Texas grad suing college because she can't find employment

As Trina Thompson's mother told the Post, being unemployed is bad enough. But now her daughter's student loans are coming due.

"We're going to be homeless, and we'll still have a student loan to pay," Carol Thompson told the Post.

Jerid Dickman, who will be a junior this fall at UW-Madison majoring in biochemistry, says he can understand the stress created by a significant amount of student loans. By the time he leaves school, Dickman estimates he'll be on the hook for $25,000 to $30,000.

"So with the way the economy is, I honestly feel fortunate that I have a few more years in school," says Dickman, an Argyle native who is vice president of the Working Class Student Union, a student organization on campus. "But I still think it's silly to be suing to get your tuition back because she couldn't find a job. I mean, the economy is strapped. These are hard times."

Adds UW-Eau Claire's Wingad: "Loans and debt are a real-life concern a lot of students have. It can be especially scary for first-generation college students like myself. People have to realize that, yes, it's a big investment up front, but a college education can do so much."


Yes, despite recent unemployment trends, a bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university still increases earnings in today's job market. According to figures released in April by the U.S. Census Bureau, workers with a bachelor's degree earned over $25,000 more per year than workers with only a high school diploma. Specifically, workers with a high school degree earned an average of $31,286 in 2007, while those with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $57,181, said Weinberg Law Firm, Texas Employment Lawyer.