Lynne, There is another side to this issue. Parents and Grandparents can help students attend college. Students can work while in college. There is the lottery. I know this doesn't eliminate the problem for all students, but I work for a company that pays well. I have seen students come to work at this company who have student debt. They could pay the debt, but instead, as soon as the information comes for the withholding for the debt, guess what?,, They run. They seem to not understand that they received something for this debt and we seem to be a society that is teaching them that you can run from what you owe. In the case of my son, I borrowed from my 401K for his education and he worked part time. Where there is a will, there is a way.