I hear the term predatory used with school loans but I don't get it, what is predatory about them? Almost all of these people are HS graduate adults. These adults have choices- no college, trade schools, community college, online college, state, private, etc. Most (the normal non-star athletes or geniuses) people who choose college pursue the college, the college doesn't pursue the person. Those who choose college normally apply to a few different colleges because they may not get in. The student has to fill out a lot of paper work that takes time, this isn't some ToS agreement where looking at a college means you accept any loan and debt.

If colleges cold called prospective students and lied about the cost of education that would be predatory. The borrowers are not passive victims- it is only by their overt choices and actions that they go into debt.

250k for a 40k per year job is a bad investment but simply being a bad investment isn't predatory. A TV is a bad investment, Starbucks is a bad investment- they aren't predatory.

What is it about student loans that makes them predatory?

For those who believe people 18-24 are still developing and need special protection- do you think the voting age should be raised?