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The student debt crisis has become one of the hot platform topics for candidates on the 2020 election circuit, but for the people it affects it is more than a campaign strategy. Tuition and fees at public and private schools rose at roughly three times the rate of inflation between 2007 and 2018, according to a College Board survey. Borrowers currently owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loans, an average of $34,000 per person.

The list below is a collection of tweets from people explaining how the U.S debt crisis evolved to this point or sharing their stories on how student debt has impacted their lives since graduating - and they may shock you or be sadly relatable.

#2

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jamie1707
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel so bad for these young men and women. It's not f*****g fair! Starting your life with that much debt must be soul crushing. I feel so bad because when I finished grad school, I had $213 in my checking account and the only debt I had was to the electric company for $13. I wish there was something I could do for these kids.

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#4

Student-Debt-Crisis-Posts

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SAF saf
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should be criminal, I don't understand why the politicians can't meet us half way on this. Why can't student loans be zero to super low interest rates. You pay back the $250k and call it settled (which is still alot' of money btw).

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Student-Debt-Crisis-Posts

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Maci Mae
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm fourteen, and I really want to be a special education teacher when I'm an adult, which requires college. I want to have a job that I love, but I can't imagine being that much in debt. Any time I bring it up to an adult, I'm told that I'll "figure it out" or that "I shouldn't be worrying about that yet". But considering the situation my country is in, I probably should have started saving for college two years ago :(

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#7

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Martha Meyer
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What kind of crazy interest rates are being charged on these loans?!

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Grumble O'Pug
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It isn't just the rate, it's that the size of the loan is going to garner a large monthly payment, so people do go into the program where their monthly payment is made smaller based on their income. Interest is always paid first, you can NOT pay principal first. So when these folks pay less than the interest they are charged each month, with no money added to the principal, they effectively are building a balance. It's a great rip off the companies came up with and whored out congressional reps signed off on it.

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Full Name
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to say it: your name isn't well thought out. I guarantee you would not want to live in a place where there was no taxation. No roads, no police, military, no anything communal. Nobody making sure food is safe to eat, no nothing. Inappropriately spent taxes are awful, and much of what it's spent on is awful, but you can't possibly make the argument that taxation in and of itself is theft because you NEED it.

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Adina Goodman
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

AMEN! To even further put this into context, I have been paying off my federal loan for about 3 years. I have been out of my undergrad program for 6, but was in grad school for 3. In 3 years of making payments according to my income driven repayment plan, I have paid off $8.26 of my principle. The rest was interest. This is my federal loan. I won't even get into my private loan! My children will be paying for my loans when I am dead! I'm 28..... SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!!

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Jeff Schrade
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am extremely sympathetic to college students who’ve been buried in debt. I just did a calculation -- If you borrow $38,200 at 5% interest, and make payments of $200 a month, it will take 31 years to pay off the debt while paying $38,200 in interest!! However, if the payment goes up to just $250 a month, the debt can be paid off in 8.4 years with a total interest payment of $9,050. https://www.nerdwallet.com/.../student-loans-extra-payments

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Mary Ellen Pope
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My two daughters owe over $100,000 each in student loans even with us having $17,000 in a 529 plan to start them each off. So proud they have both graduated, my gift is to pay back one of each of their loans while they pay off the rest. Students just can't win these days.

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Bronwyn Marsh
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like buying a house in RSA. Bought for 1.6mil 2 years ago. Since then we have paid about 420 000 in monthly repayments. We started with 375 000 deposit. So that's 795 000 paid so far. Still owe over 2mil... And we are some of the lucky ones we can afford to buy a house in a country filled with corruption and inequality based on something my parents parents allegedly did...

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Marcel Bennett
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Effectively she is paying just the bare minimum based on her income and that doesn't cover the full interest payment so she is effectively adding to her loan even though she payed over 20 thousand alreay. It's one of the greatest schemes in history and it's a way to keep you in debt so that the banks can make money off you and never have to worry about you writing it off in bankruptcy court. Thanks baby boomers

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Jeff Schrade
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am extremely sympathetic to college students who’ve been buried in debt. I just did a calculation -- If you borrow $38,200 at 5% interest, and make payments of $200 a month, it will take 31 years to pay off the debt while paying $38,200 in interest!! However, if the payment goes up to just $250 a month, the debt can be paid off in 8.4 years with a total interest payment of $9,050. https://www.nerdwallet.com/.../student-loans-extra-payments

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Dani
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a huge thing where it's like a trendy food that is basically avocado on that and the media likes to claim millennials can't afford homes because they wasted all there money on avocadoes

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Ronald Clay
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who is the one who forced you to take out a loan? Was there violence threatened for not taking out this loan? Oh, you made the choice, on your own? Excellent, pay them back on your own.

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Steve Powell
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sad to hear this BUT....there simply isn't enough data to fully appreciate your plight. When did you graduate? What was the total amount you owed and interest rate? What were the specific "terms of repayment"? Did you meet these terms? Finally, the amount of money you borrowed (the loan) is not necessarily the amount you owed on "the loan" when you graduated. Your loan accrued interest begining the moment you took the money. The interest mayu have accrued interest as well. There's not enough information in your post for me to throw my arms up. and scream WTF!!

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alucientes
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would dismiss this as onerous debt. That's indefensible.

