Student Loans: The Love/Hate Relationship

I have a love/hate relationships with student loans. I love that they allowed me to go to college and law school – I couldn't have done it

Most people have a love/hate relationship with student loans. They love them while in college, but they hate them after they graduate. Unfortunately, most new college students don't think too far ahead in the future to realize how painful paying off college loans can be.

If you're a new college student, there's a good chance you have had to take out some student loans. A majority of college students and their families can't afford to pay full college tuitions. Student loans have become an acceptable debt to assume for two reasons. First, earning a college degree can be considered an investment that will hopefully allow a student to earn more money throughout his/her career. Second, most student loans are subsidized by the government and thus have lower interest rates.

Student loans can really help a student while in college. Going to college can be quite rigorous, and a student's academic workload can be a full time job. It is often impossible for a student to earn a lot of money during the academic year and still do well in school. Student loans help students focus on what is important during their college years--studying.

Unfortunately, student loans can often become a problem post-graduation, especially if the graduate doesn't earn a lot of money. Many graduates feel the weight of their student loan debt well after they've begun their careers. This debt can compel a graduate to take a job that doesn't suit them in order to fulfill their loan obligations.