Here's a good three minute explainer from PBS News Hour/Marketplace

Questions for your students:

• What are the factors that led to increases in student debt since the Great Recession?
• Summarize the characteristics of the three types of student loan borrowers?
• Is the amount of money borrowed the primary reason that borrowers struggle with repayment? What other factors play a role in this anxiety?
• Did any of the facts mentioned in this video surprise you? Which ones?

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.