this year, making it the second highest debt just behind Mortgage debt.

今年，使其成為僅次於房貸債務的第二大債務。

It has even passed credit cards and auto debts.

它甚至已經通過信用卡和汽車債務。

And it seems like this number is only going to rise because tuition fees are growing every

而且這個數字似乎只會上升，因為學費每年都在增長。

single year.

單年。

So the main question is, why?

那麼主要問題是，為什麼？

(why colleges are expensive)

(為什麼大學很貴)

When students decide what college to get into, they first look into the rankings.

學生在決定考什麼大學時，首先會看排名。

So colleges do their best to rank themselves higher.

所以高校儘自己最大的努力，讓自己的排名更靠前。

That's why they try to get the best professors, build the most attractive buildings and get

所以他們才會努力找最好的教授，建造最吸引人的建築，並得到

the nicest facilities.

最好的設施。

And all that costs money, in fact, a lot of money.

而這一切都需要錢，事實上，需要很多錢。

For example, the salary of a professor ranges from 130 thousand dollars to several hundred

例如，一個教授的工資從13萬元到幾十萬元不等。

thousand dollars.

千美元。

So hiring even 10 professors will cost the college several millions.

所以，即使聘請10名教授，也要花費學院幾百萬。

Building attractive campuses, getting nice facilities is just one side of the story.

建設有吸引力的校園，搞好設施只是一方面。

Because maintaining such a gigantic campus with huge stadiums isn't cheap at all.

因為維持這樣一個巨大的校園，巨大的體育場館，一點也不便宜。

But without them, colleges understand that they won't get many students.

但如果沒有他們，高校明白，他們不會得到很多學生。

But it does not end there.

但它並沒有結束。

Most colleges have a big marketing budget to convince the 18-year-olds.

大多數高校都有大筆的營銷預算來說服18歲的年輕人。

Who think they know everything but really understand nothing.

自以為什麼都懂，其實什麼都不懂。

Why they should borrow a ton of money to get into their college.

為什麼他們要借一大筆錢才能考上大學。

Why their nice buildings and big stadiums worth every dime they are going to pay.

為什麼他們漂亮的建築和大球場值得他們付出每一分錢。

In other words, colleges are run exactly like businesses.

換句話說，高校的經營方式和企業完全一樣。

But what sets them apart is that they aren't ordinary businesses.

但他們與眾不同的是，他們不是普通的企業。

First of all, colleges or universities aren't obligated to pay any taxes.

首先，高校沒有義務繳納任何稅收。

Even if they earn more than some of the biggest companies in the country.

即使他們的收入比國內一些最大的公司還要高。

But that's not a big deal.

但這不是什麼大事。

Because the real problem is that, the government is making it easy for every high school graduate

因為真正的問題是，政府讓每一個高中畢業生都能輕鬆上手

to get a student loan.

以獲得助學貸款。

And most of these students borrow huge debts without understanding how these debts work.

而這些學生大多借了鉅額債務，卻不瞭解這些債務是如何運作的。

And what separates student debt from other types of debts is that there is no way around

而學生債務與其他類型債務的區別在於，沒有辦法解決

it.

它。

Even if you declare bankruptcy, you still have to pay it.

即使你宣佈破產，你也要支付。

And that's what creates the problem.

這就是造成問題的原因。

So when colleges know that these kids who just graduated from school can borrow huge

所以當大學知道這些剛畢業的孩子可以借到巨大的

loans to study.

貸款學習；

And their debt is going to be paid for sure sooner or later.

而他們的債務遲早是肯定要還的。

They will build even fancier campuses, bigger stadiums, more facilities and will spend even

他們會建造更豪華的校園，更大的體育場館，更多的設施，並會花費更多的錢。

more money on marketing to attract these students.

更多的資金用於營銷，以吸引這些學生。

Which will keep driving the cost higher.

這將使成本不斷上升。

In the 1980s, per year tuition fees used to cost 3400 dollars or 10200 adjusted to inflation.

上世紀80年代，每年的學費曾經是3400美元，按通貨膨脹調整後是10200美元。

But the exact same year today costs over 34 thousand dollars.

但如今完全相同的年份卻要3.4萬多元。

Schools are getting more expensive not because they are improving the quality of education.

學校越來越貴，並不是因為他們提高了教育品質。

But rather they are spending more and more money on things that don't really matter to

但他們卻把越來越多的錢花在了對他們來說並不重要的事情上

persuade the 18-year-olds to take large loans that will hunt them for the rest of their

勸說18歲的孩子們接受大額貸款，這將使他們的餘生受到追捧。

life.

生命。

The problem with student loans is that.

學生貸款的問題在於。

Banks usually recommend you to make the minimum payment once you graduate and start paying

銀行一般會建議你畢業後開始支付最低還款額度

back your debt.

回你的債務。

But that minimum is too small to make any difference because it doesn't even cover

但這個最小值太小了，不能起到任何作用，因為它甚至不包括以下內容

the interest.

的利息。

And in a matter of few years, you will find yourself paying hundreds of dollars every

而在短短的幾年內，你會發現自己每天都要支付數百元的費用

single month.

單月。

But your debt is still growing.

但你的債務還在增加。

And now there are 44 million young people all across the United States with an average

而現在全美有4400萬年輕人，他們平均

debt of 37 thousand dollars.

3.7萬元的債務。

The educational system suppose to be the mechanism that lifts people out of poverty.

教育制度應該是使人們擺脫貧困的機制。

But it seems like in the last few decades, it has been serving a different purpose, dragging

但在過去的幾十年裡，它似乎一直在發揮著不同的作用，拖著

people into the loans that they cannot afford.

人們進入他們無力承擔的貸款。