Not any different that any other debt.
It is an investment in your long term career.
At least they have PAYE when you really are not making any money unlike credit cards or mortgages or car loans.
I actually think this is accurate. I’m not that far removed (4 years) from post-grad. I had no idea what I was getting into with student loan debt. No ones fault but my own, but I do honestly feel like public Uni and federal student loans are quite predatory in their tactics and misinformation.
Part of the issue is that many people have no grasp of reality.
For instance, the past few years I've been noticing that close to half of our local high school grads state they are going to major in Physical Therapy or Kinesiology. Along with thousands of other HS grads. For colleges that only have enough slots to accept 100 students per year. Most of those HS grads haven't done the prep work to realize that it is highly competitive to get into certain programs and that they really need to focus on their grades, extracurriculars, volunteer work, job shadowing, or whatever else it takes to get into these competitive programs. Even though it may be a Bachelor's degree (typically a 4-year process), it may still take 5-6 years to complete due to meeting the required prerequisites to even apply to get into these programs.
Also for example, colleges are offering degrees in fields that aren't relevant or no jobs can be found. I have a family member that received a BS in something obscure like Medieval German Basketweaving from a private college with a $50K per year tuition and housing. Guess what... no jobs could be found, so they work a minimum wage job while still trying to pay on those student loans.
Sadness sets in when I read stories around the news media and happenings to actual people here on the forum that strive to achieve some form of post secondary educations. Colleges (private/public) need to think about what programs/majors they need to offer for the today's student and the world needs to look at the costs driving college costs. Examples that come to mind from my own hands on experience are: pay for the administration, how many buildings can we support, why are the legislatures backing away from supporting the public institutions, not to mention pay for the required staffs (yes I have been involved as a board member at a college).
My state college system is supporting more than 37 two year/four college/universities, all with presidents and complete staffs providing academic programs. The state legislature is wrestling with how to keep it all together along with facing the question of declining enrollments due to the reduction in the number of high school seniors (lower birth rate) through 2025. The decline is not only based on the availability of funds for students to attend but, the decline in the number of available students to attend. This all translates to less revenues to support Eastern Basket Weaving and/or courses that actually will pay the bills.
In truth, I am a Dinosaur that was fortunate to be able pay my own way through college but, everything did NOT cost the student what it does today. Fees at our state colleges are high so that new dorms, food services and athletic facilities can be constructed to be competitive and attract students. Like the US Debt we can NOT afford all of this and go on. Students should be able to attend college and not have to mortgage their future for 50 years to achieve the needed job skills required in today's market place. I reside in a major mining area and to get hired, the companies require a two year degree or certificate in their areas of need ... the day of walking in the door just breathing won't cut it. Well there you go ... I ranted about this! 
As an aside, since I was not part of the college per se my concerns expressed on the costs and over building of campuses did not make me in favor with the college faculty and administration ... have not changed my mind as I read the stories of students.
One does not have to go to a private university out of state to get a good education.
Every major city in the U.S. has a college or university.
If you don't understand how to add up your loans and apply interest, you probably should not be in college.
At some point, people have to take resposibility for their actions.
The fact is almost ever person in America has the ability to at least go to college with the availability of federal loans.
I have student loans and so does my wife. Our parents did not pay for us to go.
I fully understand how much it sucks to make that payment every month, but it is better than a heck of a lot of jobs some people are forced to do every day for their entire life.
In addition to all the good posts made by everyone, I also think that ridiculous student loan debt has become acceptable and the norm since "everyone is doing it".
It's like the math and all common sense "goes out the door" because everyone is trying to keep up with each other.
And everyone already at the top is laughing all the way to the bank. Just another form of control.
