No other loans carry the same terms as student loans. There is being responsible, and then there is debtor's hell.
You cannot (reasonably) file bankruptcy. The only escape is total disability. You are on the hook for the full amount even with a partial disability which keeps you from earning enough to pay it.
Why should there be an escape? You took the debt, and the terms are you pay it back as you earn money. It was never forced on you, you accepted it. But the dice didn't roll your way so now you want to flip the board?
The best thing we can do is teach kids/teens personal responsibility. Start with a negligable debt in their school years so they know the feeling of a repayment weight hanging over their head.
This is a myth and not true. While it may be difficult it is possible.
From the horses mouth:
Discharge in Bankruptcy
This is not an automatic process—you must prove to the bankruptcy court that repaying your student loan would cause undue hardship.
If you file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you may have your loan discharged in bankruptcy only if the bankruptcy court finds that repayment would impose undue hardship on you and your dependents. This must be decided in an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court. Your creditors may be present to challenge the request. The court uses this three-part test to determine hardship:
If you are forced to repay the loan, you would not be able to maintain a minimal standard of living.
There is evidence that this hardship will continue for a significant portion of the loan repayment period.
You made good-faith efforts to repay the loan before filing bankruptcy (usually this means you have been in repayment for a minimum of five years).
Your loan will not be discharged if you are unable to satisfy any one of the three requirements. If your loan is discharged, you will not have to repay any portion of your loan, and all collection activity will stop. You also will regain eligibility for federal student aid if you had previously lost it.
You cannot (reasonably) file bankruptcy. The only escape is total disability. You are on the hook for the full amount even with a partial disability which keeps you from earning enough to pay it.