“A higher education is the single best investment you can make in your future,” proclaimed US President Barack Obama on 22 August in Buffalo, NY.

Standing on stage in front of hundreds of students at the State University of New York, Buffalo, Obama addressed the dire situation many prospective, current, and past students in the United States face: paying back student loans. Obama made this statement as student loans have become an albatross around the necks of many who are struggling to pay back their debt while searching for employment in an economy with few offerings. Many young college graduates find themselves working low-income jobs in unrelated fields, at best.