Blog Post #8: Case

The following two cases will be used in my paper to explain why members of society should provide support for graduate students. 

Example 1: "How Undergraduate Loan Debt Affects Application and Enrollment in Graduate or First Professional School"

• Students with just $5,000-$10,000 of loan debt from their undergraduate years had between 9%-12% lower probabilities of submitting an application to graduate school than their counterparts, who did not have loan debt.
• Undergraduate indebtedness discourages students from applying to graduate school.
• An individual's socioeconomic status, as well as the financial aid available, plays a major role in their ability to apply and attend a higher education institution.

Example 2: Default: The Student Loan Documentary

• Matt, a borrower of student loans, "It's a weird feeling. Because I wanted to go to school and I wanted to get my master's degree, the rest of my life is dramatically altered. Can I get married? Real, real questions. Can I honestly have children? Because of the loan. And I don't feel like I can do it" (1).
• Matt's personal testimony demonstrates how student loan debt can negatively affect lives.
• Through the concept of human capital, his decision to get a master's degree was his way of boosting his human capital.