something is wrong when that happens. All Michigan did was align the State's requirements to receive food assistance with the federal government's requirements. I have not read one thing about students in other states starving because they can't feed themselves.

[guito13]

This country should provide all of its citizens with food, shelter, and healthcare no matter what.

How about this:

This country should provide all of its citizens, who are willing to work 8 hours if physically/mentally capable, a day with food, shelter, and healthcare.

[Johnnny5]

How about this:

This country should provide all of its citizens, who are willing to work 8 hours if physically/mentally capable, a day with food, shelter, and healthcare.

Sounds a bit familiar... Wasn't there a country in Eastern Europe that tried that? =)

[Det_ard]

Those ubiquitous student loans have enabled college costs to skyrocket well above the rate of inflation. Remember that next time the issue of guaranteed access to student loans, or outright grants comes up.

Also keep college costs in mind as you follow the impending faculty strike at CMU. They are demanding a 10% increase in pay over the next 2.5 years, and to keep their union-run health insurance rather than switch to the virtually identical Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan the rest of CMU uses. The union plan costs over $4,000 more annually than the BC/BS plan. They also want to pay just 5% of the annual cost versus 9% like the rest of CMU.

Your borrowed tuition dollars at work.

BTW, I checked my memory on the unemployment rate in Michigan in the 80's.

But, hey. This isn't the 80's anymore, dude. Jobs aren't as abundant as they were during your golden years. I am happy that you were so privileged, but I am not.

Unemployment was worse than 10.5% for the entire first half of the decade, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.

[guito13]

Sounds a bit familiar... Wasn't there a country in Eastern Europe that tried that? =)

There were a few that tried to run ALL of the industries, void of a free market, under the mantra of "Take from all based on ability, give to all based on need". That definately didnt work out well.

[Kevgoblue]

No argument there, but too much of that is going to salaries and benefits for the muckety-mucks. Chancellors and Presidents and their cronies are pulling in million dollar annual packages, while the ones actually doing the classroom work aren't getting anywhere near that.

No argument there. But the fact that its Chancellors, Presidents and all sorts of ballooning administrative costs that are driving tuition higher than it should be, still does not help epiphany be able to afford college any more.

I also like to tell stories of how hard I worked to pay my way thru school and how broke I was the whole time doing it. But given the cost of school today I seriously wonder if I could repeat that feat, without coming out under tons of debt.

[dtowncitylover]

Epiphany,
As a fellow college student I feel for you 110%. College grads pre-1995 or so don't understand how tough it is today to pay for college. The jobs aren't plentiful, the pay is pitiful, and the workload from school just adds to longer nights and an exhausting 4 [[for some 5 or 6!) years. I'm a middle class kid whose parents don't make enough to send me to school and aren't poor enough to have me receive financial aid. That's how I'm stuck. I have one more year left and I'll be paying back loans for the rest of my life. The government job I have right now pays awful for student workers and our wage will be decreased for a third cosecutive row because Patterson's "richest" county in the country ain't so rich anymore. I wake up everyday thinking how lovely French, German, and Scandinavian counterparts have it. They have some of the best universities in the world and most of their schooling is paid for. College students are treated like schitt here. Our tuition is always being raised, and what the hell do we do? We sit on our asses. Education will soon become what it once was, an unaffordable thing only for the wealthiest of Americans, when in fact everyone should have access to higher education.

[Danny]

Looks like food stamps are not for college students. Only for the proletariats. [[ Those who don't feel like getting a decent job.)

[Thames]

You really can't compare what life was like for a college student 20+ years ago and today.

Escorts came out in 1981. Zackdog's description of his "old,ratty" Escort leads me to believe he means late 80's when he was going to college.

Unemployment was a lot lower then, than it is now. If you average out 1986 to 1990, it would be under 6%.

To add to that is competing with illegals for a job. That wasn't such a problem in the late 80's as it is today.

Epiphany, another problem you might be having finding a job might be your lack of a car. One of the first things employers want to know, is if you have reliable transportation.

My only advice [[and I've said this before on this site) is to start volunteering.

You can use it on the application to show that you are able to get to your obligations when needed,on time. Also, volunteering can lead to paid work.

Check Canine to Five too. Maybe Ms. Blondy could use some extra help.

[Kevgoblue]

Education will soon become what it once was, an unaffordable thing only for the wealthiest of Americans, when in fact everyone should have access to higher education.

I think you may be on to something. Especially considering the fact that seemingly every company is outsourcing everything they can to any low wage country they can find.
All the highly acclaimed schools raise their tuition to a level where the masses cannot attend. Then the only kids who get a "good" education are those of the currently elite. Then they can be guarenteed that whatever good jobs remain will be filled by the "qualified" applicants. The rich folks kids!

[Det_ard]

Epiphany,
As a fellow college student I feel for you 110%. College grads pre-1995 or so don't understand how tough it is today to pay for college.

Wouldn't most pre-1995 grads have children that are headed toward college, or are already in college? Those parents know what college costs.

[Scottathew]

This country should provide all of its citizens with food, shelter, and healthcare no matter what. In order for people to be successful they need SUPPORT. We are all human and we can only do so much with out help. As a nation we are moving backwards instead of forward. We are moving back to a time when only privileged people could afford to educate and advance themselves.

What?

You think the government should provide food, shelter, and healthcare for all people?

At this point, what's the incentive to work? If the government will will let you live for free you're just going to leech.

Welfare, in many instances, has given people the incentive to NOT work, to have MORE kids, and to be content with not wanting more.

If welfare will give you an alright living, and working 40 hours a week will only marginally improve your living, why work? The quality of life of living off welfare is more enjoyable than having to work for something marginally better.

Your idea of the government providing shelter, food, and healthcare for everyone is just one step away from communism, where the government would also provide the jobs.

I say "No thanks" to your idea!

[Det_ard]

You really can't compare what life was like for a college student 20+ years ago and today.

Escorts came out in 1981. Zackdog's description of his "old,ratty" Escort leads me to believe he means late 80's when he was going to college.

Unemployment was a lot lower then, than it is now. If you average out 1986 to 1990, it would be under 6%.

Not in Michigan. Probably over 8%. The late 90's were pretty close to full employment, but the 80's were rough in Michigan. The economy was worse then. Tuition is much higher now, that's undeniable. The whole higher ed sector is overdue for a rationalization, as is much of K-12.

[Scottathew]

I do agree with some of the folks here, it's outrageous how expensive college is. Don't forget, you don't just pay tuition, they're also supported by taxes, and yet are still so expensive. I blame both inefficient management and unionized labor.

[Thames]

Not in Michigan. Probably over 8%. The late 90's were pretty close to full employment, but the 80's were rough in Michigan. The economy was worse then. Tuition is much higher now, that's undeniable. The whole higher ed sector is overdue for a rationalization, as is much of K-12.

You're right Det_ard. I didn't remember right away that those times were rough. It's all coming back to me.

If I remember correctly, TRA [[Trade Readjustment Act?) payments were very popular back then.

I knew many displaced autoworkers that benefited from those payments. Some used them for their intended purpose [[to retrain for another trade) and others that used the payments to buy blow! Also very popular at the time!

My recollection is that things weren't so dire back then.There were programs, like TRA , to get everyone through.

Could be just my perception. I was young, carefree, and secure in my job.

Everything seemed OK to me!

[RickBeall]

They need to fix the problem directly, and lower tuition, rather than all these indirect fixes like bridge cards.

[dtowncitylover]

Wouldn't most pre-1995 grads have children that are headed toward college, or are already in college? Those parents know what college costs.

Not necessarily, those who don't have children and hear the current generation, i.e. Epiphany and I, complain about the unaffordable cost of university, they say, "whatya mean? college isn't expensive! lazy college student!"

But yes, parents who do know the cost of an education today are probably as equally frustrated that they can't help their children when their wages are being cut and jobs sent overseas or eliminated.

[socks_mahoney]

They need to fix the problem directly, and lower tuition, rather than all these indirect fixes like bridge cards.

This is the most intelligent thing in this discussion. It might be the most intelligent thing on this whole board.

[wolverine]

This is the most intelligent thing in this discussion. It might be the most intelligent thing on this whole board.

I agree as well, considering I saw my tuition go upward by hundreds of dollars each semester. What the heck was going on?

But still, plain and simple here. The people who are contributers to this country by working will still keep their benefits. The people who are not working enough, and only investing in themselves through a college education will not receive them. It's give and take, you can't just take.

I understand many people will face unemployment. I did and I completely understand. I had to move back in with my parents that summer.

[CLAUDE G]

It says right in the article that if you get a Job for 20 hours per week or are a single mother than you do not loose benifits.

What the heck is 20 hours per week? Most classes are 3 days per week, so all they are asking these kids to work is 2.5 days per week to get benifits?

Its called getting a fricken job!

My brother pulled the same crap and tried to mooch off everyone while he went to school for 4 years with no job. Everytime we brought the subject up that he had no job, the excuse was that he was getting an education and wanted to have the time to study so he could do good in school.

Not so sure about my dad, but my mom actually bought that line of crap and let him get away with not working for 4 years

[epiphany]

This is the most intelligent thing in this discussion. It might be the most intelligent thing on this whole board.

I couldn't agree more. Perhaps if my tuition wasn't so outrageous, I could take out a minimal amount of loans to use towards buying food. Everything was just great while I was attending community college because the tuition rates allowed me to pay for college and still afford food without additional aid. It's not my fault that tuition is outrageous - and was just raised even more with little warning for the next year. Because of the sudden tuition increase, I'll be paying close to 1,000 extra for the fall, winter, and spring/summer semester next year.

[epiphany]

Unfortunately, some of us don't have the option of moving back in with their parents. They would not let me even if I did pack my bags and move back home. I am not even allowed in my moms house because my step-dad is evil.

So, I guess that I am just screwed.