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Book Summary and Reviews of The Student Loan Scam by Alan Michael Collinge

The Student Loan Scam by Alan Michael Collinge

The Student Loan Scam

The Most Oppressive Debt in U.S. History#and How We Can Fight Back

by Alan Michael Collinge

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  • Published:
  • Feb 2009, 256 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

An in-depth exploration and exposé of the predatory nature of the student loan industry

For the past thirty years, college tuition has risen at double the rate of inflation, with the cost largely shifting to student debt. Alan Collinge argues that student loans have become the most profitable, uncompetitive, and oppressive type of debt in American history.

In an unprecedented analysis of this $85-billion industry, Collinge covers the history of student loans, the rise of Sallie Mae, and how universities have profited at the expense of students. The Student Loan Scam includes stories from people across the country about how both nonprofit and for-profit student loan companies, aided by poor legislation, have shattered their lives—and livelihoods. With nearly 5 million defaulted loans, average undergraduate borrowers leaving school with $20,000 of debt, and average graduate borrowers accruing $42,000 in debt, this crisis is growing to epic proportions.

In this clarion call for social action, Collinge offers pragmatic solutions, including returning standard consumer protections to student loans.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. Comprehensive and stirring, this extraordinary book is whistle-blowing at its finest." - Publishers Weekly Pick of the Week.

"Although everyone may not agree with Collinge, he has a valuable perspective for library patrons and their families as they consider funding options for education." - Booklist.

This information about The Student Loan Scam was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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More Information

Alan Collinge is Founder of StudentLoanJustice.Org, a grassroots organization, and political action committee. He holds B.S., M.S., and Eng. Degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California.

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