ECU students respond to Biden’s debt relief plan

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Millions of Americans could see their student loan debt reduced as part of President Biden’s federal student loan debt plan.

WITN spoke to East Carolina University students to get a better idea of how the plan will impact them. Many believe it will help in the long run.

“I’m in a great bit of debt so I think anything pretty much helps,” student Sophia White said. “I think it’s cool that they give us something and I think it’ll really help those who don’t have anything.”

For many ECU students, after tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and other fees, they expect to pay between $23,000 and $40,000 total for four years of school.

While the $10,000 forgiven for federal student debt won’t cover all costs, every penny counts.

“I think that this is going to open up the conversation for us to reform the system that got us into this mess, for lack of better words,” Lauren Piner with the Pitt County Association of Educators said.

The average annual federal loan amount is about $5,700 at ECU, which is about $120 more than the national average for a university.

“I figure it’s a good start. I know student debt is a problem in America and I know it’s affecting a lot of people in the country,” student Scott Alkins said. “I say it’s just a really good start.”

It’s estimated that 61% of all undergraduate students at ECU have taken out at least one loan.

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