Part of pursuing the classic “American Dream” is aspiring to become a professional in your desired career. To secure the right job that earns you money, and that you hope to fulfill. People put in the time, work, experience, and schooling necessary to achieve their goals, all working to become professionals in their own fields.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education and President Donald Trump have presented new loan limits for graduate students. These limits have been a significant change and have not been received well by the public. When this change was released, it made a clear distinction between careers with “professional” degrees and those without them. People were infuriated; this terminology alone sent many over the edge. They were offended that only eleven careers are now viewed as “professional,” whereas the rest are labeled as general graduate degrees. People started asking each other questions like, “Did you hear nursing isn’t a professional career anymore?” and similar comments that spread confusion.
However, in a statement released by the Department of Education, it states, “The definition of a ‘professional degree’ is an internal definition used by the Department to distinguish among programs that qualify for higher loan limits, not a value judgement about the importance of programs. It has no bearing on whether a program is professional in nature or not.” This explains that the terminology is more of a distinction for loan limits, not the determination of a degree’s true professionalism. Even with this clarification, many people still misunderstand the change.
When interviewing community member and public school teacher Staci Davis, she shared her thoughts: “They need to change the phrasing, not make it to where only some jobs sound professional and that the others are not. Maybe even try tiers, like tier 1 professional degree, tier 2, tier 3, and list the different loan limits that way, not just by marking a few professional and the rest not.” Davis put in years of hard work and money for her teaching degree and continued her education in graduate school; this new phrasing directly affects her and her career field.
After talking with Davis and conducting research, I also believe that the phrasing of the “professional” distinction should be changed. I’m not sure about the suggested tiers, but I do believe that reworking the terminology used to separate loan levels would be far more efficient than the current “professional vs. graduate” language we’ve recently seen presented.
Looking deeper into the new policy, many are realizing the notable differences between the newly proposed loan limits. Undergraduate borrowers will continue to receive the current limit of up to $7,500 a year for dependent students. Graduate and professional students, on the other hand, will have new limits of up to $20,500 per year, $100,000 total, for graduate studies, and $50,000 a year, $200,000 total, for professional programs. Additionally, Graduate PLUS loans, which previously allowed students to borrow up to their entire cost of attendance, will cease to exist.
In an article published by CNBC, the Department of Education explains, “‘The intention behind the loan limits is to discourage borrowers from taking on more debt than they will be able to handle and to encourage institutions to rein in tuition costs,’ the department said.” It has also been explained that the changes were implemented because most students are in programs that cost less than $100,000. Washington NBC reported that the Department of Education claims that data shows 95% of nursing students will not be affected by the new limits and will still be able to borrow enough money to complete their programs. Some accept this explanation, while others remain skeptical.
A few students at Woodford County High School (WCHS) shared their thoughts on the subject, but requested to remain anonymous. Student 1, who plans to pursue a healthcare career, said that becoming a nurse practitioner has always been their dream, but the new limits add financial uncertainty. Nursing is already one of the nation’s largest shrinking professions, and changes in loan access may discourage more students from entering the field.
Student 2 expressed concern from an education major’s perspective, pointing out that teaching often isn’t viewed as highly as other professions, is one that doesn’t make as much money as other graduate paths, and doesn’t allow graduates to pay back school costs as quickly. For them, these limits create an additional burden and make them question whether education is the right path.
This national story is significant to our school and community as we are fostering the future generation of professionals: doctors, nurses, psychologists, lawyers, social workers, veterinarians, and teachers alike. All people who deserve the same dignity and respect that they have worked, studied, and committed themselves to in their professions. This news story should be looked into further to understand the true meaning of a professional degree and how these loan limits may affect students’ schooling and careers across the country and in our community.
