I have a similar story to Patty Reed (“Pay back what you borrow,” Our Readers’ Views, March 7) regarding college attendance in that I was also the first to graduate from college in my family.
My family had five children and paying for a college education wasn’t in the plan. I, too, worked from the age of 12 years old. During my senior year of high school, I attended school the first half of the day, and worked as a bank teller the rest of the day. After my first trimester of college, I realized I could take 18 credits instead of 15 credits for the same amount of money. So I graduated in 3½ years. I paid back my loans within four years.
The details that were left out are about the cost of college when I attended in 1971-1974. Tuition was $149 per trimester, room and board in college housing was $900 for an academic year. And, I am sure, costs were less from 1965-1969 when Ms. Reed attended college. The costs now are thousands of dollars higher, which increases the total amount of student debt.
An educated workforce is a benefit to us. I approve of help with today’s college loans.
