Ameritech Financial Supports Borrowers in Looking Past Their Debt and Valuing Their Education
ROHNERT PARK, Calif., March 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The cost of college has increased dramatically in the last decade, and students often shoulder those costs by taking out student loans. In an effort to prove that the education is worth the high cost, institutions are increasingly performing assessments to demonstrate the value of the education they offer. However, that practice to assess the value of an education may actually get in the way of the intended value, according to a recent op-ed article. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that assists student loan borrowers in applying for federal repayment plans, suggests that borrowers use their own assessment standards to determine if their education was worth the cost.
"When there's a problem, it's natural for individuals and entities to want to try to solve it," said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial "That might require testing and theorizing, but results and resulting action are rarely simple for something as complicated as higher education and student loans."
With the rising cost of college approaching crisis levels according to many headlines, individuals and employers have begun insisting that colleges teach specific skills that are directly related to jobs students may get after college to maximize the return on their investment. However, the author of the article argues that any practice to assess and judge schools based on whether they teach those skills will result in colleges becoming glorified trade schools. Instead, the most valuable skill attainable at college is critical thinking, which is not a quality easily measured.
The author also points out some problems inherent in assessment results. In some classrooms, professors are handed mandatory assessment questions that their students would not be able to answer correctly based on the actual coursework. Additionally, students may fail college courses for many reasons outside the classroom, such as problems at home or problems stemming from poor preparation from high school. Data from either situation would not be helpful as it would not accurately represent the problems in those classrooms that professors feel need the most attention.
Ameritech Financial recommends students determine the value of their education on their own. Many student loan borrowers with whom the company has spoken have not been able to afford the loans that funded their education. They may not be able to see past their high monthly payments. However, federal income-driven repayment plans (IDRs) may lower that monthly burden since they base payments on income and family size.
"A college education's value is different for each student depending on what they got out of it," said Knickerbocker. "When they are blinded to the value because of their student loan payments, we can help them look past that by helping them apply for IDRs that can potentially improve their financial situation. We hope our clients can then see the value of their education, whether it led to a job, allowed them to find their calling or put them in contact with important people in their lives."
About Ameritech Financial
Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education.
Ameritech Financial is a member of the Association for Student Loan Relief (AFSLR) and each representative on the phone has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).
Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional customer service.
Contact
To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact:
Ameritech Financial
5789 State Farm Drive #265
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
1-800-792-8621
[email protected]
Related Links
SOURCE Ameritech Financial
Related Links
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article