#studentloans

For years, we’ve been fed the same script: Go to college, get a degree, and the world will roll out a red carpet to your success. Sounds simple, right? Except, for many, that “red carpet” feels more like a never-ending hamster wheel of debt, underemployment, and job applications that go straight into the void. So, what happened? Did college lie to us, or did we buy into a dream that was never designed to include everyone?

Let’s dissect The Great College Lie—why the degree doesn’t guarantee success, and what you can do to thrive despite the system.

1. The Promise vs. Reality

The Promise:

College is marketed as the “great equalizer.” They told us education would unlock the American Dream: a steady career, financial security, and a house with a white picket fence. And sure, for some, it worked. But for many others, here’s the reality:

The Reality:

Student Loan Debt: The average college graduate in the U.S. owes $37,000+ in student loans, which can take decades to pay off.

Underemployment: Over 40% of college graduates work jobs that don’t require a degree (hello, barista jobs with a philosophy major).

No Guarantees: That diploma doesn’t protect you from layoffs, market crashes, or a rapidly evolving job market that now demands experience over credentials.

2. Why Degrees Don’t Equal Success

1. It’s About Who You Know, Not What You Know

Networking often outranks education. Studies have shown that up to 70% of jobs are never even posted publicly—they’re filled through connections. Translation? You can have a degree from Harvard, but Chad with zero qualifications might get the job because his dad plays golf with the CEO.

2. Degrees are Losing Their Edge

A bachelor’s degree used to set you apart. Now? It’s almost like having a high school diploma. Everyone has one, which means the competition is fiercer, and employers are raising their standards to include master’s degrees and certifications.

3. The Skills Gap is Real

A piece of paper doesn’t always mean you have the skills employers need. A 2021 survey revealed that 46% of employers feel recent grads aren’t prepared for the workforce. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world experience often trump textbook knowledge.

3. The Student Loan Scam

Let’s call it what it is: a scam. The system was designed to profit off your dreams. Here’s how it works:

Colleges Overpromise: They lure students with flashy marketing, luxurious dorms, and vague promises of a “bright future.”

Loans Trap You: The government and private lenders make it easy to borrow, but repayment terms keep you financially enslaved for decades.

Inflated Costs: College tuition has skyrocketed over 1200% since 1980, far outpacing wage growth. So, you’re borrowing more but earning less.

4. “But College is Still Worth It, Right?”

It depends. For some fields—like medicine, law, and engineering—a degree is non-negotiable. But for many careers, it’s becoming clear that skills and experience matter more than credentials.

Here’s the Shift:

Trade Schools and Certifications: Electricians, plumbers, and tech professionals often earn just as much (or more) than degree holders—with a fraction of the debt.

Freelance and Entrepreneurial Skills: The internet has opened doors to self-taught careers in writing, design, coding, and more.

On-the-Job Learning: Companies like Google, Tesla, and IBM no longer require degrees for many positions—they value skills instead.

5. So, What Should You Do Instead?

1. Learn Marketable Skills

Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Khan Academy offer affordable (sometimes free) courses on coding, graphic design, marketing, and more.

The ROI on these courses often far exceeds a traditional degree.

2. Network, Network, Network

Attend local events, join LinkedIn groups, and connect with mentors in your field.

Remember: Jobs often go to those with connections—not just qualifications.

3. Embrace Lifelong Learning

The job market evolves constantly. Staying ahead means continually updating your skills, whether through certifications or self-study.

4. Question the Narrative

Don’t blindly follow the “go to college” script. Ask yourself: What do I want to do, and is college the best path to get there?

6. The Humble Truth About Success

Here’s the real kicker: Success isn’t tied to a degree—it’s tied to your grit, adaptability, and willingness to hustle smart.

Degrees can help, but they aren’t the golden ticket we were promised.

Building real-world skills, learning to market yourself, and forming relationships will often get you farther than any diploma can.

What They Don’t Want You to Know

The Great College Lie isn’t just about the myth of guaranteed success—it’s about the systems that profit from your hopes and dreams. College can be a valuable tool, but it’s not the only path to success.

