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But smart to sign up for programs that will forgive the debt ..military and teaching is another one that will forgive all/part of your student loans.
And funny how it all worked out . . . son's MOS led to his career, and he is doing quite well financially and moving up the corporate ladder. He is the first to say - if it hadn't been for the military and the skills he was taught, he would probably be stuck in a very low paying job right now or (worse) unemployed.
His employer required a BS, but it was the set of skills he learned while in the military that got him in the door in his profession.
If your son joined the military purely on the grounds to serve his country ,that's one thing; but you made it sound like he went in just to have $20k in loans paid off.
If your son joined the military purely on the grounds to serve his country ,that's one thing; but you made it sound like he went in just to have $20k in loans paid off.
Believe it or not that is a big selling point used by the military for joining up.
GI Bill, VA mortgage, etc. are used by recruiters for both active duty and reserve duty recruitment.
Local high school senior here in Central Florida did homework by candle light because they had no electricity. Straight A student, received scholarships.
Answer to OP's left wing gimme rant: do or do not.
^^It's kind of stupid to sign your life away for 4-6 years for $20k in loans.
The veteran benefits can, to some, be worth way more than just loans being paid for or the GI Bill. It's an investment really. My son's college tuition costs will now be taken care of due to the Hazlewood Act. For me, that alone was worth it. No telling what college will cost when it is his time. Plus I love the fact that the Post 9/11 GI Bill along with Pell Grant money has paid me enough for school, books, and housing to have enough left over to go to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Yellowstone twice, New York, Washington, DC, and soon-to-be Disney World later this year with my son. Not too shabby at all
I've only had the chance to read the first few pages of this post.
But college is not for everyone. There are many successful people who go to get a vocational training etc and still manage to live good lives.
For those who really want to go to college, take out a loan. I took out loans. I owed more than $100K after I was done.
I liked the fact that you cannot default on a student loans (and I think that's one of the reason many people are afraid to take out loans). Short of death or permanent brain damage, you cannot declare BK and have the loans forgiven.
That makes people serious about their education. Can you image the waste of the education system and every tom dick and harry can get a free ride off taxpayers money and end up flunking out?
As a side note: government backed mortgages should have the same requirements as student loans. Make it so it's next to impossible to default on a mortgage like a student loan.
Or you can go to the private loan industry and make huge 20-30% downpayments to off set the government (taxpayer) risks....but that's for another discussion.
If your son joined the military purely on the grounds to serve his country ,that's one thing; but you made it sound like he went in just to have $20k in loans paid off.
The discussion is about getting (and financing) a college education. Why does it matter as to the reason ANYONE joins the military?
Did it ever occur to you that some people join the military because of the educational benefits?
And the mortgage benefits and the pension benefits as well.
Some make a career out of it while others join the Reserves which is like a p/t job with benefits.
I joined the Reserves when I was young and served for 8 years as that "weekend warrior". It not only brought in income but I got a chance to travel (2 week active duty stuff), paid for college and got me some veteran benefits which I can now use (USAA insurance products). I learned alot as well during those 8 years.
Many of the reservists I worked with were cops/firemen/public sector workers who were doing it for the extra income/benefits.
You don't get it. Poor people are supposed to remain poor to provide a pool of desperate and cheap labor to be exploited by their wealth betters. That is the basic business operated social and economic system. That is the way it is supposed to work.
Universal public education including the poor just costs the wealthy money and dilutes their privilege. Why would anyone with any money want that? Poverty and ignorance are the basis of wealth and the proper class distinctions. Private education only is the basis of this proper society.
What most of the "Why Should We Give Grants For Colege?" people miss is that in most cases having a college education significantly increases a person's opportunity to have a better income. A person that can make more money BENEFITS SOCIETY, they are much less likely to need social services, and with their addtional income THEY PAY MORE TAXES. The addtional income also results in ADDITIONAL CONSUMPTION which BENEFITS THE ECONOMY.
The pluses of having an educated society far outweigh the disadvantages which is why most developed countries around the world either assist students with college tutition or in some cases pay it outright.
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For me, that alone was worth it. No telling what college will cost when it is his time. Plus I love the fact that the Post 9/11 GI Bill along with Pell Grant money has paid me enough for school, books, and housing to have enough left over to go to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Yellowstone twice, New York, Washington, DC, and soon-to-be Disney World later this year with my son. 
