Don’t get caught in the $1.4 trillion student debt crisis

With national student loan debt at roughly $1.4 trillion, it is not surprising that more than one million student loan borrowers go into default each year.

Student debt is the topic of a recent report from the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization in Washington, D.C. The report highlights some of the serious consequences for students in loan default, including poor credit scores, higher interest rates and the inability to purchase a home or even qualify for certain jobs. To further complicate their lives, student loans are one of the only debts that cannot be discharged in bankruptcy.

California’s community colleges offer students an excellent alternative to borrowing tens of thousands of dollars to pay for their college education. California residents attending a community college currently pay about $1,300 in fees annually. Compare this to students attending a California State University, who pay about $6,900 and those attending the University of California, who pay almost $13,900 in campus-based fees.

Students can save even more by living at home and accessing public transportation alternatives. They can also avail themselves of a variety of student support services that will help them avoid taking duplicative classes, be successful in their course work and achieve their college goals sooner.

After successfully completing the first two years of a community college, students can apply to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree. In addition to saving thousands of dollars on their college education, studies have shown that transfer students obtain GPAs equal to or better than students entering state universities as freshmen.

With 2.1 million students, the California Community College’s system is the largest system of higher education in the nation. More importantly, it is making a difference in the lives of thousands of students each year. In addition to offering high quality, affordable education, California community colleges educate 80 percent of of the state’s law enforcement, professionals, firefighters and EMTs and 70 percent of its nurses. In addition, studies show that students who earn a degree or certificate from a California community college nearly double their earnings within three years.

The high cost of attending college has become a significant barrier for students seeking a college degree as a means to economic mobility and the promise of a better life. Community colleges are a way to significantly reduce those costs, while providing students with an accessible, high quality education.

Dr. Edward C. Ortell is the senior governing board member at Citrus College and a Professor Emeritus at Pasadena City College. He has served on the California Community College Trustees (CCCT) state board of directors and eight terms as president of the Citrus College Board of Trustees.