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Annie Lancaster
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This student is a dumb-a*s! I graduated with 3 degrees in 4 years. I did it all on scholarships, and working on campus while a full-time student and kept a roof over my head...with the exception of a $4000 student loan which is 80% paid and I have NEVER missed a payment. (Graduated in 2014) If they're gonna be a dumbass and take out massive loans with ridiculous interest rates...that's on them. ALL colleges provide financial counseling. If I did it, anybody can...

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Kevin Burgess
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ALL loans minimum payments are designed to keep you in debt permanently. Smart, or lucky people pay them off sooner. The rest of U.S. just never get out of debt. Have a bad period of illness or unemployment just a few times, and the debt will become crushing, removing the ability to get a loan for a house, etc. Keep in mind that most renters also pay property owners mortgages, so this becomes a never ending downward economic spiral.

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Jon Payne
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who wants to tell her how much a mortgage actually costs?

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Mike Parr
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You need to pay for the money you borrowed. You need to sacrifice your current lifestyle, perhaps, so you can get out of debt?

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Ashley Dopp
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another person said it, but it varies. Where you also get screwed is if you use FAFSA from the government. You have to apply each year and if the government doesn't cover it all then you need another loan too, which you also apply for each year. FAFSA seems to roll your loan into one big one but other lenders keep them as separate individual loans, each with a different interest rate. This makes it extremely hard to pay them all off.

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Cindy Collins
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the hell kind of interest rates are these guys getting charged? Are they revolving credit or simple interest loans? I am just not understanding how it can go up

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Jeff Schrade
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am extremely sympathetic to college students who’ve been buried in debt. I just did a calculation -- If you borrow $38,200 at 5% interest, and make payments of $200 a month, it will take 31 years to pay off the debt while paying $38,200 in interest!! However, if the payment goes up to just $250 a month, the debt can be paid off in 8.4 years with a total interest payment of $9,050. https://www.nerdwallet.com/.../student-loans-extra-payments

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Kathleen Ahern Lang
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Loan sharking is illegal it's time the establishment is called out on it

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Chris Gregory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First, I don't believe a university education is worth it. The colleges are now a seed bed of left wing socialist propaganda.They distort history and science to their own advantage and promote regressive (not progressive) political ideals which destroy humane society. better to get a trade that you can then have your own business without creating a massive debt. Be entrepreneurial, own no man anything and build an income producing property portfolio. Don't save money as the banks take it from you but begin hording bullion. Gold is set to skyrocket possibly 6-700%.

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#8

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Leo Domitrix
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm Gen X. We hae ALL inherited the debts racked up by Boomers and the gutless politicians catering to them. They didn't pay it forward. They loaned it forward, with compound interest....

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Peg Walton
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a retired professor, I strongly agree with this statement. It is terribly broken, from pre-K up to PhD. The American education system is completely broken.

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#10

Student-Debt-Crisis-Posts

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's really f****d up, a 17-yo isn't mature enough to take such a huge loan and to understand the ramifications a loan like that has on your life. In my county you could never get that much student loan

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Peg Walton
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Must be nice to be one of the lucky ones. I went to college after raising my children and still ended up with $40,000+ in loans. Now my salary isn't enough to live and pay loans. Their "programs" do not help. Wish I had never gone to college. My Masters is worthless.

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#14

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Panda Kicki
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a swede with mostly free schools and low cost state loans to cover other expenses it is so horrifying to read all these tragedies :'(

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#15

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Pamela24
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You should stop spoiling yourself and demanding luxuries. If you don't have the money to eat, just don't. It's as simple as that. *sarcasm - just to make sure*

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#16

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Jeff Christensen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Australia university was free until 1988, but now it is paid for by Government loans - but repaymemts don't start until your income is over a certain threshold. If you never reach that threshold, you never repay the debt.

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#18

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Pamela24
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just can't understand why AT LEAST the loans couldn't be without interest. I believe that is how the UK has it (correct me if I'm wrong, please).

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#19

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Ahmad Pujianto
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just wow.. I only pay 25 USD each month during 4 year of college.. Then (because I work while studying) another 50 USD each year for 2 year of extention.. Totally I spend around 20 Million IDR (around 1.500 USD) till graduate.. #asian

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#20

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Candice Lewis
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With interest it could become that much and the sucky thing is our children will probably be responsible for some of it

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#22

30 Alarming Posts About How The Student Debt System Affects People's Lives And It's Terrible

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Mewton’s Third Paw
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What in the entire f**k. The pettiness. Pettiness of this level can only come from the mega rich.

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#24

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Monica Michelle
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4 years ago

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There are 2 types of people who are wronged those that say never again to noone else and those who stop progress because it does not help them personally

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#25

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Belinda Matson
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMFG I'm surprised boomers aren't being slaughtered en masse in the USA. Pro Tip: Start with the politicians...

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#26

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Ivo H
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's terryfing that someone has reason to write "i did a terrible thing" because he studied for a job he wanted to do. Not everyone likes to be doctor/lawyer/whatever just to pay off his or hers loans.

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#27

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Missy Barton
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I officially paid off my student loans four years ago. Want to know how? My husband died.

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#28

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Cassie
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If your payments are income based, your (compounded) interest will continue to accrue, which means your loan amount will be more when it's forgiven than when it was initiated. The government could have saved money by just paying for the tuition in the first place.

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#29

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guy greej
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From malawi a third world country. Paid of my university degree debt in 1 month after getting a job.

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#30

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Martha Meyer
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's supposed to be a joke, right? She didn't pay it off, her mother basically did!

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