KSU Grad’s Book Helps Future Students Avoid Debt

As the student loan debt crisis permeates the news, local author Jason Brown was inspired to evoke change. The Kennesaw State University (KSU) graduate recently published his second book titled IT IS POSSIBLE!: How I Earned Two Debt-Free Degrees...and How You Can, Too. The book aims to help aspiring college students progress through school without amassing thousands of dollars in student loan debt – with the ultimate goal of graduating debt free. In addition to Brown’s story of how he obtained two debt-free degrees, the book also features other recent college graduates’ journeys to achieve the same fate.

The concept of the book states that education should not be a debt sentence. Readers should benefit from topics such as understanding the real cost of college, learning how to find scholarship and grant money, exploring more cost-efficient means to traditional college, and tips on how to save money while in college.

Brown cited the worsening student loan debt crisis – which now stands at more than $1.7 trillion in total U.S. debt – as one of the reasons he decided to write the book. “Every time I saw a story in the news about a young person leaving college with six figures of student loan debt it motivated me to write this book,” he said. “The book serves as my ‘answer’ to the student loan debt crisis and is designed to provide strategies and offer hope to individuals who desire to avoid student loan debt and graduate debt free.”

Affecting more than 45 million Americans, student loan debt is now the second-highest consumer debt category in the country – behind only mortgage debt – higher than both credit cards and auto loans. Today, nearly 70% of college students take out loans to help pay for school. Unfortunately, many students are not finishing and are, instead, entering the work world with no degree and mounds of debt to deal with. Carrying massive debt—especially at a young age—is severely limiting one’s future opportunities such as buying a home or being able to afford to raise children.

“I’ve been on both sides of this crisis,” Brown said. “While I was fortunate to earn two degrees without debt, my wife incurred $60,000 of student loan debt to obtain her bachelor’s. This book serves as a resource tool to enable people to walk across that stage and receive a diploma instead of bills for unpaid debt.”

Brown received a bachelor’s degree from KSU and recently returned to his alma mater to earn his master’s in professional writing. He previously wrote Margin Matters: How to Live on a Simple Budget & Crush Debt Forever. The book shares the story of how he and his wife eliminated $75,000 of debt in just three years. More information on Brown’s books can be found at www.yourmarginmatters.com.