Overall, these aspects of loan-guarantee programs saw little outright support from our participants and largely produced more mixed feelings

Many participants felt they would appreciate paying less if they were lower earners but would be upset if they had to pay more than others as high earners.

Some participants thought that the system was inherently unfair and that it penalized higher earners, while others believed that higher earners would have more financial cushion and thus be less burdened by the amount of their repayments. Notably, some participants in each group saw this type of guarantee as a way for higher earners to give back to those less fortunate. Some participants in each group strongly believed that each borrower should be required to pay back what he or she owes; some of these participants thought that allowances should be made for people with low incomes after graduation; others did not. Read more