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Comment by mfringel | Hacker News Reader

I'm guessing you're not sorry at all. Just blame her. It's more honest.

in order to take out federal student loans, you have to go through a big online educational program on the risks of loans, the dangers of interest, and how youll screwed if you take out too much.

I wouldn't blame the woman in the article because this program was likely before her time, but I would certainly blame anyone who takes out too much now.

I graduated with over $80k in student loans and I don't recall anything like what you're describing. I also know that if I had gone through something like that at 18, it would have made precisely zero impression on me.

> also know that if I had gone through something like that at 18, it would have made precisely zero impression on me.

Honest question. Do you think the age of majority should be raised form 18 to some higher age? (Like 21?). I hear a lot of this sentiment when discussing student loans, and it makes me think that if one is not capable of understanding the consequences of their financial decisions at 18, then their parents should still be in charge of their life.

I lean towards thinking that a good amount of maturity comes from experience, so simply sheltering people from the world for longer will only push the age of maturity further out. There should be a more common, encouraged (not forced) mechanism where young people can learn to deal with financial problems before the consequences can ruin their life.

At what age do you think it would make an impression?

I think there would need to be more substantial financial education over a longer period of time. I'm not sure there's any other way for someone who hasn't supported themselves to understand.

Having taken federal student loans when I was 18 (since repaid) I can say I have absolutely zero memory of any kind of educational program that taught me about loans. In fact, it was only after I'd finished paying them off that I learned student loans couldn't be discharged through bankruptcy. That fact wasn't relevant for me, but if life had thrown me a few more curveballs it easily could have been.

I am sorry, I wish she had made better choices and had a better outcome.

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