<p>Unless something happened that we don’t know about here, it really was her fault. I’m not saying that she deserves this, but with not completing FAFSA for three years and getting really awful grades, you would kinda expect to know what would be the result of that.</p>
<p>It’s totally her fault and she doesn’t deserve to have this ‘little’ mistake forgive. At what age do you have to start taking responsibility? I thought it was college but some of you feel that she made a youthful mistake. How much longer can we coddle idiots like this? After college? Until 30? 40? Never? </p>
<p>She’s over 18 and she. is. an. adult. She should’ve explored her options, gotten a job, gotten aid, ANYTHING but what she did. I wouldn’t have sympathy for a 40 year old who took out 80k in loans to get a new sports car and crashed the stupid thing and is stuck with the payments, so why should she get a free pass? Let her sort it out and learn the hard way that she’s not in Kansas anymore and it’s time to grow up.</p>
<p>Where’s the father of the child? He doesn’t seem to be involved. I wonder if he pays child support. $150 for a cell phone bill?! That must be for multiple lines. I can’t imagine 150 is for just one person!</p>
<p>Who is she calling that her phone bill is $150? I don’t even think she needs TV at all, let alone cable, since she has a baby to care for and should be working almost all day to earn money.</p>
<p>I think she should have gone to community college instead. :D</p>
<p>It’s unfortunate that this is the student debt story getting attention. It’s so easy to write this woman off as being irresponsible, which she obviously is. I wish they would focus on real-life cases of student debt. You don’t have to be an idiot with $120k of private loans to be affected by debt. </p>
<p>I was really surprised to see how much of a negative impact my student loans have had on my credit rating, and I only have $8000 of debt so far. But despite not having any negatives other than having student loans, and having a credit card that I have never missed a payment on, my credit score is well under 700.</p>
<p>The real college loan nightmares are when people are responsible and still get strapped with a lot of student debt and the problems that come with it, which aren’t just payment issues.</p>
<p>“How does no one else see the solution, she doesnt seem bad looking, she needs to go out and find herself a good sugardaddy, problem solved.”</p>
<p>She’s not $120,000+child support good looking, though. ;)</p>
<p>Wow Posh Girl, if you are never late with your payments, there must be something else impacting you. I definitely have debt and my credit score is over 700.</p>
<p>While this particular young woman has borrowed more than most I know, I DO know students like her. My school works hard to help students … we have plenty of “fill out your FAFSA - we’ll help!” days, financial aid workshops, money management seminars, etc. … and very few students bother to attend. While we advertise all of these events on the university student website, we also send personal invitations to students who have been late in filing the FAFSA previously, or who have had financial holds on their accounts due to nonpayment. Last November, we set up a “crisis center” for 2 or 3 weeks where we were available to give one-on-one help for any student who still owed a balance for fall semester. Many students came for help, but too many did not bother.</p>
<p>At some point, students must take personal responsibility for themselves. Over and over and over students ignore our requests for information necessary to complete their financial aid files. When their accounts are finally sent to collections, they want our help. We can’t originate a loan if they are not currently attending school. They had lots & lots of reminders, lots & lots of opportunity to be helped. They simply chose to ignore. What the heck do they THINK is going to happen?!</p>
<p>I do think that basic financial management should be a part of the school curriculum from elementary on. Our entire country would benefit if we could somehow raise our children to be financially intelligent (well, maybe some would make less money, but I won’t go there …).</p>
<p>You know I have a neice going to a private LAC next month. Both parents are unemployed (have been for over a year) but as part of the FA package they are expected to take out about 8K a year in loans in addition to the Stafford loans my neice is taking out. I have no idea how my SIL/bil got the loans (maybe my MIL cosigned) but they did. I told them I thought it was too much seeing as they are out of work now and even when they were working paying that off would have been a hardship. Niece did get a free ride to a state school, but she told me she had no intention of ever going there. So why apply? </p>
<p>The best part is I have another nephew who will graduate next June and his parents are looking to this SIL/BIL for advice. My S is only a rising jr and they figure I know nothing about the college application process. I have sent them info explaining that they should really look into what their EFC will be and have their S apply to colleges where he will get lots of merit or finacial aid. They told me they forwarded to their S’s email, they are letting their son handle all of that. They have no money saved and no plans in place to pay for college. Nice.</p>
<p>Perhaps they would respond to the video version:</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Default: the Student Loan Documentary](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1463LHDLGvQ]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1463LHDLGvQ)</p>
<p>Obviously none of us know the exact situation and yadda yadda yadda… BUT</p>
<p>It seems like the main factors here were ignorance and laziness. Late THREE times of the fafsa?</p>
<p>Tidbit about me: I dropped out of HS in the beginning of my junior year (due to personal problems, but I still hold myself responsible). As of this March I was barely even thinking about college and had NO idea how any of it worked. Between late March and now, I learned just about everything I need to know about financial aid and admission completely on my own. I got my FAFSA done ON TIME, studied for & took my SATs, and applied for & enrolled in college. </p>
<p>My point is, if I could get my sh** done on time (not to say I had no consequences), so could she. The first time, understandable. Probably laziness, but I pass judgment on that first one, nonetheless. TWO more times? WHILE she knew how much debt she was accumulating? No, just no. It shouldn’t take that long, and if you have a problem there’s a helpline [maybe I got lucky, but when I called they were nice, helpful, and straight to the point]. </p>
<p>The cell and cable bills?
No excuse. With her grades, she probably should have had that cable shut off even if it were free. Besides basic cable is what? $30 (more? less? I dunno) The cell bill didn’t need to be anything over $60, I don’t know about her area, but I know in South FL you can get unlimited text and calls for $60-65. </p>
<p>I’m really curious the amount that was spent on really unnecessary “living expenses” (bars, clothes, makeup, “toys” etc.). And if the rest really was necessities, wouldn’t she have been better off living ON campus?</p>
<p>And perhaps she should have spent a bit more on BC and condoms. A kid? Seriously? I guess maybe if there was a “Super sperm” + “Super fertile” combo (I know a few kids that are the result of this) AND she was against adoption and abortion… But this is unlikely by itself, let alone with with her apparent track record of irresponsibility.</p>
<p>Maybe she annoyed me because, between quotes from the article and the pictures, it seems like she looking for people to feel sorry for her (and maybe even to have someone see the article, and step in to “save” her).</p>
<p>I feel absolutely horrible for her grandmother. I know mine is too trusting and optimistic when it comes to her family. I’m assuming that’s what happened to her’s as well. I really hope she gets to keep her house. Add in her disabled son who’s living with her. Terrible. THAT’S the reason I have NO sympathy for this girl. She didn’t stop and think about the risk she was putting at her family. She was what? 22 when this STARTED? I just don’t see any excuses. I had more financial maturity when I was 13.</p>
<p>Melzx, congrats to you for getting everything done in record time! Good luck with school - it sounds as if you’re very motivated and grounded which is a winning combination:)</p>
<p>I still feel badly for her. She might be paying for this her entire lifetime…as if she had committed murder or something. The private loan companies do tend to be predatory and the fees they impose are very high. They also have no “give” and refuse to negotiate more affordable terms. Their bread and butter is the very penalties and fees they impose. They survive (and thrive) on the high likelihood of students having difficulty paying these loans back. There does need to be some oversight.</p>