[大学生们：莫让债务限制了你的梦想]梦想和现实残酷的句子

　　凯瑟琳・康奈尔 著 　　大连工业大学职业技术学院 刘克 编译 　　 　　导读：Huge school loans can hinder future growth. Think about potential income before signing the dotted line.
　　巨额助学贷款可能会阻碍你未来发展，因此请三思而后行。
　　
　　A college education has long been viewed as a ticket to a better quality of life. It is probably the most important decision a student will make and it may have the highest rate of return in achieving life goals. Unfortunately, some students do not think clearly about this decision, buying the “hot” college brand and assuming large amounts of debt. By overinvesting, they destroy their chances for a brighter future.
　　“Excessive student debt, often made without an explicit decision on its impact on future life choices, not only restricts traditional career choices but the basic ability of young people to take risks―requiring them to defer their dreams,” says Robert Shireman, executive director for the nonprofit Project on Student Debt.
　　Carmen Berkeley, a 23-year-old who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh last year, assumed a huge financial burden to attend a public university as an out-of-state student.
　　“My life is definitely impacted by my $80,000 college debt from the University of Pittsburgh,” she says. “I really want to go to law school, but can’t unless I get a scholarship. Though I believe my college education was a good investment, I doubt I will ever own a car or a house.”
　　The nonprofit US Student Association, where she serves as president, contributes a $200 monthly stipend to assist in retiring her loans. Once she completes 10 years of public service, Ms. Berkeley will also qualify for loan forgiveness under the 2007 Higher Education Act for a portion of her outstanding federal loans. Even with the stipend and loan forgiveness, it will take her more than 20 years to repay her debt.
　　Berkeley did not consider future income before assuming her loans, although she always anticipated working in the nonprofit or public sector. Her choices confirm a recent survey by student-loan provider Sallie Mae that post-graduate income was not a factor for 70 percent of students and parents in determining how much to borrow to finance a college degree.
　　So after the glossy college brochures arrive in the mail and the visits to leafy college campuses are over, students need to ask themselves: Can I afford this school without excessive borrowing? How long will it take to pay off that wonderful four-year experience at the campus of my dreams?
　　Students, remember: You will be deferring other dreams for a cool car, well-furnished pad, weekend ski trips, summer beach vacations, and the latest tech toys.
　　According to the Project on Student Debt, the average 2006 graduate carried $21,100 in loans. But student debt has a disproportionate effect on middle-class families. Families with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 will borrow nearly $5,000 a year to pay for college. Those that make less than $50,000 will borrow on average $3,900, and families that earn over $100,000 will borrow $3,710.
　　To begin paying off those loans, graduates of the class of 2008 will receive an average salary of $36,400 according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Sounds great, until those graduates have to pay taxes, bringing net income to $27,500 or approximately, $2,300 a month. According to federal tables, they can expect to spend $1,800 to $2,000 a month for rent, utilities, out-of-pocket healthcare, car payments, gasoline, insurance and, entertainment. The remaining $300 to $500 a month may seem comfortable enough for the $230 a month needed to repay a $20,000 student loan at 6.8 percent over a 10-year period.
　　But repaying college tuition is only one part of the debt equation.
　　“Social debt is another concern as students face the pressure of keeping up with other students, hanging with the right crowd,” says Sharon Fries-Britt, an English professor at the University of Maryland. “Credit cards are being overextended, and students are indebting their future, limiting their life choices.”
　　For students who don’t want to have daunting repayment obligations, consider these ideas:
　　Know the average amount of debt that students carry at each of your potential colleges.
　　Use the 2009 US News college ranking table that values schools based on debt load.
　　Remember, you may not qualify for a grant based on need if your family’s income exceeds $100,000, so don’t assume a grant unless you are certain you qualify.
　　If short on funds, choose a cheaper route. Live at home for two years, attend a community college, and transfer to a state university.
　　Check out your likely starting salary―don’t plan to borrow more than your first year’s income.
　　
　　接受大学教育一直被看成是提升生活质量的入场券。这很可能是一个学生将要做出的最重要的决定，同时它也许能在实现人生目标中获得最高的回报率。遗憾的是，一些学生对此决定未作深思熟虑便选择了热门名牌大学，从而承担了巨额债务。由于过度超支，他们自己毁掉了创造辉煌未来的机会。
　　学生债务问题非赢利研究项目执行董事罗伯特・舍尔曼说：“过度的学生债务往往是在对未来生活选择的影响没有明确判断的情况下而造成的。它不仅限制了传统的职业选择而且也降低了年轻人承担风险的基本能力――使得他们的梦想实现被迫延迟。”
　　卡门・伯克利，23岁，去年毕业于匹兹堡大学。作为外州学生就读当地公立大学，因此背负上沉重的经济负担。
　　“我的生活的确受到了就读匹兹堡大学而欠下的8万美元债务的影响。”她说：“我确实想要就读法学院，但却不能如愿，除非得到奖学金。尽管我坚信接受大学教育是一项很好的投资，但我还是怀疑未来我能否拥有自己的一辆汽车或者一所房子。”
　　由她担任主席的非赢利组织美国学生联合会每月向她提供200美元津贴来帮助偿还贷款。一旦伯克利女士完成了10年的公共服务，依据2007年高等教育法案，她也将有资格享受待遇，减免尚未还清的一部分联邦贷款。即使享有服务津贴和贷款减免，她仍然需要20年以上的时间才能还清债务。
　　虽然伯克利总是向往在非赢利或公共机构工作，但她在贷款之前并没有考虑未来的收入。她的这种选择正好印证了学生贷款提供商赛利美近期的一项调查，对70%的学生和家长来说，毕业后的收入并不是他们决定借贷多少用来完成大学学业的一个因素。
　　因此，当你收到寄来的闪亮的入学通知书并参观了绿树成荫的大学校园之后，学生们需要扪心自问：若不大量借贷，我能负担得起上大学的费用吗？需要多久才能付清我在梦寐以求的大学校园里度过4年美好时光所花费的全部费用？
　　学生们，请记住：这样做将会延缓你其他梦想的实现，诸如：一辆酷车，装修精美的房子，周末的滑雪旅行，夏日海滩度假以及最新科技玩具。
　　根据学生贷款项目研究结果，2006年毕业生平均承担21100美元的贷款。不过学生债务对中产阶级家庭产生的影响却不成比例。家庭收入介于5万到10万美元的每年将要借贷近5千美元来支付大学费用。那些收入不足5万美元的家庭平均每年要借贷3900美元，而收入在10万美元以上的家庭要借贷3710美元。
　　若要开始偿还贷款，根据全国大学与雇主协会估计，2008届毕业生将取得平均每年36400美元的薪水。乍听起来很不错，但那些毕业生必须缴纳税款，从而使他们的纯收入降到每年27500美元或约合每月2300美元。根据联邦资料数据，他们预期每月将花费1800至2000美元来付房租、水电费、自付保健费用、汽车开销、汽油费、保险费以及休闲娱乐费用。余下的300到500美元看起来似乎可以轻松支付每月230美元的学生贷款。该种贷款总额为2万美元，年利6.8%，期限10年以上。
　　但是还清大学学费只是学生债务中的一部分。
　　“当学生们面临与其他同学保持同步的压力时，社会债务也是他们的另一个忧虑。”马里兰大学一位英语教授莎伦・弗莱斯・布里特说，“信用卡被滥用，学生们正在透支他们的未来，束缚他们的生活选择。”
　　对那些不想背上令人生畏的高额债务的学生们来说，以下建议可供参考：
　　了解你想要就读的每一所大学里学生所要负担的债务的平均数额。
　　参照2009年《美国新闻》，了解基于学生债务负担状况的美国大学排行榜。
　　切记：如果你的家庭收入超过10万美元，你可能没有资格享受学习需求专项拨款。因此，不要依赖此项拨款，除非确信你有资格获得。
　　如果资金短缺，你可以选择更廉价的方式。先走读两年上社区大学然后再转入州立大学。
　　查验你可能获得的初始年薪――计划借款不要超过你第一年的收入。
　　（责编：张楚武）