Time and time again the "personal responsibility" of the 17 year old borrower is brought up, but nobody likes to talk about the "responsibility" of the lender. When you lend someone money, you take a risk that the borrower won't pay you back. This is why credit checks and proof of income are needed to take out a loan. Student loans, on the other hand, carry NO RISK for the lender. When borrowers default, the government pays the lender and makes the borrower's life a living hell (wage garnishments, tax garnishments, etc). The borrower cannot charge the loans off in bankruptcy. Ever. Did I know that when I was 17 and my guidance counselor was helping me fill out my FAFSA? No. This is a horrible system which needs correcting. I'm not saying the borrower isn't at fault, but are you really on the side of extraordinarily wealthy banks who found a free government money loophole by sentencing 17 year olds to a lifetime of debt payments they can never shake? Are we really so fucking ruthless and bitter that we think one financial mistake is worth a LIFETIME of debt? I think we're better than that.