‘Crushing’ college costs hurt students, economy - Kyung M. Song, Seattle Times

Runaway college tuition and growing student debt are burdening both borrowers and the U.S. economy, witnesses testified Wednesday at a Senate Budget Committee hearing chaired by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. The consequences from $1.2 trillion in outstanding loans likely will shape the entirety of young Americans’ financial lives, from being able to buy homes and cars to their choice of careers and whether they can afford to retire. Tuition and fees at colleges and universities historically have risen faster than the prices of most goods and services. In the past decade, that pace has quickened even further. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023764919_studentdebtxml.html