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Apprenticeships: Getting Paid to Learn Instead of Paying to Learn
Professional Training Programs

Apprenticeships: Getting Paid to Learn Instead of Paying to Learn

There’s a moment every would-be student hits, usually around the time they’re staring at a financial aid letter, where the math stops making sense...

4 months ago Read More
How to Make a Campus Job Fight Your Student Debt Instead of Your GPA
Work Study and Campus Jobs

How to Make a Campus Job Fight Your Student Debt Instead of Your GPA

A campus job can be a lifeline or a trap. The difference is whether you treat it like a budget tool or just a way to stay busy. The goal isn’t to...

4 months ago Read More
Student Loan Interest Deduction: The Tax Break You Might Be Missing
Taxes for Young Adults

Student Loan Interest Deduction: The Tax Break You Might Be Missing

If you paid interest on student loans last year, you may be able to keep more of your paycheck without doing anything complicated. The student loan...

4 months ago Read More
The Summer Earnings Strategy That Actually Shrinks Your Student Debt
Summer Earnings Strategy

The Summer Earnings Strategy That Actually Shrinks Your Student Debt

Summer money has a way of feeling like a bonus. It is not. If you are in school and carrying student debt, every dollar you earn between May and...

4 months ago Read More
How to Build Credit While Paying Off Student Loans Without Losing Your Mind
Credit Building

How to Build Credit While Paying Off Student Loans Without Losing Your Mind

Your student loans are probably the biggest financial fact of your adult life. They can feel like a weight that never goes away, but they can also be...

4 months ago Read More
The Mental Health Tax: How Student Debt Affects Your Mind, Relationships, and Future
Impact on Individuals

The Mental Health Tax: How Student Debt Affects Your Mind, Relationships, and Future

Student debt is not just a line on your credit report. It is a background app running in your brain all day. You might be at work, out with friends...

4 months ago Read More
The Hidden Trap of Unsubsidized Federal Student Loans
Types of Federal Student Loans

The Hidden Trap of Unsubsidized Federal Student Loans

When you get your financial aid award letter, it can feel like a lot of jargon is being thrown at you. You see terms like “Subsidized” and...

4 months ago Read More
How to Read Your Student Loan Servicer’s Statements Without Panicking
Understanding Your Loan Servicer

How to Read Your Student Loan Servicer’s Statements Without Panicking

Your student loan servicer is the company that handles your bills, questions, and paperwork. It might not be the original lender, and it can change...

4 months ago Read More
How Your Car Is Quietly Eating Your Student Loan Payment
Transportation Costs

How Your Car Is Quietly Eating Your Student Loan Payment

When you have student debt, every dollar has a job. Transportation is often the second or third biggest expense in your budget, right after rent and...

4 months ago Read More
How to Budget as a Student When Your Income Is Irregular
Budgeting as a Student

How to Budget as a Student When Your Income Is Irregular

If your income changes every month, a traditional budget can feel like a joke. You might work more hours during the semester, pick up shifts over...

4 months ago Read More
How to Get Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Without Changing Jobs
Employer Repayment Assistance

How to Get Employer Student Loan Repayment Assistance Without Changing Jobs

The best student loan payment is one someone else makes. More employers than ever offer student loan repayment assistance, but many bury it in a...

4 months ago Read More
The Parent PLUS Loan Trap: When Your Kid’s Degree Becomes Your Retirement Problem
Impact on Families

The Parent PLUS Loan Trap: When Your Kid’s Degree Becomes Your Retirement Problem

There’s a loan you probably signed without fully understanding it, and it may follow you into retirement. Parent PLUS loans let parents borrow up to...

5 months ago Read More
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It's possible but difficult — student loans (federal and most private) require proving undue hardship through a separate legal process within the bankruptcy case, a standard that's historically been hard to meet, though some courts have applied it somewhat more flexibly in recent years. It's generally treated as a last-resort path rather than a routine option.

Living below your means, saving and investing consistently (even in small amounts), avoiding high-interest debt beyond what's necessary, and periodically reviewing your overall financial picture rather than ignoring it tend to compound significantly over a career. Starting these habits in your 20s and 30s, even imperfectly, tends to outweigh starting later with more money.

The biggest levers tend to be borrowing only what you need each term rather than the maximum offered, finishing in four years when possible, keeping housing and living costs modest, and applying for scholarships every year rather than just as an incoming student, since renewal and upperclassman scholarships are often less competitive.

No — research, including data from the Federal Reserve and Department of Education, has generally found that certain groups, including Black borrowers, tend to carry higher average debt loads and experience slower repayment progress, reflecting broader disparities in family wealth, income, and access to resources. These patterns have been studied extensively and are widely documented in academic and government research.

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships can cover some or all tuition, plus provide a monthly stipend and money for books, in exchange for a service commitment in the military after graduation, usually as a commissioned officer. Requirements and scholarship amounts vary by branch and by school.