The Student Debt Crisis at State Community Colleges

(from Pew Charitable Trusts):

By Sophie Quinton

Community colleges charge lower tuition than just about anywhere else. They’re open to everyone. They offer the kind of technical training employers want. And they can serve as an affordable steppingstone to a four-year degree.

As President Barack Obama said in the fall: “They’re at the heart of the American Dream.”

But while plenty of community college students graduate with a degree that leads to a better job, or to a four-year college, many community college students drop out. And a growing number of students are taking on debt they cannot repay.

States have focused more on reducing the debt students accumulate at four-year colleges than at community colleges. But some of the steps they’re taking could help community college students, as well. CONTINUE READING HERE