Here's a little bit of sunshine for those who have long dreamed of becoming a school teacher or serving patients in disadvantaged neighborhoods but have decided against it because of mounting student loans: student loans don't matter.
A government student loan can make the difference in whether or not many people can attend a university, private four year college, community college, vocational school or receive technical training. Many people consider the government student loan to be one of the most valuable things that the government does for its population, along with Social Security and Medicare. However, unlike Social Security and Medicare which are primarily benefits to those who spent years as tax payers and are received later in life, most government student loans are received by younger people earlier in their lives. Also a government student loan is, as the name implies, a loan which much be paid back. But, after finishing higher education the government student loan recipient is then able to find a better paying job than they otherwise would have been able to achieve and can then replay the government student loan while working, at hopefully a significantly higher salary than they would otherwise have had.
College bound students are looking more than ever to financial aid to help them pay for college. Each student's situation is unique and their need for financial aid is different but the end result is the same, they want a College education. The best way to start finding financial security for school is to apply for everything you can even if you don't think that you will get it, apply anyway.