The average student loan debt is $38k. If you borrow $100 extra per month, and defer your first payment till the month you graduate, your extra burden is $5300 or so or about 14%. The average borrower takes 20 years to pay off the debt. They’d pay it off 2 years earlier without this extra expenditure.
Okay, but this isn't a 4 year university loan. It's a masters program after she went back to school.
Someone pursuing a masters is much more likely to have a plan on how to turn that degree into better career progression or other opportunities. Especially a masters student who spent time in industry.
And honestly 5k loans to pay off 2-4 years later is about as good a loan debt as you're going to get. Paying off thst debt is more about having a career plan by that time than penny pinching for as low as loan value as possible.
