Sharon lives in North Carolina.

Age: 44

Loan status:

I have graduated or left school and still paying off my student loans

Sharon’s student loan experience:

“Hello,
My name is Sharon and I am a Graduate of St. Augustine's College, Raleigh NC, class of 1987. I have a BS Degree in Business Management. During my four years at St. Aug. I had to take out a student loan each year. My original loan amount was 5000.00 each semester. Once I completed my four years I was will aware that I was responsible for paying the money back. It was hard finding a job in my related field paying good money. I was afaid to apply myself and had no one to motivate me or tell me how to apply myself. I started getting forberances after school until I could afford to make payments on my loans. While my loans were in forberances the interest rates kept accumulating and I was unaware of this in the beginning. My loan balance now is 12,700.00 and alot of it is from interest. I have been paying on my loan but based on my income. I work full time but still find it difficult sometimes to pay due to circumstanes that may come up. I am in forberance now for two months due to car repair. I am a single parent, the mother of one child whom I have raised alone for 18 years. I want to pay my loan and I want to pay it off. I have a fixed rate already and consoladation already done. Do you have other options or ways you can help me pay off my loan? Thank You for your help and your time.”

Jeanette lives in Massachusetts.

Age: 49

Loan status:

I am a student with loans

Jeanette’s student loan experience:

“I was abused as a child emotionally and physically. I also know children in the same situation. I am enrolled in Ashford University Online. I am taking psychology. I want to help children stay on the right track. If i can go to college at my age, they can do it. I am low income my husband and myself are disabled. I have fibromyalgia, which is controlled to a certain point. I have a little more energy and the pain is managed. I am on SSDI, and my husband gets disability pension. My rent is almost half of our income. We don't have enough food to last for the month. I need money for books and a laptop and their are tests i can take and if i pass i get credits, but they are 80.00 a piece. I want to graduate with my bachelors early and continue on to my masters and possibly my phd. I need money so bad. I have tried student loans and scholarships. Most scholarships are from colleges, you have to pick one, i am already enrolled. As for loans, i do have a stafford, i don't even know how much. My college did it for me. But that pays the cost of my education, not books or anything else. I apply for student loans and never hear from them. I am at my wits end. I am stll searching but it is taking me from morning till evening and i still don't make any progress. Please i do need help. I don't know what else to say. I am excited about college. I want to help kids with everything i have.”

Michelle lives in Ohio.

Age: 36

Loan status:

I have graduated or left school and still paying off my student loans

Michelle ’s student loan experience:

“I paid for most of my college myself. I took out $9000 in loans my last year of school. Somehow over the next few years my loans were sold SEVERAL times, and when it was over and the dust cleared I owed over $18,000!!!!! No one can explain this to me. No one can explain this at all ! Yet I HAVE to pay it.

How is this possible?????

My husband and I didn’t receive accurate information in college. We took out loans because everyone else did, not knowing it would put us in serious debt before we even graduated.

We struggle to make ends meet and the college education that is supposed to be so important has NOT proven to be much of an asset. More like a waste of money.

Not to mention the student loan companies are terrible to work with !”

David lives in Colorado.

Age: 36 - 50

Name of school(s) attended: Kansas Newman College

Loan status:

I have graduated or left school and still paying off my student loans

Student loans are: Federal

Repayment status of federal loans: In default

Do you know the total amount of your student debt? Yes

Total amount of student loan debt (or an estimate), including both federal and private loans: 17,000.00

Has received any debt management counseling from ASA or another guarantor: No

Has received student loan or financial literacy education from school attend(ed): No

David’s student loan experience:

declared bankruptcy in 1994...six and a half years later I began to receive statements that I still owed money for my student loans...that the new bankruptcy bill allowed for forgiveness seven years back, and mine were six and a half years. The interest that has accrued is more than the loans themselves were.

Marquita lives in North Carolina.

Age: 25 - 35

Name of school(s) attended: Bennett College

Loan status:

I have graduated or left school and still paying off my student loans

Student loans are: Not sure

Do you know the total amount of your student debt? No

Has received any debt management counseling from ASA or another guarantor: Yes

Has received student loan or financial literacy education from school attend(ed): No

Marquita’s student loan experience:

When I applied for my loans I was unaware of the amount until I recieved notice from the AMSA acknowledging that I was in default when the school I was attending was still applying loans when I had enough grant money to pay for school and then the amounts were always over. I never quite understood, I only recall getting one promissary notice and that was in 2002 and since then the financial aid office at the school has never been up to par. So who knows if I really signed for those loans or not. I got pregnant in college I was told not to come back due to my due date was partially during the semester mid-term. They advised me to return in the spring of 2006 by then I could not get help, aid, because my school was not cooperating with me. I never recieved word from the school or anything pertaining to my loans. Though I still only had one year of school left I will try to complete it online, though I'd rather go to the inial school of my choice I can't. I hate that this happened.