Money ‘Ripoff’: What you should know about Parent PLUS Loans, and why they hurt HBCU students October 28, 2019 Lu Zhao, Matt Reynolds and Noah Broder, Medill News Service Comments Off on ‘Ripoff’: What you should know about Parent PLUS Loans, and why they hurt HBCU students Parents call Parent PLUS Loans a "ripoff," but many black families find they're the only way kids can afford college. Here's what to know about them.