A push to scrap the federal student loan program argues it would cut college costs and stop young people from taking on debt for degrees that lead nowhere — bad news for weak universities, potentially good news for future students.

• The core claim: federal loans let schools charge whatever they want because nobody checks whether the degree pays off.
• Private lenders would only fund degrees likely to lead to a job, so useless programs would lose their money supply.
• Students are the losers today — many graduate with huge debt and no career, on the assumption that a government-backed loan meant a job was waiting.
• Weak accredited universities would be the biggest losers, since their business depends on guaranteed loan money.
• Scholarships would still cover talented students who can't pay, answering the worry that only the rich get educated.

Outlook: Ending federal student lending remains a political long shot, but the pressure on expensive degrees with poor job prospects is growing.