🔥 NEWS COVERAGE THAT MAKES YOU SMARTER

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https://www.undergroundusa.com/p/underground-usa-daily-news-brief-4ac

I'm all for this student loan cancelation, I come from a low income family. But unfortunately I was coaxed into a private loan because federal loans would NOT cover my school expenses for some odd reason and I was told a private loan would. But I was in such need of money for my private loan for my private art school I was accepted to that I also received Pell Grant money.

So I have a private loan but I also got a Pell Grant. The money needed to pay my loan would be more then enough to pay off what I have in debt and I'm am under government financial help.

Why is no one talking about the Private Loan side of this? I'm so happy that federal loans are being forgiven and I wish everyone who has those the best of luck, but us low income kids who took out private loans because their family was uneducated in the fact or had no support and can't pay it off due to circumstances such as disability.

As Americans, we’re a spiteful bunch. Despite having a standard of living that far exceeds requirements — and all the freedoms that go along with it — we don't seem to like it when a fellow citizen isn't forced to jump through the same hurdles like (maybe) we were.

While it's true the only thing we seem to like more than failure is a comeback story, we also love to see others struggle. In fact, it’s become a national pastime — the ultimate sport; packaged and streamed as entertainment.

Which brings me to student loans. Thankfully, I never had to take loans out for college during the early-'90s when I was a student. As the first-child, my parents saved for my tuition, which was paid in full without a bank note. It was certainly way more feasible to do this 30 years ago, before tuition skyrocketed exponentially and banks flexed their considerable marketing power to sell $150,000 loans to 18-year-olds.

However, I do have a personal window into student loans as my ex-wife owed heavily for her education (undergraduate and graduate). In her case, the undergraduate loans were taken prior to our relationship and graduate after we were married. The loans were eventually consolidated into one lump sum and then sold and re-sold a half-dozen times to different banks just like mortgages are.

The interest rates were criminal and fees associated with the constantly (purposely?) shifting payment schedule were predatory. And with all the resales — who were you paying anyway? While I really don't know shit about the banking industry, I don't think these practices would be allowed — much less tolerated — for any other type of loan (small business, mortgage, auto, etc.).

I mean, can you imagine a pimply teen walking into Wells Fargo and asking for a $200,000 loan to open a vape shop? And then securing one — sight unseen — without any further scrutiny or safeguards in place for the high-risk nature of the loan? Didn't think so.

Many — most? — of these student loans were made in bad faith by banking institutions who were all too eager to exploit these young, naive consumers who were simply trying to afford themselves the education we told them was required as a functioning adult in American society.

Fox News host and mean-spirited brand Laura Ingraham recently weighed in on the issue of student loans and received a shit-ton of well-earned ridicule for her unique, ummm, insights. “My mom worked as a waitress until she was 73 to help pay for our college, Even helped with loan repayment. Loan forgiveness just another insult to those who play by the rules,” lectured Ingraham.

Play by the rules? By forcing her own mother to work past retirement to pay off her loans, Ingraham simply paid this backwards by exploiting her own family. And did it ever occur to Ingraham that maybe — maybe? — the tuition and subsequent loan that would require your geriatric mother to work during her twilight years to pay it off was ... Morally wrong to begin with?

For the past year, I've watched a nearly endless stream of memes in my social media feeds — mainly posted by those who should know better — attacking those who either seek forgiveness for those exploitive loans or those who support this. The moronic construct is usually something along the lines of “You took a loan — pay it fuckin' back!” (It’s also worthy to note most of these memes personally attack the students — not the greedy institutions who made the unsavory loans to begin with. Sound familiar?)

A recent meme even juxtaposed paying off the insurmountable debt of cancer treatment — a societal sin unto itself — as "superior" to having student loans without a hint of irony or disgust. (Hint: No one should go into debt for either; and they're not in competition). Now we're positioning different segments of loan-holders against each other? Talk about moral bankruptcy.

Why do some see improving the lives of others as some “unfair” advantage? Must everyone struggle as the did (or want us to believe they did)? Why do you have to personally benefit before helping others? And don't we have a moral obligation to want a better world for future generations as was afforded to us?

These are the questions we should be all asking.