This essay examines normative aspects of the gainful employment rule and how the policy frame and image miss important implications for student aid policy. Because the economic and social burdens associated with the policy are typically borne by certain socioeconomic and ethnic groups, the policy frame and image do not identify possible negative connotations associated with higher levels of student loan default and debt-burden. This essay argues that little attention has been paid to the normative associations surrounding this policy and the ways that the framing of the issues creates a specific image for policymakers and the tax-paying public.