Here’s the deal: Student loans were intended to make college more accessible for people, but they actually create a lifetime of money stress. The negative effects of student loan debt aren’t just financial either. In our own research at Ramsey Solutions, we found that 53% of those who took out student loans regretted it. And 43% of those who took out student loans regret going to college altogether.   We also found that Americans with consumer debt (like student loans) are nearly TWICE as likely to lose sleep over their personal finances than those without. On top of that, 54% of Americans with consumer debt worry about money EVERY SINGLE DAY.   Don’t get me wrong: Higher education is great. But taking out a loan isn’t the only option to get that education. And not only does student loan debt weigh down your future (and stress you out), but it is having a serious negative impact on the future of our country.