TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - The Wall Street Journal is now reporting the graduating college class of 2016 has the highest amount of student debt ever, with students graduating with an average $37,000 in loans.
Last year, Florida State University grads had an average of $24,000 in debt.
Incoming freshmen were on campus Friday, as part of summer orientation. Grant Kurtz, an incoming freshman, shared his vision to keep from being burdened with that record debt: "I'm thinking for my immediate - after college, what I want to do is go the career center that FSU has and make sure to get an internship, junior, senior year, so I can have a plan as soon as I get out of college, to have a job to start paying off any debt that I have."
The freshman says having a Florida Prepaid Account and a Bright Futures Scholarship will also help with paying for college.
Arielle Cleary, a 2014 FSU graduate says, with tuition and other expenses continuing to rise, it's important to find ways to limit that debt: "When you're in high school, start looking for scholarships. Start looking at different options that you have, to, of course, avoid student debt, because student debt does follow you, when you're trying to buy a house, and when you're trying to buy a car, when you're trying to buy those things as you get older."
