Sadly, only 36.2 percent of all four-year college students graduate in 4 years. This table has broader applicability than just for-profits.

So you come out of college and you have debt almost equal to my mortgage before you even start house shopping. You *might* make more assuming you can locate a job (85% of graduates are living at home), but it's mitigated by your massive student loan repayments.

I'll pass in these troubled times. Unaffordable is unaffordable, regardless of what they say.

This shows how important it is for students to be wise consumers. Low cost community colleges in states with well- defined articuation agreements can certainly extend their educational dollars. Ensuring that students are leaving high school college-ready also helps to keep cost down for them. It is also important for students to keep their other costs low, so they are not forced to work as many hours per week and can take more credits per semester. New cars, cell phone bills, insurance, and other expenses drive students to limit their hours.

"Low cost community colleges" may be low cost to the students but, with all the attached frills like athletics, drama, residence halls, etc., they cost the tax payers as much, and more, considering that the students pay lower fees.

It gets worse!

http://www.truth-out.org/neoliberalism-and-for-profit-predatory-educational-industry-you-cant-regulate-a-criminal-enterprise6

From Truthout.com

Danny Weil