This week in the magazine, James Surowiecki writes about college tuition, student-loan debt, and unemployment.

THE FINANCIAL PAGE about student-loan debt and the value of a college education.

This is an odd concern, given that we're both independent artists with fluctuating incomes and a mountain of student-loan debt, and in possession of neither employer-paid health insurance nor a savings account.

About a third of recent college graduates enter the job market with student-loan debts that exceed what experts consider reasonable - a major increase from the past.

James Surowiecki, in his commentary on student-loan debt, does not identify an important source of the growth in college costs (The Financial Page, November 21st).

The student loan agency Nellie Mae says the average college graduate's student-loan debt has reached at least $19,400.

It was written on a piece of cardboard from the envelope containing her master's degree-a major source of her hundred thousand dollars in student-loan debt.

"Well, I've got about $120,000 worth of student-loan debt," Pat said.

We owe all our doctors, and Brett has $12,000 in student-loan debt as well.