Jim, that is getting dangerously close to saying "education is not for the likes of us". It is for likes of us, and for our children. Other countries recognise this, and their young people behave accordingly.

McGrath, I don't think most mortgage companies would regard a student loan debt as a block to a mortgage, since it would be written off on a term shorter than a typical mortgage repayment schedule. And people in this position shouldn't really be looking at other "credit options".