[plutnicki]

I would say the big difference is that no bank will give an 18 year old with no job a mortgage, or a loan for a $100k car, and yet they can get financed to get a $150k loan to become a teacher making $30 - $40k/year or worse. It just doesn't make sense to me.

I don't believe in forgiveness either, but going through this process with my youngest (luckily he won't need loans), I can see how poorly the process is managed and how poorly the kids are counseled. I can see how kids get taken advantage of, particularly if they don't have strong support, which not all do.