About this episode

The episode discusses the regrets associated with student loan debt and emphasizes the importance of starting the scholarship process early.

Multiple surveys indicate that people with student loan debt regret taking out the loans. A 2026 ScholarshipOwl survey of over 12,000 students found that 71% of those who already hold debt regret the decision, with concerns centered on unaffordable monthly payments and economic uncertainty. A 2022 Givling survey reported that 63% of borrowers regret taking out student loans. A 2024 Ramsey Solutions study found that 53% of student loan borrowers regret going into debt. Other polls show varying levels of regret, with NerdWallet (2024) reporting that 36% regret the amount borrowed, and WalletHub noting that 61% of college students regret how much they borrowed. If you are reading this, then I likely don’t need to convince you that avoiding student loans is preferable. But there is another regret that many families tell me they have, even families who have avoided crippling levels of student loan debt: They wish they had started the scholarship process earlier. Next week, I’m sharing an interview with a mom and student who earned a full-tuition scholarship. Despite such success with scholarships, they even said that they wish they had started the scholarship process sooner. Likewise…

People in this episode

Host: nodebtcollege

Guest: mom and student

Topics covered

• student loan debt
• scholarship process
• financial regret
• college funding
• opportunity
• education

Keywords

• student loans
• scholarships
• financial aid
• college debt
• regret
• education funding
• opportunity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ScholarshipOwl, Givling, Ramsey Solutions, NerdWallet, WalletHub

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Scholarship GPS Podcast: Your Directions to a Debt-Free College Degree podcast page.