"I tell college students, "It's your own damn fault.""
I can't agree with that. Or, not fully, anyway. What is a student, after all? Someone who is learning about life, along with whatever he is majoring and minoring in. Yeah - the student probably ought to be a little smarter - but what about his parents, grandparents, counselors, etc? Each and every one of those individuals have FAILED the student.
My youngest son put himself through college. He had a scholarship, but didn't like it. (Please, don't ask me - the kid never did share all of his thoughts with his dad.) Instead of using the scholarship, he chose to strike out on his own, and do things HIS WAY. He now has a couple degrees, albeit not from a high class, well known school, but through Texas' community colleges.
True, Mom and I helped some, but the kid basically put himself through college, and he is almost debt free. He has one motorcycle that is worth more than he owes.
And, knowing that kid like I know that kid - he WILL pay off the student loans BEFORE the high interest rates kick in. He pinches a penny until it bleeds, so he's not going to pay exorbitant interest rates on a few thousand dollars.