[thebradbain]

Federal Direct Student Loans, available to undergraduate students at a relatively low fixed rate (but still higher than say, a decent mortgage on a house), only allow a student to take out about $6000/year.

But as college tuition skyrockets (mine is $70k/year, and increasing, and I have a brother at an equivalently priced institution too!), that wont cut it. The rest must either come from personal/family finances, be taken out from the federal government in solely the parent’s name (Federal Direct Plus Parent Loan, with a higher interest rate than direct student loans) or, if that’s not an option, a private lender (usually with an even higher rate).

With circumstances like they are and pitiful stopgaps like these, it’s no wonder my parents waited so long to have children so that they could afford to send them to school. Unfortunately, that’s not an option for most families. The student loan crisis in America really is terrifying.

[CalRobert]

This is a big part of why my wife and I emigrated, but that option is pretty drastic.

More generally, perhaps we'll finally see people question if college offers the best return on an investment of 100 grand+ and 4+ years of life.

[jcadam]

At some point enrollment at public universities should fall off a cliff (the prestigious institutions that serve mostly wealthy families will be fine, I'm sure). One would think...