In the shoe department at Belk’s department store yesterday, a familiar thing: The sales guy was trying to convince us to get a Belk’s credit card, saying we would get a big discount on the shoes. We got to talking, and he mentioned that he was taking his first airplane flight ever in a couple months; he asked what flying is like. 

“A lot like a department store,” I said. “They will be pushing hard for you to get a credit card. The flight attendants will tell you about the free miles and other benefits you’ll get.”

Sometimes it seems like a lot of big businesses are just a front for selling people into high interest debt. That would definitely include many for-profit colleges.