http://www.rasmussen.edu/images2/articles/rasmussen-GDP.jpg

D: a look at how much various nations spend on education as proportion of GDP.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/09/22/con-student-debt.html

Students who graduate from college and university with high debt loads are putting off buying a house, having children or investing for the future, according to a new report.

It found that the average debt load of university graduates in 2009 was $26,680, while the average debt for college graduates was $13,600.

D: with entry level work, that amount was sufficient to hold my head under.

A student's financial status prior to seeking higher education is also a significant factor. Low-income students may be more averse to taking on debt, forcing them to forgo college or university.

D: making student loans a by-and-for middle class program.

"With so little information about private PSE [post-secondary education] institutions, no Canadian system of PSE accreditation, and no national quality review agency, students are denied sufficient and objective information in ascertaining value for money invested in PSE," Cappon said.

D: tragic that 20 years on, we still have no system to give good info to kids seeking post-secondary schooling.

just finished bankruptcy on student loan

D: was supposed to be cobuilding and flipping houses.
Buddy, the other partner, went belly-up last year.
Dragged me down too.
For the best- broke the holding pattern.

http://www.student-loan-bankruptcy.ca/

D: a quick summary of bankruptcy process:
1) in 9months, if less than 1850/mo
2) else 21 months.
3) 200 to start and c. 150 per month.

D: I happened to use BDO. I called KPMG and they had an answering machine.
I called BDO and they had a person. Winner.
I liked them just fine.
I'd recommend monthly budgets, keeping receipts, to anybody.
And using envelopes for essential bills first.

So I basically spent about 5-10% of my loan amount to kick it in a year.

There are 2 prepaid credit cards on the market to rebuild your credit.
One caps at 300, other starts at 500 - but it rebuilds credit faster.

Consider a consumer proposal first. Price may work out the same.

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Personal_Finance_Collection_Agency_Rights.aspx
D: your rights with collection agency.
Since they will LIE, feel free to record convo or mail and archive.
When they lie- beat 'em in court.
I got mine so scared they handed me off on a law firm. <:

BTW, the agencies will likely try some combo of these forbidden tactics.
They have with my friends and I.

DON'T hide fromm it - use 'acting in good faith' to pay token amount each month to keep them at bay. Produce a credible looking budget to justify it.

On that note: your bank.
Any account EVER used by them, even if access was a 1-shot - close it.
Set up new accounts. NEVER give permission to tranfer funds, even ONCE.

Ignore my advice at your own peril.