The rising student loan debt in the United States may lead to serious social problems, which has aroused discussion and concern throughout the United States. The New York Times reported that some economists saw a bad omen. More and more student borrowers delay repayment, and 9% of the total student loans are delayed for no less than 90 days. Recent research shows that it is still difficult for many fresh graduates to find high-paying jobs when the repayment period comes, and more and more students drop out of school, which means that they are heavily in debt, but they have not got a diploma.

The craze for student loans in the United States has been going on for many years. Although a series of studies show that college education is indeed worthwhile in the long run, it is particularly troublesome for college students who graduated in recent years because they are facing a weak job market. At present, the soaring tuition fees in American universities and the problem of many students defaulting on student loans have become the biggest troubles for many students and their parents. Some analysts believe that the default rate of student loans and the affected people are very similar to those of mortgage loans a few years ago. Some experts said that "student loans may become the tipping point of the next subprime mortgage crisis". Once many students are unable to repay their loans, it will cause serious social problems.