Upon arrival at Sweet Briar College, Chelsea Alvarado already had 23 credit hours under her belt thanks to numerous AP exams she had taken in high school. Fairfax County high school covered the fees and she entered college with advanced status. Not all school districts pay for the exams and not all students in Virginia get the opportunity that Chelsea did. Getting this chance to earn college credit hours while still in high school for all students was on Senator Warner's agenda and he was working across party lines for a solution.
“I was actually shocked, talking to my friends, that their counties and schools don’t pay for their AP tests,” said Alvarado, now a sophomore at Sweet Briar. “I don’t think I ever would have been able to pay for so many AP tests and get, basically, one semester of my college requirements done before college.”
These days, Alvarado and her peers are facing what’s been called a crisis in student debt. Today’s college graduates owe more than $1 trillion on student loans — more than the nation’s combined credit card debt. If we as a nation fail to solve the educational crises today's students face there will be a price paid in terms of America's world standing.
Amherst Democratic News
In Virginia, members of the Class of 2012 racked up an average cumulative debt of about $25,000 by graduation, about 25 percent more than graduates five years earlier, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.
This upward trend is matched locally with both Lynchburg College and Randolph College graduates seeing a 24 percent rise in average debt during the same period, according to figures compiled by the institute and confirmed by the colleges.
At Sweet Briar, average debt by graduation climbed by 17 percent.
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On Thursday, Sweet Briar was the site of a gathering of about 90 people who came to talk student debt with Sen. Mark Warner, who was on a campaign swing across Virginia colleges to highlight his proposals on the issue. Senator Warner received a robust and lasting round of applause as he entered the hall on time and ready to tackle the issue.
Amherst Democratic News
Alvarado who is President of the Swet Briar Young Democrats asked Warner, D-Va., what could be done to help more students get a head start by earning college credits in high school.
Warner, a former governor seeking a second term as senator, said he’d like to see high schoolers be able to get income-based Pell grants to help pay for up to one semester of college courses through dual enrollment or other programs.
Post-graduation, he said, it should be easier for people to put part of their pre-tax salary toward their debt and get on income-based repayment plans.
Students also should be able to refinance their loans to take advantage of better interest rates.
“We’re willing to do that to help our banks,” Warner said. “Shouldn’t we be willing to do that to help a generation of young people?”
Student debt — the second biggest source of household debt behind mortgages — should be a top priority in D.C. and would be if students voted in stronger numbers, Warner added.
“I think, if we don’t act, you’re going to see this issue have an enormous and increasing challenge on our economy,” he said.
“But because young people don’t vote in those numbers, we’re fighting to get it on the agenda. So it’s really important that you all participate.”
Warner, who’s prided himself on his bipartisan credentials, said Thursday he’s been working on the student debt issue with Republican partners like Marc Rubio, John Thune and Kelly Ayotte, all co-sponsors of bills Warner has pending.
“Senator Warner has proposed a series of bipartisan bills to give graduates and their families new tools to pay down student debt and make college more affordable,” said spokesman David Turner. “Ed Gillespie seems to be willing to ignore Senator Warner’s record in favor of misleading attacks, exactly what one would expect from a self described partisan warrior. It’s just more proof that he would add to the gridlock in Washington.”
The midterm elections are Nov. 4. Sweet Briar said Thursday’s visit by Warner was organized by the Amherst County Democrats. The school has invited Gillespie and Sarvis to speak on campus as well.
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