Student loans are a complicated and overwhelming reality of going to college. Many of us aren't even sure how they work. Are you telling me I can get free money to learn Harry Potter English, math, and/or science? I don't have to pay anything up front? Sign me up. But what gets overlooked and overlooked? The American education system is seriously flawed in many ways, but especially when it comes to student loans. There's the refund policy and a ridiculously high sign-up rate, just to name a few particularly terrible flaws with this system. In two articles “Student loans: is it worth forgiving some debt?” by Robert Applebaum and “Forgiving Student Loans? Worst Idea Ever” by Justin Wolfers, the discussion is whether or not the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 is a good solution for the problems many college and graduate students face. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the first article, Applebaum explains why a solution to America's excessive student debt is needed. He argues that the price of education has become more expensive than the actual value of the degree earned. It is true; there are a limited number of careers that will provide a sufficient salary to continue creating a stable life (e.g. purchasing a home, starting a family, etc.) and paying off thousands upon thousands of dollars in debt. Unfortunately, the high price of a university education is due to a lack of government support and without new legislation little can be changed. This is where the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012 comes in: “It is a recognition that millions of Americans have overpaid for their education, in part due to government inference in the marketplace” (Applebaum 466). It may not be the perfect solution, but at least it's an attempt to get college debt in the right direction instead of pushing it further into the debt black hole. It's the least the government can do to try to clean up the mess that has been created for current and future college students. Applebaum makes thorough and well-thought-out points in his article, and while there is a hint of anger, the facts are still present. His final and longest point is that education is sold to the public as if it were a luxury product. Applebaum states, “We continue to view education as a good that benefits only the individual who obtains the education, rather than what it truly is: a public good and an investment in our collective future as a country” (466). This is the most important statement in arguing why there should be a better way to receive money or repay money borrowed for college. The greater good would be to put citizens in a position to stimulate the economy rather than drag the economy further into the black hole. Investing in better, smarter citizens means investing in a bigger country. In the second article, Wolfers has a different perspective on the idea of ​​student loan forgiveness as a solution to growing debt. Instead of forgiving student loans for graduates, he believes the money would be better off going to another group of people who need it more. Wolfers makes irrelevant statements to “support” his argument, for example: “The group that has been hurt in recent decades are high school dropouts” (469). It's a shame that this group was hurt because, assuming this is why they made this point, it has become increasingly necessary to excel?