College Debt Affecting Grads' Careers

The high cost of a college education in the U.S. is affecting the career choices of some recent graduates struggling to pay off student loans.

From AlterNet's WireTap:

Holly MacGibbon graduated from NYU's theater program with $120,000 in debt, which has obviously prevented her from taking any entry-level theater jobs. "Without $600 a month in loan payments, I could take a lower-paying theater job instead of working outside my field. Summer theater jobs, where most young performers start out, pay $200 to $300 a week, which is just not enough when you have $600 in loan payments."

And Julia Stubben's post-graduate life has been entirely governed by her student debt. "Being in debt has greatly affected my financial decisions. I do not enjoy my job, and it is not the career I would have chosen for myself, and in order to take the job I had to move three hours away from my boyfriend, family, and friends. Pretty much, I live in seclusion in a relatively boring rural area and hate this stage of my life. The only reason I am in this situation is because of the job -- which is paying off my loans."

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