ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Higher education bubble in the United States

Okay kiddo, so you know how when you go to school and you learn things, it's called education? Well, some people decide to go to college or university after they finish high school to learn even more things and get a special certificate called a degree.

But here's the thing, not everyone can afford to pay for college or university. Sometimes, people have to take out loans from the government or banks to pay for their education. This is where the higher education bubble comes in.

Think of a bubble like a big balloon. It gets bigger and bigger until it eventually pops. The higher education bubble is like a balloon that's getting bigger and bigger because the cost of college and university is going up and up. This means that more and more people are taking out loans to pay for their education, but eventually, they won't be able to pay them back because they'll owe too much money.

This is a problem because it means that people may not be able to afford to go to college or university, even if they want to. It's also a problem because if people can't pay back their loans, it can hurt the economy because the banks and the government might not get their money back.

Now, why is the cost of college and university going up so much? Well, there are many reasons for this. One reason is that colleges and universities are spending more money on things like marketing and fancy buildings to attract more students. Another reason is that the government is giving out less money to support education, so schools have to charge more to make up for it.

Overall, the higher education bubble is a big problem because it means that not everyone can afford to get an education, and it can hurt the economy if people can't pay back their loans. It's important for people to think carefully about whether they really want to go to college or university and make sure they can afford it before they take out a loan.