Student loan debt is now around $1.6 trillion. Some economists fear that debt is irreparably harming the U.S. economy. But over the past 50 years, the availability of federal student loans has changed higher education. It's led to higher attendance rates, but also higher tuitions and higher expectations from the college experience. In this episode of The Future of Everything: what structural changes could improve the lending program going forward - and how that could change what college looks like in the future. With WSJ reporters Melissa Korn and Josh Mitchell. Janet Babin hosts.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices