Earlier quoted context omitted.
Student loans aren't your standard private sector loan though. They are a special legal category, which is why they can't be discharged in bankruptcy. All the usual borrowing standards don't apply either. No commercial lender would give that size of loan to an 18 year old with no collateral. The collateral is effectively a claim on the person's future earnings. What a crazy contract to have young people routinely pre…
You can discharge them through bankruptcy but it's not automatic. You have to prove repayment would cause "undue hardship". https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation...
There are the paths out: repayment, death and fleeing the